Cook, Arthur B.: Zeus: a study in ancient religion (Band 3,1): Zeus god of the dark sky (earthquake, clouds, wind, dew, rain, meteorits): Text and notes (Cambridge, 1940)

The owl of Athena 787

into the period of south-Italian imitations1. I give an example from
my collection (fig. 582)2, in which the red is an opaque pigment
laid on the black glaze, the idea of the potter being to produce
a cheap copy of red-figured ware3. Sir Cecil Smith4 maintained
that such cups were ' made for some special official or religious
occasion.' But, unless there is some further indication of solemn or
sacred usage, we should be ill-advised to assume it. It would be
wiser to compare the china mugs of our childhood inscribed in gilt
lettering 'A present from Brighton' or the modern souvenirs of
Goss ware adorned with local arms. Greater seriousness of intention

Fig. 582.

attaches to a broken kylix (fig. 5S3)5 found on the Akropolis at
Athens in the excavations of 1886 and referable to a date preceding
^e Persian sack of 480 B.C. Owl and olive-sprays are painted
'"side, brick-red on a black "round. But this time the potter,
a young man offering as in duty bound his maiden effort to Athena,

has encircled the design with an inscription6: '[.....Jos dedicated

^this) as his firstfruits.' Again, in 1867 the Museum at Athens
acquired a cylindrical vessel of red ware, made with the utmost

ld- ib n. 5.

3 Thick fabric. Height 3J ins. The design on both sides is practically identical.

«. B. Walters History of Ancient Pottery London 1905 i. 394-
6 Sir C. H. Smith in the Brit. Mus. Cat. VasesYu. 14, cp. p. 142 nos. E 152,—E ij24.

J - Six in the Gaz. Arch. 1888 xiii. 290 pi. 29, 9 ( = my fig. 583).

' C- -] OJANEOEKENAPA>+EN.

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