The Cycladic Islands, 4500 - 3200 B.C.

• Marble sculptures of the female figures dominated this time period. Some works seem to idealize the figure by endowing it with exaggerated hips, yet most keep to natural proportions. Bowls, vases and bottles are simple in design. These pieces are painted with blue and red pigments and designed with linear alternating thick lines that showcase the simple precision of the artisans.
  
  

Minoan Crete, 3200 -1050 B.C.

• The Minoan period demonstrates the Greeks' use of simplicity and their mastering of the object's form. Pottery from the period includes simple engravings. Their metal work shows their ability to take natural products and transform them into uncomplicated bowls, pots or small tables. Unlike other cultures of this time, Greek painters used a wet painting method, thus allowing the pigment to bind to the wall and heightening the colors.
  
  

Mycenaen Greece, 1600-1200 B.C.

• The Greeks, enjoying a period of prosperity, used their wealth to further the arts. While this period is dominated by pottery made from ivory and bronze, artists from this time also produced luxury items, such as jewelry, carved gems, glass ornaments and vases made from precious metals, such as gold. As in earlier periods, these pieces were simplistic in form; the painting was becoming more descriptive, yet remained monochromatic. Olive oil vases might be adorned with paintings of octopi or other animals. Painters also painted goddesses onto large walls for members of the upper classes.
  
  

Geometric Greece, 1050 - 700 B.C.

• This period exploded with an abundance of different art forms, many of which were sold as luxury items. Artists added bright colors to their paintings and began moving away from monochromes. The pottery shapes look simple, yet skilled artisans recognize the fine detail and curved form. The clay pottery was circular in shape, and the painting included intricate descriptions of Greek gods and Greek agriculture.
  
  

The Archaic Period

• The Prehistoric Greek period ended in 700 B.C., giving way to the Archaic period. This transition was brought about in part by Greek colonization in the ancient Near East, which introduced Greek artists to influences from the Hittite, Assyrian, Phoenician and Egyptian cultures. The freestanding sculptures and elaborate moldings that decorated the architecture is a significant change from the bronze pottery of the Prehistoric period.