The Project Gutenberg EBook of History of Ancient Pottery. Volume 1 (of 2), by H. B. Walters This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. Title: History of Ancient Pottery. Volume 1 (of 2) Greek, Etruscan, and Roman Author: H. B. Walters Release Date: February 7, 2015 [EBook #48154] Language: English Character set encoding: UTF-8 *** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HISTORY OF ANCIENT POTTERY, VOL 1 *** Produced by KD Weeks, Chris Curnow and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive) Transcriber’s Note: Minor errors in punctuation and formatting have been silently corrected. Please see the transcriber’s note at the end of this text for details regarding the handling of any textual issues encountered during its preparation. The end note also discusses the handling of the many Greek inscriptions. Volume II of this text is available separately at Project Gutenberg at: http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/48155 References to Volume II are linked as well for ease of navigation. HISTORY OF ANCIENT POTTERY PLATE I KYLIX BY DURIS. THE LABOURS OF THESEUS. (British Museum). HISTORY OF ANCIENT POTTERY GREEK, ETRUSCAN, AND ROMAN BY H. B. WALTERS, M.A., F.S.A. BASED ON THE WORK OF SAMUEL BIRCH IN TWO VOLUMES VOLUME I WITH 300 ILLUSTRATIONS INCLUDING 8 COLOURED PLATES LONDON JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET, W. 1905 PRINTED BY HAZELL, WATSON AND VINEY, LD., LONDON AND AYLESBURY. v PREFACE In 1857 Dr. Samuel Birch issued his well-known work on ancient pottery, at that time almost the first attempt at dealing with the whole subject in a comprehensive manner. Sixteen years later, in 1873, he brought out a second edition, in some respects condensed, in others enlarged and brought up to date. But it is curious to reflect that the succeeding sixteen years should not only have doubled or even trebled the material available for a study of this subject, but should even have revolutionised that study. The year 1889 also saw the completion of the excavations of the Acropolis at Athens, which did much to settle the question of the chronology of Attic vases. Yet another sixteen years, and if the increase in actual bulk of material is relatively not so great, yet the advance in the study of pottery, especially that of the primitive periods, has been astounding; and while in 1857, and even in 1873, it was impossible to do much more than collect and co-ordinate material, in 1905 Greek ceramics have become one of the most advanced and firmly based branches of classical archaeology. It therefore implies no slur on the reputation of Samuel Birch’s work that it has become out of date. Up till now it has remained the only comprehensive treatise, and therefore the standard work, on the subject; but of late years there has been a crying need, especially in England, of a book which should place before students a condensed and up-to-date account of Greek vases and of the present state of knowledge of the subject. The present volumes, while following in the main the plan adopted by Dr. Birch, necessarily deviate therefrom in some important particulars. It has been decided to omit entirely the section relating to Oriental pottery, partly from considerations of space, partly from the impossibility of doing justice to the subject except in a separate treatise; for the same reason the pottery of the Celts and of Northern Europe has been ignored. Part I. of the present work, dealing chiefly with the technical aspect of the subject, remains in its main outlines much as it was thirty years ago; but the other sections have been entirely re-written. For the historical account of