Greek vase painting falls into the following four categories:

1. GEOMETRIC OR DIPYLON STYLE
2. BLACK FIGURED STYLE
3. RED FIGURED STYLE
4. WHITE GROUND STYLE

THE FIRST TRULY GREEK POTTERY STYLE IS CALLED GEOMETRIC STYLE.THE GEOMETRIC POTTERY WAS MADE FROM 1100 - 700 B.C.THE TERM GEOMETRIC STYLE IS USED BECAUSE OF POTTERY DECORATION OF THIS CATEGORY IS MAINLY BASED ON GEOMETRIC MOTIVES SUCH AS ZIG ZAG,CIRCLES,WAVES,DOTS AND SOMETIMES BIRDS AND ANIMALS AND WASPWAISTED AND TRIANGULAR CHESTED NAEN.

THE GEOMETRIC STYLE CULMINATED IN DIPYLON POTTERY .THE NAME IS GIVEN BECAUSE IT IS FORMED IN A GREAT NUMBER IN A CEMETRY OUTSIDE THE DOUBLE GATES OR DIPYLON OF ATHENS.

THEY WERE MAINLY USED TO KEEP THE ASHES OF THE DEAD.THE SUBJECT MATTER OF THIS POTTERY DETERMINE ITS SUBJECT MATTER AS WELL,USUALLY THE SUBJECT MATTER DEPICTS DECEASED ACCOMPANIED BY HIS HOUSEHOLD AND PROCESSION OF MANNERS AND FUNERAL RITE IN HONOUR OF THE DECEASED.

IN THE LATER,GEOMETRIC PHASE WHEN THEY CAME INTO CONTACT WITH "EGYPTIAN WRITING"AND "ASSAYRIAN TEXTILE" AND METAL WARE. GREEK VASES BECAME MORE DECORATIVE AND NARURALISTIC.

NOW ALONG WITH PURE GEOMETRIC MOTIVES,THE OTHER NATURALISTIC MOTIVES FOR EXAMPLE LOTUS FLORAL MOTIVES,PLANTS,ANIMALS SUCH AS SPHINXES,LIONS,GRIFFINSCA( FABULOUS CREATURE WITH HEAD AND WING OF EAGLE AND OF LION OR NEWLY ARRIVED EUROPEAN) BEGAN TO APPEAR .THE DECORATIVE AND ANIMAL FRIEZE ARE SUITABLE FOR CURVING SURFACEOF THE VASES.

FAMOUS EXAMPLE: "DIPYLON AMPHORA"

THE FAMOUS EXAMPLE OF GEOMETRIC STYLE OF PAINTING IS "DIPYLON AMPHORA" BELONGS TO THE 18th CENTURY B.C,NOW IN "METROPOLITAN MUSEUM" OF ART IN NEWYORK.