aryballos

MAC GIR-014621

Object type aryballos

Materials faience

Technique molding, incised decoration

Production date -700 / -500

Seu Museu d'Arqueologia de Catalunya - Girona

Current location MASPG

Archaeological site Empúries

Township Escala, l' (Alt Empordà)

Dimensions 50 x 60 x 27 mm

Description

Faience aryballos in the form of a hedgehog. An aryballos is a small bottle-shaped container with a narrow neck and a disc-shaped mouth. It comes from the Greek necropolis of the Portitxol (Empúries, l'Escala, Alt Empordà) and is dated between the 7th-6th centuries BC. Its origin is, however, in the Greek colony of Naukratatis, in Egypt. Faience is a varnished and enamelled silica paste that once fired at the right temperature takes characteristics similar to those of glass. It usually appears, as in the present case, with turquoise green or green tones. This aryballos was made in a mould and decorated with incisions, which represent the spines of a hedgehog. The handle and the neck were added in a restoration, following known models. Aryballoi of this kind were vessels to contain perfumes.

Omeka ID 3194