vase- painting in Birch’s second edition one chapter of forty pages sufficed; it now extends to six chapters, or one quarter of the work. The subjects on the vases, again, occupy four chapters instead of two; and modern researches have made it possible to treat the subjects of Etruscan and Roman pottery with almost the same scientific knowledge as that of Greece. A certain amount of repetition in the various sections will, it is hoped, be pardoned on the ground that it was desirable to make each section as far as possible complete in itself; and another detail which may provoke unfavourable criticism is the old difficulty of the spelling of Greek names and words. In regard to the latter the author admits that consistency has not been attained, but his aim has been rather to avoid unnecessary Latinising on the one hand and pedantry on the other. Finally, the author desires to express his warmest acknowledgments to all who have been of assistance to him in his work, by their writings or otherwise, especially to a friend, desiring to be nameless, who has kindly read through the proofs and made many useful suggestions; to the invaluable works of many foreign scholars, more particularly those of M. Pottier, M. Salomon Reinach, and M. Déchelette, he owes a debt which even a constant acknowledgment in the text hardly repays. Thanks are also due to the Trustees of the British Museum for kind permission to reproduce their blocks for Figs. 75, 109, 118, 125, 128, 131, 138, 185, 191, and 197, to M. Déchelette for permission to reproduce from his work the vases given in Figs. 224, 226, and to the Committee of the British School at Athens for similar facilities in regard to Plate XIV. (pottery from Crete). Lastly, but by no means least, the author desires to express to Mr. Hallam Murray his deep sense of obligation for the warm interest he has shown in the work throughout and for the pains he has taken to ensure the success of its outward appearance. H. B. W. London, January 1905. vi vii ix CONTENTS OF VOLUME I PAGE PREFACE v CONTENTS OF VOLUME I ix LIST OF PLATES IN VOLUME I xiii LIST OF TEXT-ILLUSTRATIONS IN VOLUME I xv BIBLIOGRAPHY OF ANCIENT POTTERY xix NOTE ON ABBREVIATIONS USED IN THIS WORK xxxvi PART I GREEK POTTERY IN GENERAL CHAPTER I INTRODUCTORY Importance of study of ancient monuments—Value of pottery as evidence of early civilisation— Invention of the art—Use of brick in Babylonia—The potter’s wheel—Enamel and glazes—Earliest Greek pottery—Use of study of vases—Ethnological, historical, mythological, and artistic aspects— Earliest writings on the subject—The “Etruscan” theory—History of the study of Greek vases— Artistic, epexegetic, and historical methods—The vase-collections of Europe and their history—List of existing collections 1–30 CHAPTER II SITES AND CIRCUMSTANCES OF DISCOVERY OF GREEK VASES Historical and geographical limits of subject—Description of Greek tombs—Tombs in Cyprus, Cyrenaica, Sicily, Italy—Condition of vases when found—Subsequent restorations—Imitations and forgeries—Prices of vases—Sites on which painted vases have been found: Athens, Corinth, Boeotia, Greek islands, Crimea, Asia Minor, Cyprus, North Africa, Italy, Etruria—Vulci discoveries —Southern Italy, Sicily 31–88 CHAPTER III THE USES OF CLAY Technical terms—Sun-dried clay and unburnt bricks—Use of these in Greece—Methods of manufacture—Roof-tiles and architectural decorations in terracotta—Antefixal ornaments—Sicilian and Italian systems—Inscribed tiles—Sarcophagi—Braziers—Moulds—Greek lamps—Sculpture in terracotta—Origin of art—Large statues in terracotta—Statuettes—Processes of manufacture— Moulding—Colouring—Vases with plastic decoration—Reliefs—Toys—Types