Early in the sixth century the Athenian pot ters began to enter the field, in which they soon won a complete mastery. They heightened the red of the clay by artificial means, and invented a black glaze of exceeding brilliancy. The earlier series is the 'black-figured,' in which the design is in black on the natural color of the clay. The details are indicated by incised lines, and a somewhat scanty use of red and white, though this last is always employed for the flesh of women. Near the end of the sixth century this technique was largely supplanted by the 'red figured,' in which the body of the vase is cov ered with black glaze, while the figures appear in the natural color of the clay: The details are indicated by fine lines of black. While the earlier vases in this technique show the characteristics of archaic art, soon after the Persian wars there is greater correctness of drawing and more re straint and dignity of treatment. (See Colored Plate, Figs. 5 and S.) Later there appears a tendency to substitute prettiness and delicacy for dignity, and while there is astonishing fineness of line, there is a distinct loss of power. In the fourth century the use of gilding and bright ts colors marks the decline. At this time also the practice, known in the early fifth century, of combining a vase and a figurine (Colored Plate, Fig. 7) grew more common. Here we may per haps trace the influence of works in metal, and it is certain that this was a large factor in the disappearance of wheel-made pottery and the substitution of vases formed in a mold and decorated with figures in relief, the so-called 'AIegarian' ware. Another series of Attie vases is distinguished by decorations in various colors on a white slip (Colored Plate, Fig. 2). The chief examples are the /ccjithi, or jars used to contain oil and perfumes in the service of the dead. These vases are among the most beautiful prod ucts of Greek ceramic art; they were not made for export and are rarely found outside of Attica and Eretria. See Colored Plate, Fig. 3. and Pottier, Eludes sur les Iceythes Nunes altiqucs (Paris. 1883).
to Lower Italy the Greek colonies seen] to have developed local styles as early as the fourth century. All show a departure from the purer Attie taste in a love of florid and excessive orna mentation, and the use of bright colors. This leads to scenes introducing ninny figures, often arranged in rows, with ornamental borders of flowers and tendrils. Sonic of the vases of the earlier period are, however, fine examples of the potter's art. (Colored Plate. Fig. 6.) In Northern and Central Italy the history of ceramics is chiefly concerned with the earlier and ruder types, valuable for ethnology, but with little artistic interest. The cemeteries on the Alban Alount, the Esquiline, and elsewhere, yield rude vases of coarse clay, usually of a sooty black or (lull gray. In Etruria there de veloped a distinct type, the !meeker° nerd of Italian writer' These vases are of coarse black clay. They a, not painted, but polished and decorated with reliefs impressed in the soft clay by a stamp. The forms and reliefs show plainly the influence of metal vases, as well as of the oriental and Greek importations. Though this ware scents to have been manufactured as late as the fourth century, the Etruscans were also great admirers of the Greek painted vases, which they imported in large numbers, and imi tated, though with but small success.
About the end of the first century B.C. there appears in Italy, and later in Gaul, Germany, and liritain. the Arretine ware, of red clay, highly glazed. and decorated in relief. It commonly hears a potter's stamp, and is hence often called 'terra sigillata' ware. The term Samian is almost certainly a misnomer. The best
vases are of fine light clay with decorations evi dently derived from the rich gold and silver plate in use among the wealthy.
In the preparation of the clay and the vase on the wheel Greek processes do not differ essen tially from those described under POTTERY. Es sential in the spirit of Greek is the absence of the merely mechanical and the pres ence of the free personality of the potter. Bands around the vase were drawn by the aid of the wheel, but all the other decoration was free-hand. In the black-figured ware the figures were first drawn in outline and then filled with solid color. After firing the details were engraved and the other colors added. A final firing made the vase ready for the market. In the red-figured ware the potter first drew his design on the soft clay with a dry point, thus allowing ample oppor tunity for alteration in details. The outlines were then marked by a border of lustrous black, and the body of the vase covered with the same color. The details were then Tided under con ditions that made correction impossible, while the full effect could not he seen till the firing brought the color to the surface. That the potter was proud of his art is shown by the frequency of signed vases during the sixth and earlier fifth centuries. Common also during this period was the practice of placing on the vase the name of some youth noted for his beauty or popularity, accompanied by the word KaN6s, kilos, beautiful. Consult the three monographs of Klein (Vienna,, 1896, 1897, and 1S9S).
The forms of the Greek vases are manifold, and a comparison of any collection with the tables given in catalogues will show the wonder ful subtlety of (lie Greek artist in devising varia tions on well-established types.
Of the most important varieties, the Pithos was a large jar of coarse clay used for storing grain or liquids, much as a modern hogshead. The Amphora. was a smaller vessel, primarily intended for storing oil or wine, but later de veloped as a decorative vase. 'Flip body was somewhat large, but the neck and mouth narrow. The Hydra, or water-pitcher, is in form much like the amphora, but distinguished by three funeral lceythi, already described. The was a small round jug with very small neck and broad lot lip. It was a favorite form with the Corinthian potters. Prominent among the cups are the Cantharos, a large cup on a foot with high handles rising above the rim, and the Sey phos, whose form is well shown in Colored Plate, Fig. S. The favorite of the Attic potters was the ("ylir, a rather shallow saucer mounted on a handles,.two on the shoulders for lifting, and one at the neck, for use in pouring. An important vessel was thePra ter, or mixing-bowl, in which the wine and water were mixed and from which the guests were served. In early times this is a round-bottomed bowl (Deinos) on a stand, but later was provided with a low foot, and developed into a number of graceful shapes. (Sec Colored Plate, Fig. 5.) For oil and perfumes was used the Lerythus, a tall rather slender vase, with small neck and hell-shaped mouth. It underwent a series of changes in the shape of the body. the slope of the shoulder, and the details of decora tion before the development of the graceful white foot. The decoration was applied on the outside, where two fields were marked by the handles and also in a small circular field in the centre of the inside. Consult Hartwig's Griechische Meister sehalen der Bliitezeit (Berlin, 1893). Other com mon vases are the Rhyton, or drinking-horn, the Winochoi', or small pitcher, and the Pyxis, or ladies' toilet-box, commonly decorated with scenes from the life of women.