The subject of my thesis is the examination of the red-figure pottery from the workshop of Chalkidice in northern Greece, which was active from the last quarter of the 5th until the middle of the 4th century BC. It is possible that these red-figure vases were produced in the city of Olynthos, however, one of the main goals is to examine their dispersion in many areas of the Chalkidice peninsula, and within the kingdom of ancient Macedonia. In addition, I will study the shapes of these vases, and the iconographical subjects. Concluding remarks regarding the trade of this type of pottery are also going to be drawn.
To begin with, D. M. Robinson excavated the ancient city of Olynthos from 1928 until 1938. There he found numerous red-figure vases not only in the settlement but also in the cemetery. It is interesting that some of these red-figure pots were crafted in the local workshops of Chalkidice. Other vases of these local workshops have also been identified in private collections and excavations and are now located mainly in the Thessaloniki and Polygyros museums. In addition, excavations from Torone and other sites in north Greece have brought to light some local red-figure pottery from the Chalkidice workshop.
The basic distinction between these local vases and the Attic red-figure counterparts is the clay and glaze. To exemplify, local vases were manufactured from a good quality clay with numerous particles of golden mica. The fired clay colour is usually light brown or reddish yellow. Traces of a reddish miltos are also common on reserved surfaces. The glaze is usually black, dull, and easily flaked. In contrast to what was mentioned above, Attic clay was harder, containing fewer particles of mica and usually of a more orange-red colour, while the glaze of Attic red-figure vases is shinier and more evenly applied on the surface of the vases.
Red-figure vases of the Chalkidice workshop follow a variety of shapes. The Attic skyphos with two horizontal handles below the rim is the most common. Furthermore, other shapes like pelikai, oinochoai, labetes gamikoi, hydriae, bell- kraters, bolsals, lekanides, kotylai, askoi, pyxides and an epichysis have also been identified.
Another important aspect of my Dissertation will be the examination of iconographical themes upon these local vases. Satyrs, Maenads, athletes, and scenes from the female world are the most common themes. Mythological themes are not so common; while the deity Eros is by far the most often depicted god.
Furthermore, the facilities of the workshop of Chalkidice which produced red- figure pottery have not been located yet. The most probable suggestion supports that these might be located at the city of Olynthos, but this remains to be proven with further investigation of the site.
But why do these local vases share so many similarities with the Attic red-figure pottery? The answer can perhaps be found through investigating the historical background. The beginning of the production of this pottery is traditionally dated at 432 BC. when Olynthos and Potidaea rebelled against Athens. Olynthos gathered numerous people from the coastal zone, becoming the main point of the revolt. The city of Potidaea was easily recaptured in 430/429 BC. After that, it expelled the inhabitants and Athenian colonists were resettled in the city. During the years of Peloponnesian war, the trade of Attic pottery with the city of Potidaea and other cities of Chalkidice flourished. At that time, the craftsmen of the workshop at Chalkidice started to imitate the Athenian pottery by making their own in their workshops, in order to compete with the Athenian red-figure pottery which arrived in the Chalkidice peninsula.
To conclude, in this essay I am going to present the red-figure pottery which has been found in ancient Macedonia, from the Chalkidice peninsula (Olynthos, Torone) to the central Balkans (Isar Marvinci). My thesis will begin with the presentation of shapes and will continue with the examination of clay and glaze, and of the iconographic themes followed by a catalogue of objects. In addition, I will examine the trade network of the red-figure vases of the workshop of Chalkidice, which were produced in some numbers, besides their relatively low quality in connection with Attic pottery of the same period. I hope that this essay will contribute to the research of the local red- figure pottery, which flourished in the area of Chalkidice from the late 5th century BC until the middle of the 4th century BC, and that it will be a useful tool for the future study of this type of pottery.
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