April 1, 1896.] 



KNOWLEDGE 



93 



of the Geometric vases (or Dipylon, as they are some- 

 times called, from the fact that most of them were found 

 near the old Athenian gate of that name). It is, of course, 

 a retrograde step on the Myceniean fabrics, as may be 

 easily seen by a comparison of the drawing on the examples 

 of each style. 



The Geometrical vases fall into three easily-distinguished 

 classes, showing a gradual development in range of subjects. 

 In the first class the decoration is purely geometrical, 

 consisting of such patterns as lozenge and chequer, spirals, 

 the typical Greek masander and key patterns, and rows of 

 Vandykes or wavy lines (Fig. 1). Simple as the scheme 

 of ornamentation is, many of these vases are very effective. 

 In the next stage, panels are introduced containing figures 

 of horses, deer, and swans and other birds. Vases of this 

 class are generally found in Bwotia. In the third class a 

 remarkable advance is made, and scenes from daily life are 

 introduced, such as funeral processions and sea-fights. 

 The human figures are extremely rude and conventional, 

 and the effect is much marred by the prevalent practice of 

 filling up every available space by ornamentation of some 

 kind. Early Greek painters had a strange horror of leaving 

 any part of a vase undecorated. These vases are of great 

 size, and were mostly found in the ancient Athenian 

 burying ground, just outside the Dipylon gate ; they had 

 been placed on tombs as memorials. It is possible that 

 these representations of the cult of the dead derived their 

 origin from Egypt, where paintings of this kind were so 

 universal ; in any case they imply the possession by the 

 artist of an unexpected power of conception, though the 

 execution falls far short of it. The technique is very similar 

 to that of the Mycenfe ware. The figures are generally 

 painted in lustrous black on a prepared ground, varying 

 from stone colour to deep red. The favourite shape is that 

 of a large jar on a high stem, with two comparatively 

 small side-handles. 



The great expansion of Hellenic life in the seventh 

 century B.C., by extended commerce and colonization, 

 placed the Greeks in continuous and intimate relations 

 with all their neighbours. The result of this, as far as vase- 

 painting is concerned, is seen in the new impulse given to 

 the art by Oriental influences. Egypt opened her ports for 

 the first time to foreign ships under the twenty-sixth 

 dynasty (600-530 b.c), and also stocked her armies with 

 foreign mercenaries ; while the same period saw the founda- 

 tion of Ionian settlements at Naucratis and other places in 

 the Delta. Nor must we forget the various products of 

 Phoenician and Lydian craftsmen with which extended 

 commerce had rendered the Greeks familiar, and we shall 

 see how great an influence the metal-work of the former, 

 and the textile fabrics of the latter, had on the ceramic 

 products of the succeeding period in Greece. 



In a small class of vases known as the Phaleron style, 

 because found at Phaleron near Athens, new features are 

 introduced, especially in the employment and treatment of 

 new animal types, based in design and grouping on Oriental 

 models. The only features of the Geometric style retained 

 are small fragments of ornament employed for filling the 

 field of the vase. (Fig. 2.) 



Even stronger was the influence at work in the islands 

 of the .Egean Sea, especially in Melos and Eliodes. 

 Although the Melian ware is later in development than the 

 Ehodian, it must be taken first owing to its close connec- 

 tion with the Dipylon style. Only a very few of the Melian 

 vases are in existence, but these are of unique importance. 

 They possess many features hitherto unknown, and show 

 a great advance in drawing and composition. The admix- 

 ture of Oriental style and design is especially obvious, 

 but the most remarkable advance is shown in the employ- 



ment of a purple pigment, laid on the black in places in 

 order to enhance the effect. This is the first instance of a 

 technical method which prevails in a varying degree 

 throughout the whole history of vase-painting. 



In the Rhodian vases the tide of Orientalism swells into 

 full flood. While, under its influence, the painter evolved 

 an effective and beautiful system of ornamentation, the 

 potter condensed the earher multiplicity of forms to a few 

 simple and elegant types, of which the most characteristic 

 are the oinocho'e and the lanax or circular plaque. (Figs. 3 

 and 4.) The influence of metal-work is shown not only 

 in these forms, but also in schemes of decoration. 



The influence of Assyrian and Lydian textUe fabrics, 

 again, gives the appearance of embroidery to the scheme of 

 design on many vases as seen in the rows of animals 



Fio. 1. — Jug (Oinochof) of Geometric or Dipvlou Style. 

 From Athens. 



placed in bands round the body, while the rosettes which 

 are introduced to fill the field are another result of the 

 same influence. 



A new and characteristic development introduced by the 

 Hhodian potters is the practice of combining silhouette 

 with outline drawing, leaving parts of the figures in 

 groundcolour with a black contour. Further, the rod 

 clay is frequently covered with a cream-white engobe or 

 slip, which was found useful for indicating flesh-colour. 

 The subjects are drawn almost entirely from the animal 

 creation, especially goats and lions ; later vases admit 

 human figures and grotesque monsters such as the Sphinx. 

 Among the latter, one vase stands out conspicuous as 

 possessing a subject drawn from Greek legend, of which 



