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Oil flask (alabastron) in the form of a siren
Greek
Archaic Period
600–550 B.C.
Medium/Technique
Faience, mold-made
Dimensions
Height 6.6 x 9.3 cm (2 5/8 x 3 11/16 in.)
Credit Line
Henry Lillie Pierce Fund
Accession Number00.364
CollectionsAncient Greece and Rome
ClassificationsVessels
Catalogue Raisonné
Fairbanks, Vases (MFA), no. 505.
DescriptionThis alabastron takes the form of a siren, a composite creature with the body of a bird and the head of a woman. The female head is capped with heavy wig-like hair, the thick strands of which are marked by linear striations. The siren's eyes, small mouth, and chin are all carefully articulated, and recall Egyptian styles of representation. The body of the bird is entirely decorated with different patterns suggesting feathers: the chest has a series of small, overlapping semicircular marks, while the wings and tail are covered in linear rows. The small protrusions at the top of the body are pierced and might once have been strung, allowing the vessel's owner to easily carry it on a string. The siren sits atop a small rectangular base. The entire vessel is made of faience, greenish in color because of the glaze.
ProvenanceBy 1900: with Edward Perry Warren (according to Warren's records: Rome); purchased by MFA from Edward Perry Warren, February 1900