Withstanding time, thanks durability, Greek Pottery has been a large key to the world’s comprehension of the ancient Greek society. Mostly found in the Etruscan Tombs, Greek Vases and Greek Pottery were canvases as most Greek paintings failed to survive.
Beginning with the Minoan civilization that existed in Crete, the culture made remarkable contributions to Greek way of life; especially, in the artisanship of pottery and vases. Minoan potters designed pottery for food gathering and storage. A practical need became an expression, with the potter looking to nature to influence the designs that beautified the piece.
As time progressed, Minoan’s created shapes that were used for specific purposes. For example, the Amphora is a swollen vase with a large mouth and two handles. It was used to carry and store liquids such as oil or wine. Adorned with grass and flowers, and life of the sea, the Minoan’s set precedent for future designs.
During the Protogeometrical Period, Greek vases were decorated with simplistic designs mainly patterns of circles. The Geometric style followed with new motifs, building upon the latter with triangles, wavy lines and meanders. In the middle of the century, the first depictions of human figures were seen adorning the Greek vase, and by the end of the period, mythological figures told their stories while decorating the pieces.
The Orient influenced style came after trade links with Asian Minor islands. The popularity of human depictions settled during this time, and the artisan used the Greek vases for depicting lions, griffins and sphinx with lotuses as accents.
A Corinthian invention, the Greek black figure technique, artists used iron rich clay that turned reddish orange after firing. They then sketched the design as an outline, and filled it with clay as paint. The Greek Pottery would be fired in a kiln at a temperature of 800 degrees Celsius. After oxidation, the pottery would turn a reddish orange color. Next, the temperature was raised to 950 degrees Celsius, and the piece would turn black. Finally, the kiln vents were opened to allow the oxygen to flow, and the pottery would turn back to the reddish orange color, but the paint layer remained black.
The Corinthian used the vases to depict animal friezes, and then the Athenians painters developed a narrative method, depicting battle scenes, mythology and legends.
Replacing the black figure method, the red figure method was developed in Athens. Simply, the process is exactly the opposite of the black figure method. Depictions were applied to the Greek pottery, but to unfired pieces after they were dried. The Athenians drew outlines on the pottery or vase with a blunt scrapper. It was erased during firing, but after the contours remained and were filled with a glossy clay slip.
The Greek designs and innovations not only inspire potters and artists, but left the world with a path to the past. Archaeologists have been able to piece together much of the history of ancient Greece through the patterns and stories depicted on the Greek vase.
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