DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.807#0596
M.M. Ill: THE PALACE POTTERY STORES 553
who in the preceding Age had produced the masterpieces of ceramic fabric
within its walls. The exquisite egg-shell wares had no successors.
That,.when the first effects of this destruction had been overcome and
a period of renewed prosperity and of architectural restoration had set
in, the pottery still remained for the most part at a comparatively low
level may be partly explained by the substitution for it of other materials at
the board of the Minoan lords. With the new era of wealth now reached, Diversion
vessels in precious metals doubtless came into larger use. At the same time ^1^°
the skill of the potters themselves may have been to a great extent diverted Fabrics at
M M III
to a new channel—the production, namely, of the beautiful fabrics in the Revival,
native faience. Under these circumstances earthenware would for the most
part have been relegated to the cellars and store-rooms or to the use of
slaves and others of low degree. It is nevertheless clear that by the symp-
mature stage of this Period a certain ceramic revival had set in and the t°ms °{
& Revival.
M. M. Ill potters w^ere finding new means of artistic expression adapted
to the new conditions.
It is not surprising that the wealth in precious metals should not receive Metal
adequate illustration from the actual contents of the buildings. In periods ^rgely
of catastrophe such objects are laboriously sought out either by their t0 seek-
actual owners or by subsequent plunderers. It is obvious that at Knossos
even the floor chests were thoroughly ransacked. Our only chance of
recovering any sufficient evidence as to contemporary vessels in gold
and silver would be the discovery of rich tombs. As it is, we have to turn
to the Shaft-Graves of Mycenae.
The general use of the quick wheel for all except the largest vessels was Quick
itself fatal to the production of the delicate egg-shell and embossed wares, fataHo
imitative of metallic forms, such as excite our admiration in the M. M. II Egg-shell
vases brought to light in the Royal Pottery Stores. Neither was the later bossed
technique capable of imparting to their surface the brilliant metallic sheen ^ares-
that distinguishes many of these. A falling off in these respects had indeed
been very perceptible in the later ceramic phase of the preceding Period
(M. M. lib) and with it a decline in polychromy.
On the other hand a revival in the art of stone vase-makino- that seems Revival
ill- r 1 1 of Stone
to have taken place in M.M. Ill, together with the renewed import of alabaster Vase-
vessels consequent on the reopening of trade relations with Egypt certainly makm£-
reacted on the contemporary pottery forms. Examples of this have been p^^011
given above in connexion with the remains found in the N.W. Lustral Basin
and the adjoining area where King Khyan's lid was found.1 In particular,
1 See above, p. 415 seqq.
who in the preceding Age had produced the masterpieces of ceramic fabric
within its walls. The exquisite egg-shell wares had no successors.
That,.when the first effects of this destruction had been overcome and
a period of renewed prosperity and of architectural restoration had set
in, the pottery still remained for the most part at a comparatively low
level may be partly explained by the substitution for it of other materials at
the board of the Minoan lords. With the new era of wealth now reached, Diversion
vessels in precious metals doubtless came into larger use. At the same time ^1^°
the skill of the potters themselves may have been to a great extent diverted Fabrics at
M M III
to a new channel—the production, namely, of the beautiful fabrics in the Revival,
native faience. Under these circumstances earthenware would for the most
part have been relegated to the cellars and store-rooms or to the use of
slaves and others of low degree. It is nevertheless clear that by the symp-
mature stage of this Period a certain ceramic revival had set in and the t°ms °{
& Revival.
M. M. Ill potters w^ere finding new means of artistic expression adapted
to the new conditions.
It is not surprising that the wealth in precious metals should not receive Metal
adequate illustration from the actual contents of the buildings. In periods ^rgely
of catastrophe such objects are laboriously sought out either by their t0 seek-
actual owners or by subsequent plunderers. It is obvious that at Knossos
even the floor chests were thoroughly ransacked. Our only chance of
recovering any sufficient evidence as to contemporary vessels in gold
and silver would be the discovery of rich tombs. As it is, we have to turn
to the Shaft-Graves of Mycenae.
The general use of the quick wheel for all except the largest vessels was Quick
itself fatal to the production of the delicate egg-shell and embossed wares, fataHo
imitative of metallic forms, such as excite our admiration in the M. M. II Egg-shell
vases brought to light in the Royal Pottery Stores. Neither was the later bossed
technique capable of imparting to their surface the brilliant metallic sheen ^ares-
that distinguishes many of these. A falling off in these respects had indeed
been very perceptible in the later ceramic phase of the preceding Period
(M. M. lib) and with it a decline in polychromy.
On the other hand a revival in the art of stone vase-makino- that seems Revival
ill- r 1 1 of Stone
to have taken place in M.M. Ill, together with the renewed import of alabaster Vase-
vessels consequent on the reopening of trade relations with Egypt certainly makm£-
reacted on the contemporary pottery forms. Examples of this have been p^^011
given above in connexion with the remains found in the N.W. Lustral Basin
and the adjoining area where King Khyan's lid was found.1 In particular,
1 See above, p. 415 seqq.