Agrs Project 1
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University of California, Berkeley *
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Course
AGRS10A
Subject
Arts Humanities
Date
Jan 9, 2024
Type
Pages
4
Uploaded by PrivateElephantPerson944
Jessica Lambros
Project 1; April 10, 2023
Boeotian Black Figure Lekane
550 BC
Left:
Underside view of the sacrificial procession to Athena of the Boeotian Black Figure Lekane. Image source:
https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/image/57609001
Right:
Front, inside view of three males in the lekane. Image source:
https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/
image/51332001
Artifact:
Boeotian Black Figure Lekane
Location:
British Museum, London, United Kingdom
Date:
Archaic Period, ca. 550 BC
Material:
Ceramic, black-figure technique
Size:
Height: 7.62 cm (3 inches), Diameter: 30.49 cm (12 in)
Provenance:
Athens
Providience:
Boeotia
Artist:
Not known
Description:
The Boeotian Black Figure Lekane is a lekanis (bowl) found in Athens, but
originally crafted in the Athens. This vessel, the lekanis, was designed as a low, lidded bowl
resting on a broad foot with handles projecting from its sides. This specific artifact was made on
a potter’s wheel and has a short rim. It is decorated with figures in reddish-black inside and
Project 1; April 10, 2023
outside the vessel and some details incised. The vessel most likely used for food and/or ritual
was found mostly intact but had a chipped rim and some small fragments have broken off.
Boeotian lekanai were to hold semifluid food as the flat projecting top of the rim made it hard for
drinking however the high vertical rim in itself suggests the containment of fluid (Ure 1932
p.18). The practice of lekanomancy, filling with water upon which oil is poured to form a liquid
mirror in which the below scene is shown (Ure 1932 p.18).The condition is known to be mended
and restored in different parts. The black figure technique consists of 3 firing stages: oxidation,
retraction of oxygen, and then oxidizing again.
The inside of the lekanis is three, nude, male figures. The left male is holding the center
crotching down holding a weapon up to him. The right figure appears to be fleeing the scene and
looking back at the left figure. When all of the contents of the bowl are consumed, the person is
able to see the scene of the three males. The empty space in the scene is partially filled by
plantation designs. Surrounding this scene is plain black.
The outside of the lekanis displays a sacrificial procession to the Goddess Athena with a
chariot behind a goat, snake, bird, and around 15 men. The men are leading a bull to sacrifice.
With the depiction of this mythological scene, the bowl may have been used in religious
activities or even sacrificial food. The ancient user may have evoked a sense of worthiness by
using this lekanis with the display of Athena. A column is shown behind Athena but the capital is
not straight leading me to believe it is an Ionic column with a volute. One male near the top of
the position is holding an oinochoe. Incisions were used to enhance detail in the scene. This
sacrificial procession wraps around the near middle of the outer bowl and designs wrap around
the rest. After performing some research, I have discovered this scene reflects the Panathenaia
festival. It describes individuals participating in a procession, conveying sacrificial animals and
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Project 1; April 10, 2023
other offerings to Athena (Shear 2021 p.116). The community found great glory and importance
in this festival (Herington 1963 p.61). This Boeotian Black Figure Lekane provides a mythology
story and insight into the historical context of the Panathenia festival rituals. It stands as evidence
as it has direct resemblages of the animal sacrifice and procession. The Boeotian Black Figure
Lekane may be useful also for dating when the black figure technique was adopted in regions
like Boeotia.
I have chosen to do my report on the Boeotian Black Figure Lekane because I thought it
was unique coming across it in the textbook. The procession, the shape of the vessel, and my
new understanding of its connection to the Panathenia festival piqued my interest.
Image:
front view of the sacrificial procession to Athena. Image source:
https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection
/image/57604001
Bibliography
Herington, C. J. (1963). Athena in Athenian Literature and Cult.
Greece & Rome
,
10
, 61–73.
Shear, J. 2021. The Great Panathenaia: Ritual and Reciprocity.
Serving Athena: The Festival of
the Panathenaia and the Construction of Athenian Identities
: 116-170. Cambridge
University Press.
Ure, A. D.. 1932. Boeotian Orientalizing Lekanai.
Metropolitan Museum Studies
,
4
(1), 18–38.
Page | 3
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Project 1; April 10, 2023
Additional sources consulted
Lekanis, Art Institute of Chicago:
https://www.artic.edu/artworks/256/lekanis-covered-dish
Black Figure Lekanis, British Museum Collections:
https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/G_1879-1004-1
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