Xenon Guttus (Primary Title)

Unknown (Artist)

4th century BC
Greek (South Italian, Apulian)
Ceramics
Containers-Vessels
terracotta
Overall: 3 1/8 × 5 1/4 in. (7.94 × 13.34 cm)
79.5

A guttus is a spouted container particularly useful for controlling the flow of liquids. Some scholars suggest that this form of vessel was used to feed babies or fill oil lamps; in either case, the strainer at the top would have filtered out impurities.

Adolph D. and Wilkins C. Williams Fund
“The Art of South Italy: Vases from Magna Graecia,” Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (Richmond, VA): 12 May-8 August 1982; Philbrook Art Center (Tulsa, OK): 20 November 1982-9 January 1983; The Detroit Institute of Arts (Detroit, MI): 7 February-10 April 1983.
Image released via Creative Commons CC-BY-NC

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