Bowl with Central Boss and Linear Decoration with Animal Frieze

Bowl with a central boss (phiale ombelicata), made of light-colored, highly refined ceramic fabric. The central projection is decorated with fine concentric lines, which also appear on the bottom of the bowl, where one of the lines is wider. Along the concave walls runs a broad decorative band, likewise framed by concentric lines, within which animals are depicted. Among the preserved figures, two panthers can be identified, shown back to back, and a grazing goat facing left. The spaces between the animals are filled with rosettes and circular motifs. On the basis of the ceramic fabric and decorative style, the vessel can be attributed to Corinthian pottery production, widely exported throughout the Mediterranean during the Archaic period (7th–6th century BC).

The phiale ombelicata is a shallow bowl characterized by a protruding boss at the center of its inner surface. It was generally used in religious ceremonies, especially for libations, during which the liquid contained in the vessel was poured onto the sanctuary altar or onto the ground as a sign of respect, devotion, or to seek protection and favor from the gods. For this reason, phialai are found in large quantities in Greek and Magna Graecia sanctuaries, such as the one at Timpone della Motta, near Francavilla Marittima. This example was produced in the region of Corinth, renowned for the manufacture of fine ceramics made from light, refined clay and decorated with black-figure imagery and geometric motifs, which were imported as prestigious objects throughout the Mediterranean.

The discovery of this type of pottery within sanctuaries highlights the care devoted by ancient communities to the quality of the materials used in religious rituals and the central role of such vessels in offerings to the gods, after which they were often dedicated to the divinity as an additional sign of devotion.