Evolution of Pottery Part 2

The Iron AgeAbout 900 BC to 1300 BC

*bronze had previously been used to make tools

*development of higher temperature smelting techniques resulted in tools and

weapons made of iron and steel.

*steel was too difficult to produce

*wrought iron is easy to use*less expensive

*easily sharpened

Olmec Culture Middle America

1200 BC- 500 BC

*eastern gulf coast of Mexico*one of the earliest civilizations

in pre-Columbian Central America

(Pre-columbian means the time in the Americas before European influence, generally before

1500AD)

Olmecs made *stone sculptures

*clay figurines depicting were-jaguars (half human, half jaguar)

*baby figures (believed to be earthly forms of gods)

Olmec were-jaguar

Chavin CultureSouth America 1100 BC-400 BC

*made a whistle jar (whistled when the contents of the jar was

poured out)

*also made a stirrup vessel. (all pots used in funeral ceremonies and

buried with the dead)

http://www.antiquitiesplus.com/images/ChimuPotCF.JPG

Middle East: Azerbaijan900 BC-500 BC

Earliest Lead Glaze

*extended color range in glaze was achieved when lead was

introduced into glaze formulas

*Black, red, green, purple, yellow and white

*Lead is toxic*should not be used on pottery

because it can leach into food and beverages

Classic Greek Pottery1000 BC-300 BC

*Ancient Greeks used black slip *they painted heroic and mythical figures

on a red clay background

*they controlled the amount of _________ in the kiln

(answer next slide)

Answer: oxygen

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b8/Calyx-krater_Louvre_CA929.jpg

*negative shapes were painted with black slip

*figures (positive shapes) remained the color of the clay

Italy 700 BC- 400 BC

*they made brilliant colored life-sized figures *decorated their temples and sarcophagi

Middle EastTin+Lead Glazes

600 BC

*potters painted a tin+lead white glaze background on red tiles then painted decorations

*walls and buildings were decorated with beautiful tiles

*later, they drew raised lines with slip, which kept the glaze colors from running into each other

Africa Terra Cotta Sculpture

300 BC- 1400 AD*Africans developed great skill with clay

*they made full-sized human figures

Xi-an, China Terra Cotta Army

*for Emperor Qin’s imperial tomb*246-210BC

*made by 700,000 Chinese workers in factory *8000 clay soldiers (all different)

*130 chariots, 670 horses*discovered underground in 1974

China, Han Dynasty206 BC- 221 AD

*Mingqui (tomb pottery) was produced

*models of family, servants, buildings, farm animals*made to accompany the deceased to the spirit

world.

Han Dynasty “Fowling Tower”

Korea57 BC- 935 AD

*ash-glazed stoneware *lead-glazed earthenware

South America100- 700 AD

Mochica potters made ceremonial pots

*recorded historical and mythological events

*narrated their life and customs

China 200 AD

*discovery of leadless glaze *required high temperature firing.

The Roman Empire200 BC- 476 AD

*mass production, large kilns*bricks, roof tiles, ceramic floor tiles, decorative

ornaments

Next:

the The Dark Ages

in Western Europe

Evolution III