Mycenaean Decorated according to the conventional view. This study demonstrates that two other wares also first appear in LH I – Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted and White on Burnished Dark. Furthermore, these two wares appear only in LH I in the northeastern Peloponnese. Along with the earliest examples of Mycenaean Decorated, their presence dates any context to LH I. Therefore, rather than a single criterion for defining a LH I context, three now exist. When the proposed classification system is applied to certain areas at the sites of Asine, Lerna, and Mycenae, the efficacy and

advantages of the system become markedly evident. For Asine, methodological concerns

with previous schemes indicate that a new system is needed. At Lerna, the dates of cist

graves either are independently corroborated or re-dated to LH I. Finally, the system

demonstrates that certain burials from the graves in the two grave circles at Mycenae date unequivocally to LH I.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The cliché that no dissertation is written without the assistance and support of numerous individuals is a cliché because it is true, and I wish to take this space to acknowledge those who have helped me complete this work. I first must thank the faculty of the

Department of Classics at the University of Cincinnati for granting me a Louise-Taft

Semple Fellowship from the fall of 1997 through the spring of 2003. Since no faculty or students can devote their time to work without the support of staff, I offer my thanks to

Gayle McGarrahan, Ken Gottorff, and John Wallrodt who assisted me more times than anyone should ask of three people.

The staff of the Burnam Library at the university also deserves my gratitude, especially

Jean Wellington and Michael Braunlin both for hunting obscure references and for their

Job-like patience when I was less than patient for those references.

Beyond Cincinnati, I must thank Drs. Guy Sanders, Nancy Bookides and Ioulia Tzonou-

Herbst for permitting me to study the Korakou material. Their time, kindness, and comments both in the museum and on the ouzo terrace at Korinth are greatly appreciated.

Drs. James Wright and Jeremy Rutter granted me permission to study the Tsoungiza material, and I owe the two of them plus Dr. Mary Dabney a debt for their invaluable comments and seemingly endless amounts of time. Jim and Mary went well beyond the traditional role of hosts during my stay at Mycenae in the summer of 2002 and provided me both with transportation to Nemea and with lunch there as well. I will remember that time fondly. Drs. Martha Wiencke and Carol Zerner allowed me access to the Lerna material. I profited immensely from the discussions I had with Carol and thank her for taking all of

my phone calls and answering innumerable questions with patience and forbearing.

In addition to Dr. Alexander Mantis who facilitated access to material in the Nauplion

Museum in October 2001, numerous other individuals affiliated with the Greek

Archaeological Service also deserve my thanks. At both the office in Nauplion and the

various museums and apothekes, they graciously offered their time and service.

I also must thank the staff at the American School of Classical Studies in Athens,

especially Maria Pilali who assisted me immensely both in understanding the permit

process and in obtaining the permits themselves.

The assistance and patience of my committee – Drs. Gisela Walberg, Jack Davis,

Kathleen Lynch, and Oliver Dickinson – cannot be adequately acknowledged. Kathleen

not only agreed to serve on my committee shortly after her arrival at Cincinnati, but she

faced the Herculean task of both a new position and a dissertation with understanding and

grace.

Jack has served both as instructor and mentor from my arrival at Cincinnati in 1997.

Through course-work, informal meetings in his office and the hallways of the Blegen

Library, and the occasional lunch, he has shaped this dissertation in innumerable ways,

and I can honestly say that, without him, I would not have finished this degree.

I first met Oliver – now both mentor and friend - in Nauplion, Greece during the summer of 2000. During our discussion of the early Mycenaean pottery of Midea, he invited me to study with him in Durham which I had the great fortune to do from January through

June of 2002. During our numerous meetings there, we discussed both sections of this work that I had prepared and the subject in general; from his advice, suggestions, and,

perhaps most importantly, corrections, my knowledge of the pottery as well as of the

early Mycenaean period grew immeasurably. I also am indebted to his generosity of

time, which he always made for me no matter when I dropped by his office. As a side

note, I also wish to thank the faculty and staff of the Department of Classics and Ancient

History at Durham for their assistance during my stay in Durham.

To my mentrix, Dr. Gisela Walberg, I owe innumerable thanks. She has guided me through my studies at Cincinnati, and offered me the chance to publish the early

Mycenaean pottery from the Midea excavations which eventually led to the idea for this dissertation. During my course-work and the writing of this work, she never failed to make time for me even when her own schedule was already overflowing, and her guidance has saved me from several errors of fact and judgment in this work. To Gisela, thank you.

I further must thank my family and my wife’s for their support from the time I first began studying archaeology. I could not ask for better in-laws, Rik and Becky Hagarty, who always encouraged me and followed my progress with genuine interest; they also provided necessary support for my wife during my long and numerous absences. To my parents, Alan and Nancy, I offer my heartfelt thanks for your patience and love throughout my life and the time during the writing of this dissertation. Now that this is finished, I promise to call more often!

I cannot describe the myriad ways in which my wife Tracy has assisted me. She has sacrificed much over the past ten years to support us from Tucson to Cincinnati and has offered her unending patience and love during that time without fail. She has accepted my long and numerous absences both from home and from reality with remarkable forbearance. To her, I can now say, yes, Tracy, it’s done. LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

In addition to the list of standard abbreviations published in AJA (1991, 1-16), I use the

following in this study:

Asine II.2 Dietz, S. 1980. The Middle Helladic Cemetery, The Middle

Helladic and Early Mycenaean Deposits. Asine II, 2: Results

of the Excavations East of the Acropolis 1970-1974.

Stockholm: Paul Åströms Förlag.

ATMA Dietz, S. 1991. The Argolid at the Transition to the Mycenaean

Age: Studies in the Chronology and Cultural Development in

the Shaft Grave Period. Copenhagen: The National Museum

of Denmark, Department of Near Eastern and Classical

Antiquities.

Circle B Mylonas, G. 1973. O Taphikos Kyklos B ton Mykenon.

Athens: Bibliotheke tes en Athenais Archaiologike Hetaireias.

CMP Furumark, A. 1941. The Chronology of Mycenaean Pottery.

Stockholm: Kungl. Vitterhets Historie och Antikvitets

Akademien.

Gazetteer Hope Simpson, R. and O.T.P.K. Dickinson. 1979. A Gazetteer

of Aegean Civilization in the Bronze Age, Volume I: The

Mainland and Islands. Studies in Mediterranean Archaeology

52. Göteborg: Paul Åströms Förlag. Korakou Blegen, C.W. 1921. Korakou: A Prehistoric Settlement near

Corinth. Boston and New York: The American School of

Classical Studies in Athens.

Kythera Coldstream, J.N. and G.L. Huxley. 1972. Kythera:

Excavations and Studies Conducted by The University of

Pennsylvania Museum and The British School at Athens.

London: Faber and Faber.

MDP Mountjoy, P.A. 1986. Mycenaean Decorated Pottery: A

Guide to Identification. Studies in Mediterranean Archaeology

73. Göteborg: Paul Åströms Förlag.

MP Furumark, A. 1941. The Mycenaean Pottery: Analysis and

Classification. Stockholm: Kungl. Vitterhets Historie och

Antikvitets Akademien.

Mykenische Furtwängler, A. and G. Loeschcke. 1879. Mykenische

Thongefässe Thongefässe. Berlin: Asher.

Mykenische Vasen Furtwängler, A. and G. Loeschcke. 1886. Mykenische Vasen:

vorhellenische Thongefässe aus dem Gebiete des Mittelmeeres.

Berlin: Asher.

Origins Dickinson, O.T.P.K. 1977. The Origins of Mycenaean

Civilsation. Studies in Mediterranean Archaeology 49.

Göteborg: Paul Åströms Förlag.

PPGCG French, D.H. 1972. Prehistoric Pottery Groups from Central

Greece. Athens: Privately Published. Prosymna Blegen, C.W. 1937. Prosymna: The Helladic Settlement

Preceding the Argive Heraeum. Cambridge: Cambridge UP.

RMDP Mountjoy, P.A. 1999. Regional Mycenaean Decorated

Pottery. Rahden/Westf.: Verlag Marie Leidorf GmbH.

Tiryns V French, D.H. and E. French. 1971. "Prehistoric Pottery from

the Area of the Agricultural Prison at Tiryns," in Tiryns V:

Forschungen und Berichte, 21-40. Mainz am Rhein: Verlag

Phillip von Zabern.

Transition Rutter, J.B. and S.H. Rutter. 1976. The Transition to

Mycenaean. Monumenta Archaeologica 4. Los Angeles: The

Institute of Archaeology, The University of California, Los

Angeles.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Abstract

Acknowledgements

List of Abbreviations

List of Figures 2

Chapter 1: Introduction 7

Chapter 2: The Historiographical Development of the Concept of Late 16

Helladic I Mycenaean Decorated

Chapter 3: The Current Definition of Late Helladic I Mycenaean Decorated 44

in the Argolid and Korinthia

Chapter 4: The Historiographical Development of the Concept of the Late 74

Helladic I “Other Wares”

Chapter 5: The Proposed Classification System for the Late Helladic I 133

“Other Wares” in the Argolid and Korinthia

Chapter 6: The Application of the Proposed Classification System: The 197

Cases of Asine, Lerna, and Mycenae

Chapter 7: The Classification of Late Helladic I Pottery and the Chronology 209

of the Shaft Grave Period

Bibliography 217

Appendix I: Methodology of Technical Description 240

Appendix II: Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted Ware Beyond the 243

Northeastern Peloponnese

Catalogue 252 2

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1.1: Map of the Greek Mainland (After RMDP, 14)

Figure 1.2: Map of the Northeastern Peloponnese (After RMDP, 61)

Figure 1.3: Plan of the East Alley from Korakou (After Davis 1979, 237 fig. 2)

Figure 1.4: Plan of EU 7 at Tsoungiza (After Rutter 1989, 14 fig. 2)

Figure 1.5: Plan of the Northern Trenches at Asine (After Asine II.2, 14 fig. 2)

Figure 1.6: Plan of Kokla (After Demakopoulou 1993, 58 fig. 1)

Figure 1.7: Plan of Lerna (After Caskey 1957, 144 fig. 1)

Figure 1.8: Plan of the Lower Terraces from Midea (After Walberg 1999, pl. 204)

Figure 1.9: Plan of the Grave Circles from Mycenae (After Kilian-Dirlmeier 1986, 106 fig.1)

Figure 1.10: Plan of the Graves from Myloi (After Dietz and Divari-Valakou 1990, 46 fig. 3)

Figure 1.11: Plan of the Chamber Tombs from Prosymna (After Shelton 1996, 358 Map 1)

Figure 1.12: Plan of the Agricultural Prison from Tiryns (After Verdelis 1963, 2 fig. 1)

Figure 2.1: Furumark Shape 14 (After MP, 22 fig. 3)

Figure 2.2: Furumark Shape 27 (After MP, 22 fig. 3)

Figure 2.3: Furumark Shape 71 (After MP, 22 fig. 3)

Figure 2.4: Furumark Shape 80 (After MP, 41 fig. 11)

Figure 2.5: Furumark Shape 87 (After MP, 41 fig. 11)

Figure 2.6: Furumark Shape 100 (After MP, 22 fig. 3)

Figure 2.7: Furumark Shapes 211/212 (After MP, 48 fig. 13)

Figure 2.8: Furumark Shape 224 (Types II and III) (After MP, 53 fig. 15)

Figure 3.1: Large Jar (After RMDP, 81 fig. 10:1; Karo 1930, pl. 172:856) 3

Figure 3.2: Piriform Jar (After MDP, 12 fig. 3:1-3; Prosymna, pl. 353:453, 454, 495, 382; Demakopoulou 1993, pl. 3:5)

Figure 3.3: Oval-Mouthed Amphora (After RMDP, 81 fig. 10:4)

Figure 3.4: Alabastron Jar (After MDP 12 fig. 4:1, 2; Circle B, pl. 65:gamma)

Figure 3.5: Alabastron (After Prosymna, pl. 654:870)

Figure 3.6: Squat Jug (After Dietz and Divari-Valakou 1990, 57 fig. 22:VII,3 and VII, 4; Prosymna, pl. 652:343; Karo 1939, pl. 166:156; MDP 13 fig. 5:2; Circle B, pl. 43:alpha)

Figure 3.7: Hole-Mouthed Jar (After MDP, 13 fig. 6:1; Prosymna, 656:488)

Figure 3.8: Jug (After Prosymna, pl. 652:431)

Figure 3.9: Askos (After RMDP, 84 fig. 11:14)

Figure 3.10: Semiglobular Cup (FS 211 and 212) (After MDP, 14 fig. 7:1; Prosymna, 655:489; MDP, 14 fig. 7:3)

Figure 3.11: Vapheio Cup (Type II) (After Demakopoulou 1993, pl. 3:3)

Figure 3.12: Straight-Sided Cup (After Dietz and Divari-Valakou 1990, 57 fig. 22:VII,1; Demakopoulou 1993, pl. 3:4, 2)

Figure 3.13: Rounded Cup/Bowl (After Prosymna, pl. 652:385)

Figure 4.1: Ware Concordance of the Major Classification Systems

Figure 4.2: Plan of the Lower Town of Asine (After Nordquist and Hägg 1996, 12 fig. 1)

Figure 5.1: Grey Minyan Semiglobular Cup (After Circle B, pl 52:delta, 1)

Figure 5.2: Grey Minyan Hole-Mouthed Jar (After Karo 1930, pl. 174:949)

