South Italian Black Glaze Pottery Guttus

This vessel is a classic example of a guttus, a type of ancient Greek and South Italian pottery used primarily for dispensing small amounts of liquid, such as oil or water, often drop by drop. Characterized by its single handle, ribbed body, and a narrow, funnel-shaped spout, the guttus was both a practical and ceremonial object, commonly found in domestic, ritual, and funerary contexts from the 4th to 3rd centuries BCE. The surface is finished with a lustrous black glaze, typical of South Italian wares, and the vessel stands on a ring-shaped foot with the natural terracotta color visible at the base. Of particular note is the central medallion on the top of the guttus, which features a depiction of a Nubian figure. In ancient Greek art, Nubians were often portrayed with distinctive features and darker skin, serving as motifs that evoked the exotic and distant lands of Africa. Such imagery reflected the Greek fascination with the "other" and was used to conjure ideas of far-off, myster