Dark incised Cycladic 'frying pan' vessel, Early Cycladic II period, ca. 2700–2400 BCE. After an original in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Special commission, 2/2.
Among the most mysterious objects to survive from prehistoric Greece, the Cycladic 'frying pan' defies easy explanation. Neither pan nor plate, it belongs to a category whose purpose archaeology has named but never fully resolved — ritual, status, fertility, the sea. This example, after an original in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, is rendered in dark-fired terracotta with deep incised decoration faithful to the Early Cycladic II tradition.
Entirely at home on a modern table too: heat-resistant and robust, it works beautifully as a trivet for hot pots straight from the oven, a sculptural centrepiece, or simply as a striking decorative object in its own right.
Made as a special commission for a film production in summer 2025. Piece 2 of 2, from the ATTIC BLACK Thetis Cabinet, handmade in Athens.
Dimensions: max L 20 cm, H 3 cm, ext. rim D 16 cm, int. rim D 15.5 cm