Terracotta fragment of a lekanis lid (covered dish)
Unknown Artist
third quarter of the 5th century BCE
Medium
Terracotta
Classification
Vases
Culture & Period
Greek, Attic · Classical
Department
Greek and Roman Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Dietrich von Bothmer, Distinguished Research Curator, Greek and Roman Art, 2011
Accession Number
2011.604.2.1172
Art Historical Context
This delicate terracotta fragment comes from the lid of a *lekanis*, a dish popular in ancient Greece for storing cosmetics, jewelry, or small offerings. Crafted by an unknown Attic artist in the third quarter of the 5th century BCEduring Athens's Classical golden age—this piece reflects the pinnacle of Greek pottery production. Attic workshops were renowned worldwide, exporting vases that blended everyday utility with artistic flair. Lekanides like this one were essential in women's daily rituals, evoking the domestic world of classical households amid the era's cultural boom: think Partheno...