Figure 5.3: Grey Minyan Jug (After Circle B, pl. 134:gamma)

Figure 5.4: Grey Minyan Amphoriskos (After Circle B, pl. 80:alpha, 2)

Figure 5.5: Matt-Painted Kantharos (After Karo 1930, pl. 168:198)

Figure 5.6: Matt-Painted Spouted Bowl (After Circle B, pl. 53:beta,1)

Figure 5.7: Matt-Painted “Vapheio” Cup (After Circle B, pl. 52:alpha)

Figure 5.8: Matt-Painted Semiglobular Cup (After Rutter 1989, 15 fig. 3:2)

Figure 5.9: Matt-Painted Semiovoid Cups (After Circle B, pl. 53:alpha, 1 and 2)

Figure 5.10: Matt-Painted Beak-Spouted Jugs (After Circle B, pls. 47:alpha and 45:beta)

Figure 5.11: Matt-Painted Horizontal-Spouted Jug (After Dietz and Divari-Valakou 1990, 51 fig. 12:III,1)

Figure 5.12: Matt-Painted Amphoriskos (After Circle B, pl. 50:gamma)

Figure 5.13: Matt-Painted Amphora (After Circle B, pl. 171:alpha)

Figure 5.14: Matt-Painted Stamnos (After Circle B, pl. 48:alpha)

Figure 5.15: Lustrous Decorated Stamnos (After Circle B, pl. 13:gamma)

Figure 5.16: Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted Vapheio Cup (After Mykenische Thongefässe, pl. XI:53)

Figure 5.17: Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted Semiglobular (After Caskey 1956, pl. 39:e)

Figure 5.18: Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted Semiovoid cup (After Mykenische Thongefässe, pl. XI:52)

Figure 5.19: Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted Beaked-Spouted Jugs (After Mykenische Thongefässe, pls. XI:51)

Figure 5.20: Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted Beak-Spouted Jug (After Circle B, pl. 105:alpha)

Figure 5.21: Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted Askos (After Mykenische Thongefässe, pl. X:47)

Figure 5.22: Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted Stamnoi (After Prosymna, pls. 651:499, IV)

Figure 5.23: Fine Orange Kantharos (After Circle B, pl. 170:zeta)

Figure 5.24: Fine Orange (After Dietz and Divari-Valakou 1990, 57 fig. 22:VII,2)

Figure 5.25: White on Burnished Dark Jugs (After Circle B, pl. 15:gamma; Davis 1979, fig. 4:14; Rutter 1989, 15 fig. 3:1) 5

Figure 5.26: White on Burnished Dark Jar (After Karo 1930, pl. 172:858)

Figure 5.27: Red Silver Mica Jars (After Circle B, pls. 171:gamma, 170:delta)

Figure 5.28: Unpainted – Fine Spouted Bowl (After Circle B, pl. 134:alpha)

Figure 5.29: Unpainted – Fine Dippers (after Rutter 1989, 17 figs. 5:11, 12)

Figure 5.30: Unpainted – Fine Miniature Kantharos (after Rutter 1989, 17 fig. 5:10)

Figure 5.31: Unpainted – Fine Askoi (After Circle B, pls. 51:beta, 169:gamma)

Figure 5.32: Unpainted – Fine Beaked-Spouted Jugs (After Circle B, pl. 47:gamma)

Figure 5.33: Unpainted – Fine Jugs with Cutaway Necks (After Rutter 1989, 8 figs. 6:14, 15)

Figure 5.34: Unpainted – Fine Jug (After Karo 1930, pl. 166:159)

Figure 5.35: Unpainted – Fine Alabastron (After Rutter 1989, 8 fig. 6:16)

Figure 5.36: Unpainted – Fine Amphoriskos (After Circle B, pl. 170:epsilon)

Figure 5.37: Unpainted – Medium Goblets (After Circle B, pl. 176; Rutter 1989, 17 fig. 3:5)

Figure 5.38: Unpainted – Medium Kantharos (After Rutter 1989, 17 fig. 5:7)

Figure 5.39: Unpainted – Medium Krater (After Rutter 1989, 18 fig. 6:13)

Figure 5.40: Unpainted – Medium Bridge-Spouted Jar (After Circle B, pl. 169:alpha)

Figure 5.41: Unpainted – Coarse Hydria (After Circle B, pl. 105:beta)

Figure 5.42: Unpainted – Kitchen Ware Cooking Pots (After Rutter 1989, 18 figs. 6:18, 19)

Figure 5.43: Aiginetan – Matt-Painted Hydria (After Circle B, pl. 41:beta)

Figure 5.44: Aiginetan – Matt-Painted Stamnos (After Circle B, pl. 171:beta)

Figure 5.45: Aiginetan – Polychrome Matt-Painted Stamnos (After Rutter 1989, 16 fig. 4:4)

Figure 5.46: Aiginetan – Kitchen Ware Cooking Pots (After Circle B, pl. 172:beta; Rutter 1989, 18 fig.6:17)

Figure 6.1: L.986 (After Zerner 1990, 31 fig. 46)

Figure 6.2: L.921 (After Zerner 1990, 32 fig. 54)

Figure 6.3: L.922 (After Zerner 1990, 33 fig. 57 right)

Figure 6.4: L.923 (After Caskey 1957, pl. 39g middle)

Figure 6.5: L.925 (After Zerner 1990, 33 fig. 57 middle)

Figure 6.6: L.926 (After Zerner 1990, 33 fig. 57 left)

Figure 6.7: L.927 (After Zerner 1990, 32 fig. 55)

Figure 6.8: L.974 (After Zerner 1990, 32 fig. 53)

Figure 6.9: L.987 (After Zerner 1990, 32 fig. 52)

Figure 6.10: Grave Gamma (After ATMA, 109 fig. 32)

Figure 6.11: Grave Kappa (After ATMA, 119 fig. 38)

Figure 6.12: Grave Omicron (After ATMA, 129 fig. 44) 7

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

Since Schliemann’s excavations of the Shaft Graves in Grave Circle A at Mycenae,

scholars have focused considerable attention on one distinctive feature of Mycenaean

civilization - the pottery.1 Indeed, in the late 19th century, Furtwängler and Loeschcke devoted two volumes to the pottery from the Mycenaean period.2 In their second

publication, they separated the ceramics into two general classes: Vasen mit Mattmalerei

and Vasen mit Firnismalerei; the second class is, essentially, a ware known as

Mycenaean Decorated which first appears around the time of the Shaft Graves and continues until the end of the Bronze Age.3 Subsequent studies, such as Blegen’s work at

Korakou, concentrate particularly on Mycenaean Decorated and begin to label it simply as Mycenaean pottery.4 Furumark’s magna opera, Mycenaean Pottery: Analysis and

Classification and The Chronology of Mycenaean Pottery, examine Mycenaean

Decorated almost exclusively, and with the publication of Mountjoy’s handbooks,

Mycenaean Decorated Pottery and Regional Mycenaean Decorated Pottery, Mycenaean

1 Schliemann 1877. Schliemann discussed all of the types of finds together, including the

pottery. Karo 1930 did the same in his catalogue of the Shaft Graves objects, but, in the

plates, he separated the finds by type, and the pottery is depicted on pls. 166-175.

2 Mykenische Thongefässe, Mykenische Vasen.

3 Mykenische Vasen, vi-viii. A few of the vessels illustrated from Mycenae, for example,

may post-date the Mycenaean period.

4 Korakou, 35. 8

Decorated has become the sole focus.5 Yet, in the earliest chronological phase of the

Mycenaean period, Late Helladic I, wares other than Mycenaean Decorated existed, and, in fact, these wares occurred in considerably far greater quantities.6 The existence of

these wares is almost universally acknowledged, but few scholars devote an examination

or even space to them; Mountjoy barely discusses them in her 1999 work, for example,

and in her 1986 publication, she simply states “[t]he other wares derive from the Middle

Helladic tradition, and have been extensively discussed by Davis and Rutter. Only LH I

will be discussed here.”7

5 MP, CMP; MDP, RMDP.

6 A limited number of these wares continue well into the Mycenaean period.

7 RMDP, 19-20; MDP, 9. Designating the pottery as “Late Helladic I” is problematic as

Furumark observed (MP, 9). While he referred to the confusion that such a term might cause concerning the origin of the pottery (hence his suggestion of “Mycenaean I”), confusion also could occur since scholars use “LH I” for both a pottery style and a chronological period. This same problem with Early Cycladic terminology led Renfrew to suggest the term “culture” to refer to any material cultural element (Renfrew 1972, 53-

55). Utilizing Renfrew’s system, the term “LH I” would be reserved exclusively for

discussions of chronology, and the pottery could be labeled as Furumark suggested -

“Mycenaean I.” In this study, I call the earliest incarnation of the decorated variety of

Mycenaean pottery “LH I Mycenaean Decorated.” As a corollary of this discussion, I

believe that the use of “LH I” – such as in Mountjoy - has contributed to the neglect of

“the other wares.” 9

The first and foremost goal of this study is to redress this general neglect of “the other

wares.” In order to accomplish this aim, I first analyze pottery from the LH I period

unearthed in the northeastern Peloponnese, which in this study encompasses the present-

day nomes of the Argolid and Korinthia.8 Of the potential thirty LH I sites in these areas

listed in the Gazetteer and other sources, only twenty-one appear to be attributed securely

to LH I; of those twenty-one, most are known only from informal surveys or brief site

reports.9 I include material from areas of ten sites: Korakou and Tsoungiza in the

Korinthia, and Asine, Kokla, Lerna, Midea, Myloi, Mycenae, Prosymna, and Tiryns in

the Argolid.10

The pioneering work of Blegen at Korakou is well known, and for LH I, an especially important area is the East Alley.11 While Blegen did not publish any of the material by

deposit, Davis in 1979 re-examined and published the pottery from Levels XII-XVI from

the East Alley.12 I include in this study a selection of that pottery studied by Davis.13

8 See Figs. 1.1 and 1.2.

9 Gazetteer, 28-74; Demakopoulou 1993. Ayia Irini in the Korinthia contains LH I

pottery, a portion of which is on display in the Nemea museum.

10 I personally have examined material from four of the sites: Korakou, Lerna, Midea,

and Tsoungiza; for the remaining six sites, I rely on published works.

11 Korakou. See Fig. 1.3.

12 Davis 1979. 10

The discovery of an intact building at Tsoungiza revealed a LH I deposit that did not

contain any Mycenaean Decorated.14 Found during excavations in the 1980s, the

building contained nineteen vessels which were whole or mostly restorable and have been studied by Rutter.15 Similar pottery is abundant from nearby EU 8, which was probably

an exterior use area.16 In this study, I incorporate the nineteen vessels as well as selected

pottery from EU 8.

From the excavations east of the acropolis at Asine conducted from 1970-1974, Dietz

published a number of trenches from the northern area that provided rich LH I pottery

deposits.17 In particular, trenches D2/9 and D4/9 contained minimal contamination, and I include pottery from these trenches.

In 1993, Demakopoulou published an important series of tombs from Kokla; these

consisted of one tholos, nine chamber tombs, and five pit graves.18 Chamber Tombs V

and VIIB have produced LH I vessels, and I include these.

13 See the catalogue at the end of this study for all of the 427 examples included. All of

these pieces represent the best examples available at the present time. A number are

complete, especially those from funerary contexts.

14 Wright 1990. See Fig. 1.4.

15 Rutter 1989.

16 James Wright, personal communication.

17 Asine II.1 and II.2. See Fig. 1.5.

18 Demakopoulou 1993. See Fig. 1.6. 11

The importance of the material from the two shaft graves at Lerna has been known since

their discovery by Caskey.19 The substantial quantity of pottery, all of which dates to LH

I, contains virtually every ware produced during the period. I incorporate a selection of

these wares into this study.20

Walberg has excavated the Lower Terraces at Midea since 1985, and the first volumes

have been published.21 Material from the 1994-1997 excavations has been studied, and

the publications are forthcoming.22 Particularly important is the wide range of LH I

Mycenaean Decorated present which I have examined and prepared for publication.23

Mycenae contains a number of the most important LH I discoveries on the Greek

mainland, particularly the graves from Grave Circles A and B.24 For this study, I have included material from the two grave circles.25

Near Lerna is the village of Myloi, and in 1990, Dietz and Divari-Valakou published a

group of nine cist graves from the area.26 Graves III, IV, and especially VII have

produced LH I pottery which I incorporate.

19 Caskey 1956 and 1957a. See Fig. 1.7.

20 Except for those examples published by Caskey, I cannot illustrate any others as they await final publication.

21 Walberg 1998b. See Fig. 1.8.

22 Walberg 1996, 1997, 1997-1998, 1998a, 1999, and 2000.

23 Kramer in Midea II (forthcoming).

24 See Fig. 1.9.

25 Karo 1939; Circle B. 12

Blegen’s excavation of several chamber tombs at Prosymna, published in 1937, is as well known as his work at Korakou.27 Chamber Tombs 25, 26, and 52 especially have produced a number of particularly important LH I vessels, and I include them in this study.

Finally, Tiryns has yielded important LH I material from the area known as the

Agricultural Prison, which was excavated in 1957.28 The Frenches published the pottery in 1971, and of the vessels they discuss, I include a selection of them.29

From the study of this pottery, I then produce a classification system for all of the wares of LH I. In contrast to previous schemes, my system incorporates analyses of fabric and style, and, furthermore, I incorporate both settlement and funerary contexts from several sites in two regions. This classification system is the first intended contribution of this study.

