DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.8577#0351
LATE CORINTHIAN VASES II (AFTER THE MIDDLE OF
THE SIXTH CENTURY)
There is little evidence for the continuation of the
animal-frieze style in vase-painting after the middle
of the sixth century. The vases of the next hundred
years are almost all decorated with linear and floral
patterns; the pinakes from Pente Skouphia provide
our only evidence of figurative painting in this
period. This narrowing of the vase-painter's out-
look was naturally accompanied by a general decline,
and it cannot be denied that, with the later sixth and
fifth centuries, the Corinthian tradition comes to a
rather inglorious end. It would, however, be a mis-
take to suppose that nothing of intrinsic interest was
produced in the potteries of Corinth at this time.
As we have seen, the late sixth century was the great
period of the revetment industry, and there were
still vase-painters who not only maintained the local
tradition of craftsmanship, but also worked out
original ideas. Although reduced in circumstances,
the vase industry was by no means altogether senile,
and it still commanded markets abroad.
The latest Corinthian vases fall naturally into two
classes. The first is simply a mechanical reproduc-
tion of older types—such, for instance, are the
aryballoi, kotylai, and most of the cothons men-
tioned in the following list. The second embodies
new theories of decoration. The majority of the new
types are combinations of simple linear patterns;
the elements are mostly long familiar, but they are
given a new form. Maeanders, dots, and zigzags are
the principal motives, and these are held together by
red and black horizontal lines. The patterns are
usually applied in an off-hand way, with consider-
able intervals of undecorated space; occasionally,
on very elaborate vases (figs. 176 and 184, for in-
stance), they form a close, coherent system. There
are a certain number of new motives, palmette
patterns and the like, such as are found on ripe
archaic and classical Attic vases. There are a few
new shapes: the most remarkable, the pyxides of
the type illustrated in fig. 176; others, again, like the
calpis, are borrowed from Attica. A curious feature
of the period is the predilection for miniature vases.
We can tell that these vases are Corinthian by
several criteria. Most of them are made of the
characteristic light greenish buff clay, and most of
them show a large measure of direct inheritance from
the preceding period—either in shape, or decora-
tion; a few, as will be seen, have been found at
Corinth. Although the majority of these late vases
have not previously been attributed to Corinthian
workshops, I think there is no doubt as to their
origin.
The vases in the list which follows are attributed
to the latter part of the sixth century, unless
specifically assigned to the fifth.
ARYBALLOI (shape B 2)
The evidence for the continuation of the quatrefoil i486
and cinquefoil aryballoi in the late sixth and fifth
centuries has already been given (p. 3 20). The graves
at Rhitsona show that in the third quarter of the sixth
century, production was maintained on a large scale;
after that period, the output perceptibly diminishes.
ARYBALLOI (shape C)
The type fig. 162 continued after the middle of the 1487
century, but seems to have disappeared before the
round aryballos (see on no. 1294). These vases are
not found in fifth-century graves.
PYXIDES WITH CONVEX SIDES, WITHOUT
HANDLES
Carlsruhe B 767. Shoulder, tongues. Below, buds
as in fig. 66 b. Chaeroneia 315. Buds as fig. 66 a.
No doubt the 'white-style' pyxides of this shape con-
tinue in the late sixth century (cf. no. 1298 and ff.).
PYXIDES WITH CONVEX SIDES AND
CYLINDRICAL HANDLES
White style (cf. no. 1325 and ff.). Examples of late
graves with these vases: Megara Hyblaea 238 (with
Attic lekythoi of late sixth century, and kotyle of
type no. 1517); ibid. 971 (with Attic vases of c. 540-
30 b.c.); Rhitsona 126 (Ure, Sixth and Fifth Cent.
Pott. pi. 12 no. 83).
1488
1489
A.
1490
With floral patterns.
Oxford, fragments
and buds without
from
arcs
Naukratis. Palmettes,
cf. no. 1488. Bonn
(Weicker, Seelenvogel 143, figs. 66,7; id. in Roscher
iv, 629 and 30 fig. 24). Sirens, palmettes, and the
usual horizontal bands. Recognized as Corinthian
by Weicker. Paris, Cab. Med. 4725 (de Ridder 95
(not in C.V.A. i); photo Giraudon 8011). Birds
(apparently four-legged) and tree; lotus and palmette
chain as fig. 65 f but with less debased lotus; bands
as before. British Museum 1866.36-9. Palmettes
&c. as before.
These vases are obviously not earlier than the
middle of the fifth century; indeed they may well be
a good deal later than this. They are connected, on
the one hand, with Attic vases of the type illustrated
B.
