Page:History of Art in Primitive Greece - Mycenian Art Vol 2.djvu/435

 380 Primitive Greece: Mycenian Art. Its elegant, charming contour cannot fail to strike the beholder (Fig. 477). On seeing it some ten years ago amidst the many objects collected by Clot- Bey in Egypt, I at first felt somewhat embarrassed as to its origin ; but on examining at closer quarters the character of the decoration, i. e. the brown-black paint, and above all the design, position, and mode of attachment of the handle, my doubts fell away one by one. That we have here a very clever and faithful reproduction of metal-work must be obvious to everybody.' Recipients covered all over with small holes have been recognized as chafing-dishes. Vases of this class. Fig. 462. — ChafingKli&h. lalysas. II(:i);!il, l3 c. though unpainted, were carefully made; whilst the feet, three in number, shaped like paws, and the protuberances scattered over the surface, impart to the vessel a certain degree of originality (Fig. 462). They were probably used in funerary ceremonies to burn strong perfumes, so as to minimize the effect of smells exhaling from the vaults, when these were re-opened to let in fresh bodies. The next specimen, in the shape of a basket, with a band of spirals round the shoulder, is also three-footed (Fig. 463). lalysos sends us a painted, well-executed vase, which is funnel-shaped fFig. 464). Some, with small handles, ' M. Furtwiingler was the first who published this vase, with a notice; in Arch. Anseiger, 1893.