GREEK VASES

SIGNIFICANCE OF POTTERY Pottery in Ancient Greece was painted

with both abstract designs and realistic murals depicting everyday Greek life.

After the 9th century B.C., the geometric pottery designs became more intricate and complex. Around the 7th century B.C., human figures began to appear on the pottery.

ORIENTALIZED POTTERY (900 – 600 BC) Originated in eastern Greece in the 8th and

7th centuries B.C. Trade with the countries of Asia Minor influenced the development of this style, characterized by flowing vines, flowers and animals.

Designs from the southern city of Corinth soon spread throughout Greece, and the orientalized pottery painting style evolved to become less realistic.

Corinthian art depicted silhouettes and abstract designs rather than realistic plant and animal figures

BLACK FIGURE POTTERY Black Figure pottery is one of the most

recognizable Greek pottery designs emerged. Black figure pottery bears iconic

representations of figures from Greek mythology.

The mainly black figures are more intricate than mere silhouettes, with facial features, clothing and weaponry depicted in reds and yellows.

Zeus, Achilles, Athena and other gods and mythological figures adorn the pots from this period.

TECHNIQUE Panathenaic amphora (Vase) would have

been usually filled with sacred olive oil in Athens, and awarded as a prize to a winner of the Panathenaic games held in Athens every four years.

From the 6th century B.C. on, a variety of pottery styles and artistic designs continued to develop. Artists discovered new pigment materials to make paints, and potters developed firing methods to glaze and finish the pottery.

Red figure pottery followed black figure using many of the same designs and techniques.

ATHLETICS

EDUCATION

IMAGERY

CREATE YOUR OWN Each person in your city-state group

should decide on a category to depict on their Greek vase. Use different imagery based on the category you have chosen

Government, athletics, art/architecture, philosophy, military, education, etc.

Before you begin, feel free to draw out a plan on paper – you won’t be able to erase the paint once it is on the pot!

Put your name on the bottom of the pot using black marker