Amphora

Hercules and Hippolyte

This black figure amphora depicts a fight that occurred when Hercules was performing one of the Twelve Labours set for him by King Eurystheus. For the nineth labour, Hercules was asked to bring back the girdle of Hippolyte, Queen of the Amazons. The girdle had been given to her by Ares, the war god, in recognition of her prowess as a great warrior. In one version of the story, Hercules killed Hippolyte in order to attain it, and a battle with the Amazons ensued.  

Coloured in the kiln

Black-figure decoration was first used about 2,700 years ago. To achieve this colour combination, potters painted the figures in slip (liquid clay), which turned black during a three-stage firing process. When the amphora had cooled, details were etched in, or painted on in paler pigments – as on the arms, legs, and faces here.

In red-figure decoration, which appeared more than 200 years later, the effect is reversed – with red on black.