GEOMETRIC POTTERY

Greek Pottery

1050-700 BC

Geometric Pottery

• Enduring Understanding: Though the Greek civilization experienced a Dark Age from 1150-750 BC, archaeologically, they produced quite a lot of material. It is evident that the Greek civilization continued to advance even through this Dark Age.

GEOMETRIC POTTERY

• History:– Between 1200-1000 BC, most pottery was influenced

by the Dorians,a simple group of people from Europe who took over Greece. Their forms of pottery were simple, uneven shapes.

– By 1050 BC, a new style began to develop. It is called Geometric style. But the earliest stage of this new style of pottery was called Proto-Geometric (1000-900 BC).

GEOMETRIC POTTERY

• Different Types of Pottery: USAGE–KRATER: Large Mixing container for water with Wine

HYDRIA: large 3 handled jar for carrying water. One handle for pouring, 2 for lifting.

KYLIX: shallow, circular, 2 handled drinking cup on narrow stem

OINOCHOE: small pitcher used for pouring wine into cups

GEOMETRIC POTTERY

• Different Types of Pottery: USAGE

AMPHORA: tall, 2 handled storage jar for oil, wine, dry goods such as grain.

GEOMETRIC POTTERY

• DORIAN POTTERY:

Crude in design and uneven in terms of symmetry

Periods of Geometric Pottery

• Proto-Geometric Period: 1050-900 BC

• Early Geometric Period: 900-850 BC

• Middle Geometric Period: 850-800 BC

• Late Geometric Period: 800-700 BC

Periods of Geometric Pottery

Proto-Geometric 1050-900 BC

Early Geometric 900-850

Middle Geometric 850-800

Late Geometric 800-700More co

mplexity o

ver ti

me

GEOMETRIC POTTERY

• History– Proto-Geometric Period:

• 1050-900 BC• Made on a wheel• Decoration on pots: black bands, wavy lines,

simple geometric shapes.– Principally concentric circles and half circles.

• Careful attention was given to relationship between decoration and shape of pot.

• Signaled a reawakening of technical proficiency in Greece

GEOMETRIC POTTERY

• PROTO-GEOMETRIC STYLE: 1050-900 BC

Proto-Geometric belly-handled amphoraProto-Geometric neck handled amphora

Neck handle

Belly Handle

Half circles

Simple bands

Wavy Lines

GEOMETRIC POTTERY

• PROTO-GEOMETRIC STYLE:– Notice: dark colors painted on lighter body.

Proto-Geometric neck handled amphora Proto-Geometric belly handled amphora

GEOMETRIC POTTERY

• Geometric Period:– 900-700 BC– Increasing variety of design on pots– More coverage on pot. Lots of lines and

patterns.– Complexity of design increases: simple

figures of animals then later, humans appear.– Bodies and limbs represented by triangles.– Some patterns recall those on baskets,

clothes, a “weave pattern”.

GEOMETRIC POTTERY

• Geometric Period:– Black painted over a lighter body.– Depictions of humans and animals are

conceptual rather than representational.• Human figures reduced to geometric shapes.

– Upper bodies are triangles.– Rest of body in profile.

– Subject matter: battle scenes or funeral scenes.

GEOMETRIC POTTERY

• Geometric Period:– Large amphora with handles attached to neck were

also used for the cremated remains of men and boys.– Large jars, Kraters, with handles attached to belly

could also be used for the cremated remains of women and girls.

– Shapes: zig-zag, cross-hatched, triangles, the meander and swastika.

– General rule: size of figure denotes its importance.– Some Kraters served as grave monuments. Holes at

the bottom allowed the liquid poured in to seep into the ground for the dead.

GEOMETRIC POTTERY

• Early Geometric Style: 900-850 BC

Early Geometric Grave group 900-850 BC

Different shapes

Early Geometric

900-850 BC

GEOMETRIC POTTERY

• Middle Geometric Style: 850-800 BC

MG Belly handled Amphora (850-800 BC MG Horse handled Pyxis

Notice the growth and variety of shapes

GEOMETRIC POTTERY

• Geometric Style: Late Geometric 800-700 BC.Diplyon Krater/grave marker 750-740 BC

Diplyon amphora/grave marker 760-750 BC

Triangular human figures

Battle scene

Funeral scene

GEOMTETRIC POTTERY

• Geometric Style: Late Geometric 800-700 BC

Detail of Figures from pots

GEOMETRIC POTTERY

• Geometric Style: Late Geometric 800-700 BC.Detail of figures from pots

GEOMETRIC POTTERY

• Geometric pottery with its shapes and depictions of humans and animals is one step toward a more realistic view of life.

Periods of Geometric Pottery

More complexit

y ove

r time

Which periods are these pots from?