Terracotta lebes gamikos (round-bottomed bowl with handles and stand used in weddings) 440 BC

This terracotta lebes gamikos, or wedding vase, was made in ancient Greece by an anonymous artist. Its decoration and form offer us a window into the rituals and social structures surrounding marriage. The scenes painted on the vase likely depict aspects of a wedding procession or related ceremonies. The imagery uses conventional visual codes. The figures, their clothing, and the gestures they make would have been immediately recognizable to the society in which it was created. These artworks are a form of social commentary. They reflect the values and norms around courtship and family that were specific to the Greek city-states of that time. By studying artifacts like this vase, along with texts, legal codes, and other archaeological evidence, we get a better understanding of the social life of ancient Greece. The interpretation of art is always contingent on its social and institutional context.