Classification systems, as Rice observes however, “are a means to an end, not ends themselves.”30 This observation leads to the other goal of this study – an examination of the impact that the aforementioned classification system has on the chronology of the

Shaft Grave Period. This is the second intended contribution of this study.

26 Dietz and Divari-Valakou 1990. See Fig. 1.10.

27 Prosymna. See Fig. 1.11.

28 Verdelis 1963. See Fig. 1.12.

29 Tiryns V.

30 Rice 1982, 48. 13

This study is structured as follows. In Chapter 2, I review the historiographical

development of the concept of LH I Mycenaean Decorated from Blegen’s initial publication of Korakou in 1921 to the codified view set forth by Mountjoy in her

handbooks.31 All of the major developments in between are traced and discussed,

especially those of Furumark and Dickinson on which Mountjoy’s account is primarily

based.32 The chapter also focuses on how the pottery is presented in the scholarly

literature.

Chapter 3 examines the current definition of LH I Mycenaean Decorated in the Argolid

and Korinthia. While the account is ultimately based on the definitions in Mountjoy’s

works, which are founded in turn on Furumark and Dickinson, I offer additional

information based both on my first-hand analysis of material from Korakou, Lerna,

Midea, and Tsoungiza and on published examples from the other sites. I begin with an

overview of the technical aspects of the pottery since these are generally neglected in

studies of Mycenaean Decorated. I continue with a stylistic analysis and discuss the main

shapes of the ware and their associated motifs. Throughout, I provide numerous

examples, but those provided are not intended to represent a corpus - they simply

illustrate the main points of the ware.

In Chapter 4, I return to a discussion of historiographical development, specifically the

development of the concept of “the other wares” in LH I. If the historiographical

development of the concept of Mycenaean Decorated appears both simple and linear, the

31 Korakou; MDP, RMDP.

32 MP; Dickinson 1970, 1974, and Origins. 14

same assertion cannot be made for that of “the other wares” because of the general

neglect of these wares in the scholarly literature. I begin with the earliest references in

Furtwängler and Loeschcke in 1886 and review the major developments to the most recent system, which is that of Dietz published in 1991, and which I examine in depth.33

Before I introduce my system, I then present three case studies to illustrate the various

schemes discussed in this chapter and the impact on Shaft Grave Period chronology that these systems have. I focus in particular on the results of Dietz’s analysis of the Lower

Town of Asine, Caskey’s and Blackburn’s investigation of the graves of Lerna V and VI, and the numerous studies of the graves from the two grave circles at Mycenae.34

Chapter 5 presents my proposed classification system for “the other wares” of LH I in the

Argolid and the Korinthia. Before examining the wares, I describe briefly the theoretical

basis for classification systems in general as well as for the proposed system. I then

present each ware, and for each I first provide a description of technical characteristics,

such as the fabric types employed, the surface treatments utilized, and methods of

manufacture. I follow this information with the major shapes of each ware, the

33 Mykenische Vasen; ATMA.

34 Of the ten sites I include in this study, I have chosen these three as they represent the

examples which require re-examination in light of the proposed classification system.

Korakou and Prosymna already have received a similar treatment by Davis (1979) and

Shelton (1996) respectively, Midea and Tsoungiza are both in the process of publication,

and Kokla, Myloi, and Tiryns provide data that is too limited to provide an effective case

study. 15

decoration when present, and examples. As with the account of LH I Mycenaean

Decorated, the examples given do not represent a complete corpus but illustrate the main

points of the wares.

In Chapter 6, I apply the proposed classification system to the three specific cases first

introduced in Chapter 4. For each, I re-examine the material on which the previously

accepted or differing opinions on the chronology of the cases rested. I then present a

revised relative chronology established by the new proposed classification system

described in Chapter 5. These cases demonstrate the efficacy and advantages of my new

system over previous schemes.

Chapter 7 concludes this study by examining the general impact that analyzing and

classifying “the other wares” has on the chronology of MH III, LH I, and LH IIA - the

Shaft Grave Period. I then turn to potential avenues of future research, both specifically relating to the proposed classification system and to the general role which ceramics have in guiding us to a more complete understanding of the Shaft Grave Period. 16

CHAPTER 2: THE HISTORIOGRAPHICAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE

CONCEPT OF LATE HELLADIC I MYCENAEAN DECORATED

Blegen begins his discussion of the pottery from the third stratum at Korakou with the

observation that “Mycenaean pottery is so familiar . . . that it might seem superfluous at

this time to offer a detailed account of the Mycenaean ware found.”35 However, he notes,

since the appearance of Mykenische Vasen, “no re-examination of Mycenaean pottery as

a whole has appeared.”36 Furthermore, as his excavations produced the first unbroken

stratified sequence on the Greek mainland, “it has seemed worthwhile . . . to give as

complete a description and classification as possible of the pottery.”37

While a similar objection to a review of the historiographical development of the concept of Mycenaean Decorated in the LH I period might be raised, I echo one of Blegen’s responses above – no reexamination of it, for the expressed purpose of discussing the ware in LH I, has appeared since Dickinson’s article published in 1974.38 Therefore, the

35 Korakou, 35.

36 Korakou, 35; Furtwängler and Loeschcke 1886.

37 Korakou, 36.

38 Dickinson 1974, 109-120, pls. 20 and 21. In his later discussion published in 1977

(Origins), Dickinson summarizes his 1974 article and refers the reader to it (25-26, 112 n.

6). Dietz discusses LH I Mycenaean Decorated pottery in ATMA, but since his study

focuses primarily on the other wares, I discuss his work in Chapter 4. 17

purpose of this chapter is to review the development of the concept of LH I Mycenaean

Decorated in the scholarly literature.

Blegen observed three distinct layers subdividing his third stratum at Korakou, and, having assigned that stratum to the Late Helladic period, he follows Evan’s Late Minoan nomenclature and labels the three layers Late Helladic I, II, and III.39 The pottery of the

first layer, LH I, consists of six categories: painted pottery, unpainted pottery,

monochrome pottery, Grey Minyan Ware, Matt-Painted Ware, and domestic vessels.40 I discuss only the first category in this chapter.41

39 Korakou, 2-3, 36. The notion of “Late Helladic” - and indeed of a “Helladic”

civilization that basically paralleled the Minoan - first appeared in the article Blegen

coauthored with Wace (Wace and Blegen 1916-1918). See Chapters VI and VII in

McDonald and Thomas 1990 for the historical context of that article as well as Wace’s

and Blegen’s views.

40 Korakou, 36-44. While only 241 of the 1183 sherds ascribed to the LH I layer were

painted (see Table II on p. 127), the painted pottery receives the bulk of Blegen’s

attention. In his description of the other five categories, he gives each no more than a

brief paragraph (Korakou, 43-44). For the Grey Minyan and Matt-Painted, this is most

likely because of his previous account of them (Korakou, 15-17, and 19-30 respectively).

41 See Chapter 4 for a discussion of the others. 18

According to Blegen, the vases of the painted pottery are all wheel-thrown, although

several exhibit “a slight touch of carelessness in the execution.”42 The clay appears well-

prepared and varies in color from a yellowish green to a pinkish buff; the accompanying

slip generally is the same color as the fabric.43 The paint is lustrous and ranges from

black to red on those pinkish buff in color, while it is black on those vessels with a

yellowish green fabric; Blegen notes that the latter tends to flake.44 White paint, applied

to various vessel/motif elements, also occurs.45

Blegen divides the shapes of the style into nine general classes: “cups of the Vapheio or

Keftiu shape,”46 teacups, deeper cups/small bowls, stemmed goblets, jugs, hole-mouthed

jars, squat bowls, one-handled squat bowls, and large side-spouted deep bowls.47 The

Vapheio cup first appears in Blegen’s Middle Helladic II period amid his Matt-Painted II

42 Korakou, 36.

43 Korakou, 36-37.

44 Korakou, 37.

45 Korakou, 37.

46 While this shape is today commonly called the Vapheio cup (or, although considerably

less often, the Keftiu cup), Blegen argues that “the shapes are not identical” to the gold

cups from which they are named (40 n. 1). Despite – but aware of – this admonition, I

hereafter refer to this shape as the Vapheio cup. Furthermore, I “translate” Blegen’s

other nomenclature below into that employed by Mountjoy in her 1986 handbook (MDP),

since her terms appear in the majority of the current literature.

47 This last shape is listed in the unclassifiable category of large vessels (Korakou, 43). 19

wares, but in LH I, it has “become more numerous.”48 The shape suggests, he believes, a

metal prototype, and in addition to the evidence of the midrib and the sharp angle

between the side and base, there exists at the juncture of the handle to the body “a raised knob reminiscent of a metal rivet.”49 The “teacup” displays a similar knob, and while

Blegen does not explicitly state that this shape derives from a metal prototype, he clearly

implies that it does; while he found no complete examples, he does illustrate

representative pieces.50 The deeper cups/small bowls, currently called semiglobular cups,

comprise the third class and are abundant.51 Stemmed goblets constitute the next class

and are, Blegen argues, Minyan vessels decorated in the Mycenaean style; indeed, he

continues that a few examples “have the angular profile characteristic of Gray Minyan”

although the rounder profile of Yellow Minyan ware is more common.52 Blegen names

the fifth class the small jug with the “cutaway neck,” and numerous examples occur.53

Hole-mouthed jars, an “inheritance from the preceding period,” continue but in relatively

48 Korakou, 40.

49 Korakou, 40.

50 Korakou, 41. While the term “teacup” survives, the more common name is “shallow

cup.”

51 Korakou, 41.

52 Korakou, 41. These vessels are simply called goblets now.

53 Korakou, 41-42. This class appears to include both the currently-named jug with the

cutaway neck as well as the beaked jug. 20

smaller numbers.54 The squat bowl, which Blegen notes is usually called the alabastron,

first occurs in the lowest layer of the third stratum and does so in two types: a “very

nicely made” and relatively common type with a broad base, straight sides, angular

shoulders, and a narrow mouth terminating in a broad lip, and the “ordinary” squat bowl of which few examples were discovered.55 Blegen’s squat bowl with one vertical handle

is the present squat jug, and pottery analysts continue to differentiate it in sherd material

primarily by the handle. He notes only two examples.56 The last class mainly contains

unclassifiable large vessels, although Blegen notes the presence of a large side-spouted deep bowl.57

Blegen also discusses the motifs which adorn these shapes; he states that the “most

frequent” include the spiral, the “belt” of quirks, straight or wavy parallel lines, and

festoons.58 The most prominent of these is the spiral, and, indeed, Blegen asserts

dramatically that “[t]his is the great period of the spiral.”59 Spirals often contain added

white decoration in their central eyes and on their connector lines, which are usually

54 Korakou, 42.

55 Korakou, 42.

56 Korakou, 42-43; MDP, 25.

57 Because Blegen does not illustrate this shape, I cannot provide its current name if, in

fact, it has a current name. See the discussion concerning Furumark’s Mycenaean I

shapes below.

58 Korakou, 37.

59 Korakou, 37. 21

tangent or wavy; furthermore, dots frequently appear on the connector lines of the

tangent type.60 Quirks first emerge on Blegen’s Matt-Painted II wares as well as on his

Dark-on-Light and Light-on-Dark Mainland wares and may occur either in a simple

variety or in an elaborate one with “tailed spirals.”61 Groups of parallel lines appear

horizontally and vertically; the latter type occasionally become wavy, and Blegen

hypothesizes that they are connected with “the so-called ripple motive.”62 Festoons occur

in two principal sorts: in a row bordered by parallel lines or in a “network.”63 In addition

to these four, Blegen observes the occasional but rare presence of “naturalistic designs”

(particularly ivy, grasses, and flowers), sea motifs, and double axes.64

In the conclusion of his report, Blegen recounts the other sites in Greece which contain

his newly-defined LH I pottery. He asserts that the vast majority of it was locally

produced, and that the style throughout Greece emerged through “a gradual and regular

development of Yellow Minyan ware under constantly growing Minoan influence.”65

Through foreign synchronisms, he assigns LH I, apparently as a pottery phase and chronological period, to the 16th century.66

60 Korakou, 37-38.

61 Korakou, 38.

62 Korakou, 38.

63 Korakou, 40.

64 Korakou, 40.

65 Korakou, 116-120.

66 Korakou, 123. 22

Blegen continued to utilize his classification system in his subsequent excavations,

notably Zygouries and Prosymna.67 By the time of the latter, he referred to his divisions

of the LH period as the “three familiar phases.”68 In regards to the LH I pottery at

Prosymna, he argues that the dearth of contemporary material justifies “a more detailed

examination.”69 To the nine classes from Korakou, he adds three shapes: the “bowl-like

cup” for which he cannot deduce a prototype; the two-handled jar which is, he believes,

a smaller version of the MH shape; and the “deep three-handled jar” which he also

relates to the MH shape.70 The decorative motifs, he observes, essentially echo those

previously known.

67 Zygouries and Prosymna. For Zygouries, Blegen states that LH I “was not especially

abundant” (1928, 135), and he does not appear to add any new shapes (135-136). Other

scholars began to recognize the advantages of Blegen’s system and so adopted it. A few

of the most notable include Wace at Mycenae (1919-1921, 1921-1923, and 1932),

Goldman at Eutresis (1931), and Frödin and Persson at Asine (1938).

