DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.15680#0115
THE POTTERY.
95
Several of the vases with mat-impressions that liave been found in the
Oyclades belong to the period before the introduction of painted wäre ('E<£.
'Apv. 1S98, p. 182) and it is not unlikely that some of the Phylakopi speci-
mens go back to the same early date. Bat the vasfc majofity of them are of
the same age as the painted geometric pottery. The pots on which they
occur are," with one or two exceptions, clearly hand-made; the exceptions to
which I refer show traces of fairly rapid turning and at least look as if they
had been made on the wheel.
The illustrations on PI. VI. which have been prepared from plaster
casts and are therefore facsimiles of the actual mats, show the various ways
in which these were woven. The ordinary form consists of a warp and woof
at right angles to each other, the rushes (which constitute the threads of the
warp and woof) being sometimes woven singly, more frequently in pairs and
not seldom in threes (v. Nos. 2 and 5). Another common type consists of a
radiating warp and a circular woof. In several instances the centre of the
warp is clearly seen to have been formed by two sets of rushes twisted round
each other. VI. 3 again illustrates remarkably well the arrangement of the
threads of the warp. Starting from the centre the radii of the warp are each
composed of a small bündle of threads ; as the circle widens, these radii divide
into two branches each of which comprises half the original number of
threads; and so on until the circumference is reached. Nos. 5 and 9 are
apparently portions of circular mats at some distance from the centre, though
the branching of the radii becomes less regulär as they lengthen ; and there
are not a few similar examples. From these it would appear that the mats
were often of considerable size, much larger than the bases of the vessels that
were placed on them. No. 9 for instance, if this view is right, must have been
more than twenty inches in diameter. Nor have I observed in any instance
any trace of a finished edge, such as these mats are likely to have had.
The usual and most obvious explanation of the impressions is that the
vases were placed on the mats to dry before being put into the kiln (cf. 'E</>.
Apv. 1898, p. 183). An alternative explanation has been offered by Mr.
Myres, who was the first to publish a specimen from the Aegean (one of
unusually large size). Mr. Myres thought it more probable that the vessel
had been actually made on the mat, and that the mat had been used as a sort
of wheel on which a large vessel could be kept revolving without risk of
distortion from contact with the solid ground. This is a tempting theory
and döes not seem to me to be disproved by the fact (afterwards ascertained)
that the impressions occur on small vases as well as on large ones.1 A potter
working without the wheel might find it an advantage to have his material
iixed on a light movable base that could be allowed to revolve or be held
steady according as was needed. Mr. Myres' explanation again would fit
in excellently with the fact already mentioned that the mat impressions
belong to a period in which there are no certain traces of a rapidly revolving
wheel. But if the conclusions drawn in the last paragraph are correct, there
1 Cf. also B.S.A. vol. III. p. 03.
95
Several of the vases with mat-impressions that liave been found in the
Oyclades belong to the period before the introduction of painted wäre ('E<£.
'Apv. 1S98, p. 182) and it is not unlikely that some of the Phylakopi speci-
mens go back to the same early date. Bat the vasfc majofity of them are of
the same age as the painted geometric pottery. The pots on which they
occur are," with one or two exceptions, clearly hand-made; the exceptions to
which I refer show traces of fairly rapid turning and at least look as if they
had been made on the wheel.
The illustrations on PI. VI. which have been prepared from plaster
casts and are therefore facsimiles of the actual mats, show the various ways
in which these were woven. The ordinary form consists of a warp and woof
at right angles to each other, the rushes (which constitute the threads of the
warp and woof) being sometimes woven singly, more frequently in pairs and
not seldom in threes (v. Nos. 2 and 5). Another common type consists of a
radiating warp and a circular woof. In several instances the centre of the
warp is clearly seen to have been formed by two sets of rushes twisted round
each other. VI. 3 again illustrates remarkably well the arrangement of the
threads of the warp. Starting from the centre the radii of the warp are each
composed of a small bündle of threads ; as the circle widens, these radii divide
into two branches each of which comprises half the original number of
threads; and so on until the circumference is reached. Nos. 5 and 9 are
apparently portions of circular mats at some distance from the centre, though
the branching of the radii becomes less regulär as they lengthen ; and there
are not a few similar examples. From these it would appear that the mats
were often of considerable size, much larger than the bases of the vessels that
were placed on them. No. 9 for instance, if this view is right, must have been
more than twenty inches in diameter. Nor have I observed in any instance
any trace of a finished edge, such as these mats are likely to have had.
The usual and most obvious explanation of the impressions is that the
vases were placed on the mats to dry before being put into the kiln (cf. 'E</>.
Apv. 1898, p. 183). An alternative explanation has been offered by Mr.
Myres, who was the first to publish a specimen from the Aegean (one of
unusually large size). Mr. Myres thought it more probable that the vessel
had been actually made on the mat, and that the mat had been used as a sort
of wheel on which a large vessel could be kept revolving without risk of
distortion from contact with the solid ground. This is a tempting theory
and döes not seem to me to be disproved by the fact (afterwards ascertained)
that the impressions occur on small vases as well as on large ones.1 A potter
working without the wheel might find it an advantage to have his material
iixed on a light movable base that could be allowed to revolve or be held
steady according as was needed. Mr. Myres' explanation again would fit
in excellently with the fact already mentioned that the mat impressions
belong to a period in which there are no certain traces of a rapidly revolving
wheel. But if the conclusions drawn in the last paragraph are correct, there
1 Cf. also B.S.A. vol. III. p. 03.