DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.8577#0022
2 EARLY PROTOCORINTHIAN VASE-PAINTING
I think that no unbiased person who reads Johansen's arguments will
doubt that the home of this fabric was in the North East Peloponnese.
Whether we follow his theory that it was situated at Sicyon depends entirely
on our view of the origin of the Protocorinthian style; for there is no inde-
pendent evidence for the origin of the geometric vases. In my opinion the
Protocorinthian vases were made at Corinth, and I therefore regard the Proto-
corinthian geometric vases as Corinthian, for there is no question about the
relation between the geometric vases and the others. But although, so far as
we know, none of the Protocorinthian geometric vases have been found at
Corinth or at Sicyon, a small group of vases very closely related to these
was found at Corinth in the course of the American excavations some
years ago.1 The current opinion seems to be that these vases represent a
local variety of the Protocorinthian geometric style,2 but I do not feel
convinced that this view is justified, and we must therefore examine them
more closely.
It is quite evident, and indeed it has never been denied, that in technique
of manufacture these geometric vases from Corinth are very closely related to
Protocorinthian. The fine clay, sometimes inclining to pink, and the lustrous
varnish are precisely the outstanding features of the Protocorinthian group.
Moreover, the shapes are closely related. The oinochoe with heavy, bulging
body, fig. i a (A.J.A. 1905, pis. 12, 13), and the low cups with offset rim,
fig. 1 b-c {ibid. pis. 12, 14, 15 and p. 415 fig. 2) have their counterparts in
the Protocorinthian vases, fig. 1 d-e (Johansen pi. 1, 3 and pi. 2, 3; A.M.
1903, beilage 33, 2). But there are sensible differences in shape, just as there
are in decoration. The Protocorinthian geometric oinochoe, fig. 1 e, is a
more compact shape, and better proportioned, than most of those from
Corinth; neck and body meet at a sharper angle; the body is not so dispro-
portionately large, and the foot is a trifle higher. Likewise the Protocorin-
thian geometric cups3 have broader offset rims than those from Corinth, and
the whole shape is neater. One would say on grounds of shape that the vases
from Corinth were probably earlier than the others; and this impression is
vases in the Woodhouse Collection, now in the British
Museum, there appears to be no evidence that these
were actually found at Corfu. To the provenances
hitherto recorded may be added Knossos, where
fragments of two vases have been found.
1 See Louisa Nichols, AJ.A. 1905, 411 ff.; other
geometric vases have since been found (AJ.A. 1927,
73-4). Quantities of Protocorinthian and Corinthian
pottery have been found since the American excava-
tions began in 1896: cf., for instance, AJ.A. 1903,
116; 1925, 396; 1926, 55, 445 ff. (1500 'bowls' in
one season); 1927, 72ff., 77. Very little has been
published (nos. 751, 776, 1096, 1166 and p. 178 ff.).
This lack of publications has, it need hardly be said,
proved a handicap in the task which i have under-
taken, and one which might well have been serious,
had it not been for the kindness of Dr. Hill who
allowed me to study the finds in the magazines at
Corinth.
[Since the above was written extremely important
finds have been made and several publications have
appeared : see the introduction.]
2 Johansen p. 12; Pfuhl i, 81, § 74.
3 Cf. also another example from Thera, A.M. 1903,
beilage 33, 3.
I think that no unbiased person who reads Johansen's arguments will
doubt that the home of this fabric was in the North East Peloponnese.
Whether we follow his theory that it was situated at Sicyon depends entirely
on our view of the origin of the Protocorinthian style; for there is no inde-
pendent evidence for the origin of the geometric vases. In my opinion the
Protocorinthian vases were made at Corinth, and I therefore regard the Proto-
corinthian geometric vases as Corinthian, for there is no question about the
relation between the geometric vases and the others. But although, so far as
we know, none of the Protocorinthian geometric vases have been found at
Corinth or at Sicyon, a small group of vases very closely related to these
was found at Corinth in the course of the American excavations some
years ago.1 The current opinion seems to be that these vases represent a
local variety of the Protocorinthian geometric style,2 but I do not feel
convinced that this view is justified, and we must therefore examine them
more closely.
It is quite evident, and indeed it has never been denied, that in technique
of manufacture these geometric vases from Corinth are very closely related to
Protocorinthian. The fine clay, sometimes inclining to pink, and the lustrous
varnish are precisely the outstanding features of the Protocorinthian group.
Moreover, the shapes are closely related. The oinochoe with heavy, bulging
body, fig. i a (A.J.A. 1905, pis. 12, 13), and the low cups with offset rim,
fig. 1 b-c {ibid. pis. 12, 14, 15 and p. 415 fig. 2) have their counterparts in
the Protocorinthian vases, fig. 1 d-e (Johansen pi. 1, 3 and pi. 2, 3; A.M.
1903, beilage 33, 2). But there are sensible differences in shape, just as there
are in decoration. The Protocorinthian geometric oinochoe, fig. 1 e, is a
more compact shape, and better proportioned, than most of those from
Corinth; neck and body meet at a sharper angle; the body is not so dispro-
portionately large, and the foot is a trifle higher. Likewise the Protocorin-
thian geometric cups3 have broader offset rims than those from Corinth, and
the whole shape is neater. One would say on grounds of shape that the vases
from Corinth were probably earlier than the others; and this impression is
vases in the Woodhouse Collection, now in the British
Museum, there appears to be no evidence that these
were actually found at Corfu. To the provenances
hitherto recorded may be added Knossos, where
fragments of two vases have been found.
1 See Louisa Nichols, AJ.A. 1905, 411 ff.; other
geometric vases have since been found (AJ.A. 1927,
73-4). Quantities of Protocorinthian and Corinthian
pottery have been found since the American excava-
tions began in 1896: cf., for instance, AJ.A. 1903,
116; 1925, 396; 1926, 55, 445 ff. (1500 'bowls' in
one season); 1927, 72ff., 77. Very little has been
published (nos. 751, 776, 1096, 1166 and p. 178 ff.).
This lack of publications has, it need hardly be said,
proved a handicap in the task which i have under-
taken, and one which might well have been serious,
had it not been for the kindness of Dr. Hill who
allowed me to study the finds in the magazines at
Corinth.
[Since the above was written extremely important
finds have been made and several publications have
appeared : see the introduction.]
2 Johansen p. 12; Pfuhl i, 81, § 74.
3 Cf. also another example from Thera, A.M. 1903,
beilage 33, 3.