Pots from the past

 

 

Ancient pottery wine amphora found on the  Island of Delos Greece

 Ancient pottery wine amphora found in the ruins on the Island of Delos, Greece

 

The pottery decorations of ancient cultures were instrumental in preserving valuable historical details about daily life, cultural perceptions, myths and deeper spiritual beliefs. Even calendars and astrological events were recorded on pots. Historians would have been entirely clueless about the lifestyles of some past cultures without leads from these clay time-capsules. Symbols, rituals, language, cult procedures, talismanic charms and folklore were embodied in their pottery art.
The neolithic Trypilian potters merged utilitarian purpose with an aesthetic awareness using painted surfaces, incised patterns and shape to reflect their art and beliefs. The real and mythical worlds of the ancients co-existed in their beliefs and this became immortalized through their artistic expression.Through the ages many material clues have been left in pottery art that has been deciphered and understood while many mysteries still remain. But their presence is enough to grant a thread of perception to the beliefs and spirit of their time. Lineages of the past were reinforced by these artistic records and also have been reconstructed where oral traditions had failed and written records had disappeared.

Anthropologist Bronislaw Malinowski stated that myth was used “to strengthen tradition and endow it with a greater value and prestige by tracing it back to a higher, better and more supernatural reality of ancient events” This is clearly evidenced in the myths and legends vividly depicted on many ancient ceramics which contributed to the cohesion and defining aspect of the local cultures.
As the archaeologists have recovered more ancient pottery, the extent of distribution and contact between nations has been revealed with the movement of Aegean, Hellenic, Etruscan and Roman pottery. The desire to record historical features in art has pervaded most ancient cultures and the combination of aesthetics and utility in ancient pottery art ensured its survival because it was produced in greater numbers then specific art pieces. Ancient painted ceramics, quite often objects of beauty, were considered in their time to be the domain of humble craftsmen rather than of fine artists. Fortunately, the wares of the meek survived the ages to be appreciated in the present for their universal appeal and insight into ancient mysteries.

A diverse collection of ancient pottery.

 

A-green-glazed-ceramic-Yizhou-Luohan-statue-from-the-10th-century-sits-serenely-at-the-gallery's-entrance at the Royal Ontario Museum

 Green glazed ceramic statue of Yizhou Luohan from the 10th century, China

( ROM – Royal Ontario Museum )

 

 

 

 

amforeas_arxaia- Pointed Amphora -  500 - 490 BC   by Kleophrades Painter

Pointed Amphora –  500 – 490 BC   by Kleophrades Painter, considered to be one of  the greatest pot-painters of the Late Archaic period in Grecce

Dionysos in the centre of the vase with a vine, amongst revelling satyrs and maenads

 

 

 

 

Ancient metal work,The Derveni krater. Bronze. Greece-320 B.C

The Derveni krater. Bronze. Greece-320 B.C

 

 

 

 

Ancient Persian horse head sculpture at temple

Ancient Persian horse head sculpture

 

 

 

 

Animal spouted pitcher, 9th–10th century-Found-at Iran, Nishapur, Sabz Pushan

Animal spouted pitcher, 9th–10th century

Persia, Nishapur, Sabz Pushan

 

 

 

 

Apollo cup white ground kylix; Greek,-480-70-BCE

 Apollo  kylix ( cup )

 Greece,-  480-470 BCE

 

 

 

Apulian-Red-Figure-Squat-Lekythos-with-Aphrodite-and-Eros-400-BC

 

 Apulian Red Figure Squat Lekythos with Aphrodite and Eros—4th Century BC

 

 

 

 

Baluster Jar-date Chinese Yuan Dynasty Flickr-5Chen

Baluster Jar – Chinese Yuan Dynasty

Flickr-5Chen

 

 

 

 

carving of an Anunnaki, an ancient Mesopotamian deity of the underworld

 Anunnaki carving – an ancient Mesopotamian deity of the underworld.

