Perfume Container (Aryballos)

Small globular vessel (aryballos), used for storing perfumed oils.

This small perfume container is an imported product from Corinth, one of the most active and influential centers of ceramic production in the Archaic period, renowned for its numerous workshops and for the widespread distribution of its wares throughout the Mediterranean. In addition to its practical use connected with cosmetics and body care—an area traditionally associated with the female sphere—aryballoi could also serve a votive function. Perfumes, used in rituals, anointing practices, and offerings, made these vessels particularly suitable for deposition as gifts to the deity within sacred spaces. In the Sanctuary of Hera, aryballoi are among the most frequently attested vessel types recovered during excavations.