The reemergence of decorated pottery in the Aegean is a slow refining process of picking up where the Mycenaean left off after inheriting the great pottery traditions of Crete. This early Greek style continued to evolve until the mature geometric style emerged. The circles and half circles of the Proto-Geometric style are replaced by increasingly complex designs and feature patterns such as the meander, the key pattern and the swastika. As with many early pottery traditions, these designs may have been largely influenced by basketry, wickerwork and weaving. in fact the similarity between the woven patterns of the time and designs on the pots have led some archeologists to theorize that many of the painters of these early greek pots were women as weaving was their exclusive territory.
Figures emerge on the work around 800 bce and may have been influenced by eastern arts.
Most of the large vessels of the period were used as grave markers and feature funerary scenes. These are the most ambitious and heavily decorated objects of the period.
While the later periods of greek pottery are far more well know and celebrated, this work is more engaging to my eye. These pots integrate form and decoration to a greater degree than the later work which can seem an exercise is excess in both pot and decoration which the two rarely meet for the benefit of the entire vessel.
I used the wonderful The History of Greek Vases by John Boardman for source material in this post.
I have always wondered if these were displayed in a building or left outdoors uncovered. I would imagine they were protected to be in such great shape thousands of years later. I have read they poured oil in them as offerings to the dead.