Lekythos. - Thermoluminescence Test - Ancient Greek, Attic, ca. 5th century BC. Ceramic. Height 31.5 cm. CONDITION: In good condition, it shows dents and loss in some areas of the varnish. The handle has two professionally restored break lines. PROVENANCE: Private collection, France. Acquired around the 1960s. DESCRIPTION: Lekythos of classical form, the pyriform body sits on a disc-shaped base, with a strap handle and a high neck with a trumpet-shaped mouth, made of light-coloured ceramic using the black-figure technique. The body of the vessel is completely covered in black, with only one decorative motif standing out, in the shoulder area, ornamented with palmettes. The lekythos is a type of Greek pottery used to store perfumed oil for body care. This type of vessel was also widely used as a funerary vessel. It is characterised by its elongated shape, narrow neck and wide mouth, which both limits the flow of the oil and facilitates its application. The technique of black figures is based on the use of a transparent varnish which, when fired, acquired an intense, glossy black hue. The motifs were therefore invisible before firing, which meant that the painters had to work entirely from memory, unable to see their previous work. Once the piece was fired, the unglazed areas remained with the reddish hue of the clay, while the glazed, ‘painted’ areas took on a dense, glossy black colour. The black-figure technique was introduced in Corinth around 700 BC, and was adopted by Attic artists in the Orientalising period (725-625 BC). This was the beginning of the great series of black-figure pottery, which had its main centre in Athens and continued until the beginning of the 5th century BC. Notes: - The piece includes authenticity certificate. - The piece includes Spanish Export License (Passport for European Union). - The seller guarantees that he acquired this piece according to all national and international laws related to the ownership of cultural property. Provenance statement seen by Catawiki.