Black-Figure Lekythos (Oil Vessel): Seated Men, Warriors and Horse
Four men decorate the body of this sturdy oil vessel, perhaps in a scene of homecoming. Unlike on later, white-ground lekythoi, the painter has used white only as an accent—now faded—on the shield and the clothing and broad-brimmed hats of some of the men. The letters scattered across the background do not spell any recognizable Greek words, perhaps suggesting an illiterate painter and/or clientele.
Images courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art (CC0)