DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.8577#0028
8 EARLY PROTOCORINTHIAN VASE-PAINTING
the ovoid form proper (pi. i, 6). Johansen, who calls this phase Style A,
mentions seventeen other aryballoi, and a dozen pyxides, skyphoi, and
kotylai of the same group.1
A variety of vases decorated with linear and floral patterns, and with friezes
of 'subgeometric' animals drawn in silhouette, without added colours and
with little or no incision, complete our picture of the Protocorinthian style
in the early seventh century. The linear and subgeometric vases, though
many of them are beautifully made, must not detain us here; they are fully
discussed by Johansen. Suffice it to say that, with certain modifications of
shape, they continue into the period of the developed black-figure style, and
that certain types are still found in graves of the later seventh century.2
One of the most striking of the vases with floral patterns is the oinochoe
from Cumae, illustrated in fig. 4.3 Another closely similar vase was found
at Cumae,4 a third in the recent excavations at Afrati in central Crete.5 The
second of these vases, as Johansen points out (p. 20), was found with a
spherical aryballos, and therefore can scarcely be later than the very begin-
ning of the seventh century; it may even be earlier than this. The patterns
of all three represent a very early stage in the history of Protocorinthian orna-
ment, and imply a very restricted knowledge of decorative motives. But
they are surely not the less expressive for that reason. I doubt if one could
find a vase that speaks more clearly than the oinochoe fig. 4 of the con-
1 A few of these would seem rather to belong else- especially Johansen pi. 22, 1), and shows us what the
where; for example, the aryballos in Oxford with a large kotylai of this period are really like (cf. Welter
curious mythological scene (Johansen pi. 20, 1). in Gnomon 1927, 319; 1928, 51).
This vase can scarcely be called ' archaic' in the 2 This is true of the cups of the type illustrated in
same sense as the others in Johansen's list: the shape fig. 9 B, which are occasionally found with spherical
is that of our group, but the purely geometric decora- aryballoi, and which last into the Corinthian
tion, without incision, is clearly work of conscious period (cf. p. 26). Likewise, the aryballoi with
archaism, and connects the vase with the contem- friezes of running dogs are found after the middle
porary 'subgeometric' category. The hare-hunt on of the century (cf. the grave at Caere quoted on
the shoulder is far less geometric in style. Perhaps p. 27), but not, of course, in the form which is
the principal scene may be a copy of a geometric proper to the early period of which we are speaking,
wall-painting in a temple. Pfuhl is certainly wrong Kotylai of the type Johansen pi. 17, 1 and 2, are
in saying that this vase is a late Boeotian imitation found throughout the first half of the century, but
(i, I09; 206). apparently not after this period; a Corinthian
The other vases which I think can scarcely belong derivative of this type, with much smaller rays, was
in this context are three kotylai by a single artist, found with Corinthian vases in tomb 173 at Gela
one of which (in London) is illustrated in pi. 5. (Mon. Ant. xvii, 108 ff.), but this is an isolated
They are clearly far more developed than the other survival. The normal forms of the later seventh
vases of the first archaic style, and, as we shall see, century are those illustrated in figs. 9 A, 120; the first
certainly belong to the beginning of the second of these is, of course, also found in the Protocorin-
group. According to Johansen's chronology, they thian period (cf. p. 279).
fall in the earliest years of the seventh century at the 3 Mon. Ant. xxii, pi. 30, b-c; Johansen pi. 6, 1.
latest. A large kotyle recently discovered at Aegina, 4 Mon. Ant. xxii, pi. 31, i-ia; Johansen pi. 6,2.
which, it is to be hoped, will soon be published, 5 Patterns almost exactly as in the preceding;
shows a frieze of riders in an earlier style, which is easily distinguishable also on technical grounds
parallel with that of the early ovoid aryballoi (cf. from the contemporary Cretan oinochoai.
the ovoid form proper (pi. i, 6). Johansen, who calls this phase Style A,
mentions seventeen other aryballoi, and a dozen pyxides, skyphoi, and
kotylai of the same group.1
A variety of vases decorated with linear and floral patterns, and with friezes
of 'subgeometric' animals drawn in silhouette, without added colours and
with little or no incision, complete our picture of the Protocorinthian style
in the early seventh century. The linear and subgeometric vases, though
many of them are beautifully made, must not detain us here; they are fully
discussed by Johansen. Suffice it to say that, with certain modifications of
shape, they continue into the period of the developed black-figure style, and
that certain types are still found in graves of the later seventh century.2
One of the most striking of the vases with floral patterns is the oinochoe
from Cumae, illustrated in fig. 4.3 Another closely similar vase was found
at Cumae,4 a third in the recent excavations at Afrati in central Crete.5 The
second of these vases, as Johansen points out (p. 20), was found with a
spherical aryballos, and therefore can scarcely be later than the very begin-
ning of the seventh century; it may even be earlier than this. The patterns
of all three represent a very early stage in the history of Protocorinthian orna-
ment, and imply a very restricted knowledge of decorative motives. But
they are surely not the less expressive for that reason. I doubt if one could
find a vase that speaks more clearly than the oinochoe fig. 4 of the con-
1 A few of these would seem rather to belong else- especially Johansen pi. 22, 1), and shows us what the
where; for example, the aryballos in Oxford with a large kotylai of this period are really like (cf. Welter
curious mythological scene (Johansen pi. 20, 1). in Gnomon 1927, 319; 1928, 51).
This vase can scarcely be called ' archaic' in the 2 This is true of the cups of the type illustrated in
same sense as the others in Johansen's list: the shape fig. 9 B, which are occasionally found with spherical
is that of our group, but the purely geometric decora- aryballoi, and which last into the Corinthian
tion, without incision, is clearly work of conscious period (cf. p. 26). Likewise, the aryballoi with
archaism, and connects the vase with the contem- friezes of running dogs are found after the middle
porary 'subgeometric' category. The hare-hunt on of the century (cf. the grave at Caere quoted on
the shoulder is far less geometric in style. Perhaps p. 27), but not, of course, in the form which is
the principal scene may be a copy of a geometric proper to the early period of which we are speaking,
wall-painting in a temple. Pfuhl is certainly wrong Kotylai of the type Johansen pi. 17, 1 and 2, are
in saying that this vase is a late Boeotian imitation found throughout the first half of the century, but
(i, I09; 206). apparently not after this period; a Corinthian
The other vases which I think can scarcely belong derivative of this type, with much smaller rays, was
in this context are three kotylai by a single artist, found with Corinthian vases in tomb 173 at Gela
one of which (in London) is illustrated in pi. 5. (Mon. Ant. xvii, 108 ff.), but this is an isolated
They are clearly far more developed than the other survival. The normal forms of the later seventh
vases of the first archaic style, and, as we shall see, century are those illustrated in figs. 9 A, 120; the first
certainly belong to the beginning of the second of these is, of course, also found in the Protocorin-
group. According to Johansen's chronology, they thian period (cf. p. 279).
fall in the earliest years of the seventh century at the 3 Mon. Ant. xxii, pi. 30, b-c; Johansen pi. 6, 1.
latest. A large kotyle recently discovered at Aegina, 4 Mon. Ant. xxii, pi. 31, i-ia; Johansen pi. 6,2.
which, it is to be hoped, will soon be published, 5 Patterns almost exactly as in the preceding;
shows a frieze of riders in an earlier style, which is easily distinguishable also on technical grounds
parallel with that of the early ovoid aryballoi (cf. from the contemporary Cretan oinochoai.