Withstanding time, Greek Pottery has been important in the world’s knowledge of the ancient Greek culture.  Mostly found in the Etruscan Tombs, Greek Vases and Greek Pottery are canvases that paint a portrait of the world of ancient Greece.  While much of ancient Greek art is forever lost, Greek vases offers a glimpse into both the mythology and every day life of ancient Greece.  

Starting with the Minoan civilization that existed in Crete, the culture made significant contributions to Greek society; especially, in the craftsmanship of pottery and vases.  Minoan potters designed pottery for food gathering and storage.  A practical need became a vehicle for articistic expression, with the potter often inspired by nature to  influence the designs that beautified the piece creating art from what was once only a tool.  As time progressed, Minoan’s created vases in forms that were used for specialized purposes.  For example, the Amphora vase is a wide-bodied vase with a large mouth and two opposing handles.  It was used to transport and store liquids such as oil or wine.  Adorned with grass and flowers, and marine scenes, the Minoan’s set precedent for future designs. During the Protogeometrical Period, Greek vases were adorned with simplistic designs that consisted mainly of patterns of of circles. 

The Geometric style followed with new patterns, building upon the latter with wavy lines and triangles.  In the middle of the eleventh Century, the first depictions of human figures were seen painted on the Greek vase, and by the end of the artistic era, mythological figures told their stories while decorating the pieces. The Orientalizing Style came after trade-links with Asian Minor islands.  The rise of human depictions settled during this time, and the artisan used the Greek vases for depicting lions, griffins and sphinx with lotuses as accents. 

Through the Corinthian invention, the Greek black-figure process, artists used iron-rich clay that turned reddish-orange after firing.  They then sketched the design in outline, and filled it with clay.  The Greek vases would be fired in a kiln at a temperature of nearly 800 degrees Celsius.  After oxidation, the pottery would turn a reddish-orange color.  Next, the temperature was raised to 950 degrees Celsius, and the piece would turn black.  Finally, the kiln vents were opened to allow the oxygen to flow, and the pottery would turn back to the reddish-orange color, but the layer that was painted would keep it’s black finish. The Corinthian used these vases to show images of animal friezes.  It was the Athenian painters who introduced a narrative method, depicting battle scenes, mythology and legends. 

Following the black-figure method, the red-figure method was developed in Athens.  Simply, the process is exactly the opposite of the black-figure method.  Depictions were applied to the Greek vases, but to unfired pieces after they were dried.  The Athenians carved images on the pottery or vase with a blunt tool.  It was removed during firing, but after the contours remained and were filled with a glossy clay slip. 

The Greek methods for creating pottery resulted in Greek vases that not only inspire potters and artists, but left the world with a path to the past.