Storage
Amphora

Oval body with a vertical handle on either side. It was used for storage of wine or sometimes oil. The name "Amphora" is from the word "amphi" means on both sides and "phero" means to bring.

Amphora is classified into "neck amphora", which has a offset neck or "belly amphora", which has a continuous profile from the lip to the foot. Former has some sub-categories: "nolan amphora" with flaring mouth, "panathenaic amphora" a prize for the winner of the game at the Panathenaic festival, "nikosthenic amphora" derived from the Bucchero pottery, "pointed amphora" with a knob at the bottom.

Amphora was produced from the beginning of the black-figure to the end of the red-figure and became slender in later period.
Neck Amphora

Oval body, a offset neck with a thick mouth, two vertical handles and a heavy stand.

Some geometric amphora have a decoration "SOS" on either side of the neck. Black-figured neck amphora usually has a lotus-palmette pattern instead of "SOS" and figured scene on the body.

Tyrrhenian amphora, made in the middle of sixth century, has a tall body and the amphora made by Exekias or other potter has a round body, and later amphora has intermediate shape. Cf. Rhode 25.083 (Perseus Project).

In the early year of the red-figure, neck amphora wasn't so popular. "Nolan amphora", a variety of neck amphora, was favoured in the first half of the fifth century, and neck amphora with twisted handles was preferred in the second half. Cf. Rhode 15.005 (Perseus Project).

Dimensions: height about 40cm, late black-figure example is about 25cm and some late red-figure is over 60cm
Nolan Amphora

Oval body, a offset flaring neck, handles and a heavy stand. The name was derived from the site where many nolan amphorae were found.

Workshops of the early fifth century, probably of the Berlin painter, introduced this shape and his follower preferred this shape, although it was disappeared in the second half of the century.

Figured scene is arranged on the body and the ornament is usually a meander pattern intended for the ground line. Cf. Rhode 23.323 (Perseus Project).

Dimensions: height about 30cm
Panathenaic Amphora

Broad body tapering sharply downward, a offset neck with a heavy mouth, handles cylindrical in section and a small stand.

It was used as a prize for the Panathenaic game held every four years and olive oil harvested from the trees in Academia was contained.

Figured scene is arranged on either side of the body, Athena between the columns is on one side, Tampa 86.24 (Perseus Project), the game he won on the other.

The oldest example is about 560 B.C. and painted by the black-figure in the age of the red-figure and hellenistic period. Since the fourth century, the name of Archon for the year was appeared by the right hand column.

There are many other subject for this shape, though these were not for the prize, and flourished in the first half of the fifth century. Cf. Philadelphia 31-36-11 (Perseus Project).

Dimensions: height about 60cm, late example is about 80cm
Pointed Amphora

Round body, a offset neck with a heavy mouth, handles cylindrical in section and a small knob instead of a stand. It was probably placed on a stand.

It was painted by the black- and red-figure, although produced only the first half of the fifth century.

Figured scene is arranged on the body. Cf. Toledo 1958.69A (Perseus Project).

Dimensions: height about 50-60cm
Nikosthenic Amphora

Oval body with offset neck, a broad handle on either side and flaring stand. This shape was introduced from the Bucchero pottery by the potter Nikosthenes in about 530 B.C. It was painted by the black- and red-figure, though disappeared in the early fifth century.

The figured scene is arranged on the body, the neck and the handles. Cf. Rhode 23.303 (Perseus Project).

Dimensions: height about 30cm
belly Amphora

Oval body with a continuous profile from the lip to the foot and two handles. It is classified into three from the shape of the handle and the lip: type A has a flaring lip and flat handles with flanges, Cf. Philadelphia MS3442 (Perseus Project), type B has a flaring lip and handles cylindrical in section and type C has rolled lip and cylindrical handles. Cf. Harvard 1972.42 (Perseus Project).

Type B is the oldest, appeared in the first half of the sixth century, and type C is preferred by the red-figure painters.

Figured scene is arranged on the body and a ray-pattern is applied on the lower part of the body. A ivy pattern is arranged on the handle of type A. A lotus-palmette pattern is preferred by the black-figure painter for the frame of the picture. Some red-figure painters used only a meander patterns for the ground line.

Dimensions: height about 60cm(type A), 20-50cm(type B), 40cm(type C)
Pelike

Round body with the widest portion toward the base and a broad neck forming a continuous curve with the body. This shape was probably developed from belly amphora type C and used as a container for wine or oil. The name "Pelike" was used for the various shape, kylix, oinochoe or lekanis and modern scholar applied it for this shape.

Pelike was introduced at the end of the sixth century and made till the end of the vase-painting. Figured scene is arranged on the body. The way of decoration is similar to belly amphora, though usually roughly painted. Cf. Harvard 1925.30.46 (Perseus Project).

Dimensions: height about 20-50cm, usually 30-40cm
Stamnos

Round body, a offset short neck with a wide mouth, loop handles placed high on the body and curving slightly upward and a heavy stand. The name "Stamnos" seems to be used not only for the shape, but also amphora or pelike.

It was introduced in the late sixth century and preferred by the red-figure workshops.

Figured scene is arranged on the body. A ornate palmette pattern is arranged on either side under the handles. Cf. Harvard 1925.30.40 (Perseus Project).

Dimensions: height about 30-40cm, rarely over 60cm
Transport Amphora

A large amphora used for mainly transporting wine. The shape is generally tall and has a pointed foot. It is explained that the shape was convinient to pile up the vases, rather than the shape with a heavy and large foot. The vase was stored on a stand or buried into the ground. The shape is varied from region to region, which is helpful to identify the manufactured place. Later examples have stamps on the handles with the year of harvest. Cf. Rhodian Amphora from Paphos (University of Sydney).

Dimensions: height about 50-70cm

Pithos

A large storage vessel, often buried into the ground. It sometimes has relief decoration. Cf. Sparta (Laconian Professionals ).

Dimensions: height about 1m, but some exaples are over 2m