How Did Ancient Greeks Make Clay Pots?

Pottery was an integral part of daily life in ancient Greece. From cooking pots to storage jars, cups, bowls, plates, and vases, the ancient Greeks relied on pottery for a wide range of purposes. The artistry and craftsmanship of Greek pottery reached impressive levels, and ceramic wares were traded extensively across the Mediterranean region and beyond.

Greek potters developed innovative techniques such as the potter’s wheel and black-figure and red-figure decoration to produce distinctive styles and shapes. Famous pottery styles included the geometric designs of the Geometric period, black-figure vases with figural scenes, and the red-figure technique which allowed more realistic depictions. Regional styles also emerged from major pottery centers like Athens, Corinth, and Crete.

The study of ancient Greek pottery provides insights into many aspects of Greek civilization and culture, including mythology, daily life, funerary practices, and trade networks. Enduring styles and forms influenced later cultures and continue to inspire artists and artisans today. The legacy of ancient Greek pottery is a testament to both the great skill of Greek potters and pottery’s immense value in the ancient world.

Types of Clay

The ancient Greeks used several different types of clay to make their pottery. The most common were:

• Earthenware – This clay contains small amounts of iron, magnesium, and calcium. It is porous and brittle when fired at lower temperatures. Earthenware was used for everyday pottery like cups, bowls, jars, and pots.

• Stoneware – Denser and less porous than earthenware, stoneware contains natural fluxes like feldspar that vitrify and create a waterproof product when fired around 2,200°F. Stoneware was ideal for vessels used for storage and transport.

• Terracotta – This type of earthenware clay is iron-rich and turns a distinct orange or red color when fired in an oxygen atmosphere. Terracotta was widely used by the Greeks for figurines, roof tiles, and architectural decorations.

• Porcelain – The purest clay, porcelain is white and translucent when fired at very high temperatures above 2,300°F. The ancient Greeks imported porcelain but did not manufacture it themselves.

Pottery Wheels

The potter’s wheel was a major technological innovation that revolutionized ceramic production in ancient Greece. Before the potter’s wheel, pots were made by hand and were often quite thick and heavy. The potter’s wheel enabled the efficient mass production of light, thin-walled pottery.

Early Greek potters developed a two part wheel that spun around a central axle. The lower wheel remained stationary while the upper wheel was spun by an assistant. The potter could then shape the clay into a symmetrical pot by using the momentum of the spinning wheel. This allowed potters to produce standardized and uniform pottery.

Potter’s wheels were made of wood, clay or stone. They ranged from small tabletop wheels operated by hand to larger wheels that were foot powered. Over time, the wheels became faster and more sophisticated. By the 6th century BCE, most Greek workshops relied heavily on the potter’s wheel for efficient production.

The invention of the wheel enabled Greek potters to become highly skilled specialists. Unique pottery styles and techniques were developed in different regions across Greece. For example, Corinth and Athens were well known for their fine thin-walled pottery, while Aegina was famous for its relief-decorated pots.

The potter’s wheel revolutionized the ceramic industry in ancient Greece. It allowed beautiful standardized pottery to be produced in large quantities and across the Greek world.

Shaping and Molding

The ancient Greeks used several techniques for shaping clay into vessels and pottery. The most basic method was through handbuilding or pinch pots, in which the clay was hand molded into basic shapes. To create more refined vessel shapes, the potters used pottery wheels that rotatated while they molded the clay. The wheels enabled them to center the clay and form symmetrical pottery much more easily.

To shape the clay into bowls, jars, plates, cups, and other vessels, the potters would start with a lump of clay and press it into a circular disk. Then using their hands and simple tools, they would push against the walls to flare them outwards while shaping the bottom into the desired form. The clay needed to be kept moist during molding so it could be worked without cracking or breaking apart.

Some potters also used molds made of clay, stone or wood to form the pottery into specific shapes. The clay would be pressed into the mold interior to make an impression. Molds enabled mass production of pottery with consistent forms. Pottery could also be built up using coils of rolled clay, joined together using the slip and score technique. The coils provided structural integrity while also serving as a decorative element on some Greek vessels.

Advanced potters also mastered the art of throwing clay on the wheel. This involved centering a lump of clay on a rotating wheel head and using controlled movements of the hands to shape it into an open vessel by guiding the clay upwards. Throwing enabled thin walls and elegant, symmetrical forms unmatched by handbuilding alone.

The potters had to work quickly before the clay dried and became too hard to manipulate. It took great skill and experience to shape flawless vessels from malleable clay.

Decoration

The ancient Greeks used various techniques to decorate their clay pots and vessels. Three of the most common decoration methods were painting, glazing, and engraving intricate designs.

Painting was done after the pottery had dried but before firing. The Greeks used natural pigments like iron oxide reds, ochres, and blacks mixed with water to create paint. Brushes were made from twigs, feathers, or animal hair. The paint was applied in simple geometric patterns, abstract designs, or to outline human and animal figures. Red and black figures against a light background were most typical.

Glazing involved applying a glass-like coating over the dried clay before firing. The ancient Greeks used glazes made from silica, calcium oxide, or potash. When fired, these melted into a shiny, durable surface. Glazes allowed for more complex decorations in bright hues of red, yellow, green and brown. Popular glaze designs included florals, waves, zigzags, and geometric shapes.