and uses of statuettes—Porcelain and enamelled wares—Hellenistic and Roman enamelled fabrics 89–130 CHAPTER IV USES AND SHAPES OF GREEK VASES x Mention of painted vases in literature—Civil and domestic use of pottery—Measures of capacity— Use in daily life—Decorative use—Religious and votive uses—Use in funeral ceremonies—Shapes and their names—Ancient and modern classifications—Vases for storage—Pithos—Wine-amphora —Amphora—Stamnos—Hydria—Vases for mixing—Krater—Deinos or Lebes—Cooking-vessels —Vases for pouring wine—Oinochoë and variants—Ladles—Drinking-cups—Names recorded by Athenaeus—Kotyle—Skyphos—Kantharos—Kylix—Phiale— Rhyton—Dishes—Oil-vases— Lekythos—Alabastron—Pyxis—Askos—Moulded vases 131–201 CHAPTER V TECHNICAL PROCESSES Nature of clay—Places whence obtained—Hand-made vases—Invention of potter’s wheel— Methods of modelling—Moulded vases and relief-decoration—Baking—Potteries and furnaces— Painted vases and their classification—Black varnish—Methods of painting—Instruments and colours employed—Status of potters in antiquity 202–233 PART II HISTORY OF GREEK VASE-PAINTING CHAPTER VI PRIMITIVE FABRICS Introductory—Cypriote Bronze-Age pottery—Classification—Mycenaean pottery in Cyprus— Graeco-Phoenician fabrics—Shapes and decoration—Hellenic and later vases—Primitive pottery in Greece—Troy—Thera and Cyclades—Crete—Recent discoveries—Mycenaean pottery— Classification and distribution—Centres of fabric—Ethnography and chronology 234–276 CHAPTER VII RISE OF VASE-PAINTING IN GREECE Geometrical decoration—Its origin—Distribution of pottery—Shapes and ornamentation of vases— Subjects—Dipylon vases—Boeotian Geometrical wares—Chronology—Proto-Attic fabrics— Phaleron ware—Later Boeotian vases—Melian amphorae—Corinth and its pottery—“Proto- Corinthian” vases—Vases with imbrications and floral decoration—Incised lines and ground- ornaments—Introduction of figure-subjects—Chalcidian vases—“Tyrrhenian Amphorae” 277–327 CHAPTER VIII VASE-PAINTING IN IONIA General characteristics—Classification—Mycenaean influence—Rhodian pottery—“Fikellura” ware —Asia Minor fabrics—Cyrenaic vases—Naukratis and its pottery—Daphnae ware—Caeretan hydriae—Other Ionic fabrics—“Pontic” vases—Early painting in Ionia—Clazomenae sarcophagi 328–367 CHAPTER IX ATHENIAN BLACK-FIGURED VASES Definition of “black-figured”—The François vase—Technical and stylistic details—Shapes— Decorative patterns—Subjects and types—Artists’ signatures—Exekias and Amasis—Minor Artists —Nikosthenes—Andokides—“Affected” vases—Panathenaic amphorae—Vases from the Kabeirion—Opaque painting on black ground—Vase-painting and literary tradition—Early Greek painting and its subsequent development 368–399 xi CHAPTER X RED-FIGURED VASES Origin of red-figure style—Date of introduction—Καλός-names and historical personages— Technical characteristics—Draughtsmanship—Shapes—Ornamentation—Subjects and types— Subdivisions of style—Severe period and artists—Strong period—Euphronios—Duris, Hieron, and Brygos—Fine period—Influence of Polygnotos—Later fine period—Boeotian local fabric 400–453 CHAPTER XI WHITE-GROUND AND LATER FABRICS Origin and character of white-ground painting—Outline drawing and polychromy—Funeral lekythi— Subjects and types—Decadence of Greek vase-painting—Rise of new centres—Kertch, Cyrenaica, and Southern Italy—Characteristics of the latter fabrics—Shapes—Draughtsmanship—Influence of Tragedy and Comedy—Subjects—Paestum fabric—Lucanian, Campanian, and Apulian fabrics— Gnathia vases—Vases modelled in form of figures—Imitations of metal—Vases with reliefs —“Megarian” bowls—Bolsena ware and Calene phialae 454–504 xii xiii LIST OF PLATES IN VOLUME I (Except where otherwise