Making Archaeological Forgeries
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When producing forgeries of ancient art, many forgers run into the same problem that ultimately exposes their work as fakes. The use of materials or styles that are not consistent chronologically with the time period they are trying to imitate is a clear indicator that the work is not authentic. To bypass this, skilled forgers attempt to source materials that align with the historical period they aim to replicate. This process of deception becomes increasingly difficult with ancient archaeological forgeries because ancient tools and materials employed to produce artworks may not be available or used any longer. For example, many clays used in ancient Greek and Roman pottery, like Attic clay, Etruscan bucchero, and Roman terra sigillata, had unique mineral compositions and preparation methods that would be difficult to replicate today. While similar materials may still exist, the exact sources and traditional techniques have been lost or are no longer in use.
Fraudulent forgers may also attempt to age a work using chemicals or physical methods to make a piece look older. This could involve artificially cracking paint, yellowing paper, or creating patinas (a green/brown film on bronze of similar metals caused by oxidation over a long period of time). If you take a look at the forgery of an ancient Corinthian oinochoe in the exhibit, you can see the forced aging of objects to make them appear ancient come to fruition. Another example can be seen with the miniature amphora where the artist tried to copy the style of ancient storytelling, but the technique is notably a modern process, as the decoration is painted and not fired. A final example, the Greek askos, is another instance of forced aging to make a modern object appear ancient. Due to the complexities of techniques and materials employed, however, it remains challenging today to replicate archaeological objects.
- Corinthian Oinochoe (pitcher)
Date: 21st century (forgery)
Medium: Pottery
Dimensions: H. 30.2 cm (11.8 in.); diameter 17.5 cm (6.8 in.)
Credit Line: Comando Carabinieri Tutela Patrimonio Culturale (TPC)
This is a forgery of an ancient Corinthian oinochoe (pitcher), produced in the style from the ancient Greek city state of Corinth. It is an attempt to recreate the original late Proto-Corinthian style from around 650-625 BCE. This vessel tries to replicate the original Corinthian pottery, including: the trefoil mouth, a singular handle, the off-white color, and the particular design painted on the pitcher. The frieze around the neck and body of the jug depicts real and fantastic animals as well as floral elements in both black and red glaze, including lions, panthers, swans, boars, and mythical figures like sirens. This iconography is meant to imitate the repetitive bands of animal decoration typical of Corinthian art, which was influenced by the art of the ancient Near East. The pitcher can be identified as a forgery based on the poor forced aging of the surface painting as well as lack of quality craftmanship of the vessel
- Small Vase in the Shape of a Miniature Amphora
Date: 21st century (forgery)
Medium: Pottery; Black-Figure (imitates)
Dimensions: H. 16.2 cm (6.3 in.); diameter 13.1 cm (5.1 in.)
Credit Line: Comando Carabinieri Tutela Patrimonio Culturale (TPC)
This vase is a recreation of an ancient Greek flask, often used to store liquids such as oils, somewhat resembling the shape of a miniature amphora. It is decorated in the 6th-century BCE Black-Figure pottery style, with iconographic depictions of various human and mythical figures. One side of the vessel depicts a male figure wearing winged sandals in the act of attacking a half human/half animal creature. Most likely, the forger was trying to reproduce the mythical episode of the hero Perseus beheading the Gorgon Medusa, who in ancient Archaic Greek art is often represented with a porcine face, bulging eyes, and large nose. Her wings and round curls are also typical of the Gorgon while she is missing the protruding tongue that often -but not always- characterizes her. A naked male, possibly a satyr, and a dressed female figure holding a plate populate the other side of the vessel. The poor quality of both craftsmanship and painting is evident. The decoration appears simply painted but not fired and the odd shape of the vessel is another indication of forgery.
- Askos (flask with a handle over the top)
Date: 21st century (forgery)
Medium: Pottery; Black-Figure (imitates)
Dimensions: H. 18.2 cm (7.2 in.); diameter 18.2 cm (7.2 in.)
Credit Line: Comando Carabinieri Tutela Patrimonio Culturale (TPC)
This form of ceramic vessel is called askos (plural askoi), meaning “wine skin,” because it resembles liquid containers made from animal skins or organs. Askoi were typically used for storing small quantity of liquids or unguents. This modern forgery of a Greek, Black-Figure, ring-shaped askos from the 6th century BCE has a doughnut-shaped body, a low, vertical spout with flaring rim, and a single basket handle that forms a low arch from the bottom of the neck to the top of the body on the opposite side. The decorative design mimics a banquet scene with reclining male and female figures. The forger attempted to simulate the appearance of an antique artifact by adding fake crusts of mineral deposit on the object.
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