hydria | British Museum

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hydria

Object Type
Museum number: 1843,1103.66
Description: Pottery: black-figured hydria. Designs in black on red panels, separated by maeander, with borders of ivy down the sides; accessories of white and purple. 1. On the shoulder: Departure of a warrior: In the centre a quadriga to left, into which the charioteer is stepping, bearded, in short embroidered chiton, with sword at side. In advance of him, looking back, is a warrior in a visored helmet, with spear and shield with device of three pellets. In front of the horses is an old man seated on an okladias to right, with white hair and beard, in long chiton and himation, in left hand a sceptre. On the left is a nude bearded male figure advancing to left, looking back, with left hand raised over the old man's head. In front of him is a warrior with visored helmet, greaves, spear, shield with device of a plane-leaf, facing an old man with white hair and beard, wrapped in a himation, with sceptre in right hand. Behind the chariot is a female figure to right, in long chiton and himation over her head, facing a warrior armed as the last one, with a dolphin as device on his shield; behind him an archer to left, bearded, in peaked cap and short chiton, carrying bow and quiver. 2. On the body: Hydrophoria; On the left, part of a building with one Doric column and entablature, on the left side of which is a fountain with water pouring from a lion's head into a hydria on a base. Before the building is a maiden to left holding out her hands under the fountain; behind her are three pairs of maidens confronted, on the way to and from the fountain and conversing; those on the way from the fountain have hydriae upright on their heads, the others horizontal. All have long tresses with fillets, and long embroidered chitons with diploidia. In the field are numerous imitation inscriptions, and between the second and third pairs from the left is inscribed: Σίμη καλή. 3. Below: Frieze of animals: Lion to right between boars (of the one on the left only the forepart is visible), and lion and boar confronted.
Producer name
Cultures/periods: Attic; Archaic Greek
Production date: 530BC-510BC
Production place: Made in: Attica (Greece)
Findspot: Excavated/Findspot: Vulci
Materials
Ware
Technique: painted; incised
Dimensions: Height: 47.20 centimetres; Width: 39.40 centimetres; Depth: 33.20 centimetres
$Inscriptions
Curator's comments: BM Cat. Vases Mus. Etr. p. 155; C.I.Gr. 8035; Wernicke, Lieblingsn. p. 17; Klein, Lieblingsinschr. p. 26.; Scene (2) may show preparations for a ritual known as the Hydrophoria. This took place on the second day of the spring festival of the Anthesteria, and involved the ceremonial pouring of water into a particular chasm.
Bibliographic references: Vase / Catalogue of Vases in the British Museum (B336); Old Catalogue / A Catalogue of the Greek and Etruscan Vases in the British Museum (478); CVA British Museum 6 / Corpus Vasorum Antiquorum: Great Britain 8, British Museum 6 (III H e Pl. 90, 4)
Location: Not on display
Exhibition history: Exhibited: 1990 20 Oct-9 Dec, Japan, Tokyo, Setagaya Art Museum, Treasures of the British Museum, cat. no.98 1991 5 Jan-20 Feb, Japan, Yamaguchi, Prefectural Museum of Art, Treasures of the British Museum, cat. no.98 1991 9 Mar-7 May, Japan, Osaka, National Museum of Art, Treasures of the British Museum, cat. no.98 2007 31 Mar-30 Jun, Gosport, Ancient Greeks: Athletes, Warriors & Heroes 2007-2008 3 Nov-24 Feb, Leicester, Ancient Greeks: Athletes, Warriors & Heroes 2008 29 Mar-1 Jun, Luton, Ancient Greeks: Athletes, Warriors & Heroes 2008 20 Jun-5 Oct, Lincoln, Ancient Greeks: Athletes, Warriors & Heroes 2008-2009 25 Oct-24 Jan, South Shields, Ancient Greeks: Athletes, Warriors & Heroes 2009 7 Feb-4 May, Glasgow, Ancient Greeks: Athletes, Warriors & Heroes 2010-2012 20 Oct-9 Dec, Luton, Wardown Park, Ancient Greeks 2017 13 Jul-15 Oct, Madrid, Caixa Forum, Ancient Greeks 2017-2018 23 Nov-18 Feb, Barcelona, Caixa Forum, Ancient Greeks 2018 20 Mar-24 Jun, Sevilla, Caixa Forum, Ancient Greeks 2018 24 Jul-4 Nov, Zaragoza, Caixa Forum, Ancient Greeks 2018-2019 18 Dec-31 Mar, Palma, Caixa Forum, Ancient Greeks
Subjects: architecture; warrior; charioteer/chariot; horse/ass
Acquisition name: Purchased from: Alexandrine Bonaparte, Princess of Canino; Purchased through: James Millingen
Acquisition date: 1843
Department: Greek and Roman
Registration number: 1843,1103.66