Lebes Gamikos | The Wedding Present
Thursday, October 18th, 2007The lebes gamikos, or “nuptial lebes,” (plural - lebetes gamikoi) is a form of ancient Greek Pottery used in marriage ceremonies. It was probably used in the ritual sprinkling of the bride with water before the wedding. In form, it has a large bowl-like body and a stand that can be long or short. Painted scenes are placed on either the body of the vessel or the stand.
A typical lebes gamikos shows wedding scenes (including mythic weddings such as the wedding of Peleus and Thetis, but the iconography be also be related to scenes such as mimes.