This work deals with classical Greek pottery from a number of points of view - technique, period, place of production, function, shape, decoration and distribution. The book places an emphasis on the every-day uses of Greek pottery - as containers for water, wine, fish, honey and olives, for example - and does not treat it as art. The author explains the importance of clay as a fundamental natural resource in the lives of the ancient Greeks, stressing its versatility as a container in varying conditions of heat and cold. The book aims to offer a broad picture of Greek pottery that gives an idea of its variety and importance without dwelling too heavily upon the high-quality figured vases.

This richly illustrated volume offers a fascinating introduction to ancient Greek vases for the general reader. It presents vases not merely as beautiful vessels to hold water and wine, but also as instruments of storytelling and bearers of meaning. The first two chapters analyze the development of different shapes of pottery and relate those shapes to function, the evolution in vase production techniques and decoration, and the roles of potters, painters, and their workshops. Subsequent chapters focus on vases as the primary source of imagery from ancient Greece, offering unique information about mythology, religion, theater, and daily life. The author discusses how to identify the figures and scenes depicted in vase paintings, what these narratives would have meant to the people who lived with them and used them, and how they therefore reflect the cultural values of their time. Also examined is the impact Greek vases had on the art, architecture, and literature of subsequent generations. Based on the rich collections of the British Museum and the J. Paul Getty Museum, the exquisite details of the works offer the reader the opportunity for an intimate interaction with the graphic beauty and narrative power of ancient vases often not available in a gallery setting.

The text showcases a selection of vessels from the Ashmolean's collection. Most of the pots were made in Corinth and Athens and transported to Italy and Sicily where they served as grave offerings. Many are decorated with figures, which give an insight into Greek religion, warfare, sport, party-going and craftmanship. This book forms part of a series on objects represented in the museum, providing a stimulating introduction for the general reader and a useful guide for the expert.

Excavations on the Iberian Peninsula yield more and more Archaic and Classical Greek material every year. This is the first book to be published in English that discusses Archaic and Classical Greek pottery found in that area. The volume provides elaborate and up-to-date information. The first chapter (by A. Domínguez) is dedicated to Archaic pottery and covers the whole Peninsula; the second (by C. Sánchez) covers the Classical period, mainly based on the study of Attic pottery from Eastern Andalusia. Both chapters contain a catalogue with many illustrations. Not just finds are listed, but distribution and shape studies are included, as well as a discussion of how the local Iberian population viewed Attic painted pottery. The final chapter gives a general overview of trade, based upon the information presented in the previous chapters.

East Greek Pottery provides a comprehensive survey of the pottery made by the Greek settlers along the western coast of Turkey. The various styles of decoration described cover the period from the eleventh century to the beginning of the fifth century B.C. Subsequently, competition from Athens pressed local potters into using very simple ornament. Chapters include analysis of Grey ware, relief ware and archaic East Greek containers (or trade) amphorae, a class of pottery which is now attracting attention for its contribution to the study of ancient economic history. East Greek pottery is a field that has been neglected, and much remains uncertain. Conjecture and fact have been clearly distinguished in this volume, and detailed references allow the evidence to be viewed and judged by the reader.

A lucrative trade in Athenian pottery flourished from the early sixth until the late fifth century B.C.E., finding an eager market in Etruria. Most studies of these painted vases focus on the artistry and worldview of the Greeks who made them, but Sheramy D. Bundrick shifts attention to their Etruscan customers, ancient trade networks, and archaeological contexts. Thousands of Greek painted vases have emerged from excavations of tombs, sanctuaries, and settlements throughout Etruria, from southern coastal centers to northern communities in the Po Valley. Using documented archaeological assemblages, especially from tombs in southern Etruria, Bundrick challenges the widely held assumption that Etruscans were hellenized through Greek imports. She marshals evidence to show that Etruscan consumers purposefully selected figured pottery that harmonized with their own local needs and customs, so much so that the vases are better described as etruscanized. Athenian ceramic workers, she contends, learned from traders which shapes and imagery sold best to the Etruscans and employed a variety of strategies to maximize artistry, output, and profit.