Unknown
Attic Black-Figure Column Krater, 525–500 B.C., Terracotta
33 × 35.5 × 30 cm (13 × 14 × 11 13/16 in.), 96.AE.303
The J. Paul Getty Museum, Villa Collection, Malibu, California, Gift of Barbara and Lawrence Fleischman
We have a lot of examples of Ancient Greek pottery due to the durability of terracotta or fired clay. I chose this example not only because of the story it tells, but also because it gives us a unique insight into the lives of the Ancient Greeks.
The Greeks were known to make a very thick sweet wine that had to be mixed with water. This vessel, known as a Krater, was created between 525 and 500 B.C, and would have been used to do both the mixing and ladling of the wine during the male gatherings known as symposiums. You can see that the mouth of the vessel is very wide as is the neck which allowed for both the filling and ladling of the liquid. There are two handles attached to either side for ease of carrying. It has a wide body that tapers down rather abruptly, and there is a simple foot attached to the bottom for balance.(1)
The slip painting technique is known as the black-figure style. It was a Corinthian technique that was adopted by the Athenians around 630 B.C.E. The combination of painting with black slip inset on a lighter panel of slip, incising details with tools, and the 3 stage firing process is what gives us this unique aesthetic. The firing was a complicated process that would have taken a knowledgeable master. It is the firing that brings the black silhouettes to life through the venting process which oxidizes the chemicals in the clay.(2)
On the body of the Krater is a motif or slip painting of the hero Odysseus escaping the Cyclops Polyphemus. Odysseus tied himself to the belly of a ram after getting the cyclops drunk on straight wine and piercing out his eye. We know that the mixing of water with wine was a Greek statement of civilized behavior and can conclude that the artist was possibly making a double entendre by putting this motif on a Krater. It is the stories that we find on ancient artifacts that give us a glimpse into the mentality of the civilization. Often, with the ancient Greeks, we find tales of heroic deeds and mythological monsters.(1)
In conclusion, we can discover many things about a civilization through their artworks. For example, knowing the utility of an artifact helps us understand a little bit about the societal exchange taking place. Techniques borrowed from other geographical locations tell us a little bit about the cultural sharing in this period. Finally, when we decipher the stories we can begin to understand how the people related to the environment, each other, and what their religious beliefs and customs may have been.
Notes
“Unknown, Mixing Vessel with Odysseus Escaping from the Cyclop’s Cave, 550-500 B.C.E", (video) Khan Academy. Accessed September 9, 2020. https://youtu.be/BDo3L3vqE6M.2.
2. The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica, s.v. “Greek Potter,” last modified May 22, 2020,
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