The Portland Art Museum in Portland, Oregon has a small collection of ceramics from ancient Greece. The objects in the display covered three basic time periods or eras in Ancient Greek history: (1) the Greek Archaic Period which begins in the mid-eighth century BCE; (2) Classical Greece which is generally dated from 490 BCE until about 330 BCE; and the Hellenistic Age which is generally dated from 330 BCE to 30 BCE.
According to the display:
“These small jars carried oil. Before exercise or competition, athletes would rub themselves with oil and then brick dust to cause perspiration. Aryballoi were given as trophies and awards to winning athletes.”
According to the display:
“After exercise, athletes used this curved bronze instrument to scrape the dirt and oil off of their bodies. Then they rubbed on oil and lye, and rinsed off in water.”