DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.6604#0007
first vase boom.
5
known myth. These representations of the actual life of the
Greeks have a special interest as evidence of their manners
and customs. We learn from vases man)- curious particulars
in reference to the Hellenic ritual, games, festivities, and
domestic life ; and we have representations of many products,
instruments, and technical processes of the mechanical arts.
These curious details may be studied not only in the vase
pictures which seem to represent scenes of real life, but also
in those which are certainly mythical ; because in Greek art,
as in Greek poetry, the gods and heroes are constantly
represented in the figure and attire of mortals, and in the
legends relating to them many incidents and traits are bor-
rowed from real life. Hence in vase pictures, whether gods,
heroes, or mortals are represented, we find a general simi-
larity in the costume and character of the figures.
The relative antiquity of the different classes of vases may
be determined approximately by the style, and, in the case of
the inscribed vases, by the shapes of the letters, mode of
writing, orthography, and grammatical forms.
It will he convenient to class roughly the productionsof Greek
Fictile Art under three periods:—(!) The Archaic period,
extending from the commencement of Greek civilization to
about 440 b.c. (2) The period of finest art, from b c. 440 to
b.c. 336, the date of the accession of Alexander the Great.
(3) The Macedonian period, from b.c. 336 to b.c. 100, about
which time the art of painting vases probably ceased to be
practised. The vases assigned to these three periods admit
of further chronological classification, as will be shown in the
subsequent description of each main division.
As the purposes for which ancient vases were made are
very various, so of course are their forms, which are described
bv their ancient Greek names, whenever these can be iden-
tified.
The following may be considered as the principal types:—
L Amphora. 2. Hydria. 3. Kratcr. i. Libit. 5. Oinocltoi.
5
known myth. These representations of the actual life of the
Greeks have a special interest as evidence of their manners
and customs. We learn from vases man)- curious particulars
in reference to the Hellenic ritual, games, festivities, and
domestic life ; and we have representations of many products,
instruments, and technical processes of the mechanical arts.
These curious details may be studied not only in the vase
pictures which seem to represent scenes of real life, but also
in those which are certainly mythical ; because in Greek art,
as in Greek poetry, the gods and heroes are constantly
represented in the figure and attire of mortals, and in the
legends relating to them many incidents and traits are bor-
rowed from real life. Hence in vase pictures, whether gods,
heroes, or mortals are represented, we find a general simi-
larity in the costume and character of the figures.
The relative antiquity of the different classes of vases may
be determined approximately by the style, and, in the case of
the inscribed vases, by the shapes of the letters, mode of
writing, orthography, and grammatical forms.
It will he convenient to class roughly the productionsof Greek
Fictile Art under three periods:—(!) The Archaic period,
extending from the commencement of Greek civilization to
about 440 b.c. (2) The period of finest art, from b c. 440 to
b.c. 336, the date of the accession of Alexander the Great.
(3) The Macedonian period, from b.c. 336 to b.c. 100, about
which time the art of painting vases probably ceased to be
practised. The vases assigned to these three periods admit
of further chronological classification, as will be shown in the
subsequent description of each main division.
As the purposes for which ancient vases were made are
very various, so of course are their forms, which are described
bv their ancient Greek names, whenever these can be iden-
tified.
The following may be considered as the principal types:—
L Amphora. 2. Hydria. 3. Kratcr. i. Libit. 5. Oinocltoi.