Terracotta thymiaterion (incense burner) 325 BC

This terracotta thymiaterion, or incense burner, was created by the Stuttgart Group, ceramicists working somewhere in the Greek-speaking world. What we see here is more than a simple object; it’s a window into ancient Greek religious and social life. The imagery, painted in the red-figure style, depicts a winged figure, perhaps a goddess or personification, engaged in ritual activity. The incense burner would have been used in religious ceremonies and domestic settings. These objects have been excavated at sites across the Mediterranean, revealing the importance of ritual practice in everyday life. The act of burning incense was a way to communicate with the gods, purify spaces, and create a sacred atmosphere. The study of archaeological finds like this helps us reconstruct the beliefs and social structures of the past. The context in which an object was made and used informs its meaning, something we piece together through careful research.