Galerie Golconda

Calene type guttus. Beige terracotta painted black. Rounded body that is flat on the top and foot. Handle and spout arranged at right angles to one another on the body of the piece. Moulded stripes around the belly and central medallion on the flat section decorated with the head of a menade that has radiating curly hair. This piece is well preserved with probable restorations.
Guttus (plural Gutti, from gutta meaning the drop in Latin) are referred to as a family of vessels belonging to the ceramic art of the Greeks. They generally originate from the Greek colonies of southern Italy, where an important production developed between the 5^th and 3^rd centuries BC. Their exact function remains unknown: perhaps used either to fill oil lamps or in baths to spread perfumed oils on the body. These vases have characteristic long narrow necks which allowed for liquid to be poured drop by drop, “guttatim” in Latin.