Rider Amphora facts for kids
The Rider Amphora is a special ancient Greek pot. It's called an amphora, which is a tall jar with two handles, used for storing things like wine or oil. This particular amphora was made around 660 BC, a very long time ago!
Today, you can find the Rider Amphora in the National Archaeological Museum, Athens in Greece. Its official number there is 912.
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What Makes It Special?
The Rider Amphora gets its name from the main picture painted on its side. Imagine two horses standing facing each other, with a big, fancy palmette (a design shaped like a palm leaf) between them. But here's the cool part: each horse has a rider sitting on its back!
The Riders and Their Horses
Each rider isn't just riding one horse; they're also leading another horse with a rope. This second horse is shown slightly behind the one the rider is sitting on. It's a clever way the ancient artist showed more action in the picture.
Some experts think the artist of this amphora wasn't quite as skilled as another artist who painted a similar pot called the "Horses Amphora." They say the horses on the Rider Amphora look a bit too long, which makes the riders seem unusually small. It seems the painter had to fit a lot into a small space!
Decorations and Patterns
The artist filled any empty spaces around the main picture with cool patterns. These designs, like zigzag lines and diamond shapes, were common in Cycladic art, which was an older style from the Greek islands.
The top part of the amphora, called the neck, has its own unique decoration. It's covered with round, double palmette shapes that look like spirals, called volutes. These are separated by straight lines going up and down.
The Back of the Amphora
If you look at the back of the Rider Amphora, you'll see two more horses. These horses are also facing each other, but this time, there are no riders on their backs. The other two sides of the pot don't have any pictures.
This impressive pot stands about 90 centimeters (about 3 feet) tall.
See also
In Spanish: Ánfora del Jinete para niños
