What was it that made the Attic vases so special and their imitation so difficult, not only by modern but also by contemporary would-be copiers, who were far more familiar with the ceramic art of that period than we are? The secret, as has been discovered by scientists today, lies in the clay.

You cannot imagine anything commoner and humbler than earth. And yet, this modest material was turned into veritable gold by the ancient potters of Attica, demonstrating that even the most inconsequential things can become precious if they are utilized to advantage.......