An oenochoe, also spelled oinochoe (Ancient Greek: οἰνοχόη; from Ancient Greek: οἶνοςoînos, "wine" and Ancient Greek: χέωkhéō, lit.'I pour', sense "wine pourer"; pl.: oinochoai; Neo-Latin: oenochoë, pl.: oenochoae, English pl.: oenochoes or oinochoes), is a winejug and a key form of ancient Greek pottery.
Mainly terracotta, rarely metals, stone, and later glass
Size
Typically 25 centimetres (9.8 in) or less in height
Writing
None in the Bronze Age, illustration names of depicted scenes in classical times
Classification
Oenochoe, "wine pourer"
Culture
Cross-cultural in Mediterranean civilizations
Intermediate between a pithos (large storage vessel) or amphora (transport vessel), and individual cups or bowls, it held fluid for several persons temporarily until it could be poured. The term "oinos" (Linear B: "wo-no") appears in Mycenaean Greek, but not the compound. The characteristic form was popular throughout the Bronze Age, especially at prehistoric Troy. In classical times for the most part the term "oinochoe" implied the distribution of wine. As the word began to diversify in meaning, the shape became a more important identifier than the word. The oinochoe could pour any fluid, not just wine. The English word, pitcher, is perhaps the closest in function.
There are many different forms of oenochoae; Sir John Beazley distinguished ten types. The earliest is the olpe (ὀλπή, olpḗ), with no distinct shoulder and usually a handle rising above the lip. The "type 8 oenochoe" is what one would call a mug, with no single pouring point and a slightly curved profile. The chous (χοῦς; pl.: choes) was a squat rounded form, with trefoil mouth. Small examples with scenes of children, as in the example illustrated, were placed in the graves of children.[1]
Characteristics of oenochoaeedit
Oenochoae may be decorated or undecorated.[2] They typically have only one handle, which may be opposite a trefoil mouth and pouring spout. At its most distinct development, the trefoil mouth offers three alternative directions of pouring, one opposite the handle, and two to the side, an advantage at a crowded table not afforded by English pitchers. Their size also varies considerably; most, at up to 25 centimetres (9.8 in) tall, could be comfortably held and poured with one hand, but there are much larger examples.
Most Greek oenochoae were in terracotta, but oenochoae of precious metals were not unknown, presumably among elements of society that could afford them, though but few have survived.[3] Large versions in stone were sometimes used as grave markers, often carved with reliefs. In pottery, some oinochoai are "plastic", with the body formed as sculpture, usually one or more human heads.
Prehistoric oenochoae were at first hand-made, unpolished, and undecorated. Low-economy oenochoae remained so, but gradually incised bands with simple motifs such as zig-zags and spirals, or burnished, monochrome surfaces, became common. In the Late Bronze Age the incised bands were painted for a more striking surface, and from then on the Greek oinochoai followed the traditional course of development for Greek decoration. Among the higher-quality pots, quite a few masterpieces have survived.
Gallery of oenochoaeedit
Oinochoe Shape 1, H. 22 cm (8 ½ inches), diam. 13.5 cm (5 ¼ in.), Eos (Dawn) pursuing Tithonus. Attic red-figure, 470–460 BC.
Oinochoe Shape 2, H. 23.5 cm (9 ¼ in.), diam. 14.3 cm (5 ½ in.), Attic, 4th century
Oinochoe Shape 3, H. 10.5 cm (4 in.), diam. 8.1 cm (3 in.)
Oinochoe Shape 7, H. 21 cm (8 ¼ in.), diam. 12.8 cm (5 in.), Javelin thrower. Attic red-figured, c. 450 BC.
Oinochoe Shape 8, 8th century BC
Oinochoe Olpe, Corinthian, c. 575 – c. 550 BC, H. 25.2 cm (9.9 in), diam. 13.1 cm (5.2 in)
Oinochoe Chous, last decade of the 5th century BC, 9.1 × 7 cm (3.6 × 2.8 in). Probably used in a child's grave.
Plastic version with woman's head
Funerary oinochoe, with "farewell" scene with a deceased woman, third quarter of the 4th century BC
The Dipylon inscription, c. 740 BC, perhaps the earliest datable Greek writing
Squat oinochoe, with ibex and lions, Otterlo Painter, late 7th c. BC
Apulian red-figure oinochoe by the White Saccos Workshop
Dispute between Ajax and Odysseus for Achilles' armour. Attic black-figure oinochoe, c. 520 BC. Kalos inscription. H. 20 cm (7 ¾ in.), diam. 13.7 cm (5 ¼ in.).
