DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.8577#0290
270
CATALOGUE OF LATE PROTOCORINTHIAN VASES
indeed, Greek alabastra earlier than any of the
Protocorinthian examples—Cretan vases of the sub-
geometric period, two of which are illustrated in
fig. 114.1 These are evidently independently derived
Fig. 114. Cretan alabastra from near Knossos.
from the East,2 and are more definitely ceramic in
character. Apart from these and a few other Cretan
examples of the same date, there are few small
alabastra, earlier than the end of the sixth century,
that are not Corinthian or Italo-Corinthian.
In the last quarter of the
seventh century the alabastron
was to become an extremely
popular shape, but in a form
which differs in several details
from the Protocorinthian. As
our illustrations show, the pro-
file of the mouth is rectangular
in the Corinthian type, and there
is always a pronounced inward
curve at the neck. The handle,
moreover, is generally different,
and the vase tends to be much
taller in proportion to its
breadth.
In the following, mouth, shoul-
der, and base, are decorated
with tongues, the friezes are
separated by single lines; the
lower frieze in nos. 21-3, like that of the aryballoi
alreadymentioned, is decorated with coursing hounds.
Of ordinary Protocorinthian shape (cf. fig. 116, but A.
nos. 21, 23, 29 handleless).
From Bassae (Eph. Arch. 1910, 288 fig. 8; Johan- 19
sen no. 74). Sphinx, swan. Syracuse, from Megara 20
Hyblaea tomb 499. A, sphinx. Confused tomb, see
Johansen pp. 105, 6. Delphi (F. de D. v, 153, fig. 21
Fig. 115.
Cypriote alaba-
stron.
the handles are never connected with the rim of the vase.
Further, they show a general tendency to emphasize the
neck, though this is not invariable (cf. the Assyrian
alabaster vase, British Museum 91657, of which I give
a sketch in fig. 113 bis). This vase, and others (such
as Koldewey, Das Widererstehende
Babylon4,74 fig. 47) give rough parallels
for the Protocorinthian form of the
mouth and for the general proportions
of the body.
Although there can be little doubt
that the shape was borrowed from
the East, it is difficult to say how it
came to Corinth. As stated below,
the Cretan and Cypriote examples
can hardly have been the prototypes,
for they are still further removed than
the Protocorinthian from the oriental
forms. Phoenician faience alabastra of
the type Longperier, Mus. Nap. iii, pi. 49, 1 and 2 (Perrot
iii, pi. 5, left and right) have been found on Greek sites
(Camirus—several examples in the Louvre, published in the
works just cited, and in the British Museum—and Syracuse,
N.S. 1895, 472), and are certainly earlier than the earliest
Protocorinthian examples; this is proved by the grave at
Syracuse (see Johansen pp. 104, 5; cf. also v. Bissing, Der
Anteil, 60 ff.), and by the fact that there is an ovoid
Fig. 113 bis.
Assyrian alaba-
stron.
aryballos of early shape of the same fabric (Johansen 177
fig. 125, left). Such alabastra may have been known at
Corinth and may have led to the introduction of the shape
shortly before the middle of the seventh century (cf. Pfuhl,
A.M. 1903, 238), but they differ in many details from the
Protocorinthian form. A faience alabastron illustrated by
Kinch (Vroulia 135, fig. 45) comes nearer to the Proto-
corinthian type in respect of mouth and handles, but is of
a different fabric and cannot be dated exactly.
1 Fig. 114 a, from Fortezza; b, from near Zafer Papoura.
The excavations in which these vases were found will
shortly be published in full (brief report, J.H.S. 1927, 245).
2 Perhaps by way of Cyprus: compare the Cypriote vase
fig. 115 which doubtless belongs to the early orientalizing
period (cf. Pottier, text to C.V.A. ii, c, b, pi. 7, 6; better
photographs, Maximova, Vases Plastiques, pi. 4, 18). The
type of handle seen here and in the Cretan vases is not
common in alabastra of other fabrics, though an analogous
form is found in Italo-Corinthian. The shape was known
in Cyprus in the bronze age (C.V.A. Brussels ii, c, pi. 1,17;
Frankfort, Studies, ii, 77, fig. 15 c; Perrot iii, 686; &c.)
and lingered long after the period to which fig. 115 belongs
(C.V.A. Brit. Mus. ii, C, c, pi. 14, 4; pi. 16, 13, &c.) The
elongated alabastra of the Gordion-Polledrara type,
which may possibly be Cypriote, as Poulsen maintains, are,
of course, a special class without any bearing on the ques-
tion under discussion.
