Corinthian Pyxis in the Academic Art Museum (Inv. 1765)

The pyxis, found and produced in Corinth and dated from 500 to 475 BC, was a storage vessel with a lid which was mainly associated with the female sphere and used to keep jewellry and cosmetics. The term pyxis is derived from the name of the box tree, from whose wood the vessels were originally crafted, and therefore it is said, that the pyxis imitates the wooden vessel. While the vessel was flat and large in geometric times, the Bonn example has an cylindrical form with black and red stripes, which are escpecially associated with Corinth, as well as a band of palmettes. The bottom piece of the pyxis is not decorated at all and shows a round intentionally punched hole.