A published Etruscan Bucchero Pitcher, ca. 6th century BCE

A large and elegant pitcher featuring a trumpet spout, indented lip, and a prominent loop handle at the back flanked by volutes.  The globular body rests on a small, rounded foot and is adorned with incised decoration, including a central band of vertical lines, a row of dotted, fan-like motifs—possibly symbolizing wheat or grain—and a radiating sunburst of triangles extending from the base.

Etruscans admired Greek art and were influenced by their fine pottery in the southern Italian colonies, leading to the development of new types of pottery with Greek influences throughout the Archaic Period. The most popular and successful of which is bucchero ware, characterized by its shiny black surface and preponderance of shapes that emulate metal prototypes. 

Bucchero pottery represents a key source of information about the Etruscan civilization. Used by elites at banquets, bucchero demonstrates the tendencies of elite consumption among the Etruscans. Such a display at the banqueting table helped to reinforce social rank and to allow elites to advertise the achievements and status of themselves and their families.

Reference:  Philip Perkins, Etruscan Bucchero in the British Museum (London: The British Museum, 2007).

Dr. Jeffrey A. Becker, Bucchero, British Museum

Medium:  Clay Bucchero ware

Dimensions:  Height: 10 1/4 inches (26 cm)

Condition:  The pitcher is intact and in excellent condition overall, with expected mineral deposits.  It is standing on an attached wood base.

Provenance:  Private Michigan collection, acquired from Sotheby's, New York, June 10, 1983, lot 231.

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