Aryballos oil bottle

Description

This type of ancient Greek bottle was probably used to store perfumed oil. This one is decorated simply with lines.
It was bought from Harold Clemens, an enthusiastic collector of curios, who having been an avid reader of the Bazaar, Exchange and Mart magazine, decided to set up his own ‘Fir Tree hotel Museum of Egyptian, Greek and Roman Antiquities’, in his public-house and bed and breakfast establishment at Woburn Sands, Buckinghamshire. He set himself up as ‘Curator’ and advertised curios and other items from his ’small museum’ in the aforementioned journal. His timing was good, Tutankhamun’s tomb had recently been discovered, and there was great interest in the occult, spiritualism and all things ancient. His endeavour was therefore of great interest. Unfortunately some of his ‘antiquities’ were anything but.
It belonged to Lieutenant Colonel Montague, who collected over 800 specimens, which he bequeathed to the museum upon his death.

Accession Loan No.

5/1946/642

Collection Class

Foreign archaeology

Common Name

aryballos oil bottle

Simple Name

bottle

Full Name

perfume/oil bottle, aryballos

Dimensions

whole height 190 mm

Cultural Group

Greek

Period Classification

Classical - 500-336 BC

Production Date

-400

Family Group



Material

pottery

Function Name

storage

Function Detail

perfume or olive oil

Collector / Excavator

Montague, LAD, Lieutenant Colonel

Collection Country

Greece?

Collection Area Region

Southern Europe

Collection Continent

Europe