The Big Binge Pot and Greek Funerary Ritual

The Dipylon Krater, 750 BC (Greek art midterm, n.d.).

       The Greek Dipylon Krater, archaeologically recovered from a cemetery just outside of Athens, offers rare insight into elements of ritual that would not preserve in the archaeological record.  This large ceramic vessel, 4 feet tall, would have been used for mixing alcoholic beverages, to encourage the mourners to collectively drown their sorrows in a binge party and was possibly involved with offerings to the dead (Phaidon, 2007). I think that this sort of funerary drinking could possibly be to increase the state of liminality felt by the mourners, who have lost a high status member of their society, to help with the transition.  The painted depiction on the vessel shows the burial procession of a prestigious member of society. Processions of women are tearing at their hair, reminding me of professional keeners and wailing women of the Middle East. The depiction of women on the vase, demonstrates women's role were in the preparation of the dead and other funerary ritual.

        When I first saw this vase I was excited, finally some women are seen involved in death rituals. I feel that women are underrepresented and often dismissed in archaeology, as the field has been male dominated for so long and I myself still feel the engrained inclination to place more importance on the social roles of men. The male perspective and dominance in archaeology is slowly changing, however, and such prominent portrayals of important female roles on artifacts, as is depicted on the on the Dipylon Krater, may help. On this vase, women are depicted in prominence, demonstrating gender participation in funerary ritual that archaeologists would, most likely, have not been able to discover otherwise.

Detail of the Dipylon Krater (Art 198 - History of world ceramics, n.d.).

 In the above detail a high priestess, on the right, appears to be performing a ceremony waving a frond over the deceased's head, as well as the seated woman, to the left with a child, is thought being the deceased's wife (Art 198 - History of world ceramics, n.d.). This further shows how women were involved in ritual surrounding death in the past and supports my belief in their importance to transitioning the souls of the dead.
          Another part of culture that doesn't preserved well is also shown by the Dipylon Krater. Fabrics disintegrate for the most part and are not often found archaeologically, but on the Dipylon Krater there is an example of an intriguing textile. Above the deceased person is an intricate shroud, demonstrating what these peoples' textiles may have looked like, which rarely survives archaeologically.
      In its depiction real life activities relating to funerals, this ceramic vase offers incredible information regarding the most perishable elements of culture, such as ritual, women's participation, and fabrics, assisting archaeologists in piecing together a vision of what Greek life was like in the 8th century B.C..

 References

 Art 198 - History of world ceramics, n.d. [online] Available from: <http://seco.glendale.edu/ceramics/dipylonvase.html> [accessed 23 March, 2012].

Greek art midterm, n.d. [online] Available from: <http://www.proprofs.com/flashcards/cardshowall.php?title=greek-art-midterm> [accessed 23 March, 2012].

Phaidon, 2007. 30,000 years of art. New York: Phaidon Press Inc.