Cycladic cylindrical pyxis

The pyxis is one of the most characteristic clay vases of the Early Cycladic I period (3200-2800 BC), particularly common in burials. It appears in spherical or cylindrical form and is frequently covered with a lid. It was probably used as a container for jewellery or other small articles. This example has a cylindrical body with slightly concave walls. Two small holes on opposite sides of the lid and two tubular lugs just below the rim were used for fastening the vase with leather string. The surface of the vase is decorated with incised rectilinear motifs. It has been suggested that this kind of decoration may imitate the decoration of wooden pyxides, none of which has survived however. In general, incised rectilinear motifs are characteristic of the early stages of the Early Cycladic I period. The familiar curvilinear and spiral motifs made their appearance only at the end of this period.