Lead-Glazed Head Kantharos (Front)

Made in a mold, this vase in the form of a human head depicts Dionysos, the Greek god of wine. The head of a goat, an animal frequently associated with Dionysos, forms the handle of the vase. A lead glaze that ranges in color from golden yellow for the god's skin, to reddish brown for his eyes and lips, to green for the wreath in his hair, covers the vase. A stamp on the underside of this vase gives the name of its maker, Likinnios.

A revival or rediscovery of an ancient Near Eastern pottery technique that had been out of use for centuries, lead-glazed pottery began to be produced on the coast of modern Turkey in the first century B.C. From there, production spread to other areas and continued for several centuries, but lead-glazed pottery was never common in Roman art. Lead-based glazes achieved bright, glossy colors that were meant to imitate the appearance of precious metals.