Swan Vase (perfume container)
Date: 575-550 BCE
Dimensions:
H: 4 7/16 in. (11.3 cm); L: 6 5/32 in. (15.6 cm); W: 2 5/8 in. (6.7 cm)
Medium: Molded, slip-decorated earthenware
Place of Origin: Greece, probably from Rhodes
Classification: Ceramics
Credit Line: Purchased with funds from the Libbey Endowment, Gift of Edward Drummond Libbey
Object number: 1964.54
Label Text:Made in the form of a swan sitting peacefully with its feet tucked underneath and bill resting against its long neck, this vessel would have been used as a container for perfume. The hole where it was filled is located underneath, where the wing feathers overhang the body, concealing its presence. Containers of this type, came in a variety of shapes, including helmeted heads, female busts, hares, rams, and sirens (human-headed birds), although water fowl were one of the most popular themes. Birds were considered to be divinely inspired in ancient Greek culture. Priests often attempted to predict the future by “reading” the flight pattern of birds to determine an answer to a posed question.
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