Pyxis Pottery

Pyxis Pottery

Pyxides were small pots in which women stored their cosmetics, powder or jewelry. Women used certain plants and types of seaweed as a form of makeup. They would also darken their eyebrows with charcoal, and lighten their skin with a whitener made from lead and vinegar.

While pyxides are frequently found in burials, they also may have served as a container for small objects during the owner's lifetime. In the grave they may have contained perishable offerings, such as food. The knob of the lid assumes many different forms. Here the articulation of the shaft contrasts particularly with the smooth surface of the box.

Information compiled in this site come from the following sources; British Museum, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Smithsonian Institute, Brooklyn Museum of Art, Acropolis Museum, Encyclopedia Britannica, Egypt Time Travel, Journey to Egypt, Getty Institute, Boston Museum of Fine Art 

If you have edits you would like to suggest, please email Michael.Veley@ship.k12.pa.us