Ancient Mediterranean August 1, 2008

The potters in and around Corinth developed the art of decorating vessels with lively parades of animals in single file. The beasts are shown in profile but their heads turn toward the viewer, usually with an expression people think of as a charming archaic smile. These animals, in red and black on buff-colored clay, are imaginary or mythical beasts, and most of them, real or fanciful, are tokens of power.