Three small jars marking 24 centuries of underage drinking are among the gems in the Louvre's exhibition of ancient Greek sculptures and pottery at the National Museum of Singapore. The jugs, known as oenochoe, were used at Athens' annual festival of Anthesteria, dedicated to Dionysus, god of wine, theater, fertility, and having a good time. Part of the celebrations included a drinking competition among males to see who could drain their oenochoe of wine fastest, a ceremony held more frequently today in the bars of nearby Boat Quay. What makes the Greek vessels startling is that the smallest is the size of a shot glass, a reminder that boys took part in the festival from the age of three. One of the terracotta jars, decorated in the traditional red on black, shows a chubby baby crawling along the floor and reaching out for his oenochoe. The vessels show the strength of the exhibition, which offers insights into the lives of ancient Greeks through a carefully chosen mix of artifacts, backed up with excellent descriptions, notes and quotations. In the section on childhood, where the oenochoe are displayed, we learn that one out of every two children died before the age of one, and a quarter of those who survived never made it to adulthood. Next to these sad statistics is an earthenware doll with articulated limbs, a 24-century-old Barbie. There are great statues from the French museum's collection that show how skilled sculptors such as Phidias and Praxiteles were at capturing the human form: Aphrodite adjusting her dress as it slips from one breast; an athlete, tense with concentration the moment before he throws the discus; the twinkling eyes of Aristotle. Classical Revamp The 130 pieces are on display in Singapore as the Louvre refurbishes its Classical Greek and Hellenistic galleries, though not all of the institution's A-list objects are on tour. No doubt the French museum's eight million annual visitors would be miffed if they discovered the Venus de Milo had taken an extended Asian holiday. The apple-toting goddess of love -- Aphrodite in Greek - - does appear in several guises, though, including as the stunning Venus of Arles. Most of the sculptures are in fact Roman copies, as the Greek originals, often in bronze, were destroyed or melted down for weapons long ago. Some of the dismembered lumps of marble on display are likely to hold little interest for any but the devoted classical scholar. Still, there are more than enough outstanding pieces and insights to show why an obscure collection of ancient, warlike city-states remains an inspiration in art, drama, politics, philosophy, mathematics and Friday-night drinks.