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protoattic neck amphora



History: This type of amphora is derived from the Geometric neck-handled amphora, with its tall vertical strap handles reaching from the shoulder to the upper part of the neck.

In Attica, both the Geometric and the Early Attic workshops were in operation by 710 B.C. Geometric ornamentation is beginning to decline and a new style of decoration can be detected on the vases, displacing the zigzag, the lozenge chain, the checkerboard patterns and the striding chariot scenes, which were so commonplace on the Late Geometric vessels. The new style has a lighter vase ground, which comes to play an increasingly important role. Closely related to the decline of Geometric art is the increasingly significant use of Oriental motives by the Greek artists. Previously, objects from the East were rare, but now Oriental imports become more common, attested to by grave finds and votive offerings, which consist mostly of works of art in ivory or bronze. On vases, decoration consists of picture friezes and occasionally animal friezes, which are frequently heraldically disposed. These are typical features of Near Eastern Art. In Attica, it is from the Sub-Geometric Period that the true mythological picture appears, and with the increasing acquaintance with Oriental art, Greek mythological illustration becomes the central preoccupation of the Greek artists.





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