Ancient pottery ceramic vases etruscan amphora krater arrhidaeus oxyartes alcetas perdiccas archaelaus aeropus amyntas.

Black-figure period (7th century BC)

Black-figure pottery is one of the most recognizable Greek designs in pottery. In later periods, when the aesthetics developed and changed and the technical skill of the potters improved, human figures began to be depicted, usually representing the gods or heroes of Greek history and mythology - Zeus, Achilles, Athena and others. Her figures are more complex than just silhouettes, with facial features, clothing and weapons rendered in red and yellow. Battle and hunting scenes featuring horses, much revered by the Greeks, also became popular. In later times, erotic themes are often found - heterosexual and male homosexual. Gradually, ancient Greek ceramics became the richest encyclopedia of the Greek world and became one of the most valuable sources for Greek history and culture.

The first vessels in this style, with added red and white elements and incised contours and details, originated in Corinth, and some of the best examples were made in Laconia and southern Italy by Euboean settlers. Above all others, however, in terms of quality and variety, the potters and artists of Attica dominate, where the style reached its apogee at the end of the 6th century BC. They continued to dictate the Greek black-figure pottery market for the next 150 years.

Not all figures in this style are colored black. Often the female body is white, and purple-red is used for accessories and clothes. A great interest develops in the fine details such as muscles and hair, which are added to the figures using a sharp tool. The manner of depicting the figures and their various poses mark the zenith of Greek vase painting. The best of them are graceful and poised and often illustrate the moment just before actual movement, or the rest after physical exertion. A good example of this is the black-figure vase by the artist Exekius, which depicts Ajax and Achilles playing a board game during the Trojan War.