Horsehead Amphora
Encyclopedia
The Horsehead Amphora is a specific type of amphora
, produced in Athen
s from about 600 BC onwards. They are vessels with a very pronounced belly, decorated with black figure horseheads on both sides. In a single case, one side depicts a woman’s head. In contrast to earlier belly amphorae, the painters did not apply a separet frieze on the neck. The decoration was painted within reserved rectangular panels; the remaining vase of the body was painted black. More than 100 such amphorae are known; they were painted by a variety of artists, including ones of mediocre quality. The amphorae appear to have had a specific meaning or purpose, remains elusive to modern scholarship. Some scholars have suggested that they were grave vases, but not a single specimen was found in a grave context. Should that interpretation be correct, the horses may be connected with Hades
, or be symbols of Poseidon
in an unusual role as god of the underworld
. A further possibility is that the vases served as vitvory prizes. Erika Simon
proposed that they were typical votive dedications using by the Athenian nobility, who also provided the state’s cavalry. In that case, the horsehead would be a symbol of social standing. According to John D. Beazley, the vases were part of the Athenian vase painters' repertoire for less than half a century. No stylistic development can be detected. It is possible that they were precursors to the Panathenaic prize amphorae. The Painter of the Aachen horsehead is named for his habit of painting horsehead amphorae.
Amphora
An amphora is a type of vase-shaped, usually ceramic container with two handles and a long neck narrower than the body...
, produced in Athen
Athen
Athen may refer to:* Athens, capital of Greece - Athen in German, Norwegian, and Danish* SS Athen , German merchant ship lost off Portland Bill in the English Channel in 1906, and now a dive site....
s from about 600 BC onwards. They are vessels with a very pronounced belly, decorated with black figure horseheads on both sides. In a single case, one side depicts a woman’s head. In contrast to earlier belly amphorae, the painters did not apply a separet frieze on the neck. The decoration was painted within reserved rectangular panels; the remaining vase of the body was painted black. More than 100 such amphorae are known; they were painted by a variety of artists, including ones of mediocre quality. The amphorae appear to have had a specific meaning or purpose, remains elusive to modern scholarship. Some scholars have suggested that they were grave vases, but not a single specimen was found in a grave context. Should that interpretation be correct, the horses may be connected with Hades
Hades
Hades , Hadēs, originally , Haidēs or , Aidēs , meaning "the unseen") was the ancient Greek god of the underworld. The genitive , Haidou, was an elision to denote locality: "[the house/dominion] of Hades". Eventually, the nominative came to designate the abode of the dead.In Greek mythology, Hades...
, or be symbols of Poseidon
Poseidon
Poseidon was the god of the sea, and, as "Earth-Shaker," of the earthquakes in Greek mythology. The name of the sea-god Nethuns in Etruscan was adopted in Latin for Neptune in Roman mythology: both were sea gods analogous to Poseidon...
in an unusual role as god of the underworld
Underworld
The Underworld is a region which is thought to be under the surface of the earth in some religions and in mythologies. It could be a place where the souls of the recently departed go, and in some traditions it is identified with Hell or the realm of death...
. A further possibility is that the vases served as vitvory prizes. Erika Simon
Erika Simon
Erika Simon is a German scholar of classical archaeology and professor emeritus of the University of Würzburg.-Selected writings:* 1968 Ara Pacis Augustae* 1983 Festivals of Attica: an Archaeological Commentary...
proposed that they were typical votive dedications using by the Athenian nobility, who also provided the state’s cavalry. In that case, the horsehead would be a symbol of social standing. According to John D. Beazley, the vases were part of the Athenian vase painters' repertoire for less than half a century. No stylistic development can be detected. It is possible that they were precursors to the Panathenaic prize amphorae. The Painter of the Aachen horsehead is named for his habit of painting horsehead amphorae.