It is difficult in the 19th century to realise the importance of vases in ancient life. To the Greeks a vase was a receptacle for food, liquid, or storage, and for the adornment of the home. It was used in the daily life of the living and buried with the dead. Most of the finer Greek vases have been found in Etruscan tombs, but of Greek workmanship, imported from Greece or Grecian Colonies. Some black unglazed Etruscan vases have been found, but painted vases of Etruscan origin are rare.

Early Greek pottery, dating probably from the 10th century B.C., has been found in Greece, the Colonies of Rhodes, Cyrene in Africa, and Naucratis in the delta of Egypt—these, showing an historic development, are arranged in groups, each with its distinctive characteristic:—(1st) Primitive vases, simple in shape, handles small or absent, decorations in simple line, punctured or incised, or in raised slip. (2nd) MycenÆ or Colonial (B.C. 900-700) vases, often covered with a creamy slip; the designs painted in brown and black, being derived from geometric patterns with marine and animal forms. (3rd) Dipylon or Geometric (B.C. 700), with fret pattern enrichment, and panels with rude figures of men and animals in black and brown. (4th) Phaleron Ware (B.C. 700-550), with continuous bands of animals, probably derived from Phoenicia or Assyria (fig. 4). Among the animals depicted, are placed portions of the fret pattern, a survival of the previous style. The details are incised through the black or brown figure, showing the colour of the clay body. A development of this Phaleron Ware was the introduction of the rosette, taking the place of the fret pattern, between the figures or the animals. (5th) Black Figure Period (B.C. 600-480), vases, fine in profile, and with good handles, the body of the vase, in red ware, being painted with subjects of Grecian mythology in black, and the details incised; the faces, arms, and legs of the female figures afterwards painted in white or red slip, and fired at a lower heat. The Amphora (fig. 5) was the chief form of this black figure period, some fine examples are signed by Exekias and Amasis. (6th) the Transitional period (B.C. 500-470), when the black silhouette figures on a red ground gave way to the Red Figure Period on a black ground. Artists of this style were Epiktetos, PamphÆios, Nicosthenes, and Pythos. Many of the vases by Nicosthenes resemble contemporary metal work in their shape and handles. The 7th group (B.C. 470-336), also red figures on the black ground, was the period when Greek fictiles reached their highest perfection, the chief form employed being the Kylix. A fine series of these Kylikes, signed by Cachrylion, Euphronios, Duris, Pethenos, and Hieron, are in the British Museum.

A vase produced specially for funeral purposes was the Athenian Lekythos, the body of which was covered with white slip, then painted in polychrome with subjects of singular appropriateness.