Gnathia was a Greek colony in southern Italy, exhibiting some of the defining traits associated with Italic pottery painting – namely, a polychromatic design painted onto a glossy black surface, often with vegetal motifs. The trefoil lip allowed for the careful pouring of contents, while also adding aesthetic value and interest to the jug. This vessel would likely have been used for storage.
To learn more about Greek pottery, please visit our relevant blog post: Styles and Uses of Greek Pottery.