Lustral Basin in Relief-Decorated Terracotta

Lustral basin (perirrhanterion/louterion) in relief-decorated terracotta, found in a fragmentary state and later reassembled and restored. The vertical support (shaft), cylindrical in shape, rests on a rounded base. Along the outer edge of the upper rim runs a decorative scheme articulated into three horizontal bands: the outer bands are decorated with impressed dotted lines set at a 45-degree angle, while the central band is smooth. The same banded motif is repeated at both the upper and lower sections of the shaft. Below these bands, the shaft features an alternating sequence of flowers and pendant triangles.

The louterion, also known as a perirrhanterion, is a large basin designed to hold water, consisting of a bowl supported by a tall stand with a widened base. It was often placed outside specific areas or buildings and used both for personal washing and for purification rituals performed before entering sacred spaces. Widespread in the Greek world between the 7th and 5th centuries BC, such basins could be made of marble or ceramic. Ceramic examples were sometimes decorated in relief, as in this case, using molds or stamps bearing figurative or symbolic motifs. The louterion also frequently appears in vase painting, especially in scenes of female toilette, where women are depicted washing themselves or engaging in body care and cosmetics. These gestures are often associated with rites of passage, particularly those preceding marriage: through purification and self-care, young women acquired charis, that is, the grace and beauty required for marriage.