Zoe Stokes-Paizis
Zoe's project is titled: Materialising Femininity: Gender Construction on Athenian Red-Figure Perfume and Cosmetic Vessels
Project Description
My thesis focuses particularly on red-figure squat lekythoi and pyxides, examining broader iconographic trends across approximately 3,000 catalogued examples compiled within my database, alongside their archaeological contexts, in order to better understand the social and cultural roles these objects played in the lives of women. The project investigates how imagery associated with the feminine sphere of beautification and adornment can provide insight into women’s lived experiences and expressions of identity in Classical Athens.
A key aspect of my research is the integration of contextual archaeology with iconographic analysis. By examining imagery alongside archaeological evidence from domestic, brothel, ritual, and funerary contexts, I consider how these vessels functioned not only as practical objects, but also as material expressions of identity, social relationships, and embodied practice.
My research also engages critically with broader historiographical questions concerning the academic neglect of diverse audiences of women through an intersectional framework, as well as the need for more nuanced approaches to sex and gender, which have often remained peripheral within Greek archaeology. Through this approach, my thesis aims to contribute to wider discussions of gender archaeology, embodied practice, and the relationship between imagery and lived experience in the ancient Mediterranean.