Greek Vase Shapes

Why This Matters

Greek vases aren't just pretty museum pieces—they're primary sources that reveal how ancient Greeks stored goods, socialized, worshipped, and buried their dead. When you encounter these shapes on an exam, you're being tested on your ability to connect form to function: why did a krater need a wide mouth? Why did a hydria require three handles? Understanding these design choices demonstrates your grasp of daily life, gender roles, ritual practices, and social customs in the ancient Mediterranean.

The decorative programs on these vessels—whether depicting mythological narratives, athletic competitions, or domestic scenes—provide crucial evidence for topics you'll see throughout the course: the symposium culture, funerary practices, the role of women, and the worship of Dionysus. Don't just memorize shape names—know what each vessel tells us about the people who made and used it.

---

Symposium Vessels: The Material Culture of Elite Drinking

The Greek symposium was a ritualized drinking party central to aristocratic male culture. Wine was never consumed straight—it was always mixed with water, and specific vessels facilitated each stage of this social ritual.

Krater

• Large mixing bowl for diluting wine with water—the centerpiece of any symposium, where the host determined the strength of the evening's drink
• Wide mouth and sturdy handles enabled easy stirring and ladling; common types include volute, calyx, bell, and column kraters
• Iconography often depicts symposium scenes or Dionysiac imagery, making the vessel a self-referential commentary on its own use

Kylix

• Shallow drinking cup with wide bowl and two horizontal handles—designed for reclining drinkers to hold comfortably while lying on couches
• Interior tondo (circular painting) revealed itself gradually as the drinker emptied the cup, encouraging conversation and interaction
• Eyes or Gorgon faces commonly decorated the exterior, transforming the drinker's face into a mask when raised to drink

Kantharos

• Deep, high-handled drinking cup strongly associated with Dionysus—the god himself is frequently depicted holding this shape
• Distinctive high-swung handles and flared rim distinguish it from other drinking vessels; its depth suited deeper draughts
• Ritual significance connects it to Dionysiac worship and mystery cults, not just casual drinking

Skyphos

• Deep, practical drinking cup for everyday use—less elite than the kylix, with a more utilitarian design
• Two small horizontal handles near the rim and a sturdy, rounded body made it easy to grip and drink from
• Common in both domestic and symposium contexts, often featuring simpler decorative programs than fancier vessels

Oinochoe

• Single-handled wine jug with trefoil (three-lobed) spout—designed specifically for pouring wine from krater to cup
• Shape varies considerably (chous, olpe, and other subtypes), but the pouring function remains constant
• Choes festival connection: small oinochoai were given to children during the Anthesteria, linking this shape to Dionysiac ritual

---

Storage and Transport Vessels: The Economy in Clay

These shapes reveal how Greeks moved goods across the Mediterranean and stored commodities in the home. Their forms prioritize capacity, durability, and ease of handling over aesthetic display.

Amphora

• Tall, two-handled vessel for storing and transporting wine, oil, and grain—the workhorse of Mediterranean trade
• Narrow neck allowed for sealing with clay or cork, while the pointed base let amphorae be stacked in ship holds or set into sand
• Panathenaic amphorae filled with olive oil were awarded as prizes at the Panathenaic Games, featuring Athena on one side and the relevant athletic event on the other

Hydria

• Three-handled water jar: two horizontal handles for lifting when full, one vertical handle for pouring
• Strongly associated with women's domestic labor—scenes of women at fountains are common decorative subjects
• Also used as cinerary urns and for drawing lots in legal proceedings, demonstrating versatility beyond water-carrying

---

Personal Care and Funerary Vessels: Intimacy and Death

Smaller vessels served private functions—grooming, cosmetics, and funerary ritual. Their intimate scale and often delicate decoration reflect personal rather than communal use.

Lekythos

• Tall, narrow oil flask used for anointing the body—both in daily grooming and in preparing the dead for burial
• White-ground lekythoi with polychrome painting were produced specifically as grave goods, depicting mourning scenes or visits to tombs
• Single handle and narrow neck controlled the flow of precious oil; the shape's association with death makes it crucial for understanding Greek funerary practices

Alabastron

• Small, elongated perfume vessel with rounded bottom and narrow mouth—designed to be held in the palm or hung by a cord
• No handles; the user gripped the body directly, and a flat rim helped control application of scented oils
• Often depicted in scenes of women's toilette, connecting it to beauty practices and the female sphere

Pyxis

• Lidded cylindrical box for storing cosmetics, jewelry, or trinkets—a fixture of the women's quarters (gynaikon)
• Elaborate decoration often features wedding scenes or female activities, reinforcing its association with women's domestic life
• Shape persisted across centuries, demonstrating continuity in personal adornment practices

---

Quick Reference Table

---

Self-Check Questions

1. Which two vessel shapes would you expect to find together at a symposium, and what specific function did each serve in the wine-drinking ritual?

2. A vase has three handles—two horizontal and one vertical. What shape is it, and what does its design tell us about who used it and how?

3. Compare the kylix and the kantharos: both are drinking vessels, but how do their forms and associations differ? Which has stronger connections to Dionysiac cult?

4. If an FRQ asks you to discuss evidence for women's daily life in ancient Greece, which three vase shapes would provide the strongest material evidence, and why?

5. What distinguishes a lekythos used in daily life from one produced specifically as a grave good? How would you identify the funerary type?