Black-glazed amphora (wine jar) with a gilded wreath

The second half of the 4th century BC saw a substantial increase om the production of large, black glazed pottery vessels. Some were decorated with ribbing and gilded designs, usually wreaths and other jewellery forms. The glossy, black finish and the ribbbing may have been intended to echo metallic surfaces, particularly silver or bronze and the ribbing imitates that of the metal ware. These monumental black glazed vesseld were highly prized in the northern Black Sea regions, East Greece, Egypt and Italy, where they were usually placed in tombs.