#greeceancient

The shape of the aryballos originally came from the oinochoe of the Geometric period of the 9th century BC, a globe-shaped wine jar. By the Proto-Corinthian period of the following century, it had attained its definitive shape, going from spherical to ovoid to conical, and finally back to spherical. This definitive form has a wide, flat mouth, and a single small handle. Some later variations have bell-shaped mouths, a second handle, and/or a flat base. Potters also created inventive shapes for aryballoi.

Athena; Greek Goddess of Wisdom and Courage, Civilization and Justice, of Artisanal Skill and Strategic Warfare. The patron Goddess of Athens and her virtues were often represented with the Owl, for its ability to pierce through the gloam of night allows it the vision and perception to see well beyond those who are blinded by the darkness around them. In Athena the Athenians saw the virtues they sought to aspire to, and commemorated her by painting the Owl into their pottery and vases, and would even mint the unblinking and ever-vigilant Owl into their coinage.⁣

The Diver's Tomb is the only surviving example of Greek painting with figurative scenes from the Orientalizing, Archaic, or Classical periods. This is the only tomb decorated with frescoes depicting humans among thousands of Greek tombs (700 - 400 BC) known today. The diver depicted in this tomb, isolated against the sky, symbolizes the intensity of the moment of death. This man and his leap are the visual metaphor for the transition to eternity from earthly life.