Younger Children

An amphora is a type of clay vase with two handles that was used in ancient Greece. A long time ago, these vessels served many purposes: they were used to store food, water, and wine in the same way we store milk in a jug and food in containers. The vessels were often painted with figures that told stories about history and the gods. A person living in ancient Greece would sometimes have the same amphora throughout their lifetime. The Greeks did not have many other means for storing or transporting food and liquids, so amphorae were very important to them.

This sculpture, by the artist Bryan Hunt, is today’s version of the ancient Greek amphora. It looks very different from a real amphora. Instead of being ceramic, or made out of clay, Hunt’s work is made from bronze metal. That makes it much heavier than a real amphora. A ceramic amphora would be very smooth and symmetrical, but this one is rough and lop-sided. By making these changes, the amphora doesn’t work and isn’t useful.