DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.15680#0280
2G0
DUNCAN MACKENZIE
the development of this style. Thus the true Melian style of this period
coritemporary with that of Minoan Grete is lustreless dark design on a light
ground. The other style is subordinate and it never becomes polychrome.
It was perhaps fortunate for the course of native ceramie development
in Melos that its dominant style at this period should have been in direct
antithesis to the favourite style of contemporaiy Crete. It thus became
possible for the Melians to adapt to native usage such elements in Cretan
style as were independent of the polychrome principle itself and were
common to the monochrome with the polychrome style. The tendency
towards architectonic schemes of design, characteristic of Melian ceramics of
this period, and forming one of the features it has in common with the Middle
Minoan wäre of Crete, was probably stimulated by that intercourse with
Crete to which the imported Minoan wäre itself bears such striking witness.
The best specimens of this wäre found at Phylakopi are grouped to-
gether on pages 149—.1.50, Figs. 120-133. It is noticeable that several of
the most favourite Cretan types of vase occur. Thus, for example, the
two-handled spouted jugs Figs. ] 26, 129, the ' Vaphio ' shape of cup Fig. 130,
and the modern tea-cup shape Fig. 132.1
As the result of comparison it is possible to arriye at a fairly accurate
conclusion as to the sort of Melian pottery that comes into the same general con-
text, though it does not actually require to belong to the same deposit, as this
Minoan wäre. Thus the Melian cups figured PI. XVI have an undeniable
affinity with the Minoan oncs, J.H.S. "1903, Plates V. and VI. Yet the
later and derivative character of the Melian types roeeives countenance from
the fact that the imported Minoan wäre as a whole belonged to much earlier
deposit.
Very characteristic specimens of the Cretan polychrome wäre with light
design on a dark ground were found in floor-deposit of a typical house of this
period of the Second City in the north part of the town at H 1 : 1-13
and room (i, with the vase XIV, (i A, the fragments XIV !), and four cups like
XI, 9-11. Thus the Cretan polychrome wäre appears in early rioor-deposit
of the Second Cityat a time when geometric wäre is still current though
the transition to curvilinear design is in process of being aecomplished.
Cups like XI, 9-11 were contemporary in Melos with the elegant shapes
from Crete of which wo have specimens on pp. 149-50, Figs. 130 and 132,
but they had already long gone out of usc by the time the Melians them-
selves were able to produce such handsome types as those grouped together
on PI. XVI. The Cretan polychrome wäre probably began to be imported
in the early period preceding that for which we have the ovidence of floor-
deposits and its occurrence attains a maximum in the middle period of the
Second Scttlement. On the other hand the Melian cups and the allied wäre
found in the same fioor-deposits with them belong to the late or third period
of the Second Scttlement.
To this rnature era belong the typical pillar-houses in G 3, and
1 See J.H.S. 1903, p. 171.
DUNCAN MACKENZIE
the development of this style. Thus the true Melian style of this period
coritemporary with that of Minoan Grete is lustreless dark design on a light
ground. The other style is subordinate and it never becomes polychrome.
It was perhaps fortunate for the course of native ceramie development
in Melos that its dominant style at this period should have been in direct
antithesis to the favourite style of contemporaiy Crete. It thus became
possible for the Melians to adapt to native usage such elements in Cretan
style as were independent of the polychrome principle itself and were
common to the monochrome with the polychrome style. The tendency
towards architectonic schemes of design, characteristic of Melian ceramics of
this period, and forming one of the features it has in common with the Middle
Minoan wäre of Crete, was probably stimulated by that intercourse with
Crete to which the imported Minoan wäre itself bears such striking witness.
The best specimens of this wäre found at Phylakopi are grouped to-
gether on pages 149—.1.50, Figs. 120-133. It is noticeable that several of
the most favourite Cretan types of vase occur. Thus, for example, the
two-handled spouted jugs Figs. ] 26, 129, the ' Vaphio ' shape of cup Fig. 130,
and the modern tea-cup shape Fig. 132.1
As the result of comparison it is possible to arriye at a fairly accurate
conclusion as to the sort of Melian pottery that comes into the same general con-
text, though it does not actually require to belong to the same deposit, as this
Minoan wäre. Thus the Melian cups figured PI. XVI have an undeniable
affinity with the Minoan oncs, J.H.S. "1903, Plates V. and VI. Yet the
later and derivative character of the Melian types roeeives countenance from
the fact that the imported Minoan wäre as a whole belonged to much earlier
deposit.
Very characteristic specimens of the Cretan polychrome wäre with light
design on a dark ground were found in floor-deposit of a typical house of this
period of the Second City in the north part of the town at H 1 : 1-13
and room (i, with the vase XIV, (i A, the fragments XIV !), and four cups like
XI, 9-11. Thus the Cretan polychrome wäre appears in early rioor-deposit
of the Second Cityat a time when geometric wäre is still current though
the transition to curvilinear design is in process of being aecomplished.
Cups like XI, 9-11 were contemporary in Melos with the elegant shapes
from Crete of which wo have specimens on pp. 149-50, Figs. 130 and 132,
but they had already long gone out of usc by the time the Melians them-
selves were able to produce such handsome types as those grouped together
on PI. XVI. The Cretan polychrome wäre probably began to be imported
in the early period preceding that for which we have the ovidence of floor-
deposits and its occurrence attains a maximum in the middle period of the
Second Scttlement. On the other hand the Melian cups and the allied wäre
found in the same fioor-deposits with them belong to the late or third period
of the Second Scttlement.
To this rnature era belong the typical pillar-houses in G 3, and
1 See J.H.S. 1903, p. 171.