n - Historia Antigua

118
THE ATTIC PYXIS
SALLY RUTHERFt:RD ROBERn
119
Lid: H. pres. 0.037. 0.0.140. Box: H. pres. 0.062. D. at rim
11.061.
In~et flange for lid. shallo\\ concan~ cun"c 10 sides with 10'l1'cr.
~l()ping projl."Cting keel.
Ud' si~ \'crtical palmclles v.ilh a dot on either side of one,
Interlocking maeanders in groups Of five (once six and once three)
\eparated by chequer square. 80.' IWO \'ertical palmclles \\ith
\\ hite hearts and most of a third he middle one is flanked by
dots: /ul\'j" kl'd: egg pattern.
ned-figure. Agortl XII, 384. Deposit A·B 21·22:1 dated ca.
120-.190 R.e.
S. A /lIf'11$, Agora P 24296. fr.. from Athens. PI. 75,1.
Fragment (If small pyxis type A. which served as knob of a lid
Ill" a pyxis type A. Portion of IOlh'1 wall preserved and projecting
IOIH'r keel. Underside elaooralelv moulded around broken stem
10.0.035), H. pres. 0.036, 0, ptl'l>, :I.t 10"'er part 0.093.
Heart 01 palmetlc on acanlhus Iea\'t's, interlocking stopped
lIl:lcanders and chequer square. two black-glaze raised rings. Egg
un lower keel.
!'atterned; found in Agora a~a. exact prO\'enance unknown.
h. IJrollrOlI /80 fr .. from Brauron.
MinialUre ppis. type A. whieh sen'ed as the knob of the lid of
a pp-is type A. Presen'ed: low'er portion of sloping wall. projecting
lower keel. tall stem (broken below) connected to keel by cuo'ed
contour.
The evidence for this the most elaborate form of pyxis type A III
the later fifth century is very limited. But for an almost intact
example from Spina. a few fragments from the Athenian Agora
and Braurun. one would not have been aware that the lype existed
prior 10 the second quarter of the fourth century. Evidently t.....o
\'ariants of the type were made. a pyxis type A with a pyxidion of
type C serving as a knob and a pyxis type A surmounted by
miniature pyxis of the same type. The combination of the two types
of pyxides sen'cs as a \'isual reminder of the contemporaneity of
l~~ A and C and suggests that the potter "ho made one type.
made lhe other. The c1assificatK>n of the doubk pyxis is based on
that factor alone. The evidence at hand indicates that the mam lid
was slightl} domed as in those of type C and the pyxidion
supported on a li"tem swelling toward its apex. Judging by the
number.> presened the t)PC became more popular in the first half
of the fourth century.
Ferrara. T. 27 C VP (no. I. PI. 73) has been preserved intact but
for the lid of the p)'xidion of type e. The principal lid is slightly
domed and the pyxis knob is joined to it by a slender stem which
,,"ell.. at the junctiun, The walls of the box approach the cylindrical
and the lower keel is pronounced in its extension. The flaring foot
i!> tripllftite, The lid of the pyxidion was undoubtedly slightly
domed with a lower rim as in the lids of those of standard size. For
a miniature lid of type C see Athens. Agora P tJ097 (no. 2. PI.
72.2) which is identical with the standard \'ersion exccpt that the
smalll'entral clay medallion is not pierced to rccei\'e the u..ual ring
handle. This miniature lid must have belonged either to such a
pyxidton or to an independent miniature vase.
The pyxis has been allributed to the Marlay Painter who also
deroratt.'d pyxides of type C and an additional type A of another
model.I' The vase dates to ca. 430 B.e. and thus prm'ides preeious
c\idence for the production of such elaborate \'ases sixty years
before the Kerch l>erK.~.1J A "fourth ccn!Ury' type b, thus shO\o\n 10
han' its origin in the later fifth century.
Athens. Agora P 12975 (no. 3. PI. 72.1). is a fragmentary
pp,id ion uf type C from such a double vase. The hastily painted
wreath is the usual decoration of such boxes of standard size. The
date is difficult to determine and unfortunalely the vase does not
come from a numbered deposil. u
No, 4 (Pis. 74.2-74.3. 75.2) is a fragmentary example uf the
~crond variety. a pyxis type A surmounted by a pyxidion of the
same type. Of the box only the main lid is preserved whose com'ex
central area. lower rim. 3nd broad two step stem-base as well a~ its
modest diameter 01'0.014 show it to be from 3 ppis. type A. The
!>tcm i~ broken just 3bo\'e the base. The pyxidion has slightly
('onca\'e walls and a sloping lower keel from "hich the contour