Oinochoe with Kalos inscription carved into the still wet paint.
A Kalos inscription is a form of the inscription found on Attic vases and graffiti in ancient times, especially in the Classical period from 550 to 450 BC. The word Kalos means "beautiful", and in the inscriptions it had an erotic meaning.
The Kalos inscription is typically found on vessels used for a symposium, a drink or a feast. The scenes accompanying the inscription are different and include sporting exercises and myths.
This oinochoe, a wine vessel with a cloverleaf spout, depicts a cheerful, lascivious parlour game. A young man carried piggyback holds the wearer's eyes shut with his hands, while an ephebe crouching on the ground directs the running young man to an imaginary goal with shouts.
Hand-painted replica as reduction, 480 BC, exhibit of the National Archaeological Museum in Athens.
A seal on the handle bears the inscription "MUSEUM COPY", back "HAND MADE IN GREECE".
