Greco-Roman Dark Ages
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Glasgow Museums has a collection of 22 Ancient Greek objects dating from 750 to 500 BC, from the period known as the Dark Age. This collection contains mostly ceramics, whose phases are named after their styles. From the late Geometric period, dating to the 8th century BC, there is a large vase painted with geometric patterns and a cosmetic box (pyxis) with a lid supporting two pottery figures of horses. From the Orientalizing period of the 7th to 6th centuries BC there are 15 Corinthian wares, which depict hounds, goats, lions, panthers, boars, swans, cockerels, griffins, winged sphinxes, sirens and warriors carrying shields. There are also two examples of East Greek ware dating to the 6th century BC, which include a scent bottle (aryballos) in the form of a warrior’s head. In addition to the ceramics the collection also holds three bronze helmets dating to the 6th century BC, of Illyrian and Corinthian type, one of the latter showing signs of having been nailed up as a battle trophy. The Dark Age of Ancient Greece was the period of decline following the collapse of Mycenaean civilization and the beginning of the Iron Age. Classical Greek civilization emerged from this period.
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