Three Fishplates

The Greeks used a special form of plate with a central depression and a turned-down rim for serving fish. This central depression could be used to collect the juice or sauce in which the fish was served. Ceramic examples of the fishplate shape, which was especially popular in the Greek colonies in South Italy in the 300s B.C., are decorated with highly accurate representations of fish and other marine life. These three marble fishplates, one larger than the other two, also had painted decoration, but not fish motifs. The traces of decoration that remain are floral. On the large plate, an eight petal rosette with alternating dark red and pink petals fills the central depression. Four palmettes--two purple and two red--remain on the plate's flat surface and short strokes in dark blue decorate the outer edge. The two smaller plates were probably also painted but it is no longer possible to determine what the patterns or scenes might have been. Only scattered traces of red paint remain on one, and blue-green on the other. The fragile nature of the painted decoration on these plates makes it unlikely that they actually functioned as dishes for serving fish. They were probably used only for ceremonial purposes.