Archaic Greek Bronze Strigil (Stlengis)

Archaic Greece, c. 500–400 BC, Corinth, Greece

A rare and beautifully preserved example of a bronze strigil, this elegant bathing implement is formed from hammered bronze into a distinctive zigzag handle terminating in a sharp, leaf-shaped blade. The tool retains traces of an oval manufacturer’s stamp on the upper portion of the handle, showing a bearded, dancing male figure in relief—likely a satyr—now softly worn through age and corrosion. An inscription for the original owner remains faintly visible but is obscured by surface oxidation. Stamped and inscribed strigils of this quality are exceedingly scarce.

The strigil (stlengis in Greek) was an essential tool in the ancient Greco-Roman bathing and athletic tradition, used to scrape oil, sweat, and dust from the skin following physical exertion. Before entering the baths, athletes would coat their bodies with olive oil, then use the strigil to cleanse themselves—a ritual often immortalized in painted ceramics and sculpture. The residue collected, known as gloios, was believed to have curative properties and was sometimes sold for medicinal purposes.

Primarily crafted from bronze, strigils were also made in silver, glass, and other materials, typically shaped like an elongated “J” with a broad, curved scraping blade. While strigils began as athletic implements, they later became common items in personal grooming kits across the ancient Mediterranean, used by both men and women, and found as far afield as South Italy and Etruria.

This example, with its finely worked profile and rare stamped imagery, offers a tangible connection to the world of ancient athleticism, hygiene, and daily ritual—an evocative piece for collectors of Greek antiquities, tools, or classical personal objects.

Excellent condition. Intact. Surface wear and corrosion commensurate with age, nicks and chip, with earthen deposits throughout. Size approx. 22,3cm x 14,5cm x 2,5cm.

Provenance: Swedish private collection.

For a similar examples see:

Strigil, Archaic Greek, Classical Greek, Corinth, The British Museum, Accession Number: 1891,0424.1 (https://www.bmimages.com/results.asp?W=4&F=0002&Step=1&rowx=3)

Gilt bronze strigil, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Accession Number:15.43.269    (https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/249020)

Strigil, The British Museum, Accession Number: 1885,1213.51.                                   (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/G_1885-1213-51)