amphora (possibly); hydria (possibly)

Please enable JavaScript in your web browser to get the best experience.

amphora(possibly); hydria(possibly)

Object Type: amphora (possibly); hydria (possibly)
Museum number: 1886,0401.1184
Description: Body sherd of Attic black-figured pottery closed vessel, hydria or amphora; exterior: black-figure decoration consisting of part of three figures to right: on left, part of club (of Herakles); central, a female figure wearing peplos with incised pattern, with faded added white on chin, neck and row of dots on neckline below incised dots; part of a bow is in the foreground, whether held by her or by Herakles is unclear; on the right, part of figure in patterned himation with vertical row of faded white dots and vertical red border, crossed by the shaft of an object.
Cultures/periods: Attic; Archaic Greek
Production date: 550BC-540BC (circa)
Production place: Made in: Attica (Greece)
Excavator/field collector
Findspot: Excavated/Findspot: Sanctuary of Apollo (Naukratis)
Materials
Ware
Technique: painted; incised
Dimensions: Height: 3 centimetres; Thickness: 0.70 centimetres; Width: 6.80 centimetres
Curator's comments: The British Museum Catalogue of Vases II suggests this may be part of an apotheosis of Herakles, and all points in that direction, with the figure on the right being Hermes with his kerykeion; but the identity of the central figure is a problem, since Athena normally carries a shield in such circumstances and Artemis, possibly carrying the bow, is not otherwise attested in the scene. This could have been a highly populated procession, but even so Artemis would have been in an unusually prominent position. Dated by Venit too late at 530-520BC.
Bibliographic references: Vase / Catalogue of Vases in the British Museum (B600.11); Venit 1982 / Painted Pottery from the Greek Mainland found in Egypt, 640-450 BC (p. 466, no. B796); Villing et al 2013-2015 / Naukratis: Greeks in Egypt (GA.0097) (Phase 1)
Location: Not on display
Subjects: classical deity; myth/legend
Associated names: Representation of: Athena/Minerva; Representation of: Herakles/Hercules
Acquisition name
Acquisition date: 1886
Department: Greek and Roman
Registration number: 1886,0401.1184

Free entry

Opening hours