
Ancient Greek Vases
Ancient Greek Pots Tell A Story
Greek potters were constantly changing the shape of their famous vases and pots. In ancient Greece, it was not enough to create something that was beautiful. It also had to be comfortable. If the vase, pot, or pitcher had a handle, that handle had to be easy to hold and fit comfortably into the grip of your hand. The Greeks considered themselves scientists as well as artists. Everything had to be perfectly proportioned.
The designs on their pottery told a story. Some told stories of daily life. Others told stories of wars and heroes. All designs, whatever they were, had to represent something that people would find pleasing. Geometric designs had to be familiar, a design perhaps that could be found in a temple or a fabric. The colors were soothing and comfortable.
Most Greeks were cremated and buried in pots. Even though the pots were to be buried, they still had to be perfect. The ancient Greeks were perfectionists.
Archaeologists have discovered a great many ancient Greek pieces of pottery. Between household vases and funeral pots, archaeologists have been able to piece together a great deal of knowledge about daily life in ancient Greece.

Explore Ancient Greece
For Kids: Overview
Early Greece: Minoans, Mycenaeans, Dorians
Rise of Greek City-States
- On Land: Greek Warriors
- At Sea: Greek Ships
- Trojan War
- Persian Wars
- The Delian League
- Peloponnesian War
- Alexander the Great
- The League of Corinth
Investigate Real Life Artifacts
For Kids: Art, Culture, Government
Greek Columns and Architecture
For Kids: Daily Life
For Kids: Greek Mythology
Ancient Greek Gods & Goddesses
Ancient Greek Myths for Kids
- Zeus, Hera, and Little Io
- The Competition, Athena and Poseidon
- Theseus, the Minotaur, and the Maze
- Dionysus and Ariadne
- Icarus and Daedalus, Wings
- The 12 Labors of Hercules
- Demeter and Persephone, Reason for the Seasons
- Apollo's Oracle at Delphi
- Perseus, Andromeda, and the sea god, Poseidon
- King Midas and the Donkey Ears
- And Many More
From the Case Files of the Hercules Detective Agency: Learn more about the gods and Greek daily life
- The Misunderstood Minotaur - How Hercules made a best friend
- The Scaredly Fish
- The Tricked Bully
- The Stone Zoo
- The Bad Barber
- The Constant Chatterbox
- The Monster Under the Bridge
- The Festival Arrow
- The Amazing Matchmaker
- And many more!
For Kids: People
For Kids: Interactive Quizzes
Alexander the Great &
Gifts from the Greeks
For Teachers
For Kids and Teachers: Other Ancient Civilizations
See Also: Early Humans for Kids and Teachers