Reprojected painting from a white lethykos, or oil flask, decorated by the Achilles Painter with an image depicting a wife and her warrior husband, he perhaps taking leave of her to go to war. Oil flasks were used at baths and gymnasiums and for funerary offerings, characterized by a long cylindrical body gracefully tapered to the base and a narrow neck with a loop-shaped handle. On the shield is painted large apotropaic eye. Apotropaic magic or protective magic is a type of magic intended to turn away harm or evil influences, as in deflecting misfortune or averting the evil eye. The symbol appears most commonly on Greek drinking vessels from the 6th century bc and was perhaps thought to keep dangerous spirits from entering the mouth with the wine. They were also common on the bow's of many ocean-going vessels such as naval triremes. National Archaeological Museum, Athens.