The Forming of Attic Vases | a ee By JOSEPH V. NOBLE ALMosT ALL ATTIC Vases were made to bald one of there Iequids, all essential tv the Greek way of life; wine, water or olive oil, The atihivideal shapes were designed for ease of handling, convenience and prac- ticality, but always with an eye for beauty. The clay that was used im making Attic pediery was found in various deposits near the city of Athens, one of whoch adjaing the present-day tows of Amarousi. The clay accurs in large sietlace areas in a celatively pure stite, quite easy to mine. This red clay, with its extracediniry working of handling characterisis and handsome cwlor, is one of the finest clays in the world fis un usual plastic properties allowed the ancient potters of Athens to fashsom the most refine) shapes om their wheels. It red color chotetod the restrained, saceptlerste- cated ced and black color cembinatwn that was the hallmark of Attic pottery and which was promdly ex ported to the lands bourclep the Mediterranean Seu and beyond, The ancient clay pits of Amarcusi have heen worked continuity to the present lay, One of the largest pits is illustrated here. The modern level is xbout thirty-five feet below the surface of the surrcambing groand. Unfortunately, all traces of the ancient work- ings have been eradicated owing to the constane dig- Bing an the pit. As the ¢lay comes free the pit, it & mod with sand, small stones, devayed weevtable matter azul other farcsgn material, all of which has to be removed be- fore clay can he used. This & accomplishe| tmbiy, as In ancient times, by mixing water wath the clay and letting the enixture stand in a large settleng besin. The heavy impurities fall to the bottom amd the upper layer of clay and water is pamped of bailed into an adjoining settling basen. This process is repented, sometames several times, Each setthng purides the clay still further until the desired quality is olained. Ob. viously 2 purer clay was reqpuired to Fashion a delicate kyhx than te form a large coarse-tnbeed storage jar. Clay depesets are found in many locations in Greece, but mat all clays are sustable for making pottery ; scene- times diferent clays are blended to vary the color o¢ warking properties, This practice was fevorded in ancient tines in an agricultural trestee known as Cac parice (vi.39): “Net all earth is suitable for pottery, leat with regard to potters clay, some peefer the yel- lovwish ved, seen the white, aul others max the two.” The ancient potter had to kmow the propertes of his clay om order to make the best use vf it. The shrink- age of clay takes place in two distinct phasis, The test micurs adter the vase as formed, during the ¢hereayh drying leat befure fring. The second shrinkage hap- pens during the firang process. Measurements show that im Atte clay the linear crying shrinkage is 9 per cent, and the firing shrinkage resulting frum a tem- perature of 445° C, is Vy per cent, a total shrnkage mf Oby per cent. The poeter hal ta take this shrinkape into account whey he was fashioning the vase. It is test probable that he made the lids for hes vases at the same tune as the vases 20 that they woukl shrink proportionately aru} stell ft after dring. Ment Attic black.figuce| ane| red-fygured vases, woth the exception of the so-talled plastic vases, were pro duced an the patter’s wheel. This technique, however, was perfevted andy after a loag period of evolution and development, The earliest clay-forming tevhnique, wwented about seven thisand years ago, was the freehand] forming of a vessel from a bump of clay. This was accomplished by peashing and penching the clay ung the desired shape was achieved. Examples af thés early technsque, dating from about HWM Be:., have been found in Jordan, §ran and $e Later this process was impraved by the use of strands of clay whih were used te burl the: put. A thick stramd was coiled arceand » flat hand-formed hase disc of clay and then pinched and smeetled to form a good joint, Adklitiomal strands were added and con- silidwted to build the pot te the desired height and shape, To assist in the compacting and smootheng op- tration, sometimes 2 rvunced stone was held inside against the wall of the pot while the outer surface was beaten wath a paddle. Very fine pottery weth walls of