Black varnish ceramic
A genus of ancient Greek fine ceramics is called black varnish ceramics . The modern name describes clay pots with a black coating.
Black varnish ceramics were mainly produced in the Classical and Hellenistic periods. During a reduced fire, sintering of the iron-containing clay resulted in a shiny black product. The ceramics were both turned on a potter's wheel and made in shaped bowls. The varnish was applied with a brush on a rotating turntable or by immersing it in a slurry. Sometimes the black varnish pottery was decorated with white, red or gold painting. Stampings and vessel walls in relief were also common . In the course of the 5th century BC, black varnish ceramics were displaced within a century. The red-figure pottery from the markets of the Mediterranean. Since the Hellenistic period, non-Greek workshops were also active, the production of which was mostly not only intended for the local or regional market. In recent years, the importance of black varnish ceramics for research into food culture, regional contacts and trade history has increased significantly.
literature
- Roald F. Docter: Black Varnish Pottery. In: The New Pauly (DNP). Volume 11, Metzler, Stuttgart 2001, ISBN 3-476-01481-9 , column 281 f.
