The form and function of this silver bucket are not very different from a bucket one might find in a home today underneath a sink. The ancient Greeks treasured the...
The form and function of this silver bucket are not very different from a bucket one might find in a home today underneath a sink. The ancient Greeks treasured the splendor and elegance of the silver. Surely, this is no ordinary bucket. It was probably the prized possession of the wealthy elite.
While a commoner would have used a terracotta bucket, this silver vessel attests to the refined tastes and wealth of its owner. Sparely decorated, the silver is allowed to shine on its own, enhances only by three series of incised rings. The most charming feature of this bucket is the handle. Although it appears quiet ordinary at first, upon further inspection, one notices the ends have been molded to imitate the heads of a duck or such a fowl. While the necessity of a bucket in our homes has not diminished in the last two millenia, surely we have lost some of the beauty and grace over this silver vessel in our modern quest for bigger, cheaper, faster. This bucket reminds us of another era when even the most utilitarian object were made by hand and luxury items were truly luxurious.