The artifact on display was found at the ancient site of Panskoye 1 in the northwestern part of Crimea. It is a small, aryballos red-clay vessel on a low stand with a conical crown. The vessel dates back to the end of the 4th century BCE. Lekythos is one of the most common types of Greek pottery, used for storing aromatic oils.

Typically, lekythoses (lekythoi) are one-handled pitchers with a narrow neck and a wide body on a thin leg. During the period from the 5th to 4th centuries BCE, their shape evolved from conical to cylindrical. The vessel has a vertical handle added to one side.

The lekythos is known for its narrow neck and was used during funerary rites. The technique of ceramic production in ancient Greece was at a high level, and lekythoses were crafted on a hand-driven potter’s wheel. Once shaped, the lekythoses were dried, painted, and baked in a special oven. The quality of the clay used was excellent. Ionian vases were characterized by their light reddish clay with a pale-yellow tinge.

At the beginning of their history, lekythoses were exclusively used in religious events. Aromatic oils were kept in these vessels, which were then used when making offerings to the gods. Olive oil-filled lekythoses were placed in graves alongside the deceased. While toiletry vessels were placed in women’s graves, lekythoses containing olive oil would be found in men’s graves. On memorial days, relatives would bring similar vessels to the graves along with other offerings and leave them on tombstones. Tradition dictated that the lekythos should be filled to the brim with olive oil, but relatives of the deceased often devised ways to limit its capacity in order to save the valuable product. This is evident from archaeological findings. Lekythoses, as an important part of the funerary ritual, were depicted on marble tombstone stelae.

In ancient Greece, some funerary customs originated that are still observed almost universally all across the world, for example, the custom of laying flowers and making tombstones.