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Large Apulian Pelike with thermoluminescence analysis

Price: on request
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Object number
AR3037
Object: Pelike
Special type of small amphora with stable foot

Material: Reddish clay with black slip, painted in red, white and yellow.
So-called Gnathia pottery

Date 4th century BC
Late Classic till Early Hellenistic epoch

Description:    High elegant vessel with broad lip and foot. Pear-shaped body, high elegant neck, two handles.
The scene on one side shows a woman dressed in a chiton standing to the left and extending her right arm to a naked youth sitting on a stone draped by his cloak. The youth offers a large plate to the woman with his left hand. Laurel band above between the handles, a flower between the figures.
The other side shows a woman sitting on a stool which is covered by a cloth. She holds a bowl or plate in her left arm, her right arm points to a youth standing behind her, at whom she is looking over her shoulder. The scene is completed by a Nike with spread wings above the youth and a woman standing to the right of the seated figure. Egg and dots band with three large palmettes above.
Below each handle a large palmette with volutes to each side. A band of meanders and squares below palmettes and both scenes.

Size: Height 35 cm, Diameter 22 cm.

Condition: Professionally restored from several large fragments. The vessel most probably already broke in ancient times, as can be seen from the slightly varying preservation of the various fragments which were preserved in the ground under different conditions. Small chips over the body. The original decoration is perfectly preserved, incl. the white painting. Overall excellent condition. With two small bore holes for TL analysis samples (not shown on pictures).

Reference: For a very similar scene, see Corpus Vasorum Antiquorum, Sevres, Musee Ceremique Pl. 34.7.12.16

TL certificate: A thermoluminescence analysis performed in August 2020 has confirmed the age of the vessel to be 2300 years (+/- 13%), which perfectly matches with the dating based on the style of the vessel.

Provenance: Acquired 2020 from the German private collection Dr. R. Schmidt. Acquired by his father, Dr. Diethelm Schmidt, in the early 1980s from a Cologne (Germany) art gallery.

Authenticity: We unconditionally guarantee the authenticity of every artefact, all items are subject to our lifetime return policy on authenticity.