This vessel, found in the Holy Land, conforms to the Greek style of miniature krater, a vessel used for mixing wine and water prior to drinking, a Greco-Roman custom. Its simple appearance belies the centuries of ceramic development that are embodied in such a vessel. Whether it is an imported item, or the work of a local craftsman schooled in Greek styles, it is also a witness to the presence of Hellenistic culture in Israel, no doubt making its presence known prior to Alexander’s conquest of the Mediterranean.As we hold it in our hands today, admiring its simple beauty, we are aware of the touch of other hands long ago. Who might have held it when it was new? Were the dreams and emotions that guided their lives so very different from our own? The vessel's graceful unadorned shape appeals as much to the contemporary eye as it did to the culture that created it. Such artifacts, ordinary enough in their own age, connect us in an intimate way with the world of the past. In its presence, the centuries melt away and the imagination sets out on a journey of discovery. - (SP.279)

Antiquities
Ancient Near East