Horsehead Amphora

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The Horsehead Amphora is a specific type of

, the painters did not apply a separate frieze on the neck. The decoration was painted within reserved rectangular panels; the remaining vase of the body was painted black. More than 100 such amphorae are known; they were painted by a variety of artists, including ones of mediocre quality.

The amphorae appear to have had a specific meaning or purpose, remains elusive to modern scholarship. Some scholars have suggested that they were grave vases, but not a single specimen was found in a grave context. Should that interpretation be correct, the horses may be connected with

is named for his habit of painting horsehead amphorae.

See also

• Horses Amphora

Bibliography

• John Beazley: Attic Black-figure Vase-painters. Oxford 1956, p. 15–17.
• M. G. Picozzi, Anfore attiche a protome equina. Studi Miscellanei 18 (1970–71)
• Ann Birchall: Attic Horse Head Amphorae, In:
  Journal of Hellenic Studies
  92, 1972, p. 46f.
• ISBN 3-8053-0233-9
  , p. 18.
• Bettina Kreuzer: Untersuchungen zu den attischen Pferdekopfamphoren, In: Bulletin antieke beschaving. Vol 73, 1998, p. 95–114.
• Reinhard Lullies in Antike Kunstwerke aus der Sammlung Ludwig. Band 1. Frühe Tonsarkophage und Vasen, von Zabern, Mainz 1979, p. 45–46,
  ISBN 3-8053-0439-0
  .