An Etruscan Teracotta Impastoware Pedestalled Dish, ca. 7th - 5th century BCE

This shallow, circular patera is set on a tall, hollow pedestal foot, a hallmark of Etruscan serving and offering vessels. The dish has broad, slightly upturned walls and features small, pulled handles on either side. The exterior rim is adorned with a continuous frieze of small, impressed concentric circles, creating a subtle rhythmic pattern. The pedestal features elongated vertical cutouts, and one side displays a neatly incised rectangular grid motif that resonates with the geometric ornamentation found on other early impasto forms. The surface showcases the warm, mottled tones typical of iron-rich impasto ware, complete with light burnishing and mineral accretions resulting from burial.

Pedestal dishes of this type were commonly used in both domestic and ritual settings in Etruria. Their elevated design enhanced the presentation of food or libations during banquets, where display was socially significant. In funerary contexts, these dishes continued to serve a symbolic purpose; they were filled with fruit, cakes, or aromatic substances as part of the hospitality extended to the deceased. The use of impasto for this dish shape persisted well into periods when bucchero and finer tableware were available, highlighting the enduring nature of certain traditional serving forms and their ritual significance in central Italy.

Medium: Impasto ceramic

Dimensions:  Height: 4 3/8 inches (11 cm); Width with handles 8 1/2 inches (21.6 cm)

Condition:  Complete; professionally repaired from multiple fragments, with old joins visible under close inspection but structurally sound and ready for display.

Provenance:  Robert J. Myers private collection, New York (acquired 1970s), thereafter in a New Jersey collection.

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