Pitcher

Pitcher or oinochoe (wine jug) with wide, tall neck and ovoid body. On the shoulder there is a wide band with figured decoration of grazing horses. On the belly, seated female figures are depicted within a frieze. The figures follow the standard conventions of Geometric art: round head, the hair indicated by painted lines, triangular torso, arms and legs indicated by thin lines, and two small protrusions below the chest indicating the breast. The frieze is thought to depict a mourning scene in an interior space, possibly the house of the dead. The vase comprises all characteristic elements of Late Geometric pottery: coverage of the whole surface with decorative motifs arranged in zones, figured scenes, special emphasis on the main decorative subject. The vase dates to the Late Geometric II period. In that period, vase-painters were still strongly influenced by the works of the so-called "Dipylon Master", an artist who lived in the previous generation. The execution on this vessel, however, betrays carelessness and lack of inspiration especially in the combination of geometric motifs.