In contrast to the Athenian coroplasts, who frequently retooled their figurines after molding289 and appear to have used derivative molds relatively infrequently, the Egyptian craftsmen kept retooling to a relative minimum and made extensive use of time-saving derivative molds290 . Rather than carefully smoothing and eliminating the seam between the molded halves of a figurine, they usually simply cut off the excess clay with a knife291 . On the Athenian figurines, however, the smoothing was so thorough that joins between separate molded pieces are rarely visible on the figurines’ exterior292 .
Egyptian coroplasts often eschewed the practice of cutting vents into the backs of their figurines293: perhaps because the objects’ usu-ally-open bases provided sufficient venting on their own294, or perhaps because the more porous clay created less of a need for vents295 . When vents are present in the Cairo figurines, however, they are most commonly small, round, and placed in the center of the object’s back296 . Greek coroplasts, on the other hand, utilized a greater variety of vent shapes, and the majority of vents on the Agora figurines are either rectangular or oval. Parallels from other Greek sites suggest that coroplasts used a wide variety of vents, including the types attested at the Agora297, but that an absence of vents is rare298 .
World History
