Southern Italian, Ca. 375-300 BC An elegant Gnathian-style skyphos featuring a rounded body on a ring base and ear-shaped horizontal handles. The broad, relatively shallow, body rests on a broad foot with a central fillet; attached are two horizontal handles placed symmetrically.Decorated with geometric and floral motifs on a black background, this style is characteristic of vases that were produced around the area of ancient Egnathia in Apulia, Southern Italy, during the late fourth and early third century. The decoration on the front side includes a highly stylized vine pattern consisting of grapes, leaves, and tendrils. The backside features a simple band of ivy. Skyphoi like this one were typical drinking cups in southern Italy and in the wide ancient Greek world and were used during symposia (ancient drinking parties). Apulia was a region in south-eastern Italy that, from the 8th century BC onwards, was populated by a vast number of Greek colonies ? so much so that the Romans referred to the area as 'Magna Graecia' (Great Greece). These Greek colonies were instrumental in bringing Greek culture and thought to Italy, greatly influencing Roman literature, philosophy, and material culture. Size: L:107mm / W:145mm; 171.7g Provenance: From the private collection of a Kent gentleman C.S.; previously in an old British collection, formed in the 1980s on the UK /European art markets.