68 Prosymna, 388.

69 Prosymna, 388.

70 Prosymna, 388-409. The “bowl-like cup” is the LH I bowl in Mountjoy (MDP, 11), while the two-handled jar includes both the current piriform jar as well as the rounded alabastron. The three-handled jar is the LH IIA piriform jar. In addition to these shapes,

Blegen differentiates at this time the beaked jug and the jug with the cutaway neck which he had grouped together at Korakou. 23

While one might have expected Blegen to have refined his system further, he did not.71

Rather, the next step for the classification of Mycenaean pottery in general and LH I

Mycenaean Decorated in particular was taken by Furumark in his analysis of material excavated at Asine.

Furumark states in his preface that, while attempting to classify the Asine material, “the only instrument at my disposal” was Mykenische Vasen.72 He notes that although

excavation reports and museum reports existed, “these were generally connected with

separate finds or features and were largely of a somewhat casual and superficial

nature.”73 Therefore, he decided to undertake “a systematic examination of the

Mycenaean pottery in its various aspects and to establish a stylistic and chronological

classification which takes all variations of significance into consideration.”74 This

71 Wace, who had collaborated with Blegen both in the excavations as well as the pottery

analysis at Korakou, utilized the same classification system in the first phase of his work

at Mycenae as noted above. In fact, during the first season at Mycenae, Wace lists

Blegen as “a colleague in directing the work” (1920-1921, 185). Their friendship is well known among Aegean archaeologists, and the two continued to collaborate until Wace’s death in 1957.

72 MP, xvii.

73 MP, xvii.

74 MP, xvii. Furumark states quite clearly that his work is “preliminary and provisional”

and should not be viewed as a corpus (xviii). It must be noted that, like Blegen, he

discusses more than Mycenaean Decorated in his work (see Chapter 4). 24

ambitious plan resulted in the ground-breaking The Mycenaean Pottery: Analysis and

Classification and The Chronology of Mycenaean Pottery, both published in 1941.75

After outlining his general principles and his method in MP, Furumark enters into the debate concerning terminology in his principles of classification.76 While he follows

Evans’ “Minoan” system for all material unearthed on Crete and utilizes the term

“Cycladic” for objects discovered in the Cyclades, he questions Blegen’s and Wace’s

term “Helladic.”77 He states that “Helladic” may be an appropriate geographical and

chronological term and perhaps even a cultural term when discussing the “earlier

75 Paul Åströms Förlag reprinted them in 1972 as Mycenaean Pottery I: Analysis and

Classification and Mycenaean Pottery II: Chronology. Furumark originally planned a

third volume in which he would have traced the history of Mycenaean pottery, but it

never developed. In 1992, Walberg, Hägg, Åström published a volume of plates

illustrating Furumark’s MP and CMP; it is entitled Mycenaean Pottery III: Plates.

Furumark had approved the choice of illustrations at an early stage of the book’s

development prior to his death in 1984 (Gisela Walberg, personal communication).

76 MP, 8-10.

77 MP, 9. While Furumark does not refer to Wace’s and Blegen’s article and Blegen’s

report, this is because he finished his work during World War II and was unable to

remain in contact with them (Gisela Walberg, personal communication). 25

periods,” but, “it is inadequate to speak of a ‘Late Helladic’ culture.”78 He then

introduces “Mycenaean” which he believes is the “only good and unambiguous term.”79

Furumark proceeds to examine briefly the technical features of Mycenaean pottery, and his analysis of LH I Mycenaean Decorated generally agrees with Blegen’s.80 He then

proceeds to examine the general forms and specific shapes within those forms as well as the elements of Mycenaean decoration. Within this investigation, he discusses his

“Mycenaean I” shapes and motifs and then summarizes the chronology of the shapes, presented in full in his catalogue in the first volume, and in his chapter on the typological and stylistic evidence in the second.81 Before proceeding to discuss these, I briefly

review the evidence on which he based his chronology.

Furumark divides the evidence into two main groups: “evidence of sequence by

circumstances of finding,” and “evidence of synchronism by circumstances of finding;”

78 MP, 9.

79 MP, 9. He further states that, especially for the later periods in which Mycenaean

pottery is found beyond the shores of the mainland, such as in the Cyclades, his term

would prevent confusion.

80 MP, 14.

81 MP, 583-643; CMP, 21-27. Throughout MP, he employs his new stylistic partitions of the later periods: the earlier LH II becomes Mycenaean IIA and IIB, and LH III is subdivided into Mycenaean IIIA:1, IIIA:2, IIIB, IIIC:1, and IIIC:2. In addition, certain subdivisions were assigned an earlier and later part. 26

within these, he refers in general to deposits and tombs.82 Furumark begins by examining

the stratified deposits of the first group, and he states unequivocally in his first sentence that the “stratigraphic evidence of sequence between the stages from Myc. I to Myc. IIIA is very scanty.”83 Except for Korakou, in fact, “at no other site hitherto excavated has it

been possible to identify successive layers of distinct Myc. I and Myc. II character.”84 At this site, he quotes Blegen that Mycenaean II clearly overlays Mycenaean I, and, further, that “Myc. Ie ware is attributable to a lower layer than the Myc. Il ware.”85 In this

statement, he abruptly and without explanation divides Mycenaean I into two parts; he does not do so at any point in MP, and his usage of the new partition in CMP varies. He simply states in a footnote that Mycenaean I early “is called by Blegen ‘Mainland MM

III, Dark-on-Light’” and refers the reader to a later point where he presents a list of shapes under the heading “Korakou, Stratification.”86 In this footnote, Furumark

redefines Blegen’s Mainland MM III Dark-on-Light, which the latter calls “the earliest

‘Mycenaean’ vases in use at Korakou” because of the presence of lustrous paint, as

Mycenaean Ie.87 Since Blegen found this pottery with Minyan and Matt-Painted wares,

82 CMP, 28-45.

83 CMP, 28.

84 CMP, 28.

85 CMP, 28. He lists no reference to Blegen’s work on this latter point.

86 CMP, 28 note 2, 47. See Class DII in Chapter 4 below.

87 Korakou, 32. 27

he believed that it “must accordingly be considered . . . in the discussion of the Middle

Helladic Period.”88

Furumark continues to expand on the unique position of Korakou. He reviews the sites

mentioned by Blegen which contained Mycenaean I as well as the sites excavated since

1921 when Blegen published Korakou; he finds no other stratified Mycenaean I.89 When

he turns to the “evidence of sequence by circumstances of finding” in tombs, he also

finds nothing. In the “evidence of synchronism by circumstances of finding,” however,

Furumark lists Graves 1 and 2 from Malthi in Messenia, Shaft Graves I-III, V, and VI

(the second burial) of Circle A at Mycenae, certain burials within T. 517 and T. 518 at

Mycenae, the East Lobby deposit from the palace at Mycenae, and Tomb 2 from Thebes

(Ayia Anna) in Boeotia.90 He then compiles all of this information in an analytical

catalogue of groups, in which the Mycenaean I group as a whole includes the above and,

without apparent explanation, the Aigisthos Tholos Tomb from Mycenae.91 In his

88 Korakou, 32.

89 CMP, 28-30.

90 CMP, 32-43. While I focus on the Argolid and Korinthia in this study, I include sites outside of the prescribed geographical boundaries work when necessary.

91 CMP, 46-47. 28 addendum, he adds Prosymna tombs 14, 18, 25, 26, 46, and 52, and – possibly - 5 and

17.92

From all of this information, Furumark produces a relative chronology based on parallels with Minoan pottery. In a chart, he lists the periods for both the Minoan and the

Mycenaean evidence, and the find groups which can be correlated with each other. The early and later parts of Mycenaean I appear: Mycenaean I early equals early LM IA and is represented on the mainland by Shaft Graves II, III, and VI (the second burial) of

Circle A at Mycenae, the East Lobby deposit from the palace at the same site, and the so- called ‘MH’ layer from Korakou; Mycenaean I late matches late LM IA and is represented by Shaft Graves I and V and T. 517 and T. 518 from Mycenae, the LH I layer from Korakou, and Tomb 2 at Thebes.93

This chronology, in effect, re-dates portions of Blegen’s finds: those from the Korakou

“MH” layer date to Furumark’s Mycenaean I early, and Blegen’s LH I dates to

Mycenaean I late.

From Furumark’s data, one may glean the forms and the shapes within the forms which he assigns to his Mycenaean I. These include:

92 Both MP and CMP were completed in 1937, but publication was delayed until 1941.

In an effort to incorporate evidence produced in the interim, particularly Prosymna which

Blegen published in 1937, Furumark added an addendum to each volume.

93 CMP, 85. He notes that, for each period, he only lists “typical” find groups which explains the absence of the Malthi graves and the Aigisthos Tholos from the chart. 29

Form Number Shape Number(s)

7 Pithoid jar 14 (jar) and 27 (piriform jar)94

16 Squat jar, curved 80 (rounded alabastron)95

17 Squat jar, vertical handle 87 (squat jug)96

19 Squat jar, angular 89, 90 (straight-sided alabastron)97

20 Hole-mouthed jar 100 (hole-mouthed jar)98

24 Globular wide-necked jug 109 (no equivalent)99

27 Tall narrow-necked jug 117 (ewer)100

94 As I did above for Blegen’s terminology, I “translate” that of Furumark to Mountjoy’s

which she also does in a concordance (it must be noted, however, that Mountjoy bases

her nomenclature largely on Furumark). In addition, she provides a concordance for

Furumark’s shape names and those in French, German, Greek, and Italian (MDP, 221-

222). The “translations” in the tables above and below are those terms in parentheses

after the shapes when an equivalent can be determined. When possible, I provide a

reference to Furumark’s illustrations for the shapes (MP, 22 fig. 3). See Figs. 2.1 and 2.2 for FS 14 and 27 respectively. These particular shapes, as well as the ones mentioned below, are important in Chapter 3 which is why I illustrate them.

95 MP, 41 fig. 11. See Fig. 2.4. Fig. 2.3 shows FS 71.

96 MP, 41 fig. 11. See Fig. 2.5

97 MP, 44 fig. 12.

98 MP, 22. fig. 3. See Fig. 2.6.

99 MP, 35 fig. 7. 30

34 Tall jug, cut-away neck 131 (jug with cutaway neck)101

36 Small early jug with cut-away neck 135 (jug with cutaway neck)102

40 Tall beaked jug 140 (beaked jug)103

44 Side-spouted jar, basket handle 158 (feeding bottle)104

54 Conical rhyton 199 (conical rhyton)105

55 Ostrich egg rhyton 200 (pear rhyton)106

58 Semiglobular cup 211, 212, 218 (semiglobular cup,

stemmed semiglobular cup, shallow

cup)107

62 Cylindrical cup 224 (Vapheio cup)108

68 Shallow cup, ring-handle 237 (ring-handled cup)109

70 Deep cup, 1 or 2 raised handles 240 (carinated cup)110

100 MP, 22 fig. 3.

101 Cf. MP, 35 fig. 3 no. 135.

102 MP, 35 fig. 3.

103 No illustration provided.

104 MP, 35 fig. 7.

105 MP, 67 fig. 20.

106 MP, 67 fig. 20.

107 MP, 48 fig. 13. See Fig. 2.7 for FS 211 and 212.

108 MP, 53 fig. 15. See Fig. 2.8.

109 MP, 48 fig. 13. 31

78 Spouted cup 248 (no equivalent)111

79 Stemmed cup 254, 261-263, 268, 270 (goblet)112

100 Double jug 333 (no equivalent)113

Furumark also describes the motifs that decorate these shapes and does so through two

approaches: in an overview of the general elements of Mycenaean decoration (which

corresponds to his analysis of shapes), and in a discussion of the chronology of styles

(which relates to his chronology of shapes).114 The motifs consist of:

Motif Number Motif Name

10 Crocus115

10a Iris116

11 Papyrus117

110 MP, 53 fig. 15.

111 MP, 48 fig. 13.

112 MP, 60 fig. 16.

113 MP, 67 fig. 20.

114 MP, 236-429, 472-475.

115 The majority of these names continue to be in current use, so no need exists to

“translate” them. Where changes have occurred, they are noted. Furthermore, I provide

a reference to Furumark’s illustrations for all motifs (MP, 261 fig. 33).

116 MP, 261 fig. 33.

117 MP, 261 fig. 33. 32

12 “Sacral Ivy” (ivy)118

16 Grass/Reed (reed)119

17 Rosette120

22 Argonaut121

26 “Starfish”122

27 “Sea Anemone” (urchin)123

32 Rock Pattern I124

35 Double Axe125

41 Circles126

42 Joining Semicircles127

43 Isolated Semicircles128

118 MP, 270 fig. 35.

119 MP, 281 fig. 40.

120 MP, 281 fig. 40.

121 MP, 306 fig. 50.

122 MP, 315 fig. 53.

123 MP, 315 fig. 53.

124 MP, 323 fig. 54.

125 MP, 327 fig. 55.

126 MP, 343 fig. 57.

127 MP, 343 fig. 57.

128 MP, 343 fig. 57. 33

44 Concentric Arcs129

46 Running Spiral (running spiral, tangent

spiral, linked spiral)130

48 Quirk131

53 Wavy Line132

54 Cross133

56 Chequers134

63 Hatched Loop135

64 Foliate Band (foliate band with

naturalistic, stylized, in combination,

vertical types)136

65 Wavy Border137

67 Curved Stripes138

129 MP, 345 fig. 58.

130 MP, 353 fig. 59.

131 MP, 360 fig. 61.

132 MP, 373 fig. 65.

133 MP, 373 fig. 65.

134 MP, 383 fig. 67.

135 MP, 397 fig. 69.

136 MP, 397 fig. 69.

137 MP, 397 fig. 69. 34

68 “Wheel” (wheel)139

76 Variegated Stone Pattern140

In the summary of CMP, Furumark comments on each of his divisions and subdivisions.

