  This paper focuses on digitally-supported research methods for an important
group of cultural heritage objects, the Greek pottery, especially with figured
decoration. The design, development and application of new digital methods for
searching, comparing, and visually exploring these vases needs an
interdisciplinary approach to effectively analyse the various features of the
vases, like shape, decoration, and manufacturing techniques, and relationships
between the vases. We motivate the need and opportunities by a multimodal
representation of the objects, including 3D shape, material, and painting. We
then illustrate a range of innovative methods for these representations,
including quantified surface and capacity comparison, material analysis, image
flattening from 3D objects, retrieval and comparison of shapes and paintings,
and multidimensional data visualization. We also discuss challenges and future
work in this area.
