Terracotta oinochoe (jug) in the form of a Black African's head

Greek, Attic

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 157

Vases in the form of a Black African's head were popular during the first half of the fifth century BCE. Black Africans were familiar to Greeks from the time of Homer. In his Iliad, for instance, Memnon, the son of Eos (the goddess of dawn), was king of the Ethiopians and a prominent ally of the Trojans. In such vases, the features conveyed exoticism and permitted the juxtaposition of lustrous black glaze with textured hair.

Terracotta oinochoe (jug) in the form of a Black African's head, Terracotta, Greek, Attic

This image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.

Open Access

As part of the Met's Open Access policy, you can freely copy, modify and distribute this image, even for commercial purposes.

API

Public domain data for this object can also be accessed using the Met's Open Access API.

Terracotta oinochoe (jug) in the form of a Black African's head, Terracotta, Greek, Attic
Terracotta oinochoe (jug) in the form of a Black African's head, Terracotta, Greek, Attic

This artwork is meant to be viewed from right to left. Scroll left to view more.