The Hunt Museum boasts a small but fine collection of Greek pottery dating from the 5th and 4th centuries BC. Here, we will focus on our lekythoi.
What are lekythoi?
Athenian cemeteries housed a variety of monuments and offerings to the dead. One such offering was a lekythos. A lekythos (plural lekythoi) is a small Greek vessel that was most often used for grave offerings. More specifically, they were used to pour oil.
It has a single handle at the back and a very narrow neck. The neck was deliberately made narrow to prevent using too much oil; oil was a very valuable commodity at the time. Indeed, sometimes the vessels were made with false necks so that only a small amount of oil was used, yet it appeared as if the vessel was full.
In the 5th century BC, lekythoi were usually decorated in a distinctive technique known as white ground. This term comes from the light slip coating on the body of the vase. Figures were usually drawn in outline on the slip, and then painted in rich colors, many of which have faded over time (see image of lekythos with the figure of a woman below). Since most of these bottles were made for burial with the dead or to be left at their graves, the scenes on their surfaces typically represent tombs, visitors to tombs, and farewell scenes.
Attic white-ground lekythos/Mineral,Clay/5th century BC/The Hunt Collection/PD
Vase or lekythos/Mineral,Clay/4th century BC/The Hunt Collection/PD
Lekythoi in the Hunt Collection
Two of our lekythoi are decorated with various geometric motifs including horizontal bands and the Greek meander. The Greek meander design first appeared circa 900 BC. Also known as a key, the design consists of a series of short horizontal and vertical lines which are painted at right angles to each other. This design was, and continues to be used in architecture and interior design.
On the vase below, we can see intricately painted leaves and vines on a white background. The vase has a tall strap handle ending at the shoulder. The body has geometric decoration.
In contrast, we have lekythoi whose decoration is figurative. In the example seen in the image above is the figure of a woman. One hand is outstretched while the other is placed at the back of her neck. She appears to be wearing a chiton, a traditional type of clothing worn by women in ancient Greece. Depictions on white-ground lekythoi have shown us that women regularly made visits to graves with offerings including cakes and libations. It is likely that this is the scene illustrated on this lekythos. There is some geometric decoration. Once again, the Greek meander pattern appears in a horizontal band around the upper body of the lekythos.
In the second image, on a different lekythos, is the figure of another woman. In comparison to the first lekythos, the figure has become extremely faded. However, if we look closely, it is still possible to see the fine brushstrokes used to create highly detailed clothing.
Head to the Explore section of our website to have a closer look: https://www.huntmuseum.com/explore/item/bdce7aba-6c0b-35ad-945b-9cfb3b769164/?s%3Dlekythos&pos=2
Vase or lekythos/Mineral,Clay/4th century BC, Classical Greece, Archaic Greece/The Hunt Collection/PD
Meander pattern on ancient Greek architectural remains.
Sources
Loth, Calder. The Complex Greek Meander. Institute of Classical Architecture and Art. Accessible on https://www.classicist.org/articles/classical-comments-the-complex-greek-meander/
Art Institute Chicago. https://www.artic.edu/artworks/87666/lekythos-oil-jar
Woodford, Susan. An Introduction to Greek Art Sculpture and Vase Painting in the Archaic and Classical Period. Bloomsbury (2015).
