AEGEAN POTTERY

CRETE

MIDDLE MINOAN
    Minoan pottery is considered to have reached its zenith early, in the Middle Minoan period. Certain types are called Kamares ware ; there is eggshell ware , typically cups thrown on a potter's wheel with extremely thin walls made to imitate the more expensive metal vessels ; also within the realm of Kamares ware are thicker, but very fine pitchers & vases and, sometimes, objects which are "over the top". They are polychromed, with light-on-dark designs that have stylized, decorative, metal- and stone-imitating  patterns and floral & zoomorphic motifs. Some of these pots were first found in a shrine in the Kamares Cave in the foothills of Mt. Ida, hence the name. See pages 34 & 35 in The Arts in Prehistoric Greece for examples; others are below. (HM = Heraklion Museum)
 
 
 
Kamares ware beaked pitcher, H: 10 5/8"                                    Kamares ware pedestal bowl, H: 18"
MM II, c. 1800 B.C.                                                                      MM II, 1900-1700 B.C.
Phaistos (HM)                                                                              Phaistos (HM)


 LATE MINOAN I
    Toward the end of the Middle Minoan period, light-on-dark designs were abandoned in favor of dark-on-light. Designs also became more naturalistic with the Floral and Marine Styles.
 

  
 Floral Style  ' Jug of the Reeds', H: 11.4"                                     Marine Style 'Pilgrim Flask', H: 11"
LM IA, 1550-1500 B.C.                                                                LM IB, 1500-1450 B.C.
Phaistos (HM)                                                                              Palaikastro (HM)


LATE MINOAN III
    After the Mycenaean conquest and occupation of Crete, more rigid, symmetrical & formalized designs prevail as illustrated below.

  
 Palace Style Jar with papyrus decoration, H: 27.5"                     Stylized octopus stirrup jar
LM III A, c. 1425 B.C.                                                                   LM III
Knossos (HM)                                                                              near Agios Nikolaos (Ag.Nikolaos Museum)