Ca. 300 BC. A pottery plate featuring a round body with a convex cavity, perfectly suited for serving and presenting food. The elevated ring foot provides a stable and balanced foundation, ensuring that the plate can be easily placed on any flat surface without tipping over. The surface of the plate is adorned with brown painted interspersed registers of circumferential lines and bands of applied drops, a characteristic decoration style of Messapian pottery. The intricate and skillfully executed decoration of this plate is a hallmark of the Messapian ceramic tradition, renowned for its sophistication and attention to detail. The use of brown paint, combined with the rhythmic patterns of circumferential lines, creates a stunning visual effect that highlights the graceful curves and contours of the plate's form. Messapian ceramics, originating from the region of Apulia in southeastern Italy, are celebrated for their exquisite beauty and exceptional quality. The Messapians were skilled potters who produced a wide range of ceramic vessels, including plates, bowls, amphoras, and jugs, that were used for various purposes, such as serving and storing food and liquids, as well as for funerary and ritual practices.Size: L:40mm / W:190mm ; 260gProvenance: Private London collection, B.A.; formerly in pre-2000 European collection.