Kandila (Collared Jar with Conical Foot)

About the Artwork

Kandila, the modern Greek word used by archaeologists for Early Cycladic stone jars like this one, also refers to a type of hanging oil lamp, similar in shape but made of metal and still used in some Greek Orthodox churches. Despite this name and the formal similarity, the primary function of the prehistoric kandila remains uncertain. The holes drilled through each of its four lugs may have been used for hanging or to secure a lid.

Exhibition history

Signs of Affection: Gifts Honoring the Museum's 75th Anniversary. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (October 27, 1992-January 3, 1993).

Quick Overview

Artist: Master A (Greek)
Date: 3000–2950 BCE
Medium: marble
Dimensions: Overall: 10.7 x 12.9 cm (4 3/16 x 5 1/16 in.)
Type: Sculpture
Classification: Sculpture
Department: Greek and Roman Art
Credit line: Seventy-fifth anniversary gift of the Merrin Family
Accession no.: 1991.166

Provenance

The Cleveland Museum of Art’s open-access data does not include an ownership history for this work. See the museum’s page for this work.

Data retrieved from the Cleveland Museum of Art on October 8, 2026. The museum may have updated its record since.