ANCIENT GREEKS Pottery Ancient Greek Pottery The vases

ANCIENT GREEKS Pottery

Ancient Greek Pottery � � The vases were made in stages with the handles added on at the end. Pottery that was used every day in the household was usually left without decoration. Pottery that was used for a special occasion was decorated using two different techniques. These techniques are called the “red figure painting” and the “black figure painting”.

Decoration � “slip” – clay that was in a more liquid form.

Black Figure Vases � � With black figure vases, the slip was used to draw figures and decorations. When the vase was fired in an oven, the slip turned black while the rest of the background remained the colour of clay. (red/brown)

Red Figure Vases � � With red figure vases, the BACKGROUND was painted with the slip which turned black when fired in the oven. The decorations were left without any slip so that when it was heated, they remained the same clay colour - red/brown.

Different Vases � Differently shaped vases were used for different purposes in Ancient Greece.

Amphora � An amphora vase was used to store and transport food and drink.

Lekythos � � The lekythos vase was used to pour libations to the gods. “Libations” were offerings to the gods of liquids such as wine.

Greek Vases � Amphora � Lekythos