Phiale (Shallow Bowl for Pouring Ritual Libations)

During the course of the 5th and 4th centuries B.C., black vessels like this one (commonly called black-glaze vessels) were made with increasing frequency in both Greece and South Italy. Many of them replicate the shape of metal vessels, while others have detailing that is molded or incised. Regardless, they would have been less expensive than vessels decorated in other contemporary techniques, for example, in red-figure.