This handle would have once been attached to a bronze vase that has been lost to us over the centuries. In antiquity, bronze vessels were among the most highly prized serving wares. Due to their inherent expense and that fact that bronze was once more valuable than gold, we can safely assume that such a vase would have been owned almost exclusively by the elite upper classes of Hellenistic Greece. This handle would have once been grasped in the hand of a host or servant in order to dispense wine from the body of the vessel it was once connected to. Surely the dinner party must have been an extravagant affair, with the finest foods and libations served, matching the luxurious nature of the vessels and serving dishes that decorated the table.