DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.807#0266
M. M. II : ROYAL POTTERY STORES (CERAMIC PHASE a) 237
Although much of the earlier fabric both at Knossos and Phaestos has Splen-
been effaced or obscured by later stages of construction, it is clear that by the mUM°II
Second Middle Minoan Period great Palatial centres existed on both sites, Palaces.
marked by a degree of splendour and of civilized refinement such as had
never been attained before in any Aegean land. The unity and order
thus evolved must have manifested themselves on the Palace walls in Reflected
a hundred decorative details now lost, but of which we see a reflection in the chrome
fine polychrome designs on the contemporary pottery. Thus there now arises Earlier'
what may fitly be called the Earlier 1 Palace Style ' presenting decorative 'slt>a]lafe
motives to a great extent architectonic in their origin.
It was natural, indeed, that the acme of this ceramic art should have m. m. II
Poly-
been the special product of these residential centres of the Priest-Kings. The chrome
remains of this in its most brilliant aspect, as seen in the exquisite egg-shell ^a,e"
ware, are best represented at Knossos, though fine examples were also
brought to light at Phaestos. On the other hand, in the more outlying dis-
tricts, such as Palaikastro at the extreme East of the island, it is less well illus-
trated, and there is a tendency for the preceding M. M. I style to persist and
to merge gradually into the concluding Middle Minoan phase.
Various decorative elements more or less isolated in the preceding- Age Fusion of
are now welded together into an organic whole. Compare, for instance, the Elements
'butterfly' or 'Double Axe' motive of Fig. 123, a, simply surrounded by into
undulating bands, with its complete incorporation into the design on the cup whole,
shown in Fig. 181 below. The polychromy itself becomes less crude and
often displays delicate nuances of tint. ' The white appears of a beautiful
creamy tone, the red has a touch ot orange or terra-cotta, while the crimson
emerges with a cherry tint recalling that of a rich red wine.'1 The black has
sometimes a purple tone, and a brilliant metallic lustre is often given.
Among M. M. II types now occur ' rhytons ' or libation vases in the Bull's
form of heads of bulls, instead of the whole bod)- as was usual in the < Rhy-
preceding Age. Fragments of these have been found in the M. M. II ton3-
deposits of Knossos, the light patches, such as those about the eye, picked
out with a brilliant white glaze resembling enamel.
In a later Section, devoted to this special class of vessels, it will be also Ostrich
shown that a remarkable class of 'rhytons', the body of which was formed Type,
of an ostrich's egg, goes back at Knossos to the date of the finest ceramic
polychromy of the M. M. II Period. The ostrich egg type, which survived
in egg-shell and faience under its original form among the early elements of
the Shaft Graves at Mycenae, stands at the head of a whole family of such
1 Mackenzie, The Pottery of Knossos, &-'c, p. 172.
Although much of the earlier fabric both at Knossos and Phaestos has Splen-
been effaced or obscured by later stages of construction, it is clear that by the mUM°II
Second Middle Minoan Period great Palatial centres existed on both sites, Palaces.
marked by a degree of splendour and of civilized refinement such as had
never been attained before in any Aegean land. The unity and order
thus evolved must have manifested themselves on the Palace walls in Reflected
a hundred decorative details now lost, but of which we see a reflection in the chrome
fine polychrome designs on the contemporary pottery. Thus there now arises Earlier'
what may fitly be called the Earlier 1 Palace Style ' presenting decorative 'slt>a]lafe
motives to a great extent architectonic in their origin.
It was natural, indeed, that the acme of this ceramic art should have m. m. II
Poly-
been the special product of these residential centres of the Priest-Kings. The chrome
remains of this in its most brilliant aspect, as seen in the exquisite egg-shell ^a,e"
ware, are best represented at Knossos, though fine examples were also
brought to light at Phaestos. On the other hand, in the more outlying dis-
tricts, such as Palaikastro at the extreme East of the island, it is less well illus-
trated, and there is a tendency for the preceding M. M. I style to persist and
to merge gradually into the concluding Middle Minoan phase.
Various decorative elements more or less isolated in the preceding- Age Fusion of
are now welded together into an organic whole. Compare, for instance, the Elements
'butterfly' or 'Double Axe' motive of Fig. 123, a, simply surrounded by into
undulating bands, with its complete incorporation into the design on the cup whole,
shown in Fig. 181 below. The polychromy itself becomes less crude and
often displays delicate nuances of tint. ' The white appears of a beautiful
creamy tone, the red has a touch ot orange or terra-cotta, while the crimson
emerges with a cherry tint recalling that of a rich red wine.'1 The black has
sometimes a purple tone, and a brilliant metallic lustre is often given.
Among M. M. II types now occur ' rhytons ' or libation vases in the Bull's
form of heads of bulls, instead of the whole bod)- as was usual in the < Rhy-
preceding Age. Fragments of these have been found in the M. M. II ton3-
deposits of Knossos, the light patches, such as those about the eye, picked
out with a brilliant white glaze resembling enamel.
In a later Section, devoted to this special class of vessels, it will be also Ostrich
shown that a remarkable class of 'rhytons', the body of which was formed Type,
of an ostrich's egg, goes back at Knossos to the date of the finest ceramic
polychromy of the M. M. II Period. The ostrich egg type, which survived
in egg-shell and faience under its original form among the early elements of
the Shaft Graves at Mycenae, stands at the head of a whole family of such
1 Mackenzie, The Pottery of Knossos, &-'c, p. 172.