Urns, Campana

These two vessels, known as campana urns due to their shape, are made of yellow Jasperware. The small size of these urns indicates they were purely decorative. The vase on the left is decorated with an image of Nike the goddess of victory in a chariot and the Greek hero Odysseus. The cap Odysseus is wearing indicates that he is a traveler, associating the scene with The Odyssey. The urn to the right features an interpretation of the myth of sea nymph Thetis dipping her son Achilles into the river Styx. By dipping him in the waters of the river Styx, Thetis hopes to protect Achilles from death, though she is unsuccessful when he dies at the end of the Trojan War according to Greek mythology.