Attic Black-Figure Column Krater

Side A: Two large profile heads facing left (Dionysos and Ariadne). The male head is behind with a long pointed beard and an ivy wreath in his hair. The skin of the woman is painted white and she wears her hair folded over upon itself at the back of the neck. She also wears a hoop earring with a dangling element and a necklace composed of lines and dots. There are grapevines in the field. The vertical borders contain palmette chains alternating facing left and right. Side B: Europa and the bull. Europa sits on the bull facing right and turning her head to the left. She holds a pomegranate or fruit in her right hand. Her hair is also folded upon itself. White is used for her skin and the underside and snout of the bull. Grapevines occupy the field. The panel borders are made up of ivy vines. The panels under the handles depict dancing maenads. Both wear mantles over both shoulders and their skin is painted white. Large parts of the vase have been misfired. The interior is black with the exception of the very bottom. The rim is decorated with hanging lotus bud chains with dots in the interstices. Above the handles are palmettes with flanking volute scrolls and two dots surrounding the central frond. Below the rim is an ivy chain while on the shoulder has a tongue pattern on two sides. Below the figured scenes are red bands surrounding a thick black band. Above the foot is a pattern of rays on a reserved field. The side of the foot is reserved; the rest is black or misfired. The vessel is reconstructed from fragments.