Miniature terracotta squat lekythos (oil flask) with siren 475 BC

This miniature terracotta lekythos (oil flask), dating back to 475 BC, is a fine example of ancient Greek pottery. The black-figure technique is evident in the depiction of a siren on the body of the flask, painted against a black background. Lekythoi were commonly used as containers for oil, particularly for anointing the dead in burial rituals, suggesting a possible funerary function for this particular piece. The use of the siren, a mythical creature known for its alluring song, may further point to this connection with death and the underworld.