Vase of Odysseus and the Sirens
- Audio guide stop: 534
- Gallery: Room 69
- Maker: Attributed to The Siren Painter
- Culture: Attic
- Made in: Attica (Greece)
- Date: 480BC-470BC (circa)
- Object type: stamnos
- Materials: pottery
- Museum number: 1843,1103.31
- Museum: The British Museum
- Collection record: British Museum website
- Image © The Trustees of the British Museum, shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 licence.
Listen to the free audio guide
About this object
Before you is "The Siren Vase," a red-figured stamnos from ancient Attica, painted between 480 and 470 BCE. The vase tells a scene from the Odyssey, a timeless tale of heroism and myth.
On one side, a ship carrying Odysseus glides through the sea, guarded by the Sirens. The painter captures the moment the Sirens, birdlike creatures with women's faces, sing their deadly song. One flaps her wings and is even named: "Himeropa." Another Siren falls from a cliff as though already overcome by death. Odysseus is tied to the mast, shielding himself from temptation. The detailed ship, with a unique boar-like prow and a full rigging system, shows how advanced Greek shipbuilding had become.
The other side of the vase shows three Erotes, or love spirits, flying across the waves. Each is inscribed with meaningful Greek words, adding to the charm and symbolism of the piece. The vase is attributed to a skilled hand known as "The Siren Painter," a name given based on their style and subject matter.
Take time to notice the bold outlines, rich colors, and the way the painter brings myth to life with movement and emotion.
See it in person
Vase of Odysseus and the Sirens is on display in Room 69 at the British Museum on Great Russell Street, Bloomsbury, London — free to enter. Choose British Museum on audioguide.london and type its audio guide stop number, 534, from the gallery label, or take a photo of it, to hear this free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
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