Geometric Period
(800-700 or 8th century)
Population growth
Increase in agricultural production
Re-established trade contacts
Rise of market economy
Increasing social stratification
Adoption of alphabetic script
Rise of the polis
Polis: ancient Greek city state
Geometric pottery was picked up everywhere throughout Greece.
Major cities are originally started in geo period.
Polis is inner city, territory around is included but named differently.
Some ruled by kings, oligarchies, tyranny.
Ceramics
Some vessels decorated with slip
Some vessels covered fully to make majority dark patterns
From early geometric to middle, decoration becomes more complex
Late geometric: fully covered highly compex design with figure
elements
Transport amphora: undecored durable amphora for trade
Dipylon Amphora
Athens (late geometric, mid 8th c. ca. 750)
Dipylon Crater
““
Depicted on these:
Prothesis: “laying out” of the body of the deceased.
Ekphora: procession of chariots to honor deceased.
The detail and care of these denote that they were created for
nobles/diplomats
Neck Amphora or crater: male
Belly handled amphor: women
Ash urn underground with decorated large vessel above to mark.
, Openings run through decorated marker vessels for liquid offerings
(libations)
Rich lady’s Burial
Ca. 850 bce
Kerameikos cemetery in Athens
Contains:
30–35-year-old women
7–8-month-old fetus
Belly-handled amphora covered with drinking cup
Chest w/ five model graneries (or beehives, etc)
Gold jewelry
Faience necklace
Temple of Apollo Daphnephoros (“Laurel-Bearer”)
Eretria (on Euboia)
Archaeology indicates cite in used over several centuries
Sacred to apollo
Daphneprorous: descriptor of laurel bearer.
Laurel: symbol of apollo from myth of daphne
Hekatompedon (100 footer)
Stone foundation, upper mudbrick, timber, and thatch
Temple functions:
Sacrifices on the exterior
Cult image or sculpture on interior
Offerings and objects given to the god on interior
Icons of the period were aniconic (rather than a physical representation
its just a lump of wood)
Connection between state governments and the creation of temples
House or temple models
8th c. from the Argolid region
Sanctuary: area around a temple
Models may depict the temple of Hera
Panhellenic Sanctuary
(800-700 or 8th century)
Population growth
Increase in agricultural production
Re-established trade contacts
Rise of market economy
Increasing social stratification
Adoption of alphabetic script
Rise of the polis
Polis: ancient Greek city state
Geometric pottery was picked up everywhere throughout Greece.
Major cities are originally started in geo period.
Polis is inner city, territory around is included but named differently.
Some ruled by kings, oligarchies, tyranny.
Ceramics
Some vessels decorated with slip
Some vessels covered fully to make majority dark patterns
From early geometric to middle, decoration becomes more complex
Late geometric: fully covered highly compex design with figure
elements
Transport amphora: undecored durable amphora for trade
Dipylon Amphora
Athens (late geometric, mid 8th c. ca. 750)
Dipylon Crater
““
Depicted on these:
Prothesis: “laying out” of the body of the deceased.
Ekphora: procession of chariots to honor deceased.
The detail and care of these denote that they were created for
nobles/diplomats
Neck Amphora or crater: male
Belly handled amphor: women
Ash urn underground with decorated large vessel above to mark.
, Openings run through decorated marker vessels for liquid offerings
(libations)
Rich lady’s Burial
Ca. 850 bce
Kerameikos cemetery in Athens
Contains:
30–35-year-old women
7–8-month-old fetus
Belly-handled amphora covered with drinking cup
Chest w/ five model graneries (or beehives, etc)
Gold jewelry
Faience necklace
Temple of Apollo Daphnephoros (“Laurel-Bearer”)
Eretria (on Euboia)
Archaeology indicates cite in used over several centuries
Sacred to apollo
Daphneprorous: descriptor of laurel bearer.
Laurel: symbol of apollo from myth of daphne
Hekatompedon (100 footer)
Stone foundation, upper mudbrick, timber, and thatch
Temple functions:
Sacrifices on the exterior
Cult image or sculpture on interior
Offerings and objects given to the god on interior
Icons of the period were aniconic (rather than a physical representation
its just a lump of wood)
Connection between state governments and the creation of temples
House or temple models
8th c. from the Argolid region
Sanctuary: area around a temple
Models may depict the temple of Hera
Panhellenic Sanctuary