CATALOGUE OF LATE PROTOCORINTHIAN VASES
indeed, Greek alabastra earlier than any of the
Protocorinthian examples—Cretan vases of the sub-
geometric period, two of which are illustrated in
fig. 114.1 These are evidently independently derived
Fig. 114. Cretan alabastra from near Knossos.
from the East,2 and are more definitely ceramic in
character. Apart from these and a few other Cretan
examples of the same date, there are few small
alabastra, earlier than the end of the sixth century,
that are not Corinthian or Italo-Corinthian.
In the last quarter of the
seventh century the alabastron
was to become an extremely
popular shape, but in a form
which differs in several details
from the Protocorinthian. As
our illustrations show, the pro-
file of the mouth is rectangular
in the Corinthian type, and there
is always a pronounced inward
curve at the neck. The handle,
moreover, is generally different,
and the vase tends to be much
taller in proportion to its
breadth.
In the following, mouth, shoul-
der, and base, are decorated
with tongues, the friezes are
separated by single lines; the
lower frieze in nos. 21-3, like that of the aryballoi
alreadymentioned, is decorated with coursing hounds.
Of ordinary Protocorinthian shape (cf. fig. 116, but A.
nos. 21, 23, 29 handleless).
From Bassae (Eph. Arch. 1910, 288 fig. 8; Johan- 19
sen no. 74). Sphinx, swan. Syracuse, from Megara 20
Hyblaea tomb 499. A, sphinx. Confused tomb, see
Johansen pp. 105, 6. Delphi (F. de D. v, 153, fig. 21
Fig. 115.
Cypriote alaba-
stron.
the handles are never connected with the rim of the vase.
Further, they show a general tendency to emphasize the
neck, though this is not invariable (cf. the Assyrian
alabaster vase, British Museum 91657, of which I give
a sketch in fig. 113 bis). This vase, and others (such
as Koldewey, Das Widererstehende
Babylon4,74 fig. 47) give rough parallels
for the Protocorinthian form of the
mouth and for the general proportions
of the body.
Although there can be little doubt
that the shape was borrowed from
the East, it is difficult to say how it
came to Corinth. As stated below,
the Cretan and Cypriote examples
can hardly have been the prototypes,
for they are still further removed than
the Protocorinthian from the oriental
forms. Phoenician faience alabastra of
the type Longperier, Mus. Nap. iii, pi. 49, 1 and 2 (Perrot
iii, pi. 5, left and right) have been found on Greek sites
(Camirus—several examples in the Louvre, published in the
works just cited, and in the British Museum—and Syracuse,
N.S. 1895, 472), and are certainly earlier than the earliest
Protocorinthian examples; this is proved by the grave at
Syracuse (see Johansen pp. 104, 5; cf. also v. Bissing, Der
Anteil, 60 ff.), and by the fact that there is an ovoid
Fig. 113 bis.
Assyrian alaba-
stron.
aryballos of early shape of the same fabric (Johansen 177
fig. 125, left). Such alabastra may have been known at
Corinth and may have led to the introduction of the shape
shortly before the middle of the seventh century (cf. Pfuhl,
A.M. 1903, 238), but they differ in many details from the
Protocorinthian form. A faience alabastron illustrated by
Kinch (Vroulia 135, fig. 45) comes nearer to the Proto-
corinthian type in respect of mouth and handles, but is of
a different fabric and cannot be dated exactly.
1 Fig. 114 a, from Fortezza; b, from near Zafer Papoura.
The excavations in which these vases were found will
shortly be published in full (brief report, J.H.S. 1927, 245).
2 Perhaps by way of Cyprus: compare the Cypriote vase
fig. 115 which doubtless belongs to the early orientalizing
period (cf. Pottier, text to C.V.A. ii, c, b, pi. 7, 6; better
photographs, Maximova, Vases Plastiques, pi. 4, 18). The
type of handle seen here and in the Cretan vases is not
common in alabastra of other fabrics, though an analogous
form is found in Italo-Corinthian. The shape was known
in Cyprus in the bronze age (C.V.A. Brussels ii, c, pi. 1,17;
Frankfort, Studies, ii, 77, fig. 15 c; Perrot iii, 686; &c.)
and lingered long after the period to which fig. 115 belongs
(C.V.A. Brit. Mus. ii, C, c, pi. 14, 4; pi. 16, 13, &c.) The
elongated alabastra of the Gordion-Polledrara type,
which may possibly be Cypriote, as Poulsen maintains, are,
of course, a special class without any bearing on the ques-
tion under discussion.