Amphora

Panathenaic amphora with the typical black figure decoration of the sports scene and the cult figure of Athena on the obverse side. Athena stands facing to the left; her left arm is underneath the large shield which has the forepart of a couchant panther (restored as a whole panther). In her left hand she has a raised spear. Athena stands between two Ionic columns with cockrells on their top, a symbol of the competitive nature of the Panathenaic games. On the main side there is bearded, naked man throwing a javelin. His left leg is extended to the back, the right raised to the front above the ground, left arm is to the back of his body and the right is raised by the head and holds the javelin. His body is muscular as it can be seen by many of the incised details on his thighs and abdominal. His pose captures the moment he is about to throw the javelin. His beard and the band around his hair is in red colour. To the back of the athlete stands another man with a chiton wrapped around his lower body and around his left arm, his torso naked. He holds in his left hand a long stick which could be an indication that he is an instructors or a trainer. The details of his draped cloth are incised and there is also red colour for his hair band and the folds of his drapery. To the front of the athlete there is young man with a long white chiton, completely covering his whole body. In his hands which extend to his front he holds a double pipe. The combination of the javelin athlete with the musician is rare in Panathenaic amphoras. Perhaps the scene demonstrates the nature of the Panathenaic games with the different sports and music competitions. Under the base of the amphora there is a red painted trademark, known as dipinto and probably made after the firing: a single unit stroke is after the letters NV, perhaps an adjective.