Cleveland Museum of Art

Pyxis

Date

400–300 BCE

Medium

marble

Culture

Greece, Attic

Department

Greek and Roman Art

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

Pyxides came in a huge variety of sizes, shapes, and materials in the ancient world. Images of pyxides in Greek art often show them being used by women, which has led scholars to believe that they may have been used to hold jewelry or cosmetics. This pyxis is one of few surviving examples made from stone, signifying that it may have had an elite owner. This vessel has a threaded lid, like a modern mason jar, allowing it to be tightly sealed.

The authoritative record is held by Cleveland Museum of Art. LinkedCulture surfaces this object and its connections; it does not alter institutional metadata.