noted the objects are in the British Museum) PLATE I. Kylix signed by Duris: Labours of Theseus (colours) Frontispiece TO FACE PAGE II. Archaic terracotta antefixes 98 III. Restoration of temple at Civita Lavinia 100 IV. Greek lamps and “brazier-handles” 106 V. Moulds for terracotta figures 114 VI. Terracotta vases from Southern Italy 118 VII. “Melian” reliefs 120 VIII. Archaic terracotta figures 122 IX. Terracotta figures of fine style 124 X. Porcelain and enamelled wares 128 XI. Cypriote Bronze-Age pottery 242 XII. Mycenaean vases found in Cyprus 246 XIII. Cypriote “Graeco-Phoenician” pottery 252 XIV. Example of Kamaraes ware from Palaiokastro, Crete (from Brit. School Annual) 266 XV. Mycenaean vases (colours) 272 XVI. Subjects from the Aristonoös krater in the Vatican (from Wiener Vorl.) 296 XVII. Phaleron, Boeotian, and Photo-Corinthian vases 300 XVIII. Melian amphora in Athens (from Conze) 302 XIX. Proto-Corinthian and Early Corinthian vases 308 XX. Corinthian pyxis and Rhodian oinochoë (colours) 312 XXI. Later Corinthian vases with figure subjects 316 XXII. Chalcidian vase in Bibl. Nat., Paris: Herakles and Geryon; chariot 320 XXIII. “Tyrrhenian” Amphora: The death of Polyxena 324 XXIV. Rhodian and Naucratite wares 336 XXV. Situla from Daphnae; later Ionic vase in South Kensington 352 XXVI. Caeretan hydria (colours) 354 XXVII. Painted sarcophagus from Clazomenae 364 XXVIII. The François vase in Florence, general view (from Furtwaengler and Reichhold, Gr. Vasenm.) 370 XXIX. Attic black-figured amphorae 380 XXX. Vases by Nikosthenes 384 XXXI. Obverse of vase by Andokides: Warriors playing draughts (B.F.) 386 XXXII. Reverse of vase by Andokides: Herakles and the Nemean lion (R.F.) 386 XXXIII. Panathenaic amphora, earlier style 388 XXXIV. Panathenaic amphora, later style 390 XXXV. Vases with opaque figures on black ground (Brit. Mus. and Louvre) 394 XXXVI. Red-figured “Nolan” amphorae and lekythos 412 XXXVII. Cups of Epictetan style 422 XXXVIII. Kylix at Munich signed by Euphronios: Herakles and Geryon (from Furtwaengler and Reichhold) 432 XXXIX. Kylikes by Duris at Berlin and in the style of Brygos at Corneto (from Baumeister) 436 XL. Vases signed by Sotades (Brit. Mus. and Boston) 444 XLI. Hydria signed by Meidias 446 XLII. Vases of “late fine” style (colours) 448 XLIII. Polychrome white-ground vases (colours) 456 xiv XLIV. Campanian and Apulian vases 484 XLV. Apulian sepulchral vase (colours) 486 XLVI. Vases modelled in various forms 492 XLVII. Archaic vase in Athens with reliefs (from Ἐφημερὶς Ἀρχαιολογική) 496 XLVIII. Vases of black ware with reliefs (Hellenistic period) 500 xv LIST OF TEXT-ILLUSTRATIONS IN VOLUME I FIG. PAGE 1. Coffin containing vases, from Athens Stackelberg 34 2. Bronze-Age tombs in Cyprus Ath. Mitth. 35 3. Tomb at Gela (Sicily) with vases Ashmol. Vases 37 4. Campana tomb at Veii Campana 39 5. Map of Greece 47 6. Map of Asia Minor and the Archipelago 63 7. Map of Cyprus 66 8. Map of Italy 70 9. Diagram of roof-tiling, Heraion, Olympia Durm 93 10. Antefix from Marathon Brit. Mus. 99 11. Inscribed tiles from Acarnania and Corfu Brit. Mus. 102 12. Ostrakon of Megakles Benndorf 103 13. Ostrakon of Xanthippos Jahrbuch 103 14. Hemikotylion from Kythera Brit. Mus. 135 15. Child playing with jug Brit. Mus. 137 16. Dedication to Apollo (Naukratis) Brit. Mus. 139 17. Youth with votive tablet Benndorf 140 18. Vases used in sacrifice Furtwaengler and Reichhold 141 19. Funeral lekythos with vases inside tomb Brit. Mus. 143 20. Vases placed on tomb (Lucanian hydria) Brit. Mus. 144 21. Pithos from Knossos 152 22. Greek wine-jars Brit. Mus. 154 23. Amphora-stamps from Rhodes Dumont. 156 24. Amphora-stamps from Thasos Dumont. 