Horses Amphora facts for kids
The Horse Amphora is a very old and special pot from ancient Greece. It's a type of large storage jar called a Melian pithamphora, which means it came from the island of Melos. You can find this amazing pot at the National Archaeological Museum, Athens in Greece. Experts believe it was made around 660 BC, which makes it over 2,600 years old!
Contents
Discovering the Horse Amphora
The Horse Amphora is the oldest known Melian Amphora. It is also one of the biggest pots of its kind. This ancient jar stands 88 centimeters (about 34 inches) tall. Sadly, its original lid is no longer with it.
What is an Amphora?
An amphora is a tall, two-handled jar used by ancient Greeks and Romans. They used these jars for storing liquids like wine or olive oil. Sometimes, they were also used as special markers for graves.
The Amazing Horse Design
The pot gets its name from the beautiful horses painted on it. On the front, you can see two slim, graceful horses. They have long legs and stand side by side. A decorative palmette (a fan-like design) separates them.
The artists painted the horses' bodies as dark shapes, like silhouettes. But their heads were drawn with outlines, showing more detail. The empty spaces around the horses are filled with cool patterns. These include zigzags, which remind us of even older art styles. There are also double-volutes (spiral shapes) and leaf-rosettes (flower-like designs).
On the neck of the amphora, you can see more double-volutes. These are filled with a crisscross pattern. The two main bands around the pot's body have simpler spiral designs and circles. The handles on the side look a bit like curved goat horns.
Horses on the Back
The artists also decorated the back of the amphora. There are two more horses facing each other there. These horses look a bit different from the ones on the front. Sadly, much of the paint on the back has flaked off over time.
Why Horses?
The horse design on this amphora is very meaningful. This pot was used as a grave vase. In ancient times, horses were often linked to death and the afterlife. They were seen as symbols of journeys and passage. So, having horses on a grave pot made perfect sense for the people who made it.
See also
In Spanish: Ánfora de los caballos para niños
