Terracotta amphora (jar)

Group E

ca. 550 BCE · Terracotta · Greek and Roman Art

Obverse, warrior and inscription: two obols—and hands off Reverse, man carrying a tripod In addition to its elegant simplicity, this amphora has several features of great importance. The figure on the reverse is probably an athlete who is carrying off his prize, a bronze tripod. Greek literature provides numerous references to tripods as prizes and dedications. A representation such as this shows their scale and how such objects were carried. The inscription on the obverse permits different interpretations. An obol was a unit of weight and a coin.

Artist

Group E

Date

ca. 550 BCE

Medium

Terracotta

Culture

Greek, Attic

Department

Greek and Roman Art

Credit line

Fletcher Fund, 1956