History of Ancient Pottery: Greek, Etruscan, and Roman. Volume 2 (of 2) by Walters et al.
6. DAILY LIFE OF WOMEN
576 words | Chapter 123
Scenes from the daily life of women form our next heading, and we
include therewith those relating to marriage or preparations for
nuptials, which play so important a part in woman’s life. The “type” of
a marriage procession on B.F. vases is, as we have seen (p. 16, and
Vol. I. p. 378), liable to be confused with the subject of the marriage
of Zeus and Hera; the bride and bridegroom appear in a four-horse
chariot, accompanied by persons who, if not deities, at any rate bear
similar attributes, such as the caduceus of Hermes or the torches of
Artemis (as _pronuba_).[1761] In scenes of simpler character the
wedding party walk in procession or drive in a cart.[1762] On later
vases the bride is generally led by the hand by her husband,
accompanied as before in appropriate fashion.[1763] We also find scenes
representing the bridal pair on their marital couch (_lectus
genialis_),[1764] and the return of the bride after the
ceremonies.[1765] Other scenes may possibly represent a
betrothal,[1766] a bridal toilet,[1767] or a nuptial sacrifice,[1768]
and, finally, the arrival of the bridal pair at their house, with a
servant preparing the marriage-bed.[1769]
More common, especially on R.F. vases of the fine style, are scenes
taken from the life of the women’s apartments (γυναικωνῖτις),[1770]
such as women at their toilet,[1771] spinning wool,[1772] or bleaching
linen,[1773] or embroidering.[1774] Under the heading of toilet scenes
are included single figures of women arranging their hair,[1775]
painting their faces,[1776] fastening on their girdles[1777] or
shoes,[1778] or putting clothes in a wardrobe.[1779] They also play
with cats or dogs[1780] or pet birds,[1781] and there is a subject
identified as a “consolation” scene.[1782] Again, we see women bathing
both in private and public baths,[1783] or even swimming[1784]; but in
some of these scenes the bath merely forms part of the toilet. Many of
these toilet scenes may perhaps be idealised and regarded as groups of
Aphrodite, the Graces, etc.[1785]
A favourite subject, but almost confined to the B.F. hydriae, is that
of maidens with pitchers on their heads fetching water from a fountain,
which is usually in the form of a building with columns and lion’s-head
spouts of water; the maidens, five or six in number, carry the empty
hydriae flat on their heads, the full ones upright.[1786] Women are
sometimes seen in gardens or orchards, gathering fruit[1787] or (on
late R.F. vases) frankincense.[1788] Other miscellaneous scenes which
cannot be classified are: a woman in bed,[1789] woman with
foot-pan,[1790] at a meal,[1791] reading from a scroll,[1792] burning
incense,[1793] spinning a top,[1794] balancing a stick,[1795] riding in
a mule-car[1796]; two or more women wrapped in one large cloak[1797];
and an accouchement scene.[1798] Those in which children appear include
a nurse and child[1799]; a child learning to walk[1800]; a mother, and
a child in a high chair[1801]; and a woman beating a child with a
slipper[1802]; subjects of children playing with toys, etc., have
already been discussed (p. 167). Finally, there are the scenes in which
women appear as jugglers[1803] or performing dances in armour,[1804] of
which mention has been made; these were probably amusements associated
with banquets (see p. 182; also _ibid._ for banquets in which women,
_i.e._ courtesans, take part).
A very common decoration of vases, especially the inferior ones of
Apulia, is that of a woman’s head, either as the main subject or in
some subsidiary part of the decoration; these, however, are so common
that they hardly call for detailed description.[1805]
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