triplehandled

Triplehandled is an English adjective used to describe objects, especially vessels, that have three handles. The term functions as a descriptive category in archaeology, art history, and museum labeling, distinguishing three-handled forms from more common two-handled varieties. It implies a specific grip and balance configuration rather than a unique functional class.

In ancient pottery, the classic example is the hydria, a water jar that typically employs two lateral handles for carrying and a third handle along the back or neck region for pouring. This three-handle arrangement facilitates carrying when full and controlled pouring from various angles. Other cultures produced triple-handled containers in metal or ceramic, though such forms are less widely documented than hydria-type vessels. The three handles affect weight distribution, handling, and pouring ergonomics, and in some traditions may carry ceremonial or symbolic associations as well as practical ones.

In modern usage, triplehandled appears in museum catalogs, scholarly descriptions, and collector literature as a form descriptor. It is not a standardized category in the sense of a fixed typology, but a useful shorthand for identifying vessels with three grasp points. The term highlights form and design considerations that can aid in classification, dating, and interpretation of surviving examples.

See also: hydria, vessel, pottery, archaeological typology.