158 25. “Tyrrhenian” amphora 160 26. Panathenaic amphora 160 27. Panel-amphora 161 28. Red-bodied amphora 161 29. “Nolan” amphora 162 30. Apulian amphora 162 31. “Pelike” 163 32. Stamnos 164 33. “Lekane” 164 34. Hydria 166 35. Kalpis 166 36. Krater with column-handles 169 37. Volute-handled krater 170 38. Calyx-krater 170 39. Bell-krater 170 40. Lucanian krater 172 41. Psykter 173 42. Deinos or lebes 173 43. Oinochoë (7th century) 177 44. Oinochoë (5th century) 177 45. Prochoös 178 46. Olpe 178 47. Epichysis 179 48. Kyathos 179 49. Kotyle 184 xvi 50. Kantharos 188 51. Kylix (earlier form) 190 52. Kylix (later form) 191 53. Phiale 191 54. Rhyton 193 55. Pinax 194 56. Lekythos 196 57. Lekythos (later form) 196 58. Alabastron 197 59. Aryballos 197 60. Pyxis 198 61. Epinetron or Onos 199 62. Askos 200 63. Apulian askos 200 64. Guttus 200 65. Potter’s wheel, from Corinthian pinakes Ant. Denkm. 207 66. Potter’s wheel (vase of about 500 B.C.) Ath. Mitth. 208 67. Boy polishing vase; interior of pottery Blümner 213 68. Seilenos as potter 216 69. Interior of furnace (Corinthian pinax) Ant. Denkm. 217 70. Interior of pottery Ath. Mitth. 218 71. Red-figured fragment, incomplete 222 72. Studio of vase-painter Blümner 223 73. Vase-painter varnishing cup Jahrbuch 227 74. Vase-painter using feather-brush Jahrbuch 228 75. Cypriote jug with concentric circles Brit. Mus. 251 76. Cypriote vase from Ormidhia Baumeister 254 77. “Owl-vase” from Troy Schliemann 258 78. Deep cup from Troy Schliemann 259 79. Vase in form of pig from Troy Schliemann 259 80. Double-necked vase from Troy Schliemann 259 81. Vases from Thera Baumeister 261 82. Mycenaean vases with marine subjects Brit. Mus. 273 83. Ornamentation on Geometrical vases Perrot 283 84. Geometrical vase with panels Brit. Mus. 284 85. Boeotian Geometrical vases Jahrbuch 288 86. Coffer from Thebes (Boeotian Geometrical) Jahrbuch 289 87. Burgon lebes Brit. Mus. 296 88. Warrior vase from Mycenae Schliemann 297 89. Proto-Attic vase from Vourva Ath. Mitth. 299 90. The Dodwell pyxis (cover) Baumeister 316 91. Vases of Samian or “Fikellura” style Brit. Mus. 337 92. The Arkesilaos cup (Bibl. Nat.) Baumeister 342 93. Cyrenaic cup with Kyrene Brit. Mus. 344 94. Naukratis fragment with “mixed technique” Brit. Mus. 346 95. “Egyptian situla” from Daphnae Brit. Mus. 351 96. Kylix by Exekias Wiener Vorl. 381 97. Vase by Amasis: Perseus slaying Medusa Brit. Mus. 382 98. Vase from Temple of Kabeiri Brit. Mus. 392 99. Diagram of rendering of eye on Attic vase Brit. Mus. Cat. 408 100. Palmettes under handles (early R.F.) Jahrbuch 414 101. Palmettes under handles (later R.F.) Riegl 415 102. Development of maeander and cross pattern Brit. Mus. Cat. 416 xvii xviii 103. Krater of Polygnotan style: Slaying of Niobids (Louvre) Mon. dell’ Inst. 442 104. Boeotian kylix Brit. Mus. 452 105. Burlesque scene: Herakles and Auge Jahrbuch 474 106. Apulian sepulchral vase Brit. Mus. 477 107. Vase by Assteas in Madrid Baumeister 480 108. Lucanian krater: Departure of warrior Brit. Mus. 482 109. Hydria with opaque painting on black ground Brit. Mus. 489 110. Phiale with Latin inscription Brit. Mus. 490 xix BIBLIOGRAPHY OF ANCIENT POTTERY PART I PERIODICALS DEALING WITH THE SUBJECT American Journal of Archaeology. Baltimore and Boston, 1885, etc. In progress. (Amer. Journ. of Arch.) Annali dell’ Instituto di corrispondenza archeologica. Rome, 1829–85. (Ann. dell’ Inst.) Plates of vases re-edited by S. Reinach in Répertoire des Vases, vol. i. (1899). Annual of the British School at Athens. London, 1894, etc. In progress. (Brit. School Annual.) Antike Denkmäler, herausgegeben vom kaiserl. deutschen Institut. Berlin, 1887, etc. In progress. A supplementary atlas to the Jahrbuch. (Ant. Denkm.) Archaeologia, or miscellaneous tracts relating to antiquity. London, 1770, etc. Issued by the Society of Antiquaries. In progress. Archaeological Journal, issued by the Royal Archaeological Institute. London, 1845, etc. In progress. Numerous articles on Roman pottery, etc. in Britain. (Arch. Journ.) Archaeologische Zeitung. Berlin, 1843–85. Vols. vii.