Abstract/Summary

This chapter investigates an unprovenanced vase in the Ure Museum of Greek Archaeology at the University of Reading—a late Archaic foot aryballos wearing a network sandal—with 32 known artefacts that emerged from the same mould. An investigation of its form and iconography, alongside the provenances of the comparanda, suggest it is of central Greek rather than East Greek manufacture, as traditionally believed. They are also compared to a similar group of perfume vases that might be Attic or Atticising precursors. The function and gender implications of the vases are also considered in light of their form and findspots. These narrow-necked vases would have been ideal containers for perfumed oil that one might use when removing sandals or slippers, for example in bathing, sympotic, erotic and funerary contexts. This chapter further considers monosandalism and suggests reasons why the vessel type represents a left foot.