Greek - Ancient Pottery for Sale

Although some ancient Greek pottery was intended for decoration or for presentation, the majority was made for everyday use, mainly in the preparation and serving of food and drink, or for the bath, and can be divided in four broad categories - storage and transport vessels, mixing vessels, jugs and cups and vases for oils, perfumes and cosmetics. Most surviving Greek pottery consists of drinking vessels such as amphorae, kraters (bowls for mixing wine and water), hydria (water jars), libation bowls, jugs and cups. Miniatures were also produced in large numbers, mainly for use as offerings at temples.

Greek Corinthian Aryballos Large pottery Aryballos - vessel used primarily by athletes to hold body oils. Ca 6th century BC from the Greek city state of Corinth, decorated with large... $795.00

Greek Apulian Mini Lekythos Lovely small blackware vessel from the Greek settlements located in southern Italy - Apulia or Campania, Ca 325 BC. Barrel-shaped body impressed with palmettes at the top... $395.00

Spectacular Greek Blackware Guttos - Herakles One of the finest examples of this type of vessel we have ever seen! Greek blackware guttos, ca 350 to 325 BC, manufactured in Greek Apulia located in current... $1,995.00 Reserved

Greek Xenonware Miniature Oinochoe Fine Greek Xenonware miniature oinochoe, from the Greek colony of Apulia! Ca 325 BC, and in blackware decorated with added reddish pigment in geometric patterns.... $295.00 SOLD

Greek Xenon Miniature Nestoris One of the more unusual miniature pottery types! From Greek Apulia, and done in what is known as a "Xenon Style" decorated with red pigment over a blackware base. $345.00 SOLD

Greek Apulian Pottery Epichysis Greek pottery oil-pouring vessel, called an Epichysis, ca 340 to 325 BC and made in the Greek colony of Apulia in south-eastern Italy. $1,295.00

Greek Terracotta from Cyprus, Ex-Ede Rare and unusual ancient Cypriot terracotta bust, ca 7th to 6th century BC. Of a Greek goddess, she wears her hair in straight pageboy style, large beaded necklace and... $895.00

Greek Xenon Krater Miniature Some of these miniature forms are difficult to "type" as they simply do not exist outside of their miniature forms. This example takes elements from the Greek bell krater, $395.00

Cypriot White Slip Jug - Rare Decoration From ancient Cyprus, Cypro-Geometric Period, ca 1050-750 BC. White-painted pouring vessel of medium size, decorated on the exterior with four leaf designs in alternating... $895.00

Archaic Cypriot Black-on-Red Globular Jar Very interesting form from ancient Cyprus, dating between the Cypro-Archaic to Cypro-Geometric Periods, ca 1600 to 750 BC. Globular jug decorated with black geometric and... $450.00 Sale Pending

The painted decoration of ancient Greek pottery has become the primary source of information about the development of Greek pictorial art. Made in a variety of sizes and shapes, according to its intended use - large vessels were used for storage and transportation of liquids (wine, olive oil, water), while smaller pots were used for perfumes and unguents. The earliest style, known as the Geometric style (ca. 1000 – 700 B.C.), features geometric patterns and, eventually, narrative scenes with stylized figures. From the late 8th to the early 7th century, a growing Eastern influence resulted in the “Orientalizing” of motifs (e.g., sphinx, griffin), notably in pieces made in Corinth (ca. 700 B.C.), where painters developed black-figure vases. Athenians adopted both the black-figure and red-figure style, and became the dominant manufacturers of Greek pottery. By the 4th century the figured decoration of pottery had declined, and by the end of the century it had died out in Athens.