The vase ΜΘ 30866, an Attic bolsal skyphos according to archaeological terminology, is a characteristic Classical vessel, black-glazed, with stamped and incised floral decoration inside, principally palmettes.

Due to its shape, it is connected with Thessaloniki and the Archaeological Museum. This is because this type of cup owes its conventional name "bolsal" to two red-figure speciments of the type, one in Bologna and one at the Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki (Salonica) (the latter was found in Olynthos and is currently kept at the Archaeological Museum of Polygyros). The shape is usually decorated with the black-glazed technique, and more rarely with the red-figure. It first appeared in Attica in the third quarter of the 5th c. BC, it was very popular towards the end of the 5th c. BC and continued to be produced up to the 4th c. BC.

Although this particular type is quite common during Classical times, the story behind the origin of the vase at the Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki is quite interesting. It was voluntarily handed over in April 2018 to the Greek Embassy in Berlin by Mr. Olaf Abdinghoff-Feldkemper, a German citizen. It belonged to his grandfather and had come to light during World War II, probably in the area of ​​Nea Anchialos in Thessaloniki, during works for the construction of an underground shelter by the German army. According to Mr Abdinghoff-Feldkemper, the vessel was donated by Greeks to his grandfather, who at the time was serving as an engineer in the German navy and was present at the excavations, as a token of gratitude for intervening and thus helping to stop the digging, as soon as he realized the existence of antiquities in the ground. The cup-skyphos, after its repatriation, was donated to the Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki, as its collections include finds from the area of ​​Nea Anchialos, where the ancient Sindos is probably located.

You can see the exhibit at the entrance of the museum, in the showcase with the New Acquisitions.

Date: 420-400 BC