Concerning Mycenaean I, he states that “a relatively small amount has been found, but

there is enough evidence to show beyond a doubt that this pottery belongs to a separate chronological stage.”141 Furthermore, he asserts that within Mycenaean I, “it is possible

to distinguish an earlier and later stage of development” - Mycenaean I early and I late -

and this he bases on the Korakou “MH” and LH I layers.142 He finally notes that

Mycenaean I contexts “frequently contain so-called Middle Helladic ware, Matt-Painted

and Minyan, and these fabrics form the bulk of the pottery found in the Late Helladic I

layers.”143

Six years after the publication of his two volumes, Furumark revisited Mycenaean I pottery in an article concerning the settlement at Ialysos on Rhodes and the history of the

Aegean in the early Late Bronze Age. Of particular importance is his previous distinction of Mycenaean I early and I late; these have become, as with the division of

138 MP, 403 fig. 70.

139 MP, 403 fig. 70.

140 MP, 422 fig. 73.

141 CMP, 97.

142 CMP, 98.

143 CMP, 98. 35

Mycenaean II into A and B subperiods, Mycenaean IA and IB.144 He reasserts that

Mycenaean IA is “essentially Helladic in character” and that the pottery is “a continuation of a class appearing in MH IIB.”145 The later Mycenaean IB vessels are

“technically more advanced,” and while “more Minoan traits have been taken up . . . it is

. . . dominantly Helladic in spirit.”146 In addition to these two subdivisions, he notes that

within the subsequent Mycenaean IIA pottery another “strain” existed, and this he labels

Mycenaean “sub-I.”147 Since Mycenaean IIA represented the “wholesale adoption” of

Knossian LM IB elements according to Furumark, this “sub-I” style embodied the

continuing Helladic element until it eventually merged with Mycenaean IIA.148

Despite Furumark’s almost Heraculean effort, others scholars did not adopt his

framework immediately. Blegen and Wace, from their work at Zygouries and Mycenae

as well as from excavation reports of other sites such as Asine, already had formulated a

tripartite division of LH III into A, B, and C, but they refused to subdivide LH I or LH II.

In fact, in a paper presented in honor of Wace in 1951, Blegen states that if the evidence

for the main divisions “is thus awkwardly scanty, it is even more disconcertingly lacking

for the many minor subdivisions that Furumark has recently set up for what he calls

144 Ialysos, 186.

145 Ialysos, 186.

146 Ialysos, 187.

147 Ialysos, 187.

148 Ialysos, 187. 36

Mycenaean II and especially Mycenaean III.”149 As for the early and later parts of

periods, such as in LH I, he stresses that they “depend almost wholly on [Furumark’s]

reconstruction of a typological series of shapes and decorative styles and motives.”150

While Blegen does acknowledge the logical structure of Furumark’s work, he concludes that it is not “founded on ascertained fact.”151

However, other scholars began to adopt Furumark’s classification system, and by the

1966 publication of the first volume on the palace at Pylos, Blegen writes in the

introduction of the pottery chapter that references to Furumark’s work on Mycenaean

pottery “are given wherever we judged them applicable.”152 Furumark’s work had gained

acceptance even by his critics, but as he had revised portions of Blegen’s earlier work, so

his own work would undergo a revision by Dickinson.

In 1970, Dickinson submitted a doctoral dissertation to the University of Oxford entitled

The Origins and Development of Early Mycenaean Culture.153 He states in his

introduction that the only path to understanding the early Mycenaean culture originates in

149 Blegen 1951, 23. Blegen appears to contradict himself slightly on the subdivisions of

the LH III period. At one point he states that the evidence is “awkwardly scanty” (quoted

above), while at another on the same page, he writes “one may therefore refer with some

confidence to Late Helladic IIIA, Late Helladic IIIB, and Late Helladic IIIC.”

150 Blegen 1951, 23.

151 Blegen 1951, 23.

152 Blegen and Rawson 1966, 353.

153 Dickinson 1970. 37 evaluating the Middle Helladic period which previously had received “very little serious consideration.”154 Furthermore, in regard to the usual studies of the early Late Helladic period, he continues that there is “no longer a necessity for the other provinces of Greece to be considered in parenthesis to the Argolid.”155 Dickinson proceeds to examine - at length and in considerable detail - the Middle Helladic culture, the Shaft Graves, and developments elsewhere in Greece during the period of the Shaft Graves before turning to the study of the early Mycenaean pottery.156

154 Dickinson 1970, 13.

155 Dickinson 1970, 13.

156 At the end of his introduction, Dickinson briefly discusses the problem of terminology. He proposes to use the term “Early Mycenaean” which, while not generally employed up to that point in time, previously had been equated to the period from the first appearance of the Shaft Graves to the fall of Knossos, which was placed at the end of

LM II. Dickinson notes that the fall of Knossos has been acknowledged since then to have occurred before the end of LM II so that, instead, the destruction layer across Crete - which transpires at the end of LM IB - should be preferred. Following Furumark’s relative chronology, Dickinson places the end of the Early Mycenaean period at the beginning of LH IIA. But while the end may be securely established, he believes that the beginning cannot be definitively established. This is because of the nature of the Shaft

Graves, particularly Circle B. Dickinson’s final decision is that the Early Mycenaean period cannot begin in any province until “the appearance of Mycenaean pottery in quantity” (Dickinson 1970, 14-15). 38

Dickinson begins his discussion of the pottery by noting the significant increase in LH IA

material since Furumark’s study.157 This, he states, permits an assessment of LH IA

“with much greater . . . precision.”158 In his subsequent description of the LH IA shapes and their origins as well as the motifs, Dickinson is able to add numerous additional examples to the repertoire of the ware, particularly from the areas outside the Argolid.159

Furthermore, he refines Furumark’s arguments and occasionally corrects the latter concerning the origins of specific shapes, such as the squat jug, but he does not add any new shapes or motifs to Furumark’s lists.160 Dickinson also examines the technical

features of the pottery, but his description varies little from that of Blegen and Furumark

except on one notable point – he observes that the interiors of the open shapes, especially

“Early Mycenaean” still is rarely used (and generally has been replaced by “Shaft Grave era” although the two are not exactly coeval) but may be considered to encompass that time from the first appearance of LH I Mycenaean Decorated (see Chapters 3 and 5 below) to the first appearance of the palaces (see Rutter 1993c and 2001).

157 Noting that Furumark’s “Mycenaean” terminology has not entered into common use,

Dickinson utilizes LH I and LH II as well as the A and B subdivisions of each (Dickinson

1970, 351).

158 Dickinson 1970, 359.

159 Dickinson 1970, 359-365.

160 Dickinson 1970, 360. 39

cups, are almost always unslipped.161 In addition, as with Blegen and Furumark, he notes

the presence of wares other than the LH I style, and to the evidence of LH I from

Korakou and the East Lobby of Mycenae, he adds the Lerna Shaft Graves and the

settlement deposit from Voroulia in Messenia.162

When he turns to the LH IB material, Dickinson foreshadows his 1972 publication by

stating that it is easier “to note the changes and developments from LH IA than to

describe a distinctive LH IB style.”163 He continues that “the most obvious

improvement” is technical; in particular, the clay is more finely prepared, the slip is fine

and polished, open shapes are now “consistently slipped inside,” and the quality of the

paint has improved.164 New shapes – all of which appear in Furumark’s lists – occur, and

the motifs, particularly the spirals and foliate bands, become streamlined and formalized.165

161 Dickinson 1970, 365-366. A slip is a suspension of clay in water, and when one is

applied to a vessel surface, the texture of that surface changes. If a pigment is added to

the suspension, the color of the surface also is altered.

162 Dickinson 1970, 366-374.

163 Dickinson 1970, 375.

164 Dickinson 1970, 375-376.

165 Dickinson 1970, 376-378. In the remainder of his dissertation, Dickinson analyzes the

early Mycenaean grave types, the “other evidence” from the period, a topographical

survey of sites arranged by province, and Aegean activity overseas. He concludes with a

historical summary. 40

Two years after his dissertation, Dickinson published an article in which he

fundamentally altered the concept of LH I Mycenaean Decorated. He begins by stating

that the “distinction between L.H. IIA and L.H. IIB as stylistic and historical phases was

set out by Furumark over twenty years ago, but the terms have still not come into general

use.”166 He proposes to utilize the Korakou material excavated by Blegen, particularly

pottery from the East Alley deposit, as well as material excavated since Furumark’s work

to illustrate that LH II indeed must be separated into two subdivisions. In fact, he argues that Blegen’s LH II deposit, which Furumark had split, is LH IIB, and that Blegen’s LH I

material as well as Furumark’s Mycenaean IB and “sub-I” style are LH IIA.167

This dramatic re-dating left one question unanswered – what is LH I Mycenaean

Decorated? Dickinson addressed this topic next in 1974. As scholars often ignored

Furumark’s LH IIA and IIB subdivisions, they further ignored his LH IA and LH IB as

well as the “sub-I” style, but Dickinson asserts that that “the stylistic division between

[Furumark’s] LH IA and LH IB is in fact quite clear.”168 While the most common shapes

of both phases are the same, the motifs are not; the types of linked spiral and filled circle,

naturalistic foliate bands, and “rows of isolated motifs” which characterize the earlier part

have vanished, and the tangent spiral, stylized foliate band, double-axe, and hatched loop

166 Dickinson 1972, 103.

167 Dickinson 1972, 104, 107. Since this material dates to the chronological period after

LH I, Dickinson’s analysis is not presented here.

168 Dickinson 1974, 110. 41

replace them.169 Furthermore, the vessels of the latter subdivision, as Blegen, Furumark,

and others had noted, exhibit better proportion and execution.170 Since Dickinson had

already assigned the LH IB material to LH IIA, all that remained was LH IA, and simply

renaming this subdivision LH I presented three advantages: an obvious stylistic change

compared to LH IIA, distinctive shape and motif combinations for each period, and the

reduction in the number of subdivisions.171 Dickinson then proceeded to describe LH I

Mycenaean Decorated.

LH I Mycenaean Decorated is a fine ware and, essentially, a domestic style which consists of small vessels.172 The fabric of the style varies considerably in appearance

throughout Greece, but these variations, especially outside the Argolid and Korinthia, do

not indicate a lack of skill but that “LH I is a formative stage, when techniques were still

being developed.”173 Open vessels and the necks of closed ones are unslipped, and all

vessels display noticeable wheel-marks.174

In addition to the poorer execution and proportioning of the vessels than the subsequent

LH IIA examples, the decoration is also poorly executed, and the interior rim bands – which are a new feature - and the exterior bands on the lower bodies of vessels frequently

169 Dickinson 1974, 110.

170 Dickinson 1974, 111.

171 Dickinson 1974, 111.

172 Dickinson 1974, 113.

173 Dickinson 1974, 114.

174 Dickinson 1974, 114-115. 42

are uneven in thickness.175 Motifs, with the exception of the ripple, are typically found

only in an upper or central zone.176 Added white paint appears on both motifs and

exterior bands as well as on vessel accessories which themselves receive new treatment -

the exterior of necks may be coated while the interior may have a band, and handles may

be either coated or painted with diagonal bars.177

Certain vessel types display their own characteristics, particularly the Vapheio cup. The profiles of the cups fall into two distinctive groups: tall and narrow ones, and short and broad ones.178 In addition, the bases of Vapheio cups exhibit varying degrees of

beveling, which probably results from the potter cutting the vessels from the wheel with a

string, and the midrib and interior hollow are of disproportionate size.179

Dickinson concludes that LH I Mycenaean Decorated “seems to have reached maturity swiftly” and probably did not last “for much more than one generation.”180 However, he

echoes Furumark, stating that his report “should . . . be treated as somewhat preliminary”

as later evidence will necessitate, as it did with Furumark’s account, alterations and

corrections. He ends by stating that if his definition of LH I is accepted, “it should

175 Dickinson 1974, 115.

176 Dickinson 1974, 115.

177 Dickinson 1974, 115, 116.

178 Dickinson 1974, 115.

179 Dickinson 1974, 115.

180 Dickinson 1974, 119. 43

contribute to the more accurate dating and understanding of the early phases of

Mycenaean civilization.”181

Dickinson’s definition has indeed stood. In 1986, Mountjoy produced a guide for the

identification of Mycenaean decorated pottery which many scholars utilize in the field

because of its convenient size and numerous illustrations. While she bases her work

ultimately on Furumark, she summarizes Dickinson’s revisions and notes that further

excavation has validated those revisions.182 She essentially repeats this in her regional

guide, particularly in the sections concerning the Argolid and Korinthia.183

This brief review of the historiographical development of the concept of LH I Mycenaean

Decorated illustrates two significant points: first, that scholars have spent considerable

time and ink examining this particular ware, and, second, that no significant revision of

Dickinson’s definition has appeared since 1974. In the next chapter, I examine the

current definition of the LH I Mycenaean Decorated in the Argolid and Korinthia.

181 Dickinson 1974, 120. Dickinson published The Origins of Mycenaean Civilisation in

1977, and this work represents the revision of his dissertation; in regard to LH I

Mycenaean Decorated, he summarizes his earlier two articles and refers the reader to

them.

