102

C. C. EDGAR

12. The so-called Kemoi of Phylaköpi haye been described very
thoroughly by Mr. Bosanquet (II.S.A. vol. iii. pp. 57 ff.). He distinguishes
two main types, one in wliich the central bowl is seated on the stem and the
ring of cups is attaclied to the central bowl, and another in which the cups
(or the inner ring of them if there are two rings) are seated lipon the stem
and the central bowl is attached to them by horizontal bars but is not
supported from nnderneath. PI. VIII. 14 belongs to the second type, but we
found fragments of the other class also.

PI. VIII. 14 was found in a tomb (see p. -23), and from the number of
specimens that have been traced to the Phylaköpi cemetery it is evident that
tlie Kernos was a very common article of tomb furniture. They do not seem
however, to have been made exclusively for sepulchral uses, for in the season
of 1899 a good many fragments were discovered among the houses- in the
fortress. What purpose they served remains uncertain. It seems to me very
possible that they were used for holding flowers, -like the Egyptian vases
recently discussed in Ree. des Trav. pp. 177-182. Another view is that they
were intended for religious rites, in which case we may compare the array of
cups on Egyptian offering-tables, and also the Kemoi proper of classical times.

Composite vases consisting of two, three, or four cups are of common
occurrence in this period (see PL XI. 12 and Figs. 135, 136), and it is
evident that the Kernos has been developed out of these simpler forms. The
nearest approach to it as a whole is the early triple vase published by
Mr. Bosanquet (B.S.A. vol. iii. p. 54), and the small twin-vase on PI. XI. 12
may be compared for the shape of the individual cups.1 These minor
multiple vases, however, do not seem to have been more than occasional
exjteriments on the part of the potters, whereas the Kernos itself became a
fixed and favourite type.2

13. The large pyxis figured on PI. VIII. 15 has a high neck with a
projecting ring round the foot of it. The neck, which is left unpainted, was
of course intended to be covered by a lid of somewhat tlie same type as IV. 4,
the lower end of which would rest upon the ledge below. The above vase is
the only example of the type that was found.

14. VIII. 13 is part of a small rectangular box standing on four short
legs. It belongs to the present fabric.

§ 7.—Geometrie Pottery with Designs in Matt Black.

The second main group of geometric pottery consists of those vases
which have designs in matt black upon a chalky white ground. It has much
in common with the iirst group ; we find the same system of potters' marks
employed, many of the letters occurring in both fabrics, and the same method

1 Cf. also a muoh larger twin-vase in Sevres
(14199; Brongniart et Riocreux, viii, 3).

- The practica of making multiple vases is
so common and widespread that it is un-

neeessary to cite any of the numerous parallele
from the Aegean itself and from the Surround-
ihg civili/.ations.