lekythos

Pottery: White-ground lekythos. Thanatos (Death) and Hypnos (Sleep) (?) bringing dead warrior to tomb. The tomb is in the form of a plain stele on a double plinth, decorated with numerous taeniae, and surmounted by a double projecting moulding. About one quarter of the way down from the top is a band of egg pattern, above which is painted a helmet with long hanging crest to right, the eye-holes filled in with red. The body of the warrior is about to be laid, with feet to left, on the upper plinth it has a cuirass, and a mantle is rolled up over the arms; the head, which is beardless, is held by a youthful winged figure (Hypnos), who places his hand under the warrior's arms, resting the head against his breast. A bearded winged figure (Thanatos) bends forward, supporting with his left the thighs, with his right the lower part of the legs; the beard of this figure is shaggy and the hair straight; on his body are markings in red, as if of plumage. Drawing of good period. Brown outline throughout, except wings, which are in black outline; hair in black or brown strokes on brown wash; body of Hypnos, thinned red wash; taeniae and mantle of warrior red with black folds. Eye in profile. Usual patterns.