Phiale (South Italian Calenian ware)
3rd century BCE
Medium
earthenware
Measurements
3.9 × 19.7 diameter
Credit Line
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Purchased, 1961
© Public Domain
Gallery location
18th Century Decorative Arts - Great Hall Costume Corridor
Level 2, NGV International
About this work
A phiale is a shallow bowl used for wine. In religious ceremonies these bowls were used to pour libations to the gods, but in more domestic contexts they were used as drinking cups.
Artwork Details
Place/s of Execution
Calvi, Italy
Accession Number
271-D5
Department
Antiquities
This digital record has been made available on NGV Collection Online through the generous support of Digitisation Champion Ms Carol Grigor through Metal Manufactures Limited
Physical description
Shallow, metallic black-glazed bowl with an impressed decoration of lotus and palmette in two registers. Around the central boss is a circular pattern of dots. Black-glazed all over (a metallic lustre) except for the underside of the central boss, which reveals a pink-buff clay.