Apulian Red-Figure Bell Krater

This beautiful vessel once held wine, and was eventually buried as a tomb offering. On one side a youth is flanked by two maidens, one of who places a wreath on his head. On the other, three youths converse with each other. One of them holds a strigil, used in the gymnasium to scrape oil off the skin. Though these are only painted images, we feel they offer us a glimpse of the vanished world of antiquity. This vase, which delights us as it surely did its original owners, links us directly with that world.