Brill’s New Pauly

Get access

Pottery, shapes and types of
(2,241 words)

[German version]

A. Forms, functions, names

The variety of ancient pottery (ἀγγεῖον/angeîon; vas) results primarily from the diversity of uses, such as transport, storage, scooping, pouring, mixing of solid or fluid contents (functional shapes) and secondarily from differences of form determined by period and region (types). The functional shape indicates only the basic functional structure, which is given its concrete expression only by a type. The fixed functional characteristics of an amphora (cf. fig. A…

Cite this page
Scheibler, Ingeborg (Krefeld), “Pottery, shapes and types of”, in: Brill’s New Pauly, Antiquity volumes edited by: Hubert Cancik and , Helmuth Schneider, English Edition by: Christine F. Salazar, Classical Tradition volumes edited by: Manfred Landfester, English Edition by: Francis G. Gentry. Consulted online on 04 June 2023 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/1574-9347_bnp_e420380>
First published online: 2006
First print edition: 9789004122598, 20110510



▲   Back to top   ▲