Smith, Cecil Harcourt; British Museum <London> [Hrsg.]: Catalogue of the Greek and Etruscan Vases in the British Museum (Band 3): Vases of the finest period (London, 1896)

PYXIDES. 367

her is inscribed, AOSn, A<u<7&). She looks at Pontomedeia, who holds extended
on her 1. thumb and r. fore-finger a magic wheel fastened to a cord (see
F223). She wears a Doric chiton schistos, of which the back part, instead of
having its upper edge fastened on the shoulders, is fastened lower down, and
the upper edge is passed over the back of the head ; her hair falls loose like that
of Thaleia, and she wears a necklace with pendant bead and bracelets. Above
her is inscribed, nONTOlViEAElA, TlovrofieSeia. In the field, above Thaleia and
Kymothea, hang two mirrors. The vases in this scene arc decorated with figures
in black silhouette. The subjects are difficult to determine ; that on the right-
hand lebes seems to be a bridal procession, representing a figure leading another
by the hand, preceded by a figure holding two torches ; on the stand perhaps
a Maenad with thyrsos and a Seilenos. The other lebes appears to have a
scene like that of the pyxis itself, with a man and woman below. The
loutrophoros has on the body two figures walking to r., one of them holding
a torch (?), and on the neck a figure walking to r. with a staff.

(b) Around the knob on the lid, a frieze composed of two pairs of a lion
and boar running towards each other.

[The subject of (a) may have reference to the preparations for a wedding, to which the
introduction of the loutrophoros, the aspergilla, and the subject, if rightly identified, of the
right-hand lebes would be suitable. The names have no mythological significance (cf. Frdhner,
van Bravteghem Coll. no. 85 ; a similar scene on a skyphos in Naples Cat. 2296 ; and the names
of some of the figures in Polygnotos' picture of the under-world). The figure of Kymothea
resembles in some respects the type of Penelope (Ant. Dcnkm. i, pi. 31). For the motive of
fastening the sandal, see J'aht-bitch, ii, p. 173. For the magic wheel, see also Jahn in Ber. d.
sacks. Gescllsch. 1854, p. 256.]

E 775. PYXIS. Ht. 3^ in. Diam. y\ in- Eretria, 1893. In the centre of the lid the bronze

button and ring are still attached. Drawing of latter part of the fine period. Gold on raised
ground is used for the jewellery, beads, laurel, and wings of Erotes, and rosettes on the lid.
White for flesh of Erotes, inscriptions and cords. The designs on the lid form two friezes,
one around the vertical part, the other around the central bronze ring ; this frieze has above
and below it a band of egg pattern.

(<?) On the body, The chariot of Aphrodite, three-quarters to r., with two Plate XX.
Erotes yoked to the pole, who wear sandals and a radiated fillet around their
long hair. The one on the r., Hedylogos, turns to place his r. hand on the
shoulder of Pothos, whose arms hang at his sides. Over each is inscribed
his name, PO0OZ, lTo'#o?, HAYAOTOS, 'H8v\oyo<;. Behind the chariot Aphrodite
moves forward as if about to step in, holding in each hand a pair of reins and
in r. a long goad ; she wears a long girt chiton, a radiated fillet, bracelets, ear-
rings, and a necklace of beads ; her hair is knotted behind ; over her her name,
A+rOAITH, 'Acf>po8iTi]- On the r. of the Erotes is a shrub, from which Hygieia
plucks a fruit as she moves away to r. ; she is dressed as Aphrodite, but has
her hair falling loose on her shoulders; over her YriEIA, 'Tjleia. Next on r,
Eunomia is seated in a chair to r., with r. arm resting on the back of the
chair, and holding in each hand the end of a string of beads ; she wears a
long chiton and himation, and ornaments and head-dress like those of Aphrodite ;