Terracotta Krater, Ancient Greece

Summary

In the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Steven and Elizabeth discuss a large ancient Greek crater, a clay pot used as a grave marker. Dating from the geometric period, it features intricate decorations including geometric motifs and friezes depicting human figures and animals, symbolizing death. The central scene portrays mourning figures, possibly the deceased's family, while the bottom band shows a military procession. The pot's craftsmanship, using slip on clay, reflects the family's wealth and power, making it a striking commemoration of the deceased.

Takeaways

• 🏺 The clay pot discussed is a large crater from Ancient Greece, found at the Dipylon cemetery in Athens, indicating its funerary use.
• 🗿 The pot's purpose was to mark a gravesite, contrasting with typical Greek vases used for liquids.
• 🕳 The bottom of the vase is open, suggesting it may have been used for offerings or to drain rainwater.
• 🎨 The vase is highly decorated, with geometric motifs covering every inch, reflecting the geometric style of early Greek art.
• 🖼 The decoration includes pictorial friezes, which is unusual for the geometric period, depicting human figures and animals.
• 😢 The central scene shows a deceased figure on a bier being mourned, with raised arms indicating grief.
• 👥 Art historians interpret the lines beside the figures as tears, and the pattern above the deceased as a funerary shroud.
• 🔶 The human forms are abstract, similar to the geometric designs, with torsos as triangles and heads as circles.
• 🏰 The procession depicted below features military elements like chariots, horsemen, and soldiers, indicating the deceased's possible military background.
• 🖌 The pot was decorated with slip, a material made of fine clay particles in liquid, characteristic of slipware ceramics.
• 🏛 The production of such a large and detailed pot signifies the wealth and power of the family it commemorates.

Q & A

Where is the gigantic clay pot discussed in the script located?

The gigantic clay pot is located in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

What is the primary purpose of this type of ancient Greek ceramic pot?

The primary purpose of this ceramic pot was to mark a gravesite.

What is the name of the cemetery where the pot was found?

The pot was found at the Dipylon cemetery in Athens.

How does the shape of the pot indicate its function?

The shape of the pot, being a crater, indicates it was used for holding liquids, possibly for offerings or drainage.

What is unique about the decoration of this particular vase?

The vase is covered in geometric motifs and also features pictorial bands with human figures and animals, which is unusual for the geometric period.

What do the broad areas of black paint and stripped areas signify in the decoration?

The broad areas of black paint and stripped areas form the base of the decoration, providing contrast and structure to the geometric patterns.

What is the significance of the human figures and animals depicted in the friezes?

The human figures and animals in the friezes remind us of the funerary nature of the vase, with scenes of mourning and a procession.

How are the human forms depicted in relation to the geometric motifs?

The human forms are nearly as abstract as the geometric motifs, with torsos represented as triangles and heads as circles with eyes in the center.

What does the procession scene depicted on the vase represent?

The procession scene represents a military nature, with chariots, horsemen, and soldiers with shields, spears, and swords.

How was the decoration applied to the vase, and what material was used?

The decoration was applied using a material called slip, which is very fine particles of clay suspended in a liquid, and then painted onto the surface.

What does the production of this pot signify about the family it was made for?

Producing a pot of this size and quality was a major undertaking, signifying the wealth and power of the family for whom it was made.