Ancient Greek Fish Plate ca. 325 B.C. Item Number: 825602 $1,295.00 $695.00

DescriptionA rare fish plate, missing the typical fish decorations... From ancient Greece, Campanian region (located in southwestern Italy), ca. 325 B.C. Wheel-made pottery vase with rim that has been turned down, with a thrown and turned foot. The form of the plate was called a "pinax" or "pinakion", meaning "tablet," because of its flat shape. The fish plate's form was that of a dimpled disk elevated on a pedestal, in other words, round and flat with a small cup in the center of plate designed to hold oil or sauce. Some contend that fish plates were decorated with pictures of the seafood they were intended to hold. Most of them, however, have been found in mortuary contexts, so it might be surmised that the fish images could represent symbolic offerings for the dead. On the other hand, these plates could just as well be objects which were in popular use among the living, placed in tombs for the deceased to continue using in the hereafter. At any rate the small size of these plates could not realistically afford some of the large aquatic animals represented upon them, and the decoration must therefore be regarded as artistic or symbolic compositions rather than pictures of actual food items on the plates. 7-1/2"D x 1-5/8"H, with one small piece of under-rim reattached and areas of pigment loss, else choice with nice red firing "clouds" and wonderful deep gloss. Note, the area that looks in the frontal photo like a giant bite mark is not a break, but simply a mark to the surface.

ProvenanceEx-private AZ Collection.