DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4758#0174
EARLY MYCENAEAN.
129
A 753. SQUAT GLOBULAR BOWL. Ht. 5 in., diam. ioj in. From the Aspis at Argos ;
presented by the Hellenic Government, 1912. Restored from fragments, base entirely wanting.
Shape as A 651 : a strongly flattened globe with narrow mouth and thin
lip turned sharply outwards, and three small round loop handles set horizontally
at equal intervals on top of shoulder. Smooth pale brown clay, brown-black
varnish. The lower part of the shoulder is
bounded with plain horizontal bands, of which
two are partly preserved ; lip and handles
are varnished black, and the shoulder is
occupied with the design. On the base-
line, in each space between the handles, and
on the neck-line, over each handle, there is
a rock-pattern drawn as a solid wave
enclosing a space which is filled with regular
lines of dots ; each lower mass of rock ends
in a thin central pinnacle ; the upper masses end in the handles of the bowl.
The spaces on the upper and lower borders between the groups of rock each
contain a looped stirrup, and the stirrups are linked to one another with a curved
band of two thin lines bordered on each side with dots. (Fig. 171.)
[This design occurs in many forms, some of which were doubtless contaminated from
other decorative motives, such as the linked heart-shaped leaves (Atk. Mitt., xxxiv, pi. XIX, 2)
and the imitated veining of marble and alabaster (Palace of Minos, i, fig. 255 ; 'Apx- AeAr., iii
(1917), p. 203, fig. 147). Our example plainly shows a marine origin, the constant source of
decoration for bowls of this shape (see below, A 812, etc.). Its nearest parallel is the large
jar from Kakovatos (At/i. Mitt., xxxiv, pi. XVIII, 1), which repeats the design in five successive
zones ; a jug from Palaikastro {B.S.A., ix, p. 2S5, fig. 5) and another from Phylakopi (B.S.A.,
xvii, pi. XI) come next in sequence. A goblet from the Vaphio tomb ('Ap^. 'E<£., 1889, pi. 7),
and a bowl from Thebes ('A-px- AcAt., iii (1917), p. 200, fig. 144) have lost the pierced and broken
contours which showed that the solid waves were rocks. More degenerate examples of the
next period (as A 798 and Korakou, figs. 64, 65) are reduced to a series of parallel curves. It
may be supposed that the original dots and streamers were foam and seaweed among the rocks.]
A 754. CUP. Ht. 32- in. From Mycenae; presented by the Hellenic Government, 1923.
Restored from two fragments which give the complete profile and one panel of the design.
Shape as A 637, etc., from Crete : a deep globular bowl tapering to flat
base, wide splayed lip ; there was probably a round loop handle, as in A 657
(Knossos). Pale brown clay with lustrous greenish yellow surface and brilliant
brown-black varnish. Lip and foot are painted black ;
the body between them was divided by groups of
two or more (probably five) stripes into four panels,
in each of which was a large double-axe head with a
pair of wavy stripes above and below between the
horns of the blades. (Fig. 172.)
[A very similar cup was found at Eleusis (A-px- 'E<£->
1898, p. 73, fig. 13) ; the design is also known from the
129
A 753. SQUAT GLOBULAR BOWL. Ht. 5 in., diam. ioj in. From the Aspis at Argos ;
presented by the Hellenic Government, 1912. Restored from fragments, base entirely wanting.
Shape as A 651 : a strongly flattened globe with narrow mouth and thin
lip turned sharply outwards, and three small round loop handles set horizontally
at equal intervals on top of shoulder. Smooth pale brown clay, brown-black
varnish. The lower part of the shoulder is
bounded with plain horizontal bands, of which
two are partly preserved ; lip and handles
are varnished black, and the shoulder is
occupied with the design. On the base-
line, in each space between the handles, and
on the neck-line, over each handle, there is
a rock-pattern drawn as a solid wave
enclosing a space which is filled with regular
lines of dots ; each lower mass of rock ends
in a thin central pinnacle ; the upper masses end in the handles of the bowl.
The spaces on the upper and lower borders between the groups of rock each
contain a looped stirrup, and the stirrups are linked to one another with a curved
band of two thin lines bordered on each side with dots. (Fig. 171.)
[This design occurs in many forms, some of which were doubtless contaminated from
other decorative motives, such as the linked heart-shaped leaves (Atk. Mitt., xxxiv, pi. XIX, 2)
and the imitated veining of marble and alabaster (Palace of Minos, i, fig. 255 ; 'Apx- AeAr., iii
(1917), p. 203, fig. 147). Our example plainly shows a marine origin, the constant source of
decoration for bowls of this shape (see below, A 812, etc.). Its nearest parallel is the large
jar from Kakovatos (At/i. Mitt., xxxiv, pi. XVIII, 1), which repeats the design in five successive
zones ; a jug from Palaikastro {B.S.A., ix, p. 2S5, fig. 5) and another from Phylakopi (B.S.A.,
xvii, pi. XI) come next in sequence. A goblet from the Vaphio tomb ('Ap^. 'E<£., 1889, pi. 7),
and a bowl from Thebes ('A-px- AcAt., iii (1917), p. 200, fig. 144) have lost the pierced and broken
contours which showed that the solid waves were rocks. More degenerate examples of the
next period (as A 798 and Korakou, figs. 64, 65) are reduced to a series of parallel curves. It
may be supposed that the original dots and streamers were foam and seaweed among the rocks.]
A 754. CUP. Ht. 32- in. From Mycenae; presented by the Hellenic Government, 1923.
Restored from two fragments which give the complete profile and one panel of the design.
Shape as A 637, etc., from Crete : a deep globular bowl tapering to flat
base, wide splayed lip ; there was probably a round loop handle, as in A 657
(Knossos). Pale brown clay with lustrous greenish yellow surface and brilliant
brown-black varnish. Lip and foot are painted black ;
the body between them was divided by groups of
two or more (probably five) stripes into four panels,
in each of which was a large double-axe head with a
pair of wavy stripes above and below between the
horns of the blades. (Fig. 172.)
[A very similar cup was found at Eleusis (A-px- 'E<£->
1898, p. 73, fig. 13) ; the design is also known from the