Lekythos
/ˈlɛkɪθɒs/noun
A slender ancient Greek vessel, usually used to hold oil or perfume and often placed in funerary contexts.
Did you know?White-ground lekythoi were frequently decorated with scenes of mourning and were deposited at graves, making them some of antiquity’s most intimate funerary objects.
Etymological Timeline
Before 5th Century BCE
Ancient Greek
λήκυθος
“A vessel for oil or perfume; the word’s deeper origin is uncertain.”
Classical Greek
Greek
λήκυθος (lēkythos)
“A narrow-necked oil flask, commonly used for olive oil, perfumes, and funerary offerings.”
5th–4th Century BCE
Greek
λευκόγραφος λήκυθος
“A white-ground lekythos, a richly painted type especially associated with grave monuments and scenes of farewell.”
Classical Antiquity
Latin
lecythus
“A Latin transliteration for the Greek oil vessel.”
19th Century
English
lekythos
“An archaeological term for the characteristic ancient Greek flask, especially funerary examples.”
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