^Beazley Archive 2017-04-23 at the Wayback Machine, Oxford University, "Oinochoe, olpe and chous"
^Woodford, S. (1986). An Introduction to Greek Art. London: Duckworth, p. 12. ISBN0-7156-2095-9
^Silver 'oinochoe' from the "Tomb of Philip" at Vergina, accessdate=2015-06-24
External linksedit
Media related to Oinochoes at Wikimedia Commons
February 16, 2024
oenochoe, oenochoe, also, spelled, oinochoe, ancient, greek, οἰνοχόη, from, ancient, greek, οἶνος, oînos, wine, ancient, greek, χέω, khéō, pour, sense, wine, pourer, oinochoai, latin, oenochoë, oenochoae, english, oenochoes, oinochoes, wine, form, ancient, gre. An oenochoe also spelled oinochoe Ancient Greek oἰnoxoh from Ancient Greek oἶnos oinos wine and Ancient Greek xew kheō lit I pour sense wine pourer pl oinochoai Neo Latin oenochoe pl oenochoae English pl oenochoes or oinochoes is a wine jug and a key form of ancient Greek pottery OenochoeoἰnoxohTerracotta trefoil oenochoe Wild Goat style c 625 BC 600 BC in the Louvre Below bronze trefoil mouthed oenochoe with Dionysus head on handle attachment 330 320 BC part of the Vassil Bojkov collection Sofia Bulgaria MaterialMainly terracotta rarely metals stone and later glassSizeTypically 25 centimetres 9 8 in or less in heightWritingNone in the Bronze Age illustration names of depicted scenes in classical timesClassificationOenochoe wine pourer CultureCross cultural in Mediterranean civilizationsIntermediate between a pithos large storage vessel or amphora transport vessel and individual cups or bowls it held fluid for several persons temporarily until it could be poured The term oinos Linear B wo no appears in Mycenaean Greek but not the compound The characteristic form was popular throughout the Bronze Age especially at prehistoric Troy In classical times for the most part the term oinochoe implied the distribution of wine As the word began to diversify in meaning the shape became a more important identifier than the word The oinochoe could pour any fluid not just wine The English word pitcher is perhaps the closest in function Contents 1 Beazley s ten types 2 Characteristics of oenochoae 3 Gallery of oenochoae 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksBeazley s ten types editThere are many different forms of oenochoae Sir John Beazley distinguished ten types The earliest is the olpe ὀlph olpḗ with no distinct shoulder and usually a handle rising above the lip The type 8 oenochoe is what one would call a mug with no single pouring point and a slightly curved profile The chous xoῦs pl choes was a squat rounded form with trefoil mouth Small examples with scenes of children as in the example illustrated were placed in the graves of children 1 Characteristics of oenochoae editOenochoae may be decorated or undecorated 2 They typically have only one handle which may be opposite a trefoil mouth and pouring spout At its most distinct development the trefoil mouth offers three alternative directions of pouring one opposite the handle and two to the side an advantage at a crowded table not afforded by English pitchers Their size also varies considerably most at up to 25 centimetres 9 8 in tall could be comfortably held and poured with one hand but there are much larger examples Most Greek oenochoae were in terracotta but oenochoae of precious metals were not unknown presumably among elements of society that could afford them though but few have survived 3 Large versions in stone were sometimes used as grave markers often carved with reliefs In pottery some oinochoai are plastic with the body formed as sculpture usually one or more human heads Prehistoric oenochoae were at first hand made unpolished and undecorated Low economy oenochoae remained so but gradually incised bands with simple motifs such as zig zags and spirals or burnished monochrome surfaces became common In the Late Bronze Age the incised bands were painted for a more striking surface and from then on the Greek oinochoai followed the traditional course of development for Greek decoration Among the higher quality pots quite a few masterpieces have survived Gallery of oenochoae edit nbsp Oinochoe Shape 1 H 22 cm 8 inches diam 13 5 cm 5 in Eos Dawn pursuing Tithonus Attic red figure 470 460 BC nbsp Oinochoe Shape 2 H 23 5 cm 9 in diam 14 3 cm 5 in Attic 4th century nbsp Oinochoe Shape 3 H 10 5 cm 4 in diam 8 1 cm 3 in nbsp Oinochoe Shape 7 H 21 cm 8 in diam 12 8 cm 5 in Javelin thrower Attic red figured c 450 BC nbsp Oinochoe Shape 8 8th century BC nbsp Oinochoe Olpe Corinthian c 575 c 550 BC H 25 2 cm 9 9 in diam 13 1 cm 5 2 in nbsp Oinochoe Chous last decade of the 5th century BC 9 1 7 cm 3 6 2 8 in Probably used in a child s grave nbsp Plastic version with woman s head nbsp Funerary oinochoe with farewell scene with a deceased woman third quarter of the 4th century BC nbsp Bronze oenochoe Nova Zagora Bulgaria with a trefoil spout nbsp Archaic period 750 600 BC nbsp Oinochoe by the Shuvalov Painter Berlin F2414 with famous erotic scene nbsp The Dipylon inscription c 740 BC perhaps the earliest datable Greek writing nbsp Squat oinochoe with ibex and lions Otterlo Painter late 7th c BC nbsp Apulian red figure oinochoe by the White Saccos Workshop nbsp Dispute between Ajax and Odysseus for Achilles armour Attic black figure oinochoe c 520 BC Kalos inscription H 20 cm 7 in diam 13 7 cm 5 in nbsp Iberian oinochoe with vegetal decoration Cartagena SpainSee also editTypology of Greek vase shapes Corpus vasorum antiquorum Ancient Greek vase painting Pottery of ancient GreeceReferences edit Beazley Archive Archived 2017 04 23 at the Wayback Machine Oxford University Oinochoe olpe and chous Woodford S 1986 An Introduction to Greek Art London Duckworth p 12 ISBN 0 7156 2095 9 Silver oinochoe from the Tomb of Philip at Vergina accessdate 2015 06 24External links edit nbsp Media related to Oinochoes at Wikimedia Commons Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Oenochoe amp oldid 1187035547, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
