Detail of an Alabastron Attributed to the Syriskos Painter in the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, June 2018

Alabastron (Perfume Bottle) (Primary Title)

attributed to, Syriskos Painter (Artist)

Date: ca. 460 BC

Culture: Greek (Attic)

Category: Containers-Vessels
Ceramics

Medium: terracotta

Collection: Ancient Art

Dimensions: Overall: 6 × 2 1/8 in. (15.24 × 5.4 cm)

Object Number: 78.145


The Amazons were a mythological tribe of fierce warrior women who fought the Greeks during the Trojan War. Greek artists often depicted Amazons in order to emphasize the difference between Greeks and non-Greeks. The clothing and weapons (such as the crescent-shaped shield) carried by this Amazon are characteristic of non-Greeks, while the palm tree on the back evokes an exotic locale.

Text from: www.vmfa.museum/piction/6027262-8105926