| Withstanding time, thanks durability, Greek Pottery has | | | | Asian Minor islands. The popularity of human depictions |
| been a large key to the world's comprehension of the | | | | settled during this time, and the artisan used the Greek |
| ancient Greek society. Mostly found in the Etruscan | | | | vases for depicting lions, griffins and sphinx with lotuses |
| Tombs, Greek Vases and Greek Pottery were | | | | as accents. |
| canvases as most Greek paintings failed to survive. | | | | A Corinthian invention, the Greek black-figure technique, |
| Beginning with the Minoan civilization that existed in | | | | artists used iron-rich clay that turned reddish-orange |
| Crete, the culture made remarkable contributions to | | | | after firing. They then sketched the design as an |
| Greek way of life; especially, in the artisanship of | | | | outline, and filled it with clay as paint. The Greek |
| pottery and vases. Minoan potters designed pottery | | | | Pottery would be fired in a kiln at a temperature of |
| for food gathering and storage. A practical need | | | | 800 degrees Celsius. After oxidation, the pottery would |
| became an expression, with the potter looking to | | | | turn a reddish-orange color. Next, the temperature was |
| nature to influence the designs that beautified the | | | | raised to 950 degrees Celsius, and the piece would |
| piece. | | | | turn black. Finally, the kiln vents were opened to allow |
| As time progressed, Minoan's created shapes that | | | | the oxygen to flow, and the pottery would turn back |
| were used for specific purposes. For example, the | | | | to the reddish-orange color, but the paint layer |
| Amphora is a swollen vase with a large mouth and | | | | remained black. |
| two handles. It was used to carry and store liquids | | | | The Corinthian used the vases to depict animal friezes, |
| such as oil or wine. Adorned with grass and flowers, | | | | and then the Athenians painters developed a narrative |
| and life of the sea, the Minoan's set precedent for | | | | method, depicting battle scenes, mythology and |
| future designs. | | | | legends. |
| During the Protogeometrical Period, Greek vases were | | | | Replacing the black-figure method, the red-figure |
| decorated with simplistic designs mainly patterns of | | | | method was developed in Athens. Simply, the process |
| circles. The Geometric style followed with new motifs, | | | | is exactly the opposite of the black-figure method. |
| building upon the latter with triangles, wavy lines and | | | | Depictions were applied to the Greek pottery, but to |
| meanders. In the middle of the century, the first | | | | unfired pieces after they were dried. The Athenians |
| depictions of human figures were seen adorning the | | | | drew outlines on the pottery or vase with a blunt |
| Greek vase, and by the end of the period, mythological | | | | scrapper. It was erased during firing, but after the |
| figures told their stories while decorating the pieces. | | | | contours remained and were filled with a glossy clay |
| The Orient-influenced style came after trade-links with | | | | slip. |