Typology of Greek ceramics

In the Antiquity, in particular in Greece and with Rome, it was made a great use of containers of all sizes and all forms, meeting all the needs, made in Céramique.

Uses

One can gather the various Greek vases in several categories:

vases of transport:

Amphora (liquid, especially Olive oil), alternatives: panathénaïque amphora (rewarding the winners of the tests for the Panathénées) and Péliké,
Hydrie, being used to transport the water of the well;

vases of storage:

Pithos, being used for storage of the wine,
crater, being used to mix water and wine, where one draws the wine thanks to a œnochoé or a Olpè;

vases with drinking:

kylix, common cut,
Skyphos, large goblet,
canthare with vast basin, attribute of Dionysos,
Rhyton, horn with drinking;

vases of toilet:

Aryballe, Alabastre and Lécythe, containing scented oils,
Pyxide, make-up pot,
Lébès, ritual vase of the marriage,
Loutrophore, being used to transport the water of the bridal bath or the funerary toilet.

It is a modern typology, rigidified for the convenience of description. Actually, the name given today to a vase necessarily does not correspond to the name which the Greeks gave him: a lécythe could be qualified very well of aryballe. In the same way, a vase was not limited to a precise use: an amphora could transport another thing well that a liquid.

Descriptions

The alabastre

The alabastre is a type of small vase, with lengthened paunch and narrow collar, often hones some (Albâtre), containing a balsam or a perfume. The mouth in the shape of flat disc was used to spread out the product over the skin. It was used by the athletes to coat the body, or by the women to scent itself.

The amphora

The most known vase of Antiquity, the Amphore has an oblong form, with a narrow point at the base, or a foot. The amphoras with points were intended for transport on long distances, the point facilitating handling, and allowing an arrangement head-digs in the holds of the ships.

The amphoras have a narrow collar, an ovoid paunch, and two handles. They are intended for the conservation and the transport of liquids (wine, oil) or of grains.

In Rome as in Greece, the amphora was a measuring unit, being worth 19,65 liters with Athens and 26,26 liters in Rome, which preserved a standard of it at the Capitole.

The canthare

The canthare is a semi-deep cut, with two handles, being used to drink the wine, and related to the dionysiaque worship. They generally are very decorated….

The crater

The crater is a vase with broad paunch, with the opened collar, equipped with two small handles. There were multiple kinds. It was used for the mixture of water and the wine, in the banquets. The Cratère of Vix is the largest known Greek bronze vase. He was discovered in the Tombe of Vix , the burial of a Celtic princess in France with Vix.

The crater with posts is an alternative of the crater worked out in Corinthe for the orientalizing period.

The dolium

The dolium (pl. dolia) is an amphora of very big size, being able to reach the 1200 liters. It was used as cistern with wine or oil. One used it in the great wine fields, and on the tradind ships. Once places from there, it was not moved. It was filled and one drew inside to empty it.

The hydrie

The hydrie is a vase with broad paunch and narrow collar, to two or four handles. It was used for drawing water, and transporting it to the residence. One often represents the women of Antiquity with a hydrie on the shoulder or the head.

Kandèlas

Kernos

Vase including/understanding several joined together containers, with ritual function.

Kyatos

Cross to high vertical handle being used to draw the wine in the crater.

Kylix

Cross to drinking provided with two horizontal opposite handles.

The loutrophore

The loutrophore is an extremely slim amphora, generally containing water, being used for the bridal and funerary rites…

Œnochoé

Œnochoé is a vase with only one handle, broad paunch, trefoil nozzle. It was used for the service of the wine.

Olpé

It is a pyriforme jug (in the pear shape) whose slim collar widens in trumpet.

Péliké

Vase pansu with two vertical handles.

A pyxis or pyxide

The pyxis is a small round, flat-bottomed generally vase (sometimes pointed at the time geometrical, when holes made it possible to suspend it), and equipped with a lid. It is used of case or jewel case. The Middle Ages made a host box of it.

See too

Ceramic Greek antique

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