by Mary Harrsch © 2025
This faience funerary vase depicting Eros riding a goose dating from 300-250 BCE found in Tanagra, Boeotia but thought to have been made in Alexandria represents art objects probably imported after trade disruptions, following the death of Alexander the Great and Ptolemy I Soter's seizure of Egypt, were resumed.
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| Alexandrian faience funerary vase depicting a child-like Eros riding a goose dated from 300-250 BCE. Photographed at the British Museum by Mary Harrsch. |
ChatGPT describes this tumultuous period:
"Key Trade Disruptions (323–305 BCE)
"After Alexander's death, his generals (the Diadochi) fought over his empire. Ptolemy I faced conflict with Antigonus I Monophthalmus, who controlled much of Greece and Asia Minor. Naval warfare in the Aegean Sea and blockades disrupted trade routes between Alexandria and Greece.
Antigonid Naval Threat (314–306 BCE)
"Antigonus and his son Demetrius Poliorcetes built a powerful navy to challenge Ptolemaic control of the eastern Mediterranean. In
306 BCE, Demetrius defeated Ptolemy’s fleet at the Battle of Salamis (Cyprus), temporarily cutting off Egypt from direct Greek trade."
But, in response, Ptolemy centralized control over Egyptian trade, restricting exports of grain, papyrus, and luxury goods to his political allies.
"This shift disrupted traditional Greek merchants, especially those dependent on Egyptian grain. By 305 BCE, Ptolemy declared himself Pharaoh and stabilized Egypt.
He built a dominant navy to protect trade routes. He established the Museum and Library of Alexandria, attracting Greek scholars and merchants. By c. 280 BCE, Alexandria became the primary trade hub between Egypt, the Aegean, and the wider Mediterranean.Impact on Trade with Tanagra and Boeotia
"Tanagra (Boeotia) relied on maritime trade, and disruptions may have [initially] limited luxury imports like Alexandrian faience. After Ptolemaic naval power stabilized, Greek cities like Athens and Boeotia resumed importing goods from Alexandria, including faience objects like your vase.
"After Ptolemy I Soter stabilized trade with a strong navy (post-305 BCE), Alexandrian workshops had a profound influence on Greek art, particularly in Boeotia, Athens, and the Aegean islands. This influence was driven by:
Royal Patronage – The Ptolemies actively promoted artistic production in Alexandria, blending Egyptian, Greek, and Near Eastern elements.
Luxury Trade – Once trade resumed, Alexandrian workshops began exporting goods like faience, glassware, and terracottas.
Artistic Experimentation – Innovations in materials, iconography, and styles spread from Alexandria to Greece.
Key Artistic Influences from Alexandrian Workshops on Greek Art (Post-300 BCE)
1. Spread of Faience and Glassware
Alexandria became a leading producer of faience (like your vase) and glass objects. Egyptian faience techniques were refined with Greek motifs, producing vases, amulets, and figurines that were exported widely.
Boeotian workshops imitated Alexandrian faience, adapting it to local funerary and religious traditions.
Example: Tanagra tomb goods include Egyptian-inspired faience vessels, sometimes featuring Eros, animals, or divine figures.2. Evolution of Eros Iconography
Hellenistic Alexandria redefined Eros as a playful, childlike figure, rather than the earlier Classical adolescent form. Alexandrian workshops produced sculptures, terracottas, and reliefs showing Eros riding birds (geese, swans, doves) or engaging in playful activities.
Boeotian workshops, especially in Tanagra, absorbed this trend and began producing their own Eros terracottas influenced by Alexandrian models.
Example: Tanagra terracotta figurines (c. 3rd century BCE) feature Eros with geese, reflecting Alexandrian motifs.3. Egyptian Religious Themes in Greek Art
Serapis, Isis, and Harpocrates (Egyptian deities with Greek interpretations) became popular in Greece due to Alexandrian influence. Boeotia, particularly Tanagra and Thebes, saw an influx of Alexandrian-style figurines representing these gods.
Greek funerary art began incorporating Egyptian symbols, including the solar disc, lotus motifs, and hybrid Greco-Egyptian forms.
Example: Faience figurines of Harpocrates and Isis from Tanagra tombs closely resemble Alexandrian originals.4. Innovations in Sculpture and Terracotta Production
Alexandria revolutionized sculptural techniques, introducing:
Realistic drapery and expressive faces Playful, everyday-life themes instead of rigid idealism Polychrome techniques (painting over statues and terracottas)"Tanagra figurines (3rd century BCE) were directly inspired by Alexandrian models, with more lively poses and intricate detailing.
