Hydria

Hydria (a water carrying vessel) of the Hadra ware (the name given after the Hadra cemetery in Alexandria where many of these vessels were found). The ware is associated with funeral practices and can often contain the ashes of the dead. The hydria has a short splayed foot, a spherical body, thin and long neck that opens out as a rim. Out of the three typical handles of the shape only the vertical one from the shoulder to below the rim and one of the small side ones survive. The lower body is completed covered with black glaze (unusual), the neck has different leaves arranged in a horizontalband. By the shoulder area below the neck there is another band of spiral stems with leaves. On one side of the body there is faded a running Eros (or a sprite) who shoots at a goat. Body back: garland. The Eros is in orange red slip and the goad slighther darker and brown. The other side of the body has a garland in black slip. The overall appearance of the clay is buff and creamy. The slip used for the Eros, the goat and the circular bands along the lower body and above the main decoratives scenes, seems to be quite thin.