Strainers of this type were used to separate out sediments which could be found in wine. Such an elaborate design for a simple utilitarian object is unsurprising considering the dramatic and dynamic art style of the period, in comparison to the preceding Classical period. Bronze strainers were also used in kitchenware, in the preparation of sauces. Strainers have been largely recovered in graves, as part of the feasting and drinking equipment which accompanied the social Hellenistic elite to the next world. In Classical and Hellenistic Greece wine was tightly linked to the religious dimension, not only used in celebrations to the gods and in funeral ceremonies, but also during banquets and symposia.
To learn more about everyday bronze items in the Classical World, visit our relevant post: Everyday Items in the Classical World.
