Subasta Bidspirit | Greek single-handled skyphos

Greek single-handled skyphos - ITEM: Single-handled skyphos MATERIAL: Pottery CULTURE: Greek PERIOD: 4th Century B.C DIMENSIONS: 40 mm x 125 mm x 97 mm CONDITION: Good condition PROVENANCE: Ex German private collection, acquired in 1986 from P.L., Paris Comes with Certificate of Authenticity and Export Licence. If you are from outside the European Union, we will have to apply for the export licence again for your country, this takes 3 to 5 weeks and has a cost of 5% of the hammer price, this amount will be added to the final invoice. The one-handled skyphos is a distinctive variant of the typical skyphos, a deep, two-handled drinking cup widely used throughout the ancient Greek world, particularly from the Archaic to the Hellenistic periods. While the classic skyphos features two horizontal loop handles, this variation incorporates only one functional handle, with the other side often left plain or featuring a small stub or knob in its place, sometimes referred to as a single-handled bowl. This modification likely reflected a change in drinking customs or simply offered a more practical and less cumbersome design for casual use, especially in contexts where the vessel might be frequently held and passed between users. In terms of material and production, the one-handled skyphos followed the same trends as other popular Greek drinking vessels. It was predominantly made of terracotta, often finished in the black-glazed style common throughout the 5th and 4th centuries BCE, particularly in Attica. The shape itself is characterized by its deep, hemispherical body and a low, ring-shaped foot. The single handle, usually a large loop handle, provided a secure grip, enabling the cup to be easily dipped into a krater (a large bowl for mixing wine and water) and held steadily while drinking. This vessel type was highly utilitarian, found not only in domestic and symposion settings but also frequently discovered in tombs, signifying its integral role in both daily life and funerary rituals. The prominence of the one-handled skyphos increased significantly during the Hellenistic period, often evolving into simpler, more standardized forms. Its functional efficiency and straightforward aesthetic made it a common fixture in various pottery centers across the Hellenistic kingdoms. While perhaps less elaborate than their richly painted red-figure predecessors, these single-handled cups are crucial for understanding the widespread adoption of standardized tableware. They demonstrate a move towards functional simplicity and serve as archaeological evidence for the evolving dining customs and manufacturing efficiency that characterized the later phases of Greek antiquity.