Engraving was done on leather-hard clay using sharp tools. Artisans etched fine lines and intricately detailed patterns into the surface. Engraving allowed for sophisticated designs not easily executed in paint or glaze. Examples include decorative bands, elaborate spirals, detailed vegetation, and precise geometric shapes.

Firing

Firing was a crucial step in ancient Greek pottery making. After pottery vessels were shaped and decorated, they needed to be fired in a kiln to harden the clay through heating. The ancient Greeks used various types of kilns and firing techniques.

The most common type of kiln was the updraft kiln, which was generally circular in shape and made of brick or clay. A fire was lit inside the kiln and the heat would rise up through the kiln, firing the pottery placed inside. Temperatures could reach over 900°C in the kiln, causing the pottery clay to permanently harden.

Another technique was once-firing, where the pottery was fired just once. This was common for Greek terracotta pottery. Higher quality pottery could be fired twice, with the second firing at a lower temperature to give the pottery a sheen through fine glazes. Some complex decoration like red-figure painting required multiple firings.

The ancient Greeks were very skilled at controlling the kiln temperatures and timing the firing process. This took much experience and knowledge to create high quality pottery that could withstand daily usage. Firing was the final step in transforming soft clay into hardened and durable Greek pots, amphorae, kraters, plates, and other vessels.

Pottery Workshops

Pottery workshops were an integral part of ancient Greek society. These workshops were organized to mass produce pottery efficiently. Work was divided amongst artisans who specialized in different aspects of pottery making.

Most workshops had separate areas for each stage of production. One area would be for preparing the clay, another for throwing pots on the wheel, an area for drying and decorating, and finally a kiln area for firing. The division of labor allowed artisans to perfect their skills and work quickly.

The pottery workshop was managed by an owner who coordinated production and sales. The owner provided the materials, oversaw the workers, and marketed the finished wares. Apprentices and slaves provided unskilled labor, while experienced artisans handled the pottery wheel and kiln. Together, these artisans churned out utilitarian vessels as well as fine pottery for trade and export.

Uses of Pottery

Pottery played an integral role in the daily lives of ancient Greeks. From cooking and storage vessels to decorations and ritual objects, pottery served a variety of practical and ceremonial purposes.

Clay pots were essential for storing and transporting food, water, wine, olive oil, perfumes, and other household goods. Cooking pots, ovenware, plates, cups, jugs, amphorae (large jars), and hydriai (water jars) were common. The ancient Greeks did not use cutlery, so pottery bowls and kraters (large mixing vessels) were necessary for preparing, serving, and drinking meals.

Pottery was also central in religious practices. Ritual vessels like kernoi (multiple vase forms), rhyta (drinking horns), and burial pithoi (large storage jars) were ubiquitous. Terracotta figurines of deities were household objects. The wealthy commissioned elaborate pottery for votive offerings at sanctuaries. Even simple oil lamps for lighting were fashioned from clay.

For leisure activities, painted vases depicted myths, theater, sports, and other subjects. Children played with pots and clay animal figures as toys. Wealthy homes displayed fine pottery as decoration. The ubiquity of pottery in so many facets underscores its immense significance in ancient Greek daily life.

Trade

Pottery was an important trade good in ancient Greece. The distinctive red and black figure pottery produced by skilled artisans was exported throughout the Mediterranean region and beyond. Athens, Corinth, and other Greek city-states became known for their high-quality ceramics.

Greek pottery provided a valuable commodity that could be traded for metals, grains, wines, olive oil, and other goods. The export of pottery helped expand manufacturing and commerce in Greece. Archaeological evidence shows that Greek pottery has been found as far away as Spain, Egypt, Sicily, and southern Italy. The widespread trade and distribution of Greek pottery also helped spread Greek culture, designs, and artistic techniques to other lands.

Within Greece, pottery was commonly traded between city-states. Regions known for clay deposits and pottery production would create an abundance of vessels and other ceramic items for both local use and trade. The growth of markets and commerce in ancient Greece went hand-in-hand with the pottery trade. Durable, portable, and decorative, Greek pottery served practical as well as aesthetic functions. From simple bowls and jars to elaborate kraters for mixing wine, high quality pottery products were always in demand across the ancient world.

Legacy

Over thousands of years, ancient Greek pottery had a significant influence on later cultures and traditions. The shapes, designs and techniques first created by the Greeks have been adopted and adapted across different places and eras.

One major legacy is the tradition of painted pottery itself. Though the Greeks did not invent pottery, their intricate figural designs and detailed scenes portrayed on pottery vessels inspired future potters to adorn their wares. Styles like black-figure and red-figure painting established decoration as an essential part of fine pottery.

Many aspects of ancient Greek pottery were also passed down in Mediterranean cultures. The elegant amphora jar for storing wine and oil, the kylix drinking cup, and other Greek vessel types remained common in Roman and Etruscan pottery. Decorative motifs like laurel wreaths and mythological creatures were likewise preserved.

Beyond antiquity, Neoclassical artists and designers of the 18th-19th centuries looked back to Greek pottery for inspiration. The rediscovery of Greek art influenced painters, sculptors, architects and ceramicists. Characteristic elements like geometric patterns, mythological narratives, and the S-shaped volute were revived.

Today, ancient Greek pottery remains a constant source of ideas. Modern potters continue reinterpreting black-figure and red-figure painting. Museums collect and exhibit Greek ceramics as masterworks. And the pioneering artistry of ancient Greek potters is recognized as a fundamental part of humanity’s artistic heritage.