Corpus vasorum antiquorum
Encyclopedia
Corpus Vasorum Antiquorum (abbreviated CVA) is an international research project for ceramic
documentation of the classical area
.
CVA is the first and oldest research project of the Union Académique Internationale
of France
. The first project meeting was organized by Edmond Pottier
in Paris
in 1919. The final decision was to publish a comprehensive catalogue of ancient Greek vase
s. He was also the publisher of the first fascicle
for the Louvre
in 1922. At this time six countries were part of the project. Today the project covers a compendium of more than 100,000 vases located in collections of 26 participating countries. At present day only public collections located in museums are added to the catalogue.
Every participating country is completely responsible for its own scope, while the Union Académique Internationale in Brussels has the patronage traditionally led by a French scientist. Currently in charge is Juliette De La Geniere.
The CVA publishes Greek and Italian ceramics of the classical period between the seventh millennium B.C. and the late Antiquity
(third-fifth century A.D.). The publications are divided into fascicles
by country and museum. By the end of 2007 a total of 350 volumes consisting of 40,000 fascicles were published. One of the largest amounts of publications was done in Germany: 84 volumes and 3 supplements.
Since 2004 are all textual descriptions and images freely accessible as a web-based database (CVA Online). Languages allowed for publication are English, French, German and Italian. Further publication rules have to be fulfilled. This often requires a restoration of the actual objects. For example: fragments have to be distinctively different from restored parts. For older restorations this is often not the case.
The documentation of a vessel is done in several steps. First the vessel is described in its overall condition followed by an iconographic interpretation. If possible an artist or a workshop will be determined. Integral parts of the documentation are photographs and hand-drawings depending on the condition of the vessel and the projects budget. The Austrian commission used for the first-time of the CVA a 3D-Scanner
for documentation of vessel shapes. A follow-up project using 3D-Acquisition has been granted. The last step of the documentation is a chronologic classification.
Ceramic
A ceramic is an inorganic, nonmetallic solid prepared by the action of heat and subsequent cooling. Ceramic materials may have a crystalline or partly crystalline structure, or may be amorphous...
documentation of the classical area
Classical antiquity
Classical antiquity is a broad term for a long period of cultural history centered on the Mediterranean Sea, comprising the interlocking civilizations of ancient Greece and ancient Rome, collectively known as the Greco-Roman world...
.
CVA is the first and oldest research project of the Union Académique Internationale
Union Académique Internationale
The Union Académique Internationale is the oldest and largest federation of Academies having a national character and created for international cooperation...
of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. The first project meeting was organized by Edmond Pottier
Edmond Pottier
Edmond François Paul Pottier was an art historian and archaeologist who was instrumental in establishing the Corpus vasorum antiquorum, and a pioneering scholar in the study of Ancient Greek pottery...
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
in 1919. The final decision was to publish a comprehensive catalogue of ancient Greek vase
Pottery of Ancient Greece
As the result of its relative durability, pottery is a large part of the archaeological record of Ancient Greece, and because there is so much of it it has exerted a disproportionately large influence on our understanding of Greek society...
s. He was also the publisher of the first fascicle
File folder
A file folder is a kind of folder that holds loose papers together for organization and protection. File folders usually consist of a sheet of heavy paper stock or other thin, but stiff, material which is folded in half, and are used to keep paper documents...
for the Louvre
Louvre
The Musée du Louvre – in English, the Louvre Museum or simply the Louvre – is one of the world's largest museums, the most visited art museum in the world and a historic monument. A central landmark of Paris, it is located on the Right Bank of the Seine in the 1st arrondissement...
in 1922. At this time six countries were part of the project. Today the project covers a compendium of more than 100,000 vases located in collections of 26 participating countries. At present day only public collections located in museums are added to the catalogue.
Every participating country is completely responsible for its own scope, while the Union Académique Internationale in Brussels has the patronage traditionally led by a French scientist. Currently in charge is Juliette De La Geniere.
| Country | Current leader | Organization | since |
|---|---|---|---|
| Austria | Claudia Lang-Auinger | Austrian Academy of Sciences Austrian Academy of Sciences The Austrian Academy of Sciences is a legal entity under the special protection of the Federal Republic of Austria. According to the statutes of the Academy its mission is to promote the sciences and humanities in every respect and in every field, particularly in fundamental research... |
1935 |
| Germany | Paul Zanker | Bavarian Academy of Sciences | 1921 |
| Switzerland | Hans Peter Isler | Schweizerischen Akademie der Geistes- und Sozialwissenschaften |
The CVA publishes Greek and Italian ceramics of the classical period between the seventh millennium B.C. and the late Antiquity
Late Antiquity
Late Antiquity is a periodization used by historians to describe the time of transition from Classical Antiquity to the Middle Ages, in both mainland Europe and the Mediterranean world. Precise boundaries for the period are a matter of debate, but noted historian of the period Peter Brown proposed...
(third-fifth century A.D.). The publications are divided into fascicles
File folder
A file folder is a kind of folder that holds loose papers together for organization and protection. File folders usually consist of a sheet of heavy paper stock or other thin, but stiff, material which is folded in half, and are used to keep paper documents...
by country and museum. By the end of 2007 a total of 350 volumes consisting of 40,000 fascicles were published. One of the largest amounts of publications was done in Germany: 84 volumes and 3 supplements.
Since 2004 are all textual descriptions and images freely accessible as a web-based database (CVA Online). Languages allowed for publication are English, French, German and Italian. Further publication rules have to be fulfilled. This often requires a restoration of the actual objects. For example: fragments have to be distinctively different from restored parts. For older restorations this is often not the case.
The documentation of a vessel is done in several steps. First the vessel is described in its overall condition followed by an iconographic interpretation. If possible an artist or a workshop will be determined. Integral parts of the documentation are photographs and hand-drawings depending on the condition of the vessel and the projects budget. The Austrian commission used for the first-time of the CVA a 3D-Scanner
3D scanner
A 3D scanner is a device that analyzes a real-world object or environment to collect data on its shape and possibly its appearance . The collected data can then be used to construct digital, three dimensional models....
for documentation of vessel shapes. A follow-up project using 3D-Acquisition has been granted. The last step of the documentation is a chronologic classification.
Literature
- Colloque International sur le Corpus Vasorum Antiquorum (Lyon, 3–5 juillet 1956), compte rendu réd. par Charles Dugas. Paris 1957.
- Summary guide to "Corpus Vasorum Antiquorum", compiled by Thomas H. Carpenter and updated by Thomas Mannack. 2. ed. Oxford 2000, ISBN 0-19-726203-1.
- Donna C. Kurtz: A corpus of ancient vases. Hommage à Edmond Pottier. In: Revue Archéologique 2004. S. 259–286.