Deep bowls with straight walls that flare out have no antecedents in mainland Greek pottery. The shape originated in metal during the Hellenistic period (323–31 B.C.) and was reinterpreted in clay quickly and widely. While the fine fabric and lustrous surface have a metallic quality, the prototype for this bowl is made clear by the medallion. The bust in relief and the surrounding band with a bead pattern reflect the technique and manner of insertion in a metal—typically silver—counterpart. The tondo would have been worked in repoussé and attached with solder or by crimping the edges of the frame. In the terracotta bowl, all of these features are of a piece. The bust is that of Dionysos, god of wine, an appropriately frequent subject for a drinking vessel. The delicate tendril around the medallion consists of the leaves and fruit (korymboi) of the ivy plant.

Pottery of this type is conventionally known as Calenian, after Cales, a site in Campania. Recent studies indicate that there were numerous centers of production in Italy and wide distribution both to the west and the east.