 

 

 

 

Sicillian Funery Vase,-2nd-3rd-century-BC

Funery Vase – Centuripe in Sicily

3rd–2nd century B.C

( The Met, New York )

 

 

 

 

Ceramic pillow, China, Southern Song dynasty,-12th-13th century, qingbai ware

Ceramic pillow, China, Southern Song dynasty

12th-13th century

 

 

 

 

Ceramic Vessel-Collection at LACMA Syria--Period-late-12th-early-13th-century

 

Ceramic Pitcher- Syria

late-12th-early-13th-century

Collection at LACMA

 

 

 

 

Chimu Marine Vessel-Peru-11AD-1400AD

Chimu Marine Vessel, Peru

1100AD-1400AD

 

 

 

 

Classical Almond Flask--5th-Century BC Culture Archaic Greek

Classical Almond Flask — Culture: Archaic Greek

5th-Century BC

 

 

 

 

Cosmetic box Egypt Late Period–Ptolemaic-664–300-B.C

 Cosmetic box Egyptian

Late Period: Ptolemaic-664–300-B.C

 

 

 

 

Cuzco Peru Convent of Santo Domingo

Ceramic vessel –  Convent of Santo Domingo, Cuzco Peru

 

 

 

 

Detail,-Borghese-vase----high relief of Dionysus, maenads, satyr.-Roman

Detail of Roman Borghese vase with a high relief of Dionysus, maenads and satyrs.

 

 

 

 

Egyptian-owl Relief plaque with face of an owl

Egyptian owl Relief plaque

 

 

 

 

Egypt-or-Syria-Bowl,-,-underglaze-painted

 14th century Ceramic; Vessel, Fritware Egypt

 

 

 

 

Eros, Leda and the swan.-Attic lekythos,-ca.-375–350-BCE

Eros, Leda and the swan.- Attic Lekythos

375–350-BCE

 

 

This vessel was used to mix wine and water-400BC,Apula

Greek Volute Krater – this vessel was used to mix wine and water-400BC, Apula

 

 

 

 

 

Kashan lustre bottle, Persia,-circa-1200

 Kashan lustre bottle, Persia, circa-1200AD

 

 

 

 

Funerary Sculpture of a Chimera China, Eastern Han dynasty, 25-220AD

Funerary Sculpture of a Chimera China, Eastern Han dynasty, 25-220AD

 

 

 

 

Gnathian black glazed terracotta lekytos depicting-Eros.-Magna-Graecia

Gnathian black glazed terracotta lekytos depicting Eros. Magna Graecia, 4th-3rd century B.C

 

 

 

 

Goblet.-Iran,-14th-century

Persian Goblet – 14th-century

 

 

 

 

Greek, Attic in the style of Berlin Painter Panathenaic amphora, ca.500–490 B.C

 Greek, Attic Panathenaic amphora, ca.500–490 B.C

 

 

 

 

Greek ceramic Aryballos,-ca.-570-B.C

 Greek ceramic Aryballos, ca.-570 B.C

 

 

 

 

Greek Canosan twin handled volute krater, Canosa, Southern Italy

Greek volute krater,-  Canosa, Southern Italy

 

 

 

Ceramic bulb grower, Japanese 18th-19th-century in blue and white porcelain

 Japanese ceramic vessel for bulb growing,  18th-19th-century

 

 

 

 

Haimon Painter, Greek, Terracotta, black figureLidded box (pyxis) with a symposium scene, 500-474-BCE,-

 Greek, Terracotta, black figure lidded box (pyxis) by Haimon Painter

 500-474 BCE

 

 

 

 

Persian plate

10th century dish, East Persia or Central Asia

 

 

 

 

Double container in shape of double cartouche from tomb of Tutankhamun

 Container in shape of double cartouche from tomb of Tutankhamun

 

 

 

 

Jamacoaque Shaman Vessel - Ecuador 300BC-400AD

Jamacoaque Shaman Vessel – Ecuador 300BC-400AD

 

 

Cypriot vessel 700-600BC

Cypriot deer vessel 700-600BC

 

