Terracotta loutrophoros (ceremonial vase for water)

Unknown

last quarter of 6th century BCE · Terracotta · Greek and Roman Art

On the body, obverse, prothesis (laying out of the deceased) with mourners; reverse, mourners On the neck, obverse and reverse, mourners On the subsidiary frieze, horsemen The iconography of this vase is canonical for a loutrophoros. Of interest is the subsidiary frieze of horsemen. Horses play a significant role in funerary iconography, in the form of war chariots, racing chariots, or riders. The reference will be to the status of the deceased, for ownership of a horse in ancient Athens was a mark of wealth and privilege.

Artist

Unknown

Date

last quarter of 6th century BCE

Medium

Terracotta

Culture

Greek, Attic

Department

Greek and Roman Art

Credit line

Fletcher Fund, 1925