DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.18720#0019
13
name of " pot-earth." At this stage the body and the cover would each be slightly-
fired (biscuit). The next stage was to cover the whole with a thin coating of fine
clay, upon which the various mouldings were impressed, probably from wood moulds.
After this the whole surface, both of body and cover, received a very thin white
slip, upon which, when it was dry, the figured designs and the patterns were executed
in a colour which, under firing, would become a black glaze. Meantime upon this
black colour the painter had added his numerous details of white and purple. We
understand from men of the greatest practical experience that the firing had most
probably been effected by building a kiln round the sarcophagus, and that this firing had
been at a low temperature, extending probably from four to six weeks. As regards the
present effect of the colours, it is noticeable that in the interior the designs (Pis. II. and
IV.), with their two counterparts, Pis. III. and V., are quite red, while the patterns
on the exterior are in parts black, in other parts shading off rapidly into red. On
the cover there is very little trace of this change of colour under firing. The designs
are almost continuously black upon white, which possibly was the original intention,
notwithstanding the charming effect of colour which the interior presents with its red
figures against a white ground.
Last year, M. Salomon Reinach, in discussing the eighteen sarcophagi from Clazo-
menae known to him at that time, arrived at the conclusion that they all belonged to
a date anterior to B.C. 540. So far as we can see, our sarcophagus introduces no new
elements which would assist in defining its date more precisely, unless the Cimmerian
invasion may serve as a reason for carrying the date backwards, nearer to B.C. 600.
name of " pot-earth." At this stage the body and the cover would each be slightly-
fired (biscuit). The next stage was to cover the whole with a thin coating of fine
clay, upon which the various mouldings were impressed, probably from wood moulds.
After this the whole surface, both of body and cover, received a very thin white
slip, upon which, when it was dry, the figured designs and the patterns were executed
in a colour which, under firing, would become a black glaze. Meantime upon this
black colour the painter had added his numerous details of white and purple. We
understand from men of the greatest practical experience that the firing had most
probably been effected by building a kiln round the sarcophagus, and that this firing had
been at a low temperature, extending probably from four to six weeks. As regards the
present effect of the colours, it is noticeable that in the interior the designs (Pis. II. and
IV.), with their two counterparts, Pis. III. and V., are quite red, while the patterns
on the exterior are in parts black, in other parts shading off rapidly into red. On
the cover there is very little trace of this change of colour under firing. The designs
are almost continuously black upon white, which possibly was the original intention,
notwithstanding the charming effect of colour which the interior presents with its red
figures against a white ground.
Last year, M. Salomon Reinach, in discussing the eighteen sarcophagi from Clazo-
menae known to him at that time, arrived at the conclusion that they all belonged to
a date anterior to B.C. 540. So far as we can see, our sarcophagus introduces no new
elements which would assist in defining its date more precisely, unless the Cimmerian
invasion may serve as a reason for carrying the date backwards, nearer to B.C. 600.