Circa 370-325 BC A glazed wheel-thrown thistle mug with a petite tiered foot, a bulbous body that tapers to a wide neck, a flared rim, and an applied bifurcated ring handle. The body is detailed with white painted chevrons, above bands of applied white paint, red and yellow dotted design between highly stylised wave motif. The Gnathian style originated from Apulia, a region of Italy located along the southern coast. It consisted of a polychromic design applied onto a dark, varnished background. The primary colours used were red, white, and yellow although white soon became the dominant colour. The skyphos, a typical drinking cup in southern Italy, were used during drinking parties because of its practical shape. According to Plato, drinking parties were amon event which allowed guests to have discussions or articulate riddles. Romanelli, P., Corpus Vasorum Antiquorum, Italia 6, Lecce 2 (1979), IV Dr, Tavola 53, 1 (larger, but similar shape and decorative scheme), Tavola 56, 11-14 (small examples with female heads and palmettes). Trendall, A. D., Red Figure Vases of South Italy and Sicily: a Handbook, London, Thames and Hudson, 1989, 227, 2 and 4 (female heads on vases of the Darius-Underworld workshop). Size: L:125mm / W:85mm; 220g Provenance: Property of a central London Gallery; formerly in a South English estate collection; acquired in the 1990s from Andre de Munter, Brussels, Belgium; previously in an old European collection.