The Technological Development of Decorated Corinthian Pottery, 8^th to 6^th Centuries BCE

Abstract

Polychrome slipped and decorated pottery from Corinth, Greece, developed over two centuries from monochrome, dark brown slips and washes on a calcareous yellow clay body to a wide range of decorative techniques. Once significant experimentation with color variability began, five colors, each with various levels of gloss, were produced. Some slip colors involve multiple-step processing to control glass content and degree of sintering; the control of particle size to produce variable roughness and a matte or semi-matt or glossy appearance. Considerable evidence supports nearly continuous development and engineering of the ceramic slips, although no data support the improvement in composition or processing of the ceramic bodies. For instance, significant macro-porosity consistently is present in the bodies. We present the results of study of 27 sherds with 59 examples of Corinthian polychrome paint layers, measuring 5 to 35 microns in thickness, that were collected by Marie Farnsworth in the late 1950s and 1960s from Greek archaeological sites. Black, red, white, wine red (or purple) and overlying, matte banded slips and paints were studied by optical microscopy, petrographic and scanning-electron microscopy with semi-quantative energy dispersive x-ray analysis, as well as wavelength-dispersive electron microprobe (EPMA) elemental mapping and analysis.

A multi‐analytical approach to unmask two Etruscan‐Corinthian fake vases: A contribution to the illicit trafficking of cultural goods

“…Amorphous carbon is usually found in the original black decoration of this artefact, due to the reducing atmosphere of firing 39 . Nevertheless, the black pigment samples do not have the glassy appearance typical of the ancient decorations, 39–41 suggesting a raw application, or otherwise a low‐temperature treatment. These data allow to establish that there is no evidence of the firing technique that characterizes this type of archaeological artefacts.…”