182 MDP, 9.

183 RMDP, 18-20, 68-69, 80-85, 199, 202-203. She also published an introduction to

Mycenaean pottery in 1993, and, not surprisingly, her conclusions do not differ from those in MDP (33-35). 44

CHAPTER 3: THE CURRENT DEFINITION OF LATE HELLADIC I

MYCENAEAN DECORATED IN THE ARGOLID AND KORINTHIA

The purpose of this chapter is to examine the current definition of LH I Mycenaean

Decorated in the Argolid and Korinthia. While my account is ultimately based on that of

Mountjoy, which is founded in turn on Furumark and Dickinson, I offer additional information from both my first-hand analysis of material from Korakou, Lerna, Midea, and Tsoungiza and from published examples from the other six sites. I begin with an overview of the technical aspects of the pottery, specifically the fabric types utilized, the surface treatments employed, and the methods of manufacture, as they are generally neglected in studies of Mycenaean Decorated. I continue by examining the main shapes and motifs of the ware.184 Throughout, I provide examples which illustrate the main points of the ware.185 All of the pieces described represent the best examples available at the present time; other known pieces are briefly described in the text and footnotes. All of the main shapes, furthermore, are illustrated.186

184 Traditional studies describe the shapes and motifs separately and then discuss the typical combinations. I eliminate the need for the latter section by discussing the motifs with the shapes.

185 See the catalogue at the end of this study for the 127 examples presented in this chapter.

186 See Figs. 3.1-3.13. 45

In Korakou, Blegen offers a description of the technical aspects of Mycenaean Decorated

that, in general, still remains valid.187 Furumark and Dickinson have offered additional

information, yet no one has written more than a bare outline of the technical aspects of

LH I Mycenaean Decorated.188 In my overview, I first examine the existing fabric types

and follow this discussion with an exploration of the surface treatments found, and,

finally, the methods by which the pottery was manufactured.189

In general, the fracture of individual Mycenaean Decorated sherds displays a

homogenous fabric. Few pieces exhibit a core or inner biscuit different in color or

composition from the outer biscuit. Among the sherds I examined, the fracture color

varies considerably, with the hue ranging from 2.5YR to 5Y; 10YR is by far the most

common, however. While no predominant value or chroma exists, the most frequent

overall color is 10YR 7/3-7/4, Very Pale Brown, in both the Argolid and Korinthia.

Inclusion size ranges widely with particles varying in size from fine to granule on the

Wentworth scale. The majority of inclusions are fine to medium/coarse; very coarse and

granule-sized grits occur only in large jars. Blegen describes the clay as well-prepared,

and, indeed, inclusions are present only “occasionally” although “some” are known and

187 Korakou, 36-37.

188 MP, 14; Dickinson 1970, 355-356. My treatment is still only an overview; future

research should combine a thorough macroscopic examination with extensive

petrographic and chemical analyses.

189 See Appendix I for a description of the methodology I utilized in my examination of the pottery. 46

“many” are found in large jars.190 In regard to inclusion shape, round particles are common while angular particles occur infrequently. The most widespread inclusion colors are black and white, although grey is not uncommon. In the Argolid, dark red and red also are discernible.191 Sparkling inclusions, occurring rarely, are known in both the

Argolid and Korinthia.192

In contrast to the varied fracture colors, exterior surface colors are almost exclusively

Very Pale Brown with Pale Yellow and Light Grey occurring as well.193 No correlation appears to exist between exterior surface color and fracture color; Very Pale Brown fractures may display Pale Yellow or Light Grey surface colors and vice versa. A correlation does exist between surface color and inclusion size, density, shape, and color.

Sherds displaying Pale Yellow or Light Grey surfaces exhibit fine to medium size

190 Korakou, 36-37.

191 The presence of visibly different inclusions may indicate two separate fabrics. This possibility is an avenue for future research.

192 Following Rutter (1989, 3), I use the term “sparkling inclusion” to avoid erroneous mineral identification.

193 The Very Pale Brown corresponds with Blegen’s pinkish buff while the Pale Yellow is his yellowish green surfaces. Light Grey could indicate a third distinct surface color, although this could result simply from a reduced firing environment since no other differences are evident between sherds of this color and the others. 47

particles in their fracture that occur only occasionally, are predominantly round, and are

black and white.194 Interior surface colors are often the same as the fracture color.

All Mycenaean Decorated vessels are slipped on the exterior, and all of the slips are of the same color as the exterior surface color. Dickinson observed that the interior of open vessels and the interior of the necks of closed vessels are almost always not slipped, and this trait has become a criterion for differentiating LH I vessels from LH IIA vessels.195

Three types of smoothing treatments are found on the surfaces of Mycenaean Decorated

vessels: burnishing, wiping, and polishing.196 Burnishing is by far the most common

treatment, and on LH I vessel surfaces, “troughs” exist that are only roughly parallel and

are uneven in depth.

Surface treatment on LH I Mycenaean Decorated vessels also includes decoration.

Because the paint utilized includes ferrous compounds, the paint possesses a lustrous

finish. Overall color ranges from a bright Red (2.5YR 5/6) to Black, and this range

occasionally appears on the same vessel. As Blegen noted, paint color is correlated with

surface color.197 Only Black paint is found on vessels with a Pale Yellow or Light Grey

exterior color, and the paint on the former tends to flake. In addition to the primary color,

Matt White occurs quite frequently and often is applied on areas of the motif(s) and on

various vessel elements.

194 Angular inclusions are sporadically present, as are grey grits, in these examples.

195 Dickinson 1970, 365-366; MDP, 9.

196 See Appendix I for the definitions of these treatments.

197 Korakou, 37. 48

While Blegen believed that all Mycenaean decorated vessels were wheel-made, this does not appear to be the case.198 Both wheel-thrown and hand-built vessels exist as do those resulting from a combination of the two methods. Unfortunately, accurate identification of the method of manufacture is hampered by the smoothing processes utilized in the surface treatment of the pottery; the lines of wiping, which may be confused with wheel marks, tends to obscure actual wheel marks, and polishing eliminates all traces of them.

While this problem applies especially to the exterior of vessels, the interiors tend to exhibit wheel-marks if the vessel was wheel-thrown. These wheel-marks, however, are rarely as pronounced as those on later Mycenaean pottery.

Twelve individual shapes of LH I Mycenaean Decorated are known in the Argolid and

Korinthia.199 These include the large jar, the piriform jar, the oval-mouthed amphora, the alabastron, the squat jug, the hole-mouthed jar, the jug, the askos, the flat-based and stemmed semiglobular cups, the Vapheio cup, the straight-sided cup, and the rounded cup/bowl.200

198 Korakou, 36.

199 Shapes that come from beyond the Argolid and Korinthia are not considered here except as comparanda or when adequate examples do not exist in the northeastern

Peloponnese.

200 MDP, 9-16; RMDP, 68-69, 80-85, 199, 202-203. Mountjoy also lists the ewer and pegtop rhyton, but assigns each a Minoan origin (RMDP, 82-83). While of Minoan 49

THE LARGE JAR

Since LH I Mycenaean Decorated was effectively a domestic ware, as Dickinson notes,

the large jar is rare in LH I.201 Only three body sherds of jars have been identified and

published from the entire Korinthia, and they were found at Korakou (KOR 1-3).202 To the few known in the Argolid, Midea may offer one additional, although fragmentary,

shape, the motifs of the ewer, especially the retorted spiral, have multiple contemporary mainland parallels.

201 FS 14 (MP, 22 fig. 3). Dickinson 1974, 113; MDP, 11; RMDP, 80. Mountjoy also

asserts that the shape does not appear until the end of LH I but does not offer a reason for

this statement (RMDP, 80); nothing in the published or unpublished sherd evidence that I

have examined appears to substantiate this claim. See Fig. 3.1.

202 Davis originally identified KOR 1-3 as Minoan, but Mountjoy believes that despite the

rarity of the shape, the fabric and slip suggest that they are a Mainland product (Davis

1979, 240, 239 fig. 3:10-12; RMDP, 202, 203). Regardless of their origin, all three

undoubtedly belong to the same vessel, even though they do not join, because they share

the same fabric color (10YR 7/3 Very Pale Brown), inclusion density, color, type, and

size (many black and grey round and angular fine- to granule-sized grits), probable

exterior surface treatment (while the exterior surface for the three was largely

indeterminable due to wear, they were probably slipped and burnished, and their

remaining exterior surface color is 5Y 8/2 Pale Yellow), and motif (spirals with

supplementary additions). 50

piece (MID 1).203 In fact, just one complete example, standing 54.8 cm high, is known

from both regions and comes from Shaft Grave V in Grave Circle A at Mycenae (MYC

1). The rim on this vessel, measuring 26.5 cm in diameter, is flat and has two grooves – a

wide shallow one on top and a narrow deep one on the front. A slight ridge divides the

neck from the piriform body, and this tapers down to a ridged stem and a flat base 17.5

cm wide. There are three horizontal strap handles on the shoulder.

Spirals are the predominant motif on the large jar; on MYC 1, the linked version of the

running spiral, FM 46, appears in the handle zone on the shoulder while the tangent

variety decorates the main zone on the belly. Paint covers most of the rim and neck

(interior and exterior) as well as the handles, the lower portion of the vessel, and the base.

Several narrow bands appear on the jar below the tangent spiral, and two separate the

handle zone from the main. Added white paint occurs on the neck bands, and dots are

applied on a band above the handle zone and on the two bands below. Smaller white dots

are applied on the tangents and on the blobs between them. White splashes are found on

the handles.

THE PIRIFORM JAR

In contrast to the large jar, the piriform jar enjoys a relatively wide distribution

throughout the Argolid, although no examples from the Korinthia have been published,

203 While most likely LH I in date, the piece could belong to FS 15/24, which dates to LH

IIA. 51

and Mountjoy notes that examples of the shape are not overly abundant.204 FS 27 is best represented by four examples from Prosymna Tombs 25 and 26 (PRO 1-4) and one from

Kokla Tomb VIIB (KOK 1), with additional pieces known from Lerna (LER 1) and

Midea (MID 2).205 These vessels stand approximately 9.0-12.0 cm high and have rims of

around 6.0-8.0 cm in diameter, that may be everted, down-sloping, or cut-off and sit atop

a relatively tall neck.206 The bodies are piriform in shape - hence the name - and have a

splayed or splayed concave base about 4.0-5.5 cm wide. The handles, which number two

or three, are strap and horizontal and may be shallowly grooved. They sit on the

shoulder.

As with the large jar, the rim, neck (interior and exterior), handles, and base are typically

covered in paint. The main decorative zone is on the belly below the handle, and may

contain: the tangent variety of the running spiral, FM 46, with one of the spirals filled

204 FS 27 (MP, 22 fig. 3). RMDP, 80. KOR 4 could be from a piriform jar. While Davis

believes that the rim belongs to a squat jug (Davis 1979, 240, 239 fig. 3:6), the diameter

seems closer to a piriform jar or alabastron both of which tend to be larger (MDP, 12-13).

KOR 5 also may be FS 27. Davis places this rim in his equivalent of White on Burnished

Dark since it is covered with paint and exhibits a matt white band (Davis 1979, 240, 239

fig. 3:15), but the fabric appears to be Mycenaean Decorated. See Fig. 3.2.

205 While only a body sherd, the part of a spiral filled with circles on the belly confirms

the shape identification of MID 2. LER 2 is most likely from a piriform jar, while LER 3

could be either FS 27 or an alabastron jar (see below for a definition of this term).

206 RMDP, 80; MDP, 12. 52

with another motif, such as crocuses or circles; the naturalistic or combination version of

the foliate band, FM 64; and the scale pattern, FM 70, although this is rare according to

Mountjoy.207 The Kokla jar contains the obliquely-oriented hatched loop, FM 63, that

“springs” from a band below and is unparalleled in the northeastern Peloponnese.208

Narrow to medium bands appear below this zone. Added white paint is applied on the neck bands and also may be found on the shoulder and handles as well as on the lower body bands.209

207 MDP, 12. While only one example of this motif is known, the limited quantities of

the other known motifs, and indeed of the shape itself, does not suggest that one motif is

particularly rarer than another.

208 Demakopoulou 1993, 60. She and Mountjoy (RMDP, 80) note an Athenian jar and a

Boeotian jar as parallels (RMDP, 500, 501 fig. 178:4, 648, 649 fig. 246:1), but while

these vessels do have hatched loops, their motif “hangs” obliquely from a neck band.