 

 

 

Masked Figure Pendant,-4th–8th-century Costa Rica; Atlantic Watershed Jade

 Masked Figure Pendant,4th–8th century Costa Rica; Atlantic Watershed Jade

 

 

 

Han dynasty-(206-BC-AD-8) Green glazed storage jar

 Green glazed storage jarHan dynasty-( 206BC- 8AD )

 

 

 

Mimbres Bowl, New Mexico-A.D. 850 to 1150EumarosFlickr

 Mimbres Bowl, New Mexico  –  A.D. 850 to 1150

( Eumaros-Flickr )

 

 

Disc Shaped Okimono, or Desk Screen, with Rat, Fuji, Plovers, Waves, and Plum Design LACMAJapan, 19th century Sculpture

 Japan, 19th century sculpture – Hirado Mikawachi ware; porcelain with white and blue glazes

Disc Shaped Okimono, or Desk Screen, with Rat, Fuji, Plovers, Waves, and Plum Design

LACMA

 

Minoan vase, Ashmolean Museum, Oxford

 

Minoan ritual vase, Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, England

 

 

 

 

North-Afghanistan,-probably-Balkh--Period12th-century

Balkh–Period  vessel, Afghanistan

12th-century

 

 

 

Rattle in the form of a pig,- 2nd-–-1st-century-B.C

Egyptian ceramic rattle in the form of a pig,- 2nd-1st-centuryB.C

 

 

 

 

Ring shaped askos with deer's head spout, mid 4th-century BC

Ring shaped askos with deer’s head spout, mid 4th-century BC

 

 

 

 

Melon shaped wine ewer Korea 12th century Goryeo dynasty, stonware with incised decoration of bamboo under celadon glazeMET

Melon shaped wine ewer  Goryeo dynasty, stoneware with incised decoration of bamboo under celadon glaze

Korea 12th century

( MET- NY )

 

 

 

Sculpture found in underground Neolithic temple-NEOLITHIC-TEMPLE-OF-MALTA-3300-BC

 Sculpture found in underground Neolithic temple, Malta 3300BC

 

 

 

Seated Monk LACMA Korea, Joseon dynasty (1392-1910), 18th-19th century Sculpture Molded stoneware with underglaze blue and clear glaze

 Seated Monk – Korea, Joseon dynasty (1392-1910),

Sculpture Molded stoneware with underglaze blue and clear glaze

( LACMA )

 

 

 

Spout in the form of a man's head,-Parthian-period,-ca-1st-2nd-century-AD,-Iran

Persian water spout in the form of a man’s head  – Parthian period,-ca-1st-2nd-century-AD

 

 

 

 

Statuette of Osiris with the name of Padihorpere.-Late Period -712–525-B.C

Statuette of Osiris with the name of Padihorpere.-Late Period  712–525-B.C

 

 

 

 

Tang Dynasty figurine

Tang Dynasty figurine

 

 

 

 

antique asian chinese qing dynasty large porcelain statue kwan yin buddha

 Chinese Qing dynasty large porcelain statue of Kwan Yin

 

Persian Tankard,12th or 13th century Ceramic;

Persian Tankard,12th or 13th century Ceramic

( LACMA )

 

 

 

Lustre bowl and cover, Spain-1440-1460

Lustre bowl and cover, Spain-1440-1460

 

 

 

The State Hermitage Museum Bowl with Arabic Inscription Central Asia, 10th CenturyCeramics Diameter 10-cm excavated in Samarkand

Bowl with Arabic Inscription Central Asia, 10th Century  Diameter 10-cm excavated in Samarkand

The State Hermitage Museum

 

 

 

AD-550–599 Chinese Jar

Chinese Jar  – 550–599 AD

Korean Oil bottle, Goryeo dynasty-(918–1392), late-12th-century

Korean Oil bottle, Goryeo dynasty-(918–1392), late-12th-century

Stoneware with reverse inlaid decoration of peonies under celadon glaze

( Met, NY )

 
 
 
 
 

 

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