This remarkable vessel is of buff-
coloured clay
with black glaze on the neck and
handle. The
neck is adorned with white rays and a
band filled
with a wave motif. The body is in the
shape of a
woman’s head, perhaps a goddess or
simply an
idealization of feminine beauty. The
hair is
centrally parted and brushed to each
side in
undulating strands. The back of the
hair is
covered by a saccos with a pink
lattice design.
This type of vase clearly demonstrates
the
development from red-figure to a
polychrome
technique that took place in the
second half of
the fourth century BC. Inspired by
Attic
examples, the potters at Canosa
produced a new
version distinctive for its rich
colouring. Head
vases were a specialty of this area
and their
bottoms were often intentionally left
open, which
excluded any practical use for them.
They were
placed in tombs, often in pairs, as
offerings for
the dead.
- (PF.0340)
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