Attic Greek Black-Figure Amphora with Running Gorgon Figures, Archaic Period, ca. 540–500 B.C.

A superb Ancient Greek Attic Black-Figure amphora, dating to the Archaic Period, ca. 540–500 B.C., decorated with two large, powerful running Gorgons—a rare and iconic subject in early Greek vase painting. Each Gorgon is shown with wing-like spiraled hair, patterned garments, and painted details in added red and white pigment, all characteristic of Attic black-figure technique.

The upper neck displays alternating teardrop and tongue motifs, while the shoulder features a band of lotus-and-palmette ornamentation, a hallmark of Athenian workshops. The wide-bodied form with twin handles and flaring rim is typical of mid-6th-century Attic amphora production, with parallels in major museum collections including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the British Museum, and the Beazley Archive.

The mythological theme of Gorgons in pursuit or flight was especially popular in the Archaic period, symbolizing both protection and danger. The painter uses incised detail to articulate musculature, garment texture, and Gorgon features, while the fluid poses create a dynamic, narrative quality around the vessel.

Ancient Greek, Attic, Black-Figure, Archaic Greek Vase, Greek Amphora, Gorgon, Medusa, Greek Mythology, Greek Pottery, Terracotta Vase, 6th Century B.C., Greek Ceramic, Museum Quality, Classical Antiquities, Greek Artifacts, Athens, Black Figure Painting, Greek Warriors, Greek Myth, Beazley Archive, Greek Decorative Vase, Hellenic Art

H: 11 inches; D: 7 inches.

Surface wear, abrasion, and pigment loss consistent with antiquity; mineral deposits and encrustation visible; handles intact; structurally stable. No visible major cracks or modern repaint. Overall excellent archaeological surface.