Bichrome Figural Bowl

Large pottery bowl with figural scenes in Bichrome ware; wheel-made; shallow, carinated body on a low ring base; pair of opposing horizontal loop handles. In the interior of the bowl, the complex frieze of figures is arranged around a central rosette bordered by an interlocking cable motif. Three quarters of the frieze is taken up with pairs of women face each other smelling flowers on a tree. The rest of the scene show two couples engaged in sexual congress in various postures, and a single female clapping her hands and dancing with one foot raised. In front of the later is a diminutive bearded male touching (?) her skirt; the stylised trees bewteen these figures may suggested a wooded landscape, or else a continuation of the motivs from the rest of the frieze. The rim is painted with a border of chevrons. On the outside of the vase are two registers of decoration: a frieze of antithetic sphinxes facing stylised trees, and a frieze of stylised lotus petals. Dimensions: Diameter: 32.40 centimetres; Diameter: 34.29 centimetres; Height: 10.16 centimetres; Height: 9.60 centimetres Object Type: bowl Ware: Bichrome Ware (Bichrome V) Techniques: wheel-made; slipped; painted