Archaeology Magazine - January 1973 - 68

The book will be immediatelyrecognized by scholarsas a magnificentresource for the study of Greek pottery
and Greeklife. The general reader may
shy awaywhenhe discoversthere are no
figure scenes, but for the connoisseur
whocan respondto subtletyof variation
there is charted here a world of marvels.
The black-glazedvessels,though plain,
are often extraordinarilyhandsome,and
if the domesticpottery is to be admired
rather for its functionalefficiencyit does
serve wonderfully to illuminate Greek
life and literature. As we surveythe inventory of equipmentavailable to Athenian housewiveswe are consciousof an
unmistakableAristophanic flavor in a
list that includessuch items as griddle,
bean-parcher,medicine-pot,torch stand
and barrel cooker.
An important feature of the book is
the fact that here the potter holds the
center of the stage. In the numerous
and familiar studies of Athenian blackand red-figured vases the painter inevitablygets the larger share of our attention. Now it is the potter's turn, in
circumstanceswhere he is not called on
to accommodatehimselfto the painter's
requirements. The book demonstrates
beyond question that he was amply
capable of standing alone.
Cedric G. Boulter
Universityof Cincinnati

terial in this part comesfrom the clas- usually highly specialized scholarly
sicalworld,in whichthe author's lack of tomes. In addition, Herbert Hoffmann
expertise shows itself. For example, on has included invaluable chapters on
the subject of Greek magisterialdating, subjects which are rarely, if ever, pubthe signatureson the coinageof Abdera lished. They include The Sources,How
were not those of priests of Apollo,but to Detect a Forgery, The Care and
rather of annual magistrates.The par- Conservationof Antiquitiesand a Colallel to the priestessesof Hera at Argos lectors' Guide to the AntiquitiesMaris inapplicable,sincethesepriestessesdid ket. Formerly, these arts had to be
not servefor one year, but normallyfor learned by trial and error and bitter
life. EHI KAAAIANAKT02 does not experience. No private collector can
mean "under the Good Lord" but rather afford to be without this book.
under Kallianax,a perfectlygood Greek
One could cavil about the inclusion
name. The striking of coins in the of the description of the sculpture of
name of the god Apollo does not indi- Myron,Polyclitusand Praxitelesor even
cate the death of the priest while still Roman copiesof their workswhen there
in office,but rather a period of financial is little likelihoodthat a modern private
and probablypoliticaland militarystrin- collector will ever have an opportunity
gency, in which no citizen was willing to acquire them. There seemsto be too
to undertake the financial burdens of little about the small terracottas, the
the office,and the treasury of the god modest bronzesand the vase fragments
was thereforecompelledto undertakeit. which are readily available in antiquiA parallel exampleis the appearanceof ties shops today. This points up my reApollo'sname on the list of eponymous mark that this book is regrettably
stephanophoroiof Miletus in years of twenty-fiveyears too late. In the years
crisis.
following the close of World War II
The second part surveysthe applica- there still flourishedthe last period of
tion of numismaticsto British archaeo- the golden age of collecting.Antiquities
logy. Chapters treat Greek and Roman were plentiful, and prices were correcoins in the Celtic world and Roman spondingly reasonable. Both of these
coinsbeyondthe frontiersof the Empire, factors have changed.
Celtic coins, the coinage of Roman
Today the restrictionson the export
Britain and the coinsof mediaevalBrit- of antiquitiesare rigorouslyenforcedby
ain. The book is marred by a number Greece and the other Mediterranean
of annoying typographical errors; the countries, and the new Unesco Conindex is difficult to use. The book is vention will make the United States
Coins and Archaeology
designedfor readers who know little of partially responsible for prohibiting
by Lloyd R. Laing. xvi, 336 pages, 28 numismatics,but they must use it with their import. As the author candidly
plates,44 text figures,16 maps,glossary, care.
remarks, all the material in the shops
select bibliography.Schocken Books,
Irwin L. Merker comes either from clandestinediggings
New York 1970 $9.50
or from the breaking up of old collecRutgers, The State University
tions. Nevertheless,there is still fun in
In accord with the title, the introduction of this book indicates that it "has Collecting Greek Antiquities
collecting Greek antiquities; it's just
been written for the archaeologist. . . by Herbert Hoffmann. Introductionby harder now. This bookwill assistyou.
who wishesto learn more about the na- John D. Cooney. A Chapter on Coins
Joseph Veach Noble
ture of numismaticsand its application by Herbert A. Cahn. xii, 258 pages,
in archaeology"and "to someextent . . . 23 color photographs, 307 black and Museumof the City of New York
for the numismatistwho is unfamiliar white photographs, 82 drawings, maps
with the work of the archaeologist."But on endpapers, select bibliographies
.
a much more restricted audience, ama- Clarkson N. Potter, New York 1971 Modelli di Edifici Etrusco-Italici:
I Modelli Votivi
teur archaeologists who excavate in (Distributedby Crown) $15.00
by Romolo A. Staccioli. 114 pages,
Britain and wish to know about the Here is a splendid book whose
67 plates, 1 map, 4 indices. Sansoni,
coins they may find, will profit most major fault lies in the fact that it only
has Florence 1968 (Studi e Materiali dell'
from it.
been published twenty-five years too Istituto di
Etruscologia e Antichità
The book is divided into two parts, late. It has been written for the in- Italiche
dell'Universitàdi Roma, 6) L.
the first of whichis devotedto the prin- formation of the aspiring private col6,000.
ciples and techniques of numismatics. lector in a warm and friendly yet
Here are discussionsof methodsof coin authoritative style. The author has This book treats a
little known but exproduction,chronology,coin hoards,sci- brought together a fine basic back- tremely valuable series of monuments
entific techniquesfor the study of coins, ground of knowledgeabout Greek mar- which document basic
aspects of Italic
and coins from excavations.The last ble sculpture, bronzes, vases, terra- and Etruscan
architecture,
namely the
is probablythe mostvaluablepart of the cottas, jewelry and coins. The private votive models found at
a series of sites
book, for it expertly tells how to treat collectorsof the past have had to eke from Etruscan Roselle to
coin finds. Much of the illustrativema- out this informationfrom many sources, Fratte di Salerno. These Campanian
models range
68

Archaeology Magazine - January 1973

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Archaeology Magazine - January 1973