ITEM: Double handled olla MATERIAL: Pottery CULTURE: Etrusco - Corinthian PERIOD: 6th - 5th Century B.C DIMENSIONS: 180 mm x 205 mm CONDITION: Good condition, repaired PROVENANCE: Ex European private collection, Ex ALARA S.P.R.L (1976), Ex F.K. collection, 1972 - 1976 Etruscan vessels represent a masterful fusion of indigenous Italian traditions and heavy aesthetic influence from the Greek world. Produced primarily between the 7th and 3rd centuries BCE, these ceramics served both utilitarian purposes in daily life and ritualistic functions in elaborate funerary rites. The most iconic form is Bucchero ware, easily recognized by its lustrous, silvery-black finish. Unlike Greek pottery which relied on slip for color, Bucchero achieved its signature "metallic" look through a unique firing process called reduction, which turned the clay black throughout and allowed it to mimic the expensive bronze vessels used by the elite. As the Etruscans expanded their trade networks, their pottery began to mirror the Black-figure and Red-figure techniques of their Athenian neighbors. However, Etruscan artisans often added a distinct regional flair, frequently favoring more crowded compositions and more expressive, almost whimsical, depictions of mythological scenes. Beyond these painted vases, they were famous for large-scale terracotta works, including highly detailed architectural decorations and sarcophagi that featured lifelike, reclining figures. These vessels were not just containers for wine or oil; they were status symbols that signaled the owner's wealth and Hellenized tastes. The preservation of these vessels is largely due to the Etruscan practice of burying the deceased in subterranean "cities of the dead" (neropolises). Tombs were stocked with vast quantities of pottery to provide the deceased with the comforts of home in the afterlife. Because of this, archaeologists have recovered thousands of intact pieces that provide an invaluable window into a civilization that left behind very little written history. Today, these vessels stand as a testament to the Etruscan's technical ingenuity and their role as the primary cultural bridge between the ancient Greeks and the rising power of Rome. Comes with Certificate of Authenticity and European Union export license If you bid outside European Union and win the item, we must request a new export license to your country and the shipment will delay between 3 - 5 weeks.