DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.5253#0194
CHAPTER XI.
ART AMONG THE GREEK PEOPLES DURING THE EIGHTH AND SEVENTH
CENTURIES B.C.
The Greek Cities and Islands. — Corinthian Wares. — Colonization and Trade. — Coining. — Political
Changes. — Early Religion of Greece. — Influence of Poetry. — The Gods. — Artistic Growth.—
Altar Worship. — Significance of Votive Offerings. — Ancient Rites. — Their Influence.— Fabrica-
tion of Utensils. — Passage over from Oriental Forms. — Incrustation. — Bronze Relief from
Olympia. — Oldest Images. — Terra-cottas. — Individualization of the Different Gods.— Literary
Accounts. — Kypselos Chest. — Its Evidence of Advance. — Analogous Works. — No Images of
Gods mentioned. — Artists mentioned. — Dibutades. — Glaucos. — Improvements in Bronze Work-
ing. — Beginnings of Working in Marble.
As early as the eighth and seventh centuries B.C., a fringe of thoroughly-
Greek cities skirted the coasts of Asia Minor, principal among which were
Kyme, Ephesos, Miletos, Erythrai, Phocaia, and Colophon. Of the Greek set-
tlements on the islands, those of Samos, Chios, Naxos, and Paros early gained
great importance; so also on Euboia, off the coast of Attica, Chalkis, — early
settled by Ionians from the East, and famous for its valuable copper-mines,—
as well as the neighboring Eretria, became influential centres of trade. Nor
should we forget the island Delos, birthplace of Apollo, and from time im-
memorial sacred to the god of light. Thither came worshippers from distant
Ionia, Greece itself, and from the surrounding Kyclades, grouped, as it were, in
choral throng around the rocky cliff.
Crete, that most ancient focus of civilization, geographically so situated as
to receive impulses from all sides, and then to radiate them, was even to the
Homeric poets a hoary land. Although, in the political history of the centuries
following these poets, it seems to play a less important part, there is every rea-
son to believe that the artistic activities developed on that island continued to
work, exerting their influence, not only on the Peloponnesos, but also distant
Italy.22;
In Greece itself, Corinth, conveniently situated on the sea, rose to pros-
perity and wealth long before Athens took any position in history. Crude
painted tablets discovered at Corinth, votive offerings hung on the trees in
Poseidon's holy grove, and now to be seen in Berlin, give us a picture of this
time.226 On these objects are portrayed, in most primitive style, agricultural,
hunting, and war scenes, ship-building, sailing, gymnastic exercises, mining, the
162
ART AMONG THE GREEK PEOPLES DURING THE EIGHTH AND SEVENTH
CENTURIES B.C.
The Greek Cities and Islands. — Corinthian Wares. — Colonization and Trade. — Coining. — Political
Changes. — Early Religion of Greece. — Influence of Poetry. — The Gods. — Artistic Growth.—
Altar Worship. — Significance of Votive Offerings. — Ancient Rites. — Their Influence.— Fabrica-
tion of Utensils. — Passage over from Oriental Forms. — Incrustation. — Bronze Relief from
Olympia. — Oldest Images. — Terra-cottas. — Individualization of the Different Gods.— Literary
Accounts. — Kypselos Chest. — Its Evidence of Advance. — Analogous Works. — No Images of
Gods mentioned. — Artists mentioned. — Dibutades. — Glaucos. — Improvements in Bronze Work-
ing. — Beginnings of Working in Marble.
As early as the eighth and seventh centuries B.C., a fringe of thoroughly-
Greek cities skirted the coasts of Asia Minor, principal among which were
Kyme, Ephesos, Miletos, Erythrai, Phocaia, and Colophon. Of the Greek set-
tlements on the islands, those of Samos, Chios, Naxos, and Paros early gained
great importance; so also on Euboia, off the coast of Attica, Chalkis, — early
settled by Ionians from the East, and famous for its valuable copper-mines,—
as well as the neighboring Eretria, became influential centres of trade. Nor
should we forget the island Delos, birthplace of Apollo, and from time im-
memorial sacred to the god of light. Thither came worshippers from distant
Ionia, Greece itself, and from the surrounding Kyclades, grouped, as it were, in
choral throng around the rocky cliff.
Crete, that most ancient focus of civilization, geographically so situated as
to receive impulses from all sides, and then to radiate them, was even to the
Homeric poets a hoary land. Although, in the political history of the centuries
following these poets, it seems to play a less important part, there is every rea-
son to believe that the artistic activities developed on that island continued to
work, exerting their influence, not only on the Peloponnesos, but also distant
Italy.22;
In Greece itself, Corinth, conveniently situated on the sea, rose to pros-
perity and wealth long before Athens took any position in history. Crude
painted tablets discovered at Corinth, votive offerings hung on the trees in
Poseidon's holy grove, and now to be seen in Berlin, give us a picture of this
time.226 On these objects are portrayed, in most primitive style, agricultural,
hunting, and war scenes, ship-building, sailing, gymnastic exercises, mining, the
162