• m10-cor-65-10
    Overview of rim fragment. (©Archaeological Exploration of Sardis/President and Fellows of Harvard College)

Fragment of a Corinthian Transitional Round Pyxis

Date
Ca. 630-615 BC, Lydian
Sardis or Museum Inv. No.
P62.180
Material
Ceramic
Object Type
Pottery
Pottery Shape
Round Pyxis
Pottery Ware
Corinthian Transitional
Pottery Attribution
Site
Sardis
Sector
HoB
Trench
HoB
B-Grid Coordinates
E0 - E5 / S105 - S108 to *99.3
Findspot
burned area
Description

Probably TR. Rim fragment. Indentation at the top. Scale pattern in black-polychrome technique with added white and red. At the top, the broken edge shows the remains of a line of black glaze, followed by a reserved area in the indentation. Four registers of scales cover the remainder of the fragment. The rows alternate scales with added red and those of black glaze. Each scale is edged with a wide border of double-incised lines; the borders are decorated with white dots. There are large gaps between the ends of the scales, creating a vertical as well as horizontal rhythm. Compass points. Glaze: dark brown to black. Interior reserved. Clay: hard and slightly rough. Yellow-buff. Munsell no. 10 YR 7/3 (very pale brown).

The shape is uncertain. The indentation at the top may have been designed for a lid. The use of white dots begins as early as LPC, becomes very popular in EC (see also Cor 67), and continues into MC. The lively use of color suggests a date in TR for this piece, but the irregular spacing and numerous dots could indicate a date as late as EC.

Dimensions
P.H. 0.035; P.W. 0.034; Th. 0.005
Comments
Cf. Perachora II, pl. 31, no. 722 a, b (LPC--TR) for a very similar treatment of the scales on a phiale.
See Also
Bibliography
Author
JS