
The Art Institute of Chicago
Amphoriskos (Container for Oil)
Description
Located on the narrow isthmus that joins the Greek mainland and the Peloponnese, with natural harbors facing east and west, Corinth was the major port of trade in Greece for most of the Archaic period (700–480 BCE). Producers exported scented oil around the Mediterranean in terracotta containers like this one known as an amphoriskos, literally a "little amphora," that survive today in the thousands.
Provenance
Jean P. Lambros (1843-1909), Athens, Greece; sold to the Art Institute of Chicago, 1892; price reimbursed by Charles L. Hutchinson, 1892.
Dimensions
16.5 × 8.4 cm (6 1/2 × 3 1/4 in.)
Movement / Period
Accession No
614
Official Citations
Curatorial Affinity Stream
Continuing the Universe of Greek; Corinth
corinthian (pottery style) • Corinth • Harmonious Works & Contemporaries
Continuous Discovery