Tanagras

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Crafts flourished abundantly in the Hellenistic age as Greek expansion opened new markets to skilled artisans and their patrons. Access to precious materials like gold, silk, and ivory became more widespread, fueling an increase in private wealth that created a high demand for expertise in working with these luxury items. Alexandria in Egypt emerged as a renowned hub of luxurious goods production, including fine glass, faience, metalwork, and sculpture. Artisans throughout the Hellenistic world crafted small-scale sculptures in marble, bronze, and terracotta, some pieces traveling great distances to promote the dissemination of new subjects and styles. Often, it's challenging to determine whether a particular small-scale sculpture was intended for sacred or secular use: very similar objects have been found in tombs, sanctuaries, and private residences. During the Hellenistic period, numerous novel types of terracotta figures were created, many inspired by larger sculptures. These statuettes depicted the affluent elite dressed in the latest fashions and preserved their original vibrant colors. Made using a molding process, these figurines allowed for mass production with variations achieved through added attributes. Serving both domestic and funerary purposes, they became known as 'Tanagras' due to the abundance of examples found at Tanagra, although workshops throughout the Mediterranean produced similar figures; regional differences can be identified by examining the type of clay used.