209 Mountjoy initially assigned three (NM 190-192) of the five piriform jars from Shaft

Grave I at Mycenae to LH I, but, upon Rutter’s publication of a LH IIA example from

Tsoungiza, she re-dated them to LH IIA (MDP, 12 note 20; RMDP, 85, 87; Rutter 1993,

60, 62, 61 fig. 5:1 The number of piriform jars from SG I could be six, although the rim

of the neck of NM 193 appears to be shorter and more concave than the necks of piriform

jars and is thus more likely an alabastron jar). Indeed, following Rutter, she suggests that

the Mycenaean and Tsoungizan pieces originated “from the same workshop,” and Rutter

even proposes that the same potter could have produced the vessels (Rutter 1993, 74;

RMDP, 87). Mountjoy’s dating of three jars – Prosymna 14, 139 (PRO 5) from Tomb 52 53

The unique piriform jar from Chamber Tomb 52 at Prosymna (PRO 5) requires special mention. While assigned to FS 27 by Furumark and accepted as such by Mountjoy, the morphological features of the jar differ considerably from other examples of FS 27, as

Shelton notes.210 The rim, 12.3 cm in diameter, is squared in a similar fashion to the rims

of Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted jars, and sits on a tall and wide neck with a ridge

at the base of it.211 The body, which is large and ovoid in shape, terminates in a splayed

concave base 7.9 cm wide.212 The vessel stands 29.7 cm tall. In addition to the usual two

round horizontal handles on the shoulder, two deeply-grooved vertical handles sit at a 90° angle to them. The rim and neck are covered in paint, while filled papyrus, FM 11,

and Mycenae 194 and 196 from Shaft Grave I – to LH IIA appears suspect. The

Prosymna vessel contains certain LH I morphological features such as the squared rim which, as Mountjoy herself admits, is “in the manner of LH I Mainland Polychrome rims” (RMDP, 85). She in turn dates Mycenae 196 to LH IIA because of the similarity in decoration to the Prosymna piece, rather than the fact that the majority of the other vessels from Shaft Grave I, except 194, seem to be LH IIA. From the flatness of the bases of 194 and 196, compared to those of 191 and 192, as well as the occurrence of the motif of 194 in the handle zone, I would place both jars in early LH IIA at the latest.

210 MP, 656; RMDP, 85, 87; Shelton 1996, 162.

211 See Chapter 5 below.

212 The ovoid body resembles a smaller jar from Kokla (Demakopoulou 1993, 61, pl.

5:13). 54

decorates an upper decorative zone between the handles as well as a zone on the lower body. Two broad bands separate these zones.

THE OVAL-MOUTHED AMPHORA

As with the large jar, the oval-mouthed amphora is a rare shape.213 Indeed, the only

known example in the northeastern Peloponnese comes from Chamber Tomb 518 at

Mycenae (MYC 2). The rarity of the shape may result from a Minoan origin, although

the vessel from Mycenae is of local manufacture according to Mountjoy.214 A neck with

a slightly-inturned lip of 10.2 by 7.6 cm sits atop a conical-piriform body which tapers in a splayed concave base 9.0 cm wide; the vessel stands 27.7 cm tall. Two round vertical

handles extend from the lip to the shoulder.

The retorted version of the running spiral, FM 46, adorns two zones separated by two

bands; bands also exist on the neck, base, and handles. Approximately half of the

interior of the neck is painted.

213 FS 71 (MP, 22 fig. 3). See Fig. 3.3

214 RDMP, 69, 82. As with the Large Jar, the domestic character of LH I Mycenaean

Decorated may contribute to the rarity of the shape. Furthermore, extremely small body

sherds may be misidentified. 55

THE ALABASTRON

According to Mountjoy, the LH I alabastron may be differentiated from the piriform jar by the splayed base and perceptibly taller, less concave neck of the latter.215 Furthermore,

she adds, piriform jar sherds have appeared more frequently in studied sherd

assemblages.216 While she assigns Furumark’s shape number 80 to the alabastron, the

profile of this shape does not match the profile that Furumark published.217

Morphologically, her examples, two of which come from Prosymna, more closely resemble two- or three-handled jars, which is how Blegen described them in his publication of Prosymna.218 True examples of FS 80 exist in LH I, and these are

discussed after what I have labeled alabastron jars.219

Of the alabastron jars, the best examples are the two from Chamber Tomb 26 at

Prosymna (PRO 7 and 8), one from Grave Delta in Grave Circle B at Mycenae (MYC 3),

215 See Fig. 3.4

216 MDP, 12; RMDP, 82.

217 MP, 41 fig. 11, the “high” variety.

218 Prosymna, 390-391, fig. 210:344, 345, fig. 653:344, 345; MDP, 12 fig. 4:1, 2;

RMDP, 81 fig. 10:6; Shelton expresses the same view in her re-analysis of the Late

Helladic pottery from Prosymna (Shelton 1996, 273).

219 While I hesitate to introduce a new term, these vessels cannot be called alabastra since

that is the term utilized for FS 80, and they cannot simply be called two- or three-handled

jars since this description applies equally to FS 27. Therefore, I designate them with the descriptive, albeit slightly awkward, term “Alabastron jars.” 56

and one from Shaft Grave 1 at Lerna (LER 4).220 In regard to the Prosymna and Lerna

examples, the vessels range between 9.0-10.0 cm in height and consist of an everted,

down-sloping, or cut-off rim, measuring approximately 6.0-7.5 cm, on a short, relatively

concave neck above a globular body which terminates in a flat or flat concave base 4.5-

5.0 cm wide. Two or three strap horizontal handles, which may have shallow grooves,

are placed on the shoulder.

As mentioned above, Mountjoy’s primary diagnostic criterion for differentiating this

shape from FS 27 is that the neck of the alabastron jar is noticeably more concave and

shorter than the piriform jar.221 This criterion fails when applied to the Mycenae

example, however, because the neck of this vessel is as tall as that of a piriform jar.222

Furthermore, the measurements of the vessel resemble those of a piriform jar. A more reliable variable is presence of the base – which only appears on piriform jars - when preserved.

220 For KOR 4 and 5 and LER 2 and 3, see above. LER 5 could be from an alabastron jar,

although FS 80 is more likely. LER 9, a body sherd with an urchin above two bands, also

could be from either alabastron type, although, again, FS 80 is more probable; it also

may be from a squat jug, FS 87.

221 Mountjoy also notes that the rim diameter in general is slightly narrower (MDP, 12),

although the difference appears minimal.

222 In addition, the two handles that are present, while horizontal and located on the

shoulder as is typical, are round rather than strap. 57

The decorative scheme of the alabastron jars closely resembles that of piriform jars in

certain aspects, particularly in that the rim, neck (interior and exterior), and handles often

are covered in paint. The principal difference is the placement of the main decorative

zone on the shoulder between the handles rather than on the belly below them. Typical

motifs include: a variant of FM 46, tangent circles in this instance, with one of the circles

replaced by FM 27, urchin, and circles replacing the blobs; FM 46, the running spiral,

accessorized with FM 10a, the iris; another variant of FM 46, the linked circle, with

“blobs;” and the stylized version of FM 64, the foliate band. Two or three medium

bands appear below this zone on the belly, and a band encompasses the base. Added

white paint may be applied on the neck bands and belly bands.

The best examples of FS 80 come from Tomb 25 at Prosymna (PRO 6) and the Shaft

Graves at Lerna (LER 6-8).223 All match Furumark’s shape number 80; they stand around 6.0-6.5 cm high and have a down-sloping, everted, or flat rim approximately 6.0-

7.5 cm in diameter on a concave neck. The body is squat with a flat or flat concave base

5.0-5.5 cm wide. Two horizontal handles, either strap or round, may be found on the

shoulder.

The rim of FS 80, the neck (interior and exterior), and the handles are covered in paint.

The decorative zone, as with alabastron jars, exists on the shoulder between the handles,

and may contain: the tangent variety of the running spiral, FM 46; the hatched loop, FM

63, “springing” from a band, and combination version of the foliate band; FM 64, with

circles. Two or three narrow bands are found on the belly, and the base has a narrow

223 For LER 5, see above. See Fig. 3.5. 58

band around it. Added white paint may be applied on the neck bands and belly bands; oblique splashes occur on the preserved handle of LER 7.

While Mountjoy places an example of this type of FS 80 in LH IIA, a number of features date the above vessels to LH I.224 First, in contrast to the LH IIA alabastra (FS 81 and

83), the bases of FS 80 are flat or flat concave rather than convex splayed or convex

splayed concave.225 Next, certain motifs, particularly the foliate band in combination, do

not appear in LH IIA.226 Finally, the liberal use of added white paint is a distinctly LH I feature.227

THE SQUAT JUG

The squat jug, FS 87, enjoys a wide distribution in the Argolid and is present in the

Korinthia as well although the actual quantities of the vessels are low.228 The Shaft

Graves at Lerna (LER 10), Cist Grave VII at Myloi (MYL 1 and 2), Chamber Tomb 26

from Prosymna (PRO 9), and Shaft Grave III in Grave Circle A and Chamber Tomb 518

at Mycenae (MYC 4, 6) all provide excellent examples of the shape. A handle from a jug

224 RMDP, 87, 89, 86 fig. 12:29.

225 The tall and straight-sided alabastra are not comparable and are therefore excluded

from this argument.

226 RMDP, 69, 70, 69 fig. 9. See also Dickinson 1974.

227 RMDP, 69, 70, 69 fig. 9

228 MP, 41 fig. 11. See Fig. 3.6. 59

comes from Korakou (KOR 6), and both Lerna and Midea supply other examples.229 The rims of the vessels, measuring around 5.5–6.5 cm, may be everted, down-sloping, or cut- off and sit on relatively short and relatively concave necks.230 The body shapes vary and

may include ovoid and biconical forms but tend toward a globular form which tapers to a

flat or flat concave base 3.5-4.5 cm wide; the overall height of the vessel varies between

6.5 and 8.0 cm. One relatively narrow, oval vertical handle extends from the shoulder to

the belly.231

229 Davis suggests that the handle from Korakou could belong to a semiglobular cup

(Davis 1979, 238, 239 fig. 3:5), but the size and section appear to be more consistent with

those of a squat jug. LER 11, a painted rim sherd with added white lines, comes from a

squat jug because of the rim diameter; the size and section of LER 12, a handle with

three splashes, also indicates that it is a squat jug. For LER 9, see above. MID 3, two

body sherds with the very beginning of the neck and which join, also are from a squat jug

and are decorated with an urchin and two circles. MID 4, a small body piece and from a

different vessel than MID 3, also has an urchin adorning it along with a band on which

added white paint is visible.

230 The height and concavity of the necks differ more among the squat jug examples than

in those of piriform jars, alabastron jars, and alabastra. The main diagnostic variable to

differentiate between the squat jug and the others is the smaller rim diameter and generally smaller size of the former.

231 This handle is considerably narrower than that of the semiglobular or Vapheio cup and

appears more oval in section than the distinctly strap section of the cup handles. 60

One other example with slightly different morphological characteristics comes from Shaft

Grave Gamma in Grave Circle B at Mycenae (MYC 5). The principal difference is the

height and base diameter of the vessel which are 9.3 cm and 7.8-9.0 cm respectively.

Furthermore, the handle, which is rather large in proportion to the vessel, is round in

section.

As with most other closed LH I shapes, the rim and neck (interior and exterior) of the

squat jug are covered in paint. Decoration is confined mainly to the upper half of the

vessel; typical motifs include: FM 27, urchin; FM 41, circles; the linked circle version

of FM 46 with a blob between the circles; the tangent version of the running spiral, FM

46, with crocuses, FM 10, filling the spirals; standard tangent spirals; and a semi-

retorted variety of the running spiral. Two narrow bands are found on the belly, and a

narrow band exists around the base. Oblique splashes occur on the handles. Added white paint may separate the paint on the neck into bands and may be found on the belly bands as well. On the vessel from Shaft Grave Gamma, a running spiral in added white paint appears on the neck, and applied white dots decorate the top belly band.

THE HOLE-MOUTHED JAR

One relatively common shape in the Argolid, but as yet unidentified in the Korinthia, is

the hole-mouthed jar.232 Two discrete sizes exist, and two of the examples – from Shaft

Grave 1 at Lerna (LER 13) and from Chamber Tomb 25 at Prosymna (PRO 10) –

232 MP, 22 fig. 3. See Fig. 3.7. 61

represent the small and large size respectively.233 Additional examples are known from

Lerna (LER 14 and 15) and Midea (MID 5-8), as well as Shaft Grave Omicron in Grave

Circle B at Mycenae (MYC 7); Chamber Tomb VIIB at Kokla (KOK 2) provides a variant of the shape, and I discuss this example after the aforementioned vessels.234

The Prosymna jar represents the larger variety of the hole-mouthed jar, stands 28.2 cm

tall, and has a flat rim with an exterior ledge, 11.3 cm in diameter, and a piriform body.

On the upper body of the jar is a long spout and a small round vertical handle. Two large

round horizontal handles which rise above the rim appear on the shoulder. The body

terminates in a splayed conical base 9.4 cm wide. LER 14 and MID 5 may belong to this

size because of their rim sizes of 14.0 cm and 13.0 cm respectively.

In contrast to PRO 10, LER 13 reaches only 15.6 cm high, although this measurement is

an estimated height as the jar lacks a base. The shape and features of the jar resemble

those of the large variety, but the rim measures only 9.0 cm in diameter; the conjectured

diameter of the base, which may be splayed flat, is 5.5 cm wide. MYC 7 is also of this

233 Analysis of several examples to determine the range of each size is not possible

because of the general paucity of complete examples.

234 The attribution of MID 8 to FS 100 is probable but not certain; see Kramer in Midea

II (forthcoming). Mountjoy lists another jar from Lerna, but Zerner ascribes a Minoan

origin to it (RMDP, 82; Zerner 1990, 33). 62

size, while the fragmentary nature of LER 15 and MID 6 and 7 does not allow a

definitive attribution to either size.235

While several different motifs appear on jars, a standardized decorative scheme for the

remainder of the vessels is apparent. Paint covers the rim, spout, handles, and base. Two to three medium bands appear below the rim, and these bands may undulate and intersect with the handles.236 The main decorative zone exists below the level of the horizontal handles although the vertical handle extends into it. Motifs include: the filled variety of

the papyrus, FM 11; the urchin, FM 27, in combination with oblique naturalistic foliate

bands, FM 64; circles, FM 41; the running spiral which may be tangent, FM 46; and

vertical foliate bands, FM 64. Below these motifs, three to four medium bands usually

exist. Added white paint covers several elements of the jars. The rims often contain

embellishment of at least lines, and PRO 15 also exhibits white circles. White lines may

appear on the spouts, the upper and lower bands, and the bases. Oblique white splashes

are visible on the handles of LER 13.

