Horsehead Amphora

The Horsehead Amphora is a specific type of amphora, produced in Athens 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 , the painters did not apply a separate 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 interpre

Horsehead Amphora

The Horsehead Amphora is a specific type of amphora, produced in Athens 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 , the painters did not apply a separate 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 interpre