Magna Graecia, Italy, Apulia/Daunian, ca. 4th century BCE. A large pottery krater with a a broad, funneled rim, twin looping handles, and twin owl mask protomes. The creamy reddish body is decorated with a highly geometric series of straight lines around the body and curving and circular lines around the funnel rim, painted in red and black. As early as the 6th century BCE, Daunia was an extremely wealthy region as is evidenced by the rich grave goods from the urban centers of Canosa, Arpi, and Salapia among others. Daunian pottery while somewhat more rustic compared to black glazed and red figure South Italic Greek pottery is characterized by voluminous rounded forms with geometric and linear patterns in earthen tones as we see in this intriguing example. Owls were symbols of Athena (and also associated with Athens); here they are perhaps imitating Attic art or maybe just invoking a penchant for the goddess. Size: 10" W x 9.1" H (25.4 cm x 23.1 cm)

Provenance: Ex-Private UK collection

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#116874