Oinochoe with horse heads

Oinochoe with horse heads
Etruscan or Faliscan production
First half of the 7th century BC
Clay pottery

The oinochoe with a double equine head and spouted muzzle is a vessel used for pouring liquids. It belongs to the well-known series of jugs with mouths shaped as horses or rams, known as Ram Vases.

This example is particularly refined: the horses are modelled with detailed anatomical precision in their eyes, cheeks, and ears, while the body is decorated with incised and impressed motifs depicting animals such as herons, small swans, and fish.

In the 7th century BCE, during the Orientalising period, Etruscan craftsmanship became animated by a rich and varied fantastic bestiary, largely rooted in Eastern and Greek traditions. Its continuity, however, depended on diverse local reinterpretations, which often freely adapted those models, giving rise to new forms of imagery — as in this case.

In this locally produced vase, one can discern, alongside the Greek influence in the decoration, the Cypriot sense of plastic form and the Phoenician influence in the shape.