Ancient Daunian Earthenware Cup, Magna Graecia, Italy (1789LME) $595

Description

Daunian style earthenware pottery was produced in the ancient northern Italian region Apulia, in what was then known as Magna Graecia. This cup from the 6th or 5th centuries B.C.E. was covered with beige slip and then painted with red, brown and black earth colors in a variety of patterns including diamonds, triangles, crosses, rectangles, circles, arcs and other geometric forms. Typical shapes of Apulia pottery include bowls, cups with wide loop handles, and pots and vessels to hold and pour liquids. This ancient vessel is a later variant of an olpe, a small Greek wine jug with a high handle but no spout. Its curved rim and high handle made it ideal for pouring liquids like water and wine. It has a flaring rim and a wide loop ear-shaped handle attached at the bottom, looping above and attached to the top rim. It was covered with a beige slip before being decorated with reddish-brown and light black bands on the body and handle creating a multi color stripe motif on the handle and across the body with geometric forms such as circles, and four triangles with rounded sides typical of Duanian earthenware vessels. There may be repairs to the handle as there is a thick uneven slip applied over the painted body underneath it or the handle might have been attached after the body paint was completed. Otherwise it is in very good condition.