General Information

From the fifth through third centuries BCE, potters in the eastern Mediterranean made table vessels that were deliberate and quite faithful versions of ones made in Athens, the main city in the region of Attica, in Greece. The term "Atticizing wares" is used as a broad descriptor for these productions, since potters consciously emulated Attic originals in both form and finish. In Turkey there were many centers making excellent Atticizing vessels, especially along the Ionian coast (e.g., Sigeon, Clazomenae) and further south, in Cilicia. 

Atticizing wares differ from the widespread group of Western Asia Minor (WAM) black slip wares. While Atticizing wares are literal copies of Attic black glaze vessels, WAM black slip vessels are more casual products which are generally inspired by Attic shapes but do not pretend to imitate them.

Sometimes it is difficult to distinguish Atticizing from true Attic, especially for products of the late 5th and 4th centuries BCE. The fabric tends to be less well levigated with visible inclusions and a crumbly texture. The glaze can be metallic or thick as opposed to lustrous. Not all Attic shapes get imitated. The most common Atticizing forms are bolsals, kantharoi, skyphoi, bowls, and sometimes one-handlers. Vessels follow the stamping and rouletting patterns of Attic models, but sometimes with duller or less articulated stamps. Interestingly, Atticizing production of these shapes continues long after they ceased to be made in Athens.

Attic imitation ware