Large Apulian Greek Red-Figure Volute Vessel, South Italian, 4th Century 350-320 B.C., Ancient Greek Pottery

A substantial Ancient Greek Apulian Red-Figure volute-handled vessel from South Italy, dating to the Late Classical to Early Hellenistic Period, ca. 350–320 B.C. This impressive ceramic form features high, spiraling volute handles, a hallmark of Apulian pottery workshops active in Magna Graecia.

The body is decorated in the Red-Figure technique, with figures painted in added red and white pigment against a black-glazed ground. Although surface wear obscures some details, the composition includes seated and standing figures, likely part of a mythological or funerary scene, as is typical of Apulian vase painting. Surrounding motifs include palmettes, tendrils, and rosettes, standard decorative elements in South Italian Greek ceramics.

The tall neck is adorned with a frieze of stylized tongue patterns, while the shoulder and body display traditional Apulian figural arrangement. The volute handles terminate in large scrolls painted with added detailing — one of the most iconic features of Apulian red-figure pottery.

This vessel’s 21-inch height and bold proportions make it a significant display piece, comparable in visual impact to classical museum examples housed at the Getty Villa, the British Museum, and the Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Taranto.

Ancient Greek, Apulian, South Italian Greek, Magna Graecia, Red-Figure Pottery, Red Figure Vase, Greek Volute Krater, Volute Handles, Greek Classical Vase, Ancient Greek Pottery, Hellenistic Greek, Greek Mythology, Greek Figure Vase, Greek Decorative Vase, Antiquities, Museum Quality, Classical Antiquity, Greek Terracotta, Greek Ceramic Art, Greek Funeral Vase, Ancient Mediterranean, 4th Century B.C.

Dimensions: H: 21 in, D: 11 in.

Surface wear and glaze loss consistent with age; encrustation and mineral deposits; loss of detail to figures due to abrasion; structurally stable with intact volute handles. No cracks or reattachments; archaeological surface preserved.