Ionian Relief Ware
Turkey/Aegean
late 7th to late 6th c. BCE
Archaic
General Information
Relief ware first appeared in the Geometric period and reached its highest point in the Archaic period. Early examples are large thick-walled pithoi richly decored in relief. They are dated from the eighth to the sixth centuries BCE. Ionian workshops produced examples in the seventh and sixth centuries BCE. The distribution is generally limited to North Ionia, including Chios, Klazomenai, Erythrai, Teos, Phocaea and Old-Smyrna.
In mainland Greece significant groups of relief wares with figure scenes of cult and myth have been recorded in the sixth century BCE, from Corinth, Athens, Sparta, as well as in Crete, the Cyclades and Dodecanese (Tenos, Mykonos). These represent a special repertory of this class. Corinth is probably an important producer of these local groups.
Relief ware occurs in the following shapes: shallow basins, high stands, bathtubs, storage jars (pithoi), sarcophagi, mortaria and deep bowls
This class has raised a great deal of interest on account of its origin and outstanding decoration; see the work of J. Schäfer, S. S. Weinberg, D. Feytmans, M. Iozzo, N. M. Kontoleon and E. Simantoni-Bournia. These scholars have shown that vessels vary greatly according to the production area.
Ashdod-Yam (Israel-Palestinian Authority/Southern Coastal Plain)
Klazomenai (Turkey/Aegean)
