Why did ancient Greek athletes use aryballos? (11 photos)

In a healthy body healthy mind. The ancient Greeks used this life principle as one of the main ones and diligently followed health, keeping fit with active training.





And the faithful companions of the Greeks were ariballi - small spherical clay vessels with a narrow neck. Such a name they received because of the leather bag where the container was inserted to fasten on your wrist and carry with you.



Ariballs were used mainly by athletes to always have with an aromatic liquid (usually aroma oils). Before training in the palestra (gymnastic school) or competitions, men rubbed their bodies with oil, and then cleaned it from the skin along with dirt, sand and then a special scraper, which usually made from pointed shells. Bath oils were used.





Spherical shape and small (about 5-7 centimeters) size made the use of the vessel as convenient as possible. For the manufacture of mostly clay was used. But ariballi from other materials - faience, bronze, even glass.













Women had their own kind of vessels - alabastron, which was also used to store aromatic oils and liquids. Unlike men who chose laconic forms, women the fair sex preferred more original solutions - animalistic or in the form of sculpted heads that had cylindrical shape, rounded bottom and could stand vertically on flat surface.