Studying Greek Figured Pottery

(3 Credit Hours) · Undergraduate

CC3102 Course Description Black and Red Figured pottery vessels are among the most distinctive and enduring artefacts that survive from the Classical Greek world. Such vessels survive in large numbers and are prominently displayed in many major museums. These types of pottery have been extensively studied, particularly because the scenes depicted upon them provide information on daily life in ancient Greece and beyond, as well as detailed scenes of a mythological nature. The attractive scenes are often used to illustrate books on the ancient world and help fuel an international market for the sale of vases. Although Athenian figured pottery is by far the most famous, there were other production centres across the Greek world and beyond and the module will make use of evidence from some of these other productions. The module will consider how and why Black and Red Figured pottery is studied, the different approaches - traditional and modern used as well as what this kind of pottery can tell us about ancient modes of production and ancient society in general. How this kind of pottery was made and used will be highlighted. In addition, the module will consider modern controversies, such as the looting of ancient sites and the faking of antiquities.