Hydria (Water Jar)

Water Jar
This hydria was used to hold water. The Greek word for water (“hydor”) is the root of the English word “hydrate.”

Handles
There are two side handles for carrying the water-filled jar. There is a third handle on the back; this handle was used to help pour the water out.

Black-figure terracotta
This style of jar is called “black-figure terracotta.” The maker used a thinned-down clay (called “slip”) to fill in the outlines of the figures. Slip turns black when fired (the heating process used to harden the terracotta), while the background stays the orange color of the clay.

Detailing
Details were scratched in after the jar was fired (hardened with heat).

Woman or man
White paint was added to differentiate women (shown with light skin) from men (shown with dark skin).

Dionysus
The figure on the left end is Dionysus, the Greek god of wine. We know it’s him because he wears a wreath of grapevines and has a long robe and beard.

Apollo
The bare-chested figure in the middle, sitting with his lyre, a string instrument, is Apollo, the Greek god of youth and music.

Hermes
At the far right, Hermes wears a short cloak, winged boots, and a traveler’s hat. As is appropriate for the Greek messenger god, he is moving away from the group and tips his hat in farewell.

The Antimenes painter
Since the names of most ancient Greek vase painters are unknown, art historians often give the painters general names based on a well-known example of their style. The Antimenes painter— the maker of this hydria— is known for having used three registers (or vertically stacked bands). Notice in this example that the bottom register is filled with animals.