DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.12762#0106
drak6nes
79
clay is light grey yet with a bluish tinge, a colour unique so far for the tombs drakones
of Mesara. Height -08 m. clay objects
5030. A cup of the usual M.M. Ia shape without a handle and with flat
offset foot. It has a black wash, on which probably there once was a pattern
in white. Height -07 m. Diameter -075 m.
5031. A cup of deep red clay with a large vertical handle. Round the
brim is a band of incised lines. Diameter -045 m., height -05 m. This cup
was found in Tholos A.
All the vases described above belong to the first Middle Minoan period.
Nothing Early Minoan was found, nor yet anything later than M.M. I.
The quality of the clay in all of them, except 5043, is the same, which
suggests that all the ware comes from the same local provincial factory.
B. Stone Objects. (Plate XLIII a.) stone objects
The whole cemetery produced only nine small and not very important
stone vases, and one palette. The explanation may be found in the poverty
of the community, for which there is some evidence in the dearth of other
finds, and still better evidence in the rustic quality of the clay vessels ; but in
any case the M.M. I date of the tombs is rather late for stone ware, which
was ceasing to be fashionable. In the Mesara tombs, at any rate, with the
passage of time stone objects become less in number and inferior in quality
and workmanship.
1019. The palette found in Tholos A is of the local white limestone, and Palette
has the familiar rectangular shape. The side for use is flat with the usual
border, while the under side is roughly cut and uneven. The length is -21 m.,
the breadth -16 m., and the thickness from -005 m. to -010 m., which is relatively
thin.
1020. This vase is of hard compressed limestone, and has the familiar stone Vases
mortar or bird's nest form.
1021. This is of greenish steatite, and has a carinated belly and a flat
projecting rim.
1022. This is a simple cylinder of green steatite.
These three came from Tholos A.
Of double vases, the simplest form of kernos, four were found. Double Vases
1024. This consists of two rounded cups of greenish steatite touching,
with upright grooves cut from the rim downwards.
1025 and 1027. These are two pairs of cylindrical cups joining.
1025. found in Tholos A, has a pair of horizontal grooves round the rim ;
while 1027, of light grey steatite, found in Tholos Z, is undecorated.
1026. This is of bluish steatite, and is like 1024 in shape and ornamental
grooves, but only the one cup was found.
1028. This is a low vase of greenish steatite found in Tholos A, and with
similar ornamental grooves and a pair of lugs.
79
clay is light grey yet with a bluish tinge, a colour unique so far for the tombs drakones
of Mesara. Height -08 m. clay objects
5030. A cup of the usual M.M. Ia shape without a handle and with flat
offset foot. It has a black wash, on which probably there once was a pattern
in white. Height -07 m. Diameter -075 m.
5031. A cup of deep red clay with a large vertical handle. Round the
brim is a band of incised lines. Diameter -045 m., height -05 m. This cup
was found in Tholos A.
All the vases described above belong to the first Middle Minoan period.
Nothing Early Minoan was found, nor yet anything later than M.M. I.
The quality of the clay in all of them, except 5043, is the same, which
suggests that all the ware comes from the same local provincial factory.
B. Stone Objects. (Plate XLIII a.) stone objects
The whole cemetery produced only nine small and not very important
stone vases, and one palette. The explanation may be found in the poverty
of the community, for which there is some evidence in the dearth of other
finds, and still better evidence in the rustic quality of the clay vessels ; but in
any case the M.M. I date of the tombs is rather late for stone ware, which
was ceasing to be fashionable. In the Mesara tombs, at any rate, with the
passage of time stone objects become less in number and inferior in quality
and workmanship.
1019. The palette found in Tholos A is of the local white limestone, and Palette
has the familiar rectangular shape. The side for use is flat with the usual
border, while the under side is roughly cut and uneven. The length is -21 m.,
the breadth -16 m., and the thickness from -005 m. to -010 m., which is relatively
thin.
1020. This vase is of hard compressed limestone, and has the familiar stone Vases
mortar or bird's nest form.
1021. This is of greenish steatite, and has a carinated belly and a flat
projecting rim.
1022. This is a simple cylinder of green steatite.
These three came from Tholos A.
Of double vases, the simplest form of kernos, four were found. Double Vases
1024. This consists of two rounded cups of greenish steatite touching,
with upright grooves cut from the rim downwards.
1025 and 1027. These are two pairs of cylindrical cups joining.
1025. found in Tholos A, has a pair of horizontal grooves round the rim ;
while 1027, of light grey steatite, found in Tholos Z, is undecorated.
1026. This is of bluish steatite, and is like 1024 in shape and ornamental
grooves, but only the one cup was found.
1028. This is a low vase of greenish steatite found in Tholos A, and with
similar ornamental grooves and a pair of lugs.