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From:UC Teece Museum of Classical Antiquities
Name/TitleLekanis Lid
About this objectA lekanis is an ancient Greek vessel in the form of a shallow bowl with two horizontal handles and a lid. This lekanis lid unfortunately no longer has its base. Such vessels are often depicted on vases in connection with weddings, as containers for articles used by women for dressing and grooming, and as containers for small personal items. They were also used for serving food.
This Sicilian red-figure lekanis lid features two seated women holding dishes and gifts, looking backwards over their shoulders towards each other. Between them are palmettes with scrolls and bell-flowers. The women are elaborately dressed, have their hair up, and are wearing various articles of jewellery. One of the women is seated near a tympanon, a type of musical instrument, and a lepaste, a type of dish wth a divided interior. The lip of the lid is decorated with a wave pattern.
MakerAttributed to the Painter of Palermo 401
Maker RoleArtist
Date Madeca. 340-330 BC
PeriodEarly Hellenistic
Place MadeItaly; Sicily
Place NotesAttributed to the Lentini-Manfria group, active in Syracuse and Gela
Medium and MaterialsCeramic: Pottery
Style and IconographyRed-figure
Style and IconographySicilian
Style and IconographyHellenistic
TechniqueThrowing (pottery technique)
TechniqueGlazing (coating process)
TechniqueRed-figure vase painting
MeasurementsHeight 78mm; Diameter 165mm
Subject and Association KeywordsPlants in art
Subject and Association KeywordsWomen in art
Subject and Association KeywordsClothing and dress
Subject and Association KeywordsCosmetics
Subject and Association KeywordsFood history
Subject and Association KeywordsFood in art
Subject and Association KeywordsMusic in art
Named CollectionThe James Logie Memorial Collection, University of Canterbury, New Zealand
Credit LineDonated by MK Steven, 1970.
Object TypeContainers
Object number104.70
Copyright LicenceAll rights reserved