This vase dates from around 700 BC during the geometric era. The geometric era lasted from about 800 BC to 600 BC. It is a black on red design where black shapes were painted on the red clay. It could also be done the opposite way where figures were drawn on the clay pot and then black was painted around the shapes. This era of art was known known for the geometric designs which adorned its pottery. Sculptures from this era usually had some geometric shape to it. You can see that the top of this vase is adorned with a geometric pattern. The horses on the vase have the two horse halves joined together by a cylinder. Vases are the most numerous artifacts we have from ancient Greece, though it seems that Ancient Greeks did not think very highly of vase painting. This is unfortunate since we have very little other Greek forms of art such as sculptures and bronzes.
Greek religion had two sides the domestic religion and the common gods of Mount Olympus. In every home there was an alter and this fire was thought to be that households god. The religious practices of every household were held secret and people outside the household could not participate. The prayers and ceremony’s of every home were different and the tomb of the houses ancestors was kept beside the alter. It was the responsibility of the head of the house to give offerings to their deceased ancestors to let them live happily in the underworld. There were also the head Gods of Mount Olympus which were worshiped in temples.