When were the Greek Vases made?
Vases were started to produce in Greece not later than 6000 B.C. Wheels were used since about 2500 B.C., early Minoan period. In 18th century, fine vases, called Camares ware, with some applied colour and naturalistic ornaments were made in Crete.
In Greece mainland, under the influence of Crete, Mycenaean pottery was produced from 13th century to 12th, with simple symmetrical ornaments.
Although the period after the decline of Mycenaean civilization is called "dark age", potteries were produced continuously. Proto-geometric period precede Geometric period. Former is 1200-900 B.C. and circular ornaments were preferred. Latter is 900-700 B.C. and angular ornaments, such as a meander pattern, were preferred. In late geometric potteries, human figures were painted by silhouette technique.
Trade with Near East became vigorous in seventh century, and Greek pottery workshops introduced some ornaments and figures, animals such as a lion, a panther and birds and monsters such as a Sphinx and a Harpy, from the arts or the crafts of these country. Markets were occupied by the vases of Corinth, where the black-figure technique was introduced. However, in sixth century, the potteries of Athens took the place of it with political and economical development. In about 525 B.C., a new technique "red-figure" was invented and exported all around the Mediterranean sea.
But after the development of wall paintings in the middle of the fifth century, the quality of vase-painting declined. Some cities in south Italy and Sicily began to produce the red-figure vases in the late fifth century and they took the market in the Magna Graecia from Athens. Athenian workshop found some market places along the coast of the Black sea, but the production of figured vase was ended in the late fourth century, and south Italian workshop followed, though these workshops continued to produce black-glazed or relief potteries.