Red-figure Attic Nolan amphora decorated on Side A with two standing figures: a nude youth, depicted as an athlete, and his trainer. The youth stretches his arms forward, holding a pair of halteres (jumping weights), an attribute commonly associated with athletic exercise in the Greek gymnasium. Opposite him stands his trainer, draped in a himation and holding a staff; his curly hair is bound with a taenia. The composed, authoritative stance of the trainer evokes the familiar iconography of instruction and athletic preparation.Side B presents a single youth enveloped in a himation, turned to his right.
Note
Named after examples discovered at Nola in southern Italy, the Nolan amphora is characterised by its rounded body, tall flaring neck, and inverted rim with grooves for a fitted lid. Ribbed handles extend from the shoulder to the base of the neck. Such vessels were commonly used for the storage and transport of commodities such as wine, olives, or olive oil.
