Description:
Fragment of lid, probably from a pyxis; red-figure decoration of egg and dart border with the profile and shoulder of a woman.

Label Text:
In classical Greece, ceramics like this would have been luxury items. This fragment likely comes from the lid of a pyxis, a covered container used by women to hold small objects and toiletries. The decoration is an example of red-figure pottery, a popular technique that originated in Greece around 530 BCE. The technique allowed for greater detail which can be seen in the fine features and delicate hair style of the woman on this sherd. This is likely the work of a member of the Meidian circle, a school of skilled
painters who are known today for depictions of elegant women and mythological scenes.

Tags:
ancient; archaeology; pottery; vessels; containers

Link to share this object record:
https://museums.fivecolleges.edu/detail.php?t=objects&type=ext&id_number=MH+1943.19.B.AIV

Research on objects in the collections, including provenance, is ongoing and may be incomplete. If you have additional information or would like to learn more about a particular object, please email fc-museums-web@fivecolleges.edu.