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Lead myrrh flask (koutrouvion)
Flared, circular body with a cylindrical neck and two small suspension handles. Within medallions on the one side Saint Demetrios is depicted in bust with cloak and spear, while on the other side Saint Theodora in monastic garments. Ornamental strips with superimposed triangles and double spirals surround the medallions, while the neck bears a crisscross pattern.
For the Byzantines, koutrouvia were vessels made of clay or lead in which pilgrims carried the aromatic oil (myrrh) which they acquired from the cult centers of saints.
Code
ΒΑ 74/13
Type
Lead myrrh flask
Chronology
13th c.
Dimensions
Height 8,1 cm., width 5,5 cm.
Material of Construction
Lead
Origin
Rendina, prefecture of Thessaloniki