GREECE. Terra cotta statuettes are one of the most common products of ancient art. They are found in considerable numbers in Egypt, from the earliest periods. though often here the clay is covered by a vitreous glaze forming the so-called Egyptian porcelain. Such figures are among the must charming and dainty products of Greek art. The archaic terra cottas are numerous, especially on sacred sites. The later figurines from the fourth century B.C. and the Hellenistic period bare been found in tombs at many sites, but the earlier group is best represented by the statuettes from Tanagra in Bceotia. which are strongly in fluenced by the art of Praxiteles and his contem poraries. In the later period the characteristics of Hellenistic art are seen in terra cotta: from Asia Minor (especially Myrina), Sicily, and Southern Italy. The attractiveness of these fig ures has led to many imitations, which frequently are so skillful that only the expert can detect their origin. The ancient figures were made in
molds, sometimes as many as 16 being employed for a single figure; then after baking they were often retouched o• engraved, and finally painted in brilliant colors on a coating of white lime. For architecture the pieces were finished in true ceramic painting, simple but of great excellence. In Central Italy, especially in Etruria and La tium, crude brick seems to have been largely em ployed, and hence terra cotta was used for decorative purposes in important buildings at a time when in Greek lands it had heen largely supplanted by stone. In this region also terra cotta seems to have been used much more exten sively for large figures than among the Greeks.