–xxv. have the secondary title Denkmäler, Forschungen und Berichte. (Arch. Zeit.) Plates of vases re-edited by S. Reinach in Répertoire, vol. i. (1899). Archaeologischer Anzeiger. Berlin, 1886, etc. In progress; a supplement bound up with the Jahrbuch (new acquisitions of museums, reports of meetings, etc.). (Arch. Anzeiger.) Archaeologische-epigraphische Mittheilungen aus Oesterreich-Ungarn. Vienna, 1877–97. Now superseded by Jahreshefte. (Arch.-epigr. Mitth. aus Oesterr.) Athenische Mittheilungen. Athens, 1876, etc. In progress. Organ of the German Archaeological Institute at Athens. (Ath. Mitth.) Berichte der sächsischen Gesellschaft der Wissenschaften. Leipzig, 1846, etc. In progress. Important articles by O. Jahn, 1853–67. (Ber. d. sächs. Gesellsch.) Bonner Jahrbücher. Jahrbücher des Vereins von Alterthumsfreunden im Rheinlande. Bonn, 1842, etc. In progress. Important for notices of pottery, etc., found in Germany, and for recent articles by Dragendorff and others on Roman pottery (Arretine and provincial wares, vols. xcvi., ci., cii., ciii.). (Bonner Jahrb.) Bulletin de Correspondance Hellénique. Athens and Paris, 1877, etc. In progress. (Bull. de Corr. Hell.) Bullettino archeologico Napolitano. Naples, 1842–62. Ser. i. 1842–48. New ser. 1853–62. Re-edited by S. Reinach, 1899. (Bull. Arch. Nap.) Bullettino dell’ Instituto di corrispondenza archeologica. Rome, 1829–85. Chiefly records of discoveries in Italy and elsewhere. (Bull. dell’ Inst.) Classical Review. London, 1887, etc. In progress. Reviews of archaeological books and records of discoveries. Comptes-Rendus de la Commission impériale archéologique. Petersburg, 1859–88. Edited by L. Stephani. With folio atlas, re-edited by S. Reinach in Répertoire, vol. i. (1899). (Stephani, Comptes-Rendus.) Ἐφημερὶς Ἀρχαιολογική. Athens, 1883, etc. (new series). In progress. Plates of vases, 1883–94, re-edited by S. Reinach in Répertoire, vol. i. (1899). (Ἐφ. Ἀρχ.) Gazette archéologique. Paris, 1875–89. (Gaz. Arch.) Hermes. Zeitschrift für classische Philologie. Berlin, 1866, etc. In progress. Jahrbuch des kaiserlichen deutschen archaeologischen Instituts. Berlin, 1886, etc. In progress. With Arch. Anzeiger (q.v.) as supplement and Antike Denkmäler (q.v.) as atlas. (Jahrbuch.) Jahreshefte des oesterreichischen archaeologischen Institutes. Vienna, 1898, etc. In progress. (Jahreshefte.) Journal of Hellenic Studies. London, 1880, etc. In progress. With atlas in 4to of plates to vols. i.–viii., and supplementary papers (No. 4 on Phylakopi). (J.H.S.) Journal of the British Archaeological Association. London, 1845, etc. In progress. A few articles on Roman pottery in Britain. (Journ. Brit. Arch. Assoc.) Monumenti antichi, pubblicati per cura della R. Accad. dei Lincei. Milan, 1890, etc. In progress. (Mon. antichi.) Monumenti inediti dell’ Instituto di corrispondenza archeologica. Rome, 1829–85 (with supplementary volume, 1891). Re-edited (the plates of vases) by S. Reinach in Répertoire, vol. i. (1899). (Mon. dell’ Inst.) Monuments Grecs, publiés par l’Association pour l’encouragement des Études grecques. Paris, 1872–98. (Mon. Grecs.) Monuments Piot. Fondation Eugène Piot. Monuments et mémoires publiés par l’Académie des Inscriptions. Paris, 1894, etc. In progress. xx