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Catalogue Entry

This vase is one of听a collection of Greek vases听held by the CU Art Museum.

Gift to CU Classics Department
Transferred to CU Museum of Natural History
听(2006)

Height: 30.2 cm
Diameter (max.): 15.2 cm
Date: c. 700 B.C.E.
Origin: Boeotia (central Greece)

Description: Large jug with flat base, ovoid body, tall cylindrical neck, and horizontal mouth decorated with applied snakes. Two听handles on either side, connecting upper neck to shoulder, are decorated with applied snakes. Tan clay.听

Additional photos of this vessel show details of its base, mouth, handles, and decorations.听

Discussion

This vase dates to the Late Geometric period (c. 700 B.C.E.) and is made of a coarse, reddish-yellow clay. The vessel seems to be typical in shape for its time: contemporary Geometric amphorae tend to be relatively slim with tall necks and high-set handles (1).听 (plural: amphorae)听is best understood as a general purpose storage vessel for both dry goods, including grains, and liquids, including wine, honey, or olives. The name is probably a combination of the Greek word "amphi," meaning "on both sides," referring to the handles, and the word "phoros," meaning "carrying" (2). The name may also be a play on words meaning "an ear on each side," as the Greek word "amph么tis" refers to a protective covering for the headgear worn by boxers.听

Amphorae were produced in a 听and some amphorae had specific and specialized purposes. A special type of amphora, so-called , were reserved for use as prizes in the athletic competitions that were part of the Panathenaic games, which were held in Athens every four years (3). Panathenaic amphorae were filled with olive oil and presented to victors in the various events. An in the Getty Villa in Malibu, for example, depicts a four-horse chariot race, representing the event for which it was given as a prize. Funerary amphorae could serve as grave markers or as urns to hold the cremated remains of the deceased.

This particular Boeotian amphora likely served as a funerary urn because of its relatively small size and its decoration. The molded snakes on its handles and rim are similar to others found associated with funerary amphorae in the Geometric period in Greece.听

This amphora is likely Boeotian, or perhaps Attic, in origin, although it is difficult to determine with certainty. Boeotian graves often contained vases imported from Attica; Boeotian imitations of Attic wares are also relatively common, as Attic influence was prominent in Boeotian pottery during the late 8th century B.C.E. (4). Further complicating the identification is the similarity between Boeotian and Attic clays, although Boeotian clay is generally coarser and has a lighter color (5). Because this amphora is made of a clay that is more yellow than the characteristic orange-red of Attic clay and has a rough texture, it is likely that it is听Boeotian in origin.听

Unfortunately, this vase's decoration is difficult to see in most places. This is probably due to a misfiring during the pottery production process听(6). Also contributing to its poor condition is a significant amount of salt efflorescence, or crystalline deposits on the vase's surface, which indicates that the vessel was once buried in very salty soil. It is possible to distinguish, however, a monochrome, brownish-black decoration. Immediately below the rim of the vase is a band of vertical zigzag patterns bounded by horizontal lines. On either side of the neck, between the handles, are metopes, or rectangular panels, each painted with a wild goat standing on its hind legs, with plant-like filler ornamentation. Framing the goats on both sides are vertical panels of diagonal lines; below each is a band of zig-zagging lines. A thicker, solid line separates the neck from the shoulder of the vase. Barely visible on the shoulder is a band of vertical lines; interrupting the band on each side are metopes that are decorated with a wild goat crouching its head and turning its head across its ack. These goats evoke animal friezes common on vases in the so-called Orientalizing period in ancient Greece; these friezes were becoming popular at this time, especially in Corinth. The remainder of the vessel's body is decorated with bands of vertical, zigzagging lines and parallel horizontal lines.听

Perhaps the most interesting decorative details on this vase are the molded snakes, some retaining traces of brown-black slip, that are added to the handles and rim, producing a kind of pie-crust effect. This type of applied decoration is found often on contemporary funerary vases, such as on a in the University of Pennsylvania Museum. In ancient Greece, snakes had many important associations because of their associations with the earth and, therefore, with autochthonous heroes and with death (7).听In Athens, especially, snakes were associated with , who was said to be half-human, half-snake. Athenians, then, associated the animal and, by proxy, themselves with their autochthonous origins.听

Comparanda

• Richard Eilmann and Kurt Gebauer,听Corpus Vasorum Antiquorum Deutschland, Fasc. 2 Berlin, Antiquarium (Band 1) (Munich: C.H. Beck'sche, 1938): pl. 2 (1-2).
• J. M. Cook, "Protoattic Pottery,"听Annual of the British School at Athens听35 (1934-35): pls. 38b, 41, 43.
• Deltion听20 (1965): Chronika, pl. 87

Footnotes

1. M. G. Kanowski,听Containers of Classical Greece: A Handbook of Shapes听(St. Lucia, Queensland: University of Queensland Press, 1983):听20; Richard M. 颁辞辞办,听Greek Painted Pottery听(London: Metheun, 1960):听221.
2. Andrew J. Clark, Maya Elston, and Mary Louise Hart eds.,听Understanding Greek Vases: A Guide to Terms, Styles, and Techniques听(Malibu: J. Paul Getty Museum,听2002): 66; Kanowski,听Containers of Classical Greece:听18.
3. Gisela M.A. Richter, and Marjorie J. Milne,听Shapes and Names of Athenian Vases听(New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1935): 3; Kanowski: 20; John Boardman,听The History of Greek Vases: Potters, Painters, and Pictures听(New York: Thames & Hudson 2001): 262; Cook: 89-90.
4. 颁辞辞办,听Greek Painted Pottery:听27.
5. 颁辞辞办,听Greek Painted Pottery:听28.
6. Chara Tzavella-Evjen,听Greek and Roman Vases and Statuettes from the University of baby直播app Collection听(Athens: Archaiologikon Deltion, 1973): 193.
7. Erika Simon,听Festivals of Attica听(Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin Press, 1983).

Reference

• Chara Tzavella-Evjen,听Greek and Roman Vases and Statuettes from the University of baby直播app Collection听(Athens: Archaiologikon Deltion, 1973): 192-197.听