Example: Boeotian artisans adopted Alexandrian terracotta techniques, leading to the famous “Tanagra Figurines” style.5. Influence on Greek Pottery and Vases
Alexandrian workshops exported both luxury ceramics and stylistic influences to Greece. The "Gnathia-style" pottery of Apulia and later Boeotian vases adopted Egyptian-inspired floral and faunal motifs.
Greek painted vases began incorporating Alexandrian themes like Eros on birds, Nilotic scenes, and Egyptian deities.
Example: Boeotian red-figure and black-glaze ceramics (late 3rd century BCE) show Alexandrian-inspired decorative elements.Conclusion: A Two-Way Artistic Exchange
Alexandria influenced Greek art by exporting faience, sculptures, and iconography. Boeotia, especially Tanagra, adapted these influences into their own local artistic traditions. Trade disruption (322–305 BCE) briefly cut off artistic exchange, but once Ptolemy secured the eastern Mediterranean, influences from Alexandria flooded back into Greece."Reading through this response, I was intrigued by the comment that Greek artisans began imitating Egyptian faience so I asked if the Greek workshops developed a faience imitation, did they use substitute materials or different production techniques? Could the vase I am studying be an imitation of an Alexandrian import?
ChatGPT replied: "Greek artisans in Boeotia and other regions did imitate Egyptian faience, but they often used substitute materials and different production techniques due to differences in local resources and workshop traditions.
"This raises an interesting question: Could your vase (300–250 BCE, faience, from a Tanagra tomb) be an imitation of an Alexandrian import rather than a direct Alexandrian production?
"Key Differences Between Alexandrian and Greek Faience Imitations
When Greek artisans imitated Alexandrian faience, they often made three main adjustments:
Material Substitutes
"True Egyptian faience was a silica-based, self-glazing material fired at high temperatures. Greek workshops (especially in Boeotia) sometimes used:
Low-fired clays with a lead-based glaze instead of self-glazing silica. Coarser, sandier pastes that lacked the uniformity of Egyptian faience. Painted decorations over a white slip, mimicking faience's glossy effect.Production Techniques
"Egyptian/Alexandrian faience used a quartz paste, often shaped using molds and fired with a glaze that reacted with the silica surface.
Greek faience imitations sometimes used:
Clay-based mold casting instead of quartz-based paste. Surface glazing after firing, rather than the Egyptian technique of in-body glazing. Multiple firings to create layered effects, rather than a single self-glazing process.Surface Texture and Color Variations
"True Alexandrian faience often had a glossy, bright turquoise or green glaze, due to the use of copper oxides.
Greek imitations tended to have:
Less vibrant, more matte surfaces, especially in Boeotia. More variation in color, with shades of blue-green, yellowish, or even off-white tones. Visible brush strokes in the glaze rather than a smooth self-glazed surface."Could Your Vase Be a Greek Imitation of an Alexandrian Import?
"Arguments for an Alexandrian Import:
Fine craftsmanship: If the vase has a highly glossy, smooth faience surface, it is likely true Alexandrian production. Distinctive Alexandrian iconography: If the depiction of Eros and the goose closely follows known Alexandrian styles, it suggests a direct import rather than a local copy. Material composition: If the faience has a dense, silica-based core (rather than a clay body), it is probably Egyptian-made."Arguments for a Greek Imitation (Possibly Boeotian):
Slightly coarser texture or less vibrant glaze (indicating Greek faience techniques). Subtle stylistic differences in Eros or the goose (suggesting adaptation rather than direct reproduction). Presence of multiple firings or painted details over the glaze (common in Greek imitations)."Given its high-quality faience glaze and craftsmanship, this particular vase is almost certainly an Alexandrian product rather than a Greek imitation. The silica-based self-glazing technique used here is characteristic of Egyptian faience, and the combination of Greek mythological themes with Egyptian materials is a hallmark of Ptolemaic Alexandrian workshops."
As for the symbolism of Eros riding a goose, ChatGPT observed:
"The goose was sacred to Aphrodite, the goddess of love and Eros’s mother. This connection strengthens the idea that the goose serves as a vehicle for love and desire. In Egyptian tradition, geese were associated with fertility, rebirth, and the soul (ba), which ties into funerary beliefs—important given that this piece was found in a tomb.
"The Greek interpretation of Eros evolved in the Hellenistic period, shifting from a powerful primordial deity to a mischievous and playful boy-god, often depicted with wings and interacting with animals.
Tanagra & Funerary Context
"Tanagra, in Boeotia, was famous for its terracotta figurines, many of which depict youthful figures, including Eros. The presence of an imported Alexandrian faience piece in a Tanagra tomb suggests the deceased (or their family) had elite tastes and access to Alexandrian goods.
"The funerary use of such an object may symbolize the soul’s journey, love enduring beyond death, or a wish for continued pleasures in the afterlife."
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