Baby Feeder, Pomegranate Shape

ARTIST

Unknown
Greek, Southern Italian, Campanian

MEDIUM

Terra cotta, black glaze

DATE

325-275 B.C.

DIMENSIONS

Overall: 3 7/8 x 4 5/8 x 4 3/4 in. (9.8 x 11.7 x 12 cm)

CREDIT

Gift of Henry and Sara Immerwahr

BACKGROUND

This black glaze terracotta vase is the ancient equivalent of the modern plastic baby bottle. Its pinkish clay shows that, although it follows the Attic tradition of ceramic feeders, it comes from Campania in southern Italy, an area that was heavily settled by people from mainland Greece in the later 5th century B.C.E. The pomegranate shape of the Ackland feeder is unusual. The pomegranate, from which Persephone ate six seeds while in Hades, was a symbol of death. The Ackland feeder shows signs of use, so it was not made specifically for burial. The large size of this feeder and the teeth marks suggest that the baby was older than about nine months. The feeder was probably placed in a grave to provide the infant with nourishment in the afterlife.