Boeotian Burial Pithos - II
Late Geometric pithos, standing 50 cm tall. The scene running around its top reports an unknown ritual of a maiden chorus led by a lyre. The pithos, dating to the end of the eighth century BC, contained the remains of a child.
The most interesting and arguably important figures are a small boy and an even smaller girl facing each other, a brother and sister perhaps, flanked by adults: the male lyre-player behind the boy, and a line of six long-skirted females behind the girl. The boy apparently reaches up to hold the hand of the first woman in line. Together with the pithos, other goods associated with female deities, included a "kalathiskos", little basket, were found in the grave, suggesting that the child inside the pithos had been a girl, perhaps even the very diminutive figure gracing the central panel of the pithos itself.
Some scholars identify the ritual depicted with the Theban Daphnephoria. This ceremony involved the bringing of sacred laurel to the Sanctuary of Apollo Ismenios (named for the nearby river Ismenos) which stood on a small hill just to the south of Thebes. The Theban Daphnephoria are known from a number of late sources, namely Pindar, Pausanias, and Proclus’ Chrestomathia in the fifth century AD.
Proclus’ account is by far the most detailed, explaining how every nine years in Boeotia the laurel is brought by priests into the temple of Apollos; a chorus of maidens participated in the ritual. A child with both parents still living leads the Daphnephoria holding the laurel. The chorus of maidens follow close behind him, holding outstretched branches in supplication, and singing the hymn.
Source: Paul Grigsby, “Who’s that girl? A burial pithos from Thebes”, University of Warwick.
Burial geometric pithos
Height: 49,9 cm
ca.720-700 BC
From Pyri suburb of Thebes
Archaeological Museum of Thebes
Boeotian Burial Pithos - II
Late Geometric pithos, standing 50 cm tall. The scene running around its top reports an unknown ritual of a maiden chorus led by a lyre. The pithos, dating to the end of the eighth century BC, contained the remains of a child.
The most interesting and arguably important figures are a small boy and an even smaller girl facing each other, a brother and sister perhaps, flanked by adults: the male lyre-player behind the boy, and a line of six long-skirted females behind the girl. The boy apparently reaches up to hold the hand of the first woman in line. Together with the pithos, other goods associated with female deities, included a "kalathiskos", little basket, were found in the grave, suggesting that the child inside the pithos had been a girl, perhaps even the very diminutive figure gracing the central panel of the pithos itself.
Some scholars identify the ritual depicted with the Theban Daphnephoria. This ceremony involved the bringing of sacred laurel to the Sanctuary of Apollo Ismenios (named for the nearby river Ismenos) which stood on a small hill just to the south of Thebes. The Theban Daphnephoria are known from a number of late sources, namely Pindar, Pausanias, and Proclus’ Chrestomathia in the fifth century AD.
Proclus’ account is by far the most detailed, explaining how every nine years in Boeotia the laurel is brought by priests into the temple of Apollos; a chorus of maidens participated in the ritual. A child with both parents still living leads the Daphnephoria holding the laurel. The chorus of maidens follow close behind him, holding outstretched branches in supplication, and singing the hymn.
Source: Paul Grigsby, “Who’s that girl? A burial pithos from Thebes”, University of Warwick.
Burial geometric pithos
Height: 49,9 cm
ca.720-700 BC
From Pyri suburb of Thebes
Archaeological Museum of Thebes