Vase Catalog Number: Toledo 1961.24

Decoration:

Side A: Athena. In the center of the scene, Athena strides left with her spear raised in her right hand and carrying her shield in her left hand. The device on the shield is a Pegasus figure. Athena is wearing a high-crested Attic helmet, fillet, peplos, ependytes, and aegis. On either side of her stand Doric columns with cocks atop them.

Added red is used for parts of Athena's helmet and fillet, a dot band bordering her shield, her belt, crosses on her ependytes, the hems of the ependytes and peplos, the cocks' combs and wattles, certain of their feathers, and dots on certain of the left-hand cock's feathers. Added white includes Athena's flesh, the device on the shield, strokes on Athena's helmet, and quadruple dot groups on her ependytes.

Side B: pankration. In the center stands the judge in a wreath and himation; his body faces right but he looks back left. In his right hand he is holding a forked wand. The two contestants face each other on either side of the judge; both are naked, and each seems to be stepping forward or shifting position, bearing weight on one leg with the other foot lifted slightly in the air. Each extends one arm in the air toward the other.

Added red appears on all three men's beards and the judge's wreath and borders of his himation.

The inside of the neck is glazed, while the rim's flat surface is reserved. A lotus palmette chain runs around the neck, with a suppressed palmette on the left edge of side A. A black tongue pattern separates the neck from the main panels. The handles' cross sections are flattened elliptical. Added red is used for the outer edge of the rim, as well as a fillet at the base of the neck, and a band that forms the groundline of both panels. An incised groove appears below the neck fillet, and an engraved line where the foot and the body meet. Rays decorate the base.

Inscriptions:

Side A: Inscribed in the field behind Athena is the vertical line TON ATHENETHEN ATHLON.

Parallels:

On Panathenaic works by the Kleophrades Painter, cf. Beazley 1951, p. 94. On athletic depictions, cf. Gardiner 1910, pp. 435 ff., and Harris 1964, pp. 105 ff..

Condition:

Some black glaze fired red.

Sources Used: CVA, USA fasc. 17, pp. 7-8, pl. 13

Other Bibliography: Münzen, 13 Mai 1961, pp. 80-81, no. 153; Washington 1962, p. 92; Riefstahl 1968, p. 38; Luckner 1972, p. 66; Brommer 1973, p. 303, no. 32

(Deirdre Beyer-Honça)