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The Distribution of Attic Vases

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 October 2013

G. M. A. R.
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Extract

One of the most interesting phenomena in the history of ceramic art is the absorption of the market of the world by Attic ware. The sixth-century tombs of Italy, Sicily and elsewhere show a gradual decrease in importations from Corinth, Chalcis, Cyrene and Ionia, and by the time of the beginning of the fifth century the Attic black- and red-figured ware has acquired a complete monopoly. The area over which these Attic vases were distributed comprises almost the whole of the world as known at that time—Greece Proper, the Aegean Islands, the Cyrenaica, Egypt, Asia Minor, the Crimea and above all Italy and Sicily. The question suggests itself how far this large and varied export was influenced by the special demand in various localities; how far, in fact, each locality had its own definite needs for special vase forms, which the ceramic trade of Athens was to supply.

Type
Research Article
Information
Annual of the British School at Athens , Volume 11 , November 1905 , pp. 224 - 242
Copyright
Copyright © The Council, British School at Athens 1905

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References

page 228 note 1 In the case of the white lekythoi ‘confined to Greece’ means as compared with Etruria and Campania; a considerable number have been found at Gela (cf. e.g. those in the Ashmolean Museum) and also a few at Locri.

page 228 note 2 Cf H. B. Walters, History of Ancient Pottery, I. ch. 4.

page 230 note 1 For literature on the loutrophoros cf. Milchhöfer, , Ath. Mitth. xviii. Taf. 2Google Scholar, who was the first to give the right interpretation to this shape; Wolters, , Ath. Mitth. xvi. p. 372Google Scholar; Herzog, , Arch. Zeit. 1882, p. 131Google Scholar; Furtwängler, Samml. Sab. i., text to Plate LVIII., LII.; Collignon, article Loutrophoros, Daremberg et Saglio, Dict. ant. Gr. et Rom. p. 1, 318. For the derivation of the type cf. Bruckner, and Pernice, , Ath. Mitth. xviii. 1899, pp. 73–190.Google Scholar

page 230 note 2 The identification of the λέβης γαμικός mentioned in the Eleusinian temple inventory with the variety of amphora with a high foot and double handles is due to Dr. Zahn. Panofka had proposed the name θερμοπότις and based his interpretation on the fact that holes occur on the upper part of the high stand; these he thought served for the purpose of letting through the draught for the fire kindled beneath. But these holes are found on a very small proportion of the vases (only on two out of the twenty examples in the Athens Museum). For an explanation of these holes cf. Wolters, , Vasen aus Menidi ii., page 129Google Scholar, Jahrbuch 1899. They may have served for the insertion of the fingers for more convenient lifting. For further literature on the subject of the vases cf. Robert, Arch. Zeit. 1882; Hartwig, ᾿Εφ. ᾿Αρχ 1897; Furtwängler, Samml. Sab., Pl. LXVIII, 1; Couve, , B.C.H. 1898, p. 277.Google Scholar

page 230 note 3 Cf. Hesychius' Lexikon, λουτροφόρα ἄγγη

page 231 note 1 Wolters, , Ath. Mitth. xvi., p. 378Google Scholar, gives a list of loutrophoroi known to him and brings up the list to 34. All these are derived from Attica. MissKing, , A.J.A. 1903, p. 324Google Scholar, mentions three votive ones not on this list—two in the National Museum at Athens (Nos. 12540, 12280) and one in the Louvre, To this increased list must now be added No. 13032, a recent acquisition of the Athens Museum, which will be mentioned again later (see Appendix I.), and also an example now in the Boston Museum of Fine Arts.

page 231 note 2 Cf. Boehlau, , Jahrbuch ii. 1887, p. 34.Google Scholar

page 231 note 3 Cf. Stais, , Ath. Mitth. xv. 1890, p. 327.Google Scholar

page 232 note 1 For lebetes gamikoi in other collections cf. Berlin Museum 2404–2406; 2649; Hermitage Collection 1811; Samml. Sabouroff. Pl. 681; British Museum B 298, E 810; Fröhner, Coll. Lecuyer (1883) No. 368. With the one exception of the example in the Hermitage, which was found at Kertch, the above are all derived from Attica.

page 232 note 2 Among the Acropolis sherds, however, there are some fragments of black-figured lebetes gamikoi, and in the above list B 298 of the British Museum is of the black-figured technique. The shape ilself goes even further back, cf. e.g. the Eretria vases of archaic style, in the Athens Museum, which, besides the high foot, have the same vertical handles. Cf. also the vases found at Menidi; Wolters, , Vasen aus Menidi ii., Jahrbuch 1899, p. 126.Google Scholar

page 233 note 1 For the onos cf. Hartwig, , Ἐφ. Ἀρχ. 1897, p. 138 and Pl. X.Google Scholar The reproduction on Pl. X., in which a woman is represented arranging branches in two vases of this shape, is accurate. The purple flowers, which have been suggested (J.H.S. 1903, p. 150), do not exist in the original, though some scratches on the black glaze at first sight lead to this conclusion. This is important, as the prese nce of purple flowers would be against the theory that myrtle branches were put into the vase to impart a pleasant aroma to the bridal bath; the stalks of flowers would certainly not have that effect. For the pyxis cf. Lorimer, H. L., (J.H.S. 1903, p. 133Google Scholar; for the lebes gamikos cf. Schreiber, , Ann. dell' Inst. 1876, p. 333.Google Scholar The following are vases in other museums on which this shape is depicted:—pyxis in British Museum, E 774, cf. Dumont and Chaplain i., Pl. IX.; pyxis from Eretria in Berlin Museum, cf. Jahrbuch 1900, p. 144.

page 233 note 2 Cf. Pottier, Les Lecythes Blancs.

page 233 note 3 There are in all thirty-two from Attica, one from Tanagra, eleven from Eretria and sixteen of unknown provenance.

page 235 note 1 Cf. M. Robert, Ἐφ. Ἀρχ. 1892, p. 247.

page 238 note 1 This vase was found two years ago at the foot of the Philopappus. This information I owe to M. Stais, who has also kindly allowed me to publish it.

page 242 note 1 Cf. Deubner, , in Jahrbuch 1900, p. 144 ff.Google Scholar