1491
1492
1493
1494-7
THE SIXTH CENTURY)
There is little evidence for the continuation of the
animal-frieze style in vase-painting after the middle
of the sixth century. The vases of the next hundred
years are almost all decorated with linear and floral
patterns; the pinakes from Pente Skouphia provide
our only evidence of figurative painting in this
period. This narrowing of the vase-painter's out-
look was naturally accompanied by a general decline,
and it cannot be denied that, with the later sixth and
fifth centuries, the Corinthian tradition comes to a
rather inglorious end. It would, however, be a mis-
take to suppose that nothing of intrinsic interest was
produced in the potteries of Corinth at this time.
As we have seen, the late sixth century was the great
period of the revetment industry, and there were
still vase-painters who not only maintained the local
tradition of craftsmanship, but also worked out
original ideas. Although reduced in circumstances,
the vase industry was by no means altogether senile,
and it still commanded markets abroad.
The latest Corinthian vases fall naturally into two
classes. The first is simply a mechanical reproduc-
tion of older types—such, for instance, are the
aryballoi, kotylai, and most of the cothons men-
tioned in the following list. The second embodies
new theories of decoration. The majority of the new
types are combinations of simple linear patterns;
the elements are mostly long familiar, but they are
given a new form. Maeanders, dots, and zigzags are
the principal motives, and these are held together by
red and black horizontal lines. The patterns are
usually applied in an off-hand way, with consider-
able intervals of undecorated space; occasionally,
on very elaborate vases (figs. 176 and 184, for in-
stance), they form a close, coherent system. There
are a certain number of new motives, palmette
patterns and the like, such as are found on ripe
archaic and classical Attic vases. There are a few
new shapes: the most remarkable, the pyxides of
the type illustrated in fig. 176; others, again, like the
calpis, are borrowed from Attica. A curious feature
of the period is the predilection for miniature vases.
We can tell that these vases are Corinthian by
several criteria. Most of them are made of the
characteristic light greenish buff clay, and most of
them show a large measure of direct inheritance from
the preceding period—either in shape, or decora-
tion; a few, as will be seen, have been found at
Corinth. Although the majority of these late vases
have not previously been attributed to Corinthian
workshops, I think there is no doubt as to their
origin.
The vases in the list which follows are attributed
to the latter part of the sixth century, unless
specifically assigned to the fifth.
ARYBALLOI (shape B 2)
The evidence for the continuation of the quatrefoil i486
and cinquefoil aryballoi in the late sixth and fifth
centuries has already been given (p. 3 20). The graves
at Rhitsona show that in the third quarter of the sixth
century, production was maintained on a large scale;
after that period, the output perceptibly diminishes.
ARYBALLOI (shape C)
The type fig. 162 continued after the middle of the 1487
century, but seems to have disappeared before the
round aryballos (see on no. 1294). These vases are
not found in fifth-century graves.
PYXIDES WITH CONVEX SIDES, WITHOUT
HANDLES
Carlsruhe B 767. Shoulder, tongues. Below, buds
as in fig. 66 b. Chaeroneia 315. Buds as fig. 66 a.
No doubt the 'white-style' pyxides of this shape con-
tinue in the late sixth century (cf. no. 1298 and ff.).
PYXIDES WITH CONVEX SIDES AND
CYLINDRICAL HANDLES
White style (cf. no. 1325 and ff.). Examples of late
graves with these vases: Megara Hyblaea 238 (with
Attic lekythoi of late sixth century, and kotyle of
type no. 1517); ibid. 971 (with Attic vases of c. 540-
30 b.c.); Rhitsona 126 (Ure, Sixth and Fifth Cent.
Pott. pi. 12 no. 83).
1488
1489
A.
1490
With floral patterns.
Oxford, fragments
and buds without
from
arcs
Naukratis. Palmettes,
cf. no. 1488. Bonn
(Weicker, Seelenvogel 143, figs. 66,7; id. in Roscher
iv, 629 and 30 fig. 24). Sirens, palmettes, and the
usual horizontal bands. Recognized as Corinthian
by Weicker. Paris, Cab. Med. 4725 (de Ridder 95
(not in C.V.A. i); photo Giraudon 8011). Birds
(apparently four-legged) and tree; lotus and palmette
chain as fig. 65 f but with less debased lotus; bands
as before. British Museum 1866.36-9. Palmettes
&c. as before.
These vases are obviously not earlier than the
middle of the fifth century; indeed they may well be
a good deal later than this. They are connected, on
the one hand, with Attic vases of the type illustrated
B.
1491
1492
1493
1494-7