Terracotta aryballos (oil flask)
Unknown Artist
late 8th–early 7th century BCE
Medium
Terracotta
Dimensions
H. 2 9/16 in. (6.5 cm)
Classification
Vases
Culture & Period
Greek, Corinthian · Protocorinthian
Department
Greek and Roman Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1922
Accession Number
22.139.88
Art Historical Context
This delicate terracotta aryballos or oil flask, hails from Corinth in ancient Greece during the Protocorinth period (late 8th–early 7th century BCE Standing just 2 9/16 inches (6.5 cm) tall, it exemplifies the exquisite miniaturist craft of Corinthian potters, who were pioneers in producing finely detailed vases amid the Geometric-to-Orientalizing transition.balloi like this were practical yet luxurious items, designed to hold perfumed oils for grooming, athletics, or funerary rites, often carried by a handle for easy suspension. Protocorinthian pottery marks a pivotal shift in Greek art, bl...