hydria

Hydria by the Meidias Painter, c. 410 bc; in the British Museum

hydria, large water vessel in Greek pottery of the Archaic period (c. 750–c. 480 bc) and the Classical period (c. 480–c. 330 bc). It is found in both the black-figure and the red-figure pottery styles. The hydria is distinctive in having three handles: a pair of small, horizontal handles at the sides for lifting and a large, vertical handle at the neck or shoulder for dipping and pouring.