Classical world, southern Italy, Apulia, Messapian tribe, ca. 5th to 3rd century BCE. A classic example of the most famous Messapian form, the trozella (sometimes "trozzella"). The piece has high strap handles, each punctuated at the top of the handle and where the handle meets the shoulder of the vessel by round "wheels" ("trozella" means "little wheels" in the local dialect). The body is wide, with a pronounced rim that flows into the handles. The entire piece stands on a round, short foot. Black and red painted decorations are on the buff surface. Around the body, on the handles, and around the rim are long lines. Each round part of the handle has a series of crossed lines painted on its face, further creating the impression of wheels. Around the neck and the widest part of the body are repeated vine- or leaf-like motifs. Size: 7.35" W x 9.75" H (18.7 cm x 24.8 cm)

Although the Messapian people were influenced by Greek colonists in other parts of southern Italy, they had a distinctive culture that included burial practices uniquely their own - and their distinctive terracotta form, the trozella, played a role. Unlike the Greeks in Apulia, Messapians reused their tombs for several burials, probably from the same family. Whenever a tomb was reused, the earlier grave goods were removed, along with the body, and then reburied inside or outside the same tomb. In this culture, grave goods indicated both social standing and gender, and the trozella is only found in the graves of women. The quality of the artwork on this trozella suggests that it was placed in the tomb of a high status woman.

See a similar example, with less refined artwork, that sold in 2001 at Christie's for $1723: http://www.christies.com/lotfinder/Lot/a-messapian-pottery-trozella-circa-330-300-bc-3806993-details.aspx

Provenance: private southern California, USA collection; previously David Niven collection

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#121958

Repaired from multiple pieces, especially near the neck and upper body, with very well done repairs that are difficult to see.