A teardrop-shaped vessel with a wide spout and wide flat handle.
Photo © President and Fellows of Harvard College
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Photo © President and Fellows of Harvard College

A vessel which is pointed at the bottom, rounded at the top with a short narrow neck and wide spout, one edge of the spout continues into a wide flat handle which connects to the body of the vessel in a 90-degree angle. In black there are three rows of decorations on the body of the vessel, the top has curving leaf and flower designs, below that are winged four-legged animals, and the bottom is other long four-legged animals. The back of the handle is decorated with a checkered pattern and triangular designs surround the spout and base.

Identification and Creation

Object Number
2002.286
Title
Aryballos (oil flask): Griffin, Lion, and Sphinxes; Dogs Hunting Hare
Classification
Vessels
Work Type
vessel
Date
670-630 BCE
Places
Creation Place: Ancient & Byzantine World, Europe, Corinth (Corinthia)
Period
Orientalizing period
Culture
Greek
Persistent Link
https://hvrd.art/o/99041

Location

Location
Level 3, Room 3400, Ancient Mediterranean and Middle Eastern Art, Ancient Greece in Black and Orange
View this object's location on our interactive map

Physical Descriptions

Medium
Terracotta
Technique
Black-figure
Dimensions
7.3 x 3.9 cm (2 7/8 x 1 9/16 in.)
mouth: 3.3 cm (1 5/16 in.)

Provenance

Recorded Ownership History
Herbert A. and Tilly Cahn collection, Basel, (by 2002), sold; [through Jean-David Cahn AG, Basel, Octobert 18, 2002, Auction 3, no. 9], sold; to Harvard University Art Museums, 2002.

Acquisition and Rights

Credit Line
Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, David M. Robinson Fund
Accession Year
2002
Object Number
2002.286
Division
Asian and Mediterranean Art
Contact
am_asianmediterranean@harvard.edu
Permissions

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Descriptions

Description
Small piriform or pointed aryballos. Narrow ring base. From base, body flares outward and rounds out to form a sloping shoulder. Relatively long neck with broad collar. Small mouth at center. Wide, rectangular handle extends from collar to middle of shoulder.

Decoration divided into four registers: a continuous lotus and palmette scroll decorates the shoulder; on body, various creatures (lions, griffin, sphinxes) face each other with with an intervening dot rosette; a register of elongated hounds is below this; and triangular rays extend from the base. Registers are separated from each other by a double line. Exterior of handle with checkerboard pattern. Rays radiate from mouth a to edge of collar. Dots along rim of collar and handle. Dot rosette on front of neck.

Buff fabric with decorative details in dark brown slip. Some flaking of slip.

Exhibition History

  • Re-View: S422 Ancient & Byzantine Art & Numismatics, Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Cambridge, 04/12/2008 - 06/18/2011
  • 32Q: 3400 Greek, Harvard Art Museums, Cambridge, 11/16/2014 - 01/01/2050

Verification Level

This record has been reviewed by the curatorial staff but may be incomplete. Our records are frequently revised and enhanced. For more information please contact the Division of Asian and Mediterranean Art at am_asianmediterranean@harvard.edu