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In the early centuries of Greek civilization, the art created by these warlike tribes was characterized by stylized, abstract forms and a strict use of patterns and shapes—a style now referred to by art historians as the Geometric Period.
In the early centuries of Greek civilization, the art created by these warlike tribes was characterized by stylized, abstract forms and a strict use of patterns and shapes—a style now referred to by art historians as the Geometric Period.
The foundations of Classical Greece can be traced back to the Geometric period (ca. 900–700 B.C.), a time of significant transformation that laid the groundwork for key Greek institutions. During this era, the city-state (polis) emerged, the Greek alphabet was developed, and increased trade and colonization led to the founding of new settlements along the coasts of Asia Minor, southern Italy, and Sicily.
Geometric Greece also experienced a cultural revival of its heroic past, especially through epic poetry and the visual arts. The 8th century B.C. marks the era of Homer, whose epic poems—the Iliad and the Odyssey—recount the legendary Trojan War and the journey of Odysseus. These stories not only shaped Greek identity but also reflected the values of a newly emerging aristocracy, who expressed their status through material wealth and connections to the Homeric past.
Key Terms
horror vacui: From the Latin, fear of empty space, it is a style of painting where the entire surface of a space is filled with patterns and figures.
amphora: A two-handled jar with a narrow neck that was used in ancient times to store or carry wine or oils.
krater: An ancient Greek vessel for mixing water and wine.
Geometric amphora: Geometric amphora, from the Dipylon Cemetery, Athens, Greece, c. 740 BCE
Geometric amphora: Geometric amphora, from the Dipylon Cemetery, Athens, Greece, c. 740 BCE
This monumental amphora is a striking example of Greek art from the Geometric period, named for its highly stylized decorative vocabulary. Produced around 740 BCE, it was used as a funerary marker in the Dipylon Cemetery in Athens. The vase is covered with meticulously organized bands of geometric patterns including zigzags, meanders, chevrons, checkerboards, diamonds, and rosettes—all carefully painted with precision and rhythm.
Human and animal figures began to appear during this time but retained geometric characteristics: bodies were simplified into triangles, rectangles, and stick-like limbs. These forms are rendered as flat, outlined shapes, with no attempt to create the illusion of three-dimensional space. Instead, the emphasis is on surface design and symmetry, highlighting the decorative rather than naturalistic approach.
As the artist progressed, the amphora illustrates a narrative evolution—from purely abstract motifs to the inclusion of animal forms, then human figures, and eventually mythological scenes, including episodes from Homeric epics and the Labors of Hercules in later works. This vessel represents an important transitional phase in Greek art, marking the early efforts to tell stories through visual imagery while still rooted in formal abstraction.
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