Oinochoe (Side A/B, post-conservation)

Herds of wild goats and spotted deer graze in single file on the lower registers of this trefoil oinochoe (three-spouted pitcher). On the shoulder of the vase, pairs of dogs, enormous water birds, and sphinxes flank a floral element. The cream-colored background is neatly filled with various patterns including rosettes, some of which are brought to life by small birds perched on their petals.

The rows of goats have given their name to this type of pottery decoration: the Wild Goat style. It was popular in East Greek settlements on the coast and islands of Asia Minor (the west coast of present-day Turkey) in the 7th and 6th centuries B.C. Animals arranged in friezes appear frequently in Greek art of this period. At this time, Greeks came into closer contact with their neighbors in the Near East, where repetitive bands of animal decoration were common. The island of Rhodes was once thought to have been the main producer of Wild Goat pottery, but excavation and clay analysis have since established the importance of workshops based in the ancient city of Miletos.

The highly ornate Wild Goat style is thought to have been patterned after textile designs, but ivory and bronze objects may also have provided sources of inspiration. The disks applied to the rim on either side of the handle of this oinochoe are clearly derived from metalwork.