235 MID 8 almost certainly comes from a hole-mouthed jar and resembles LER 15 quite

closely.

236 The bands are not truly wavy because of the shallowness of the undulation. 63

KOK 2, as mentioned above, is unusual; the jar is quite short at only 8.0 cm in height,

and the mouth is abnormally large with a diameter of 6.5 cm. A framed spiral, which is

typical of LH IIA, decorates the jar, although a LH I date appears preferable.237

THE JUG

According to Mountjoy, the jug “belongs to the matt painted repertoire,” and an excellent example of this is the vessel from Cist Grave III at Myloi (MYL 4).238 One vessel from

Chamber Tomb 26 at Prosymna, however, is clearly Mycenaean Decorated (PRO 11).239

The jug, 10.5 cm tall, has an everted rim, 4.6 cm in diameter, a tall neck, a globular body,

and a flat base that measures 4.6 cm. One vertical strap handle reaches from the rim to

the shoulder.240

The rim, neck (interior and exterior), and the handle are covered in paint. At the top of

the shoulder are two narrow bands below which is the main decorative zone. The crocus,

237 MDP, 18, 20; Demakopoulou 1993, 60-61; RMDP, 82. Framed spirals do occur in

LH I, and examples which are comparable to KOK 2 and which have been dated to LH I

exist (Demakopoulou 1993, 73 n. 35).

238 The shape number Furumark assigned but did not illustrate is 111a (MP, 656, 658);

RMDP, 82.

239 Blegen found another jug of this shape in Chamber Tomb 26, but it is undecorated

(Prosymna, 388, fig. 210:342). See Fig. 3.8.

240 The body of this example, as well as the other Prosymna vessel and the Myloi piece,

closely resemble that of the squat jug. 64

FM 12, appears in this zone. Two narrow to medium bands are found on the belly below, and a band encompasses the base. Added white paint is applied on the neck and belly bands.

THE ASKOS

According to Mountjoy, the fabric and paint of an askos from the cist grave of a child at

Lerna (LER 52) “suggest that it is LH I” although a Minoan origin cannot be excluded entirely.241 The vessel stands 7.1 cm tall and attached at the shoulder is a cylindrical spout which measures 1.4 cm in diameter. The body is globular, and the base is flat concave and 3.8 cm wide. A round handle is attached to the top of the vessel.

The spout, handle, and a portion of the shoulder are covered in paint. The main motif is the ripple pattern, FM 78, which is obliquely oriented and extends from the shoulder to just below the belly. Two broad bands are below. Added white blobs are found on the portion of the shoulder that is painted.

THE SEMIGLOBULAR CUP

The semiglobular cup is one of the three open shapes in LH I, and may be divided into two subtypes. The first does not have a stemmed base (FS 211), while the second does

241 MP 35, fig. 7; Caskey 1957a, 143-145, pl 39:i; RMDP, 83, 84 fig. 11:14. Askoi from

Shaft Grave M in Grave Circle B at Mycenae appear to be Minoan in origin (Circle B,

153-156, pls. 133:alpha, delta, epsilon, 134:zeta; 83). See Fig. 3.9. 65

(FS 212).242 Few complete examples of either subtype occur; sherds cannot (and should

not) be differentiated without the base. Semiglobular cups occur at virtually every site in

the Korinthia and Argolid: Korakou (KOR 7), Tsoungiza (TSO 1), Lerna (LER 16-26),

Prosymna (PRO 12), Midea (MID 9-15), and Mycenae (MYC 8).243 LER 16-19 and 21

and PRO 12 are particularly excellent examples of FS 211, while LER 20 and MYC 8

represent FS 212.

Both subtypes have tall, everted rims, varying between 11.0 and 14.0 cm in diameter.

The bodies of the cups are deep and semiglobular in shape. The bases of both are flat,

and range in diameter from 4.0 to 6.0 cm. FS 211 and FS 212 stand 7.0 to 9.0 cm tall and

have vertical strap handles reaching from the rim to the middle of the body.244

In regards to their decorative schemes, the cups often have interior and exterior rim bands. The exterior bands may descend below the rim proper and onto the body. The interior band is often quite deep and uneven; because it is painted onto an unslipped surface, its color usually is different from the paint color on the exterior.245 LER 22 lacks

an exterior band; instead, there is a line of dots on the rim, and a thin band appears on the

join between the rim and body. The main decorative zone occupies the area beneath the

242 MP 48, fig. 13. See Fig. 3.10.

243 The attribution of TSO 1 and MID 15 is not certain although both pieces most likely

belong to FS 211/212.

244 A contemporary miniature cup of the type comes from a child’s cist grave (DC 2) at

Lerna (Caskey 1957a, 145, pl. 39:g; Blackburn 1970, 174; RMDP, 83).

245 See above. 66 rim band and reaches to the middle of the body. Motifs include two types of double-axe,

FM 35, one with a single stem and one with wavy lines in place of a stem.246 Retorted, running, and tangents spirals, FM 46, are also known, as are wavy lines, FM 53, stylized and combination variants of the foliate band, FM 64, ripple patterns, FM 78, and the bar pattern consisting of vertical bars and semicircles.247 Two to three medium or broad bands are found below the decorative zone, and a band encompasses the base. Oblique splashes appear on the handle. Added white paint is found applied on the exterior rim band and body bands; MID 12 has oblique white dashes on the rim.

As with PRO 5 above, LER 27 requires its own discussion. While a morphological relationship to FS 211 exists, the body is carinated at its widest point. The decoration consists of a rim band, pendant semicircles below (Buck Motif 56), a reserved area, oblique dashes, a medium band, a horizontal v-pattern (Buck Motif 50), and a band around the base. While the motifs are unusual for this or any other Mycenaean Decorated shape, the morophological relationship between the vessel and FS 211 is apparent, and paint is clearly lustrous; therefore LER 27 must be attributed to Mycenaean

Decorated.248

246 The second type of double axe usually dates to LH IIA (MDP, 18, 20).

247 The spirals are often “squashed” between the rim band and the uppermost body band.

248 Since the vessel has been restored, no section is visible; it is impossible to determine if the fabric is Mycenaean Decorated. Other examples in which neither the shape nor the motif conform to Furumark numbers exist; from the earlier excavations at Midea, for 67

THE VAPHEIO CUP

Perhaps the most common shape in the northeastern Peloponnese is the Vapheio cup; at

Midea, it is the most common.249 Different subtypes of the shape have been identified based on the finds from the excavations at Kastri on Kythera, and these subtypes are labeled Type I, Type II, and Type III.250 Specific examples of each subtype are described

below after each subtype is defined.

Named after the metal cups found in a tholos tomb at Vapheio in Lakonia, all of these

vessels have a “midrib” slightly more than halfway down the body of the vessel.

According to Coldstream, Type I is the earliest version to appear.251 It is generally 0.5–

1.5 cm taller than the other types and is characterized by slightly-flaring sides, a large midrib, and a beveled base. A vertical strap handle reaches from the rim to the midrib.

The type is common on Kythera and in Messenia but, according to Mountjoy, uncommon to rare elsewhere on the mainland.252 Indeed, none have been identified at the sites under

example, a panelled cup with lustrous paint in known (Walberg 1998, 114, 191, pl.

69:186).

249 MP 53, fig. 15; Dickinson 1974, 115; Kramer in Midea II (forthcoming). See Fig.

3.11.

250 Kythera, 284-285; Coldstream 1978, 392-393, 395, 396, 395 fig. 6:a-c.

251 Kythera, 284; Coldstream 1978, 392-393.

252 RMDP, 255; MDP, 15. She excludes it from her 1986 handbook because of this

rarity. 68

discussion, although Dickinson has informed me that he knows of at least two from the

West Gate area at Midea.253

Type II appears slightly later than Type I, and Korakou (KOR 8), Asine (ASI 1-2), Kokla

(KOK 3), Lerna (LER 28-42), and Midea (MID 16-22) all provide excellent examples.254

Standing 7.0-8.5 cm high, the cups are considerably broader than those of Type I, with lipless and slightly flaring rims measuring 7.5 to 15.0 cm in diameter (between 9.0 - 12.0 cm is most common), hollowed midribs, beveled bases 6.0-7.0 cm wide, and vertical strap handles extending from the rim to the midrib. Beyond the northeastern

Peloponnese, this type is found in numerous regions of the Greek world during LH I.255

Deep interior rim bands are like those on Type I, but there is no exterior band except on those cups decorated with a ripple.256 Instead, the main motif occupies the area from the rim of the cup to just above the midrib. The most common motifs are tangent spirals with blobs, FM 46, and foliate bands, FM 64, often in combination; combined with these bands are wavy lines, straight lines, and circles. Other motifs include the crocus, FM 10,

253 Oliver Dickinson, personal communication. For examples beyond the northeastern

Peloponnese, see Kythera, 106, fig. 39:15, pl. 25:15 and 183, fig. 55:56, pl. 52:56;

Taylour 1972, 225, pl. 43:e; Lolos 1987, 249-251, figs. 111-113, 212, 237, 343, 389,

390, 627, 629, and 633.

254 Kythera, 284; Coldstream 1978, 393, 395.

255 MDP, 15-16; RMDP, 253-254, 315, 373-374, 502, 648, 811, 867, 894, 931, 965,

1081.

256 Added white paint often is found applied on these exterior rim bands. 69 the circle, FM 41, the vertical foliate band, FM 64, the scale pattern, FM 70, and the ripple pattern, FM 78. Below the main motif there is usually a band that may overlap the midrib and continue onto the lower body. In some examples, however, the midrib proper is reserved.257 A band encompasses the base. Added white paint often appears applied on the bands but may be found on the main motif as well.

An unusually large example of the Type II Vapheio cup comes from the Shaft Graves of

Lerna.258 LER 45-47 consist, respectively, of a sherd that extends from the rim to just above the midrib, a midrib with the base of a handle, and a rim with the top of a handle and three clay “rivets.” Unfortunately, the rim diameters of LER 45 and 47 could not be determined.

As with typical Type II cups, the Lerna cup lacks an external rim band but traces of a deep interior one remain. The decorative zone extends from the rim to just above the midrib, but the decoration of urchins in circles alternating with crocuses does not conform to any specific Furumark motif. At the bottom of LER 45 is a painted band with an added white line applied to it. On LER 46, painted bands with added white lines on them frame the midrib which is not painted as most Vapheio cup midribs are; instead, the motif is the stylized variety of the foliate band, FM 64, but without a center line.

LER 47 preserves a portion of the handle with a splash.

257 I can find no correlation between a reserved midrib and the use of a particular motif.

258 The differences in the appearance of the interior rim bands of LER 45 and LER 47 suggest that at least two vessels are present. 70

Type III, the “most advanced version” according to Coldstream, is the last type to

appear.259 This type has a lipless rim, an upper body that flares considerably, a shallow

midrib, a straight lower body, and a base that is both flat and smaller than that of Type II.

The handle, which is a vertical strap, is attached to the rim and the body immediately above the midrib. While LH I examples certainly exist, none are known from the sites under discussion; this type becomes the dominant variety in LH IIA.260 The motifs

described for Type II cups are also found on Type III examples.

Numerous examples of Vapheio cups which cannot be attributed to any type also appear in the northeastern Peloponnese.261

THE STRAIGHT-SIDED CUP

While often viewed as a version of the Vapheio cup by numerous scholars because of the

morphological similarities to that shape, the straight-sided cup, by definition, lacks a

midrib.262

259 Kythera, 284-285; Coldstream 1978, 395-396.

260 MDP, 33. The lack of an interior slip in LH I, as noted above, is a key difference

between LH I and IIA Type III cups. The interior rim band also is usually even in IIA,

and different motifs are used to decorate the cups (see MDP, 33-34).

261 Vapheio cup sherds have been found at Asine (ASI 3), Lerna (LER 43-44), and Midea

(MID 23-32) as well as Tsoungiza (examples from EU 8 exist but were not catalogued).

The agricultural area of Tiryns has produced two Vapheio cups that may date to LH I

(Tiryns V, 34, 33 fig. 5:3, 4, pl. 25.1:2, 3). 71

Mountjoy assigns the date of the shape to “very late LH I and early LH IIA.”263 The

Shaft Graves of Lerna (LER 48-50), Cist Grave VII at Myloi (MYL 1), and Chamber

Tomb V at Kokla (KOK 5) all contained straight-sided cups.

The cup, which varies in height between 5.5 and 7.0 cm, has a lipless rim that ranges in diameter from 8.0 to 10.0 cm and flares slightly.264 The straight sides of the cup taper to

a beveled base measuring 4.0-6.5 cm wide. A vertical strap handle extends from the rim to the midpoint of the body.

As with Vapheio cups, the interior has a relatively deep rim band. The main decorative

zone extends from the rim to just above the base; typical motifs include: vertical wavy

lines, FM 53 (often separated by vertical lines); the vertical variety of the foliate band,

FM 64 (separated in one case by vertical lines); and the bar pattern. A band is found

around the base, and oblique splashes appear on the handle.

One additional example of the straight-sided cup, from Chamber Tomb VIIB at Kokla

(KOK 4), exists, but it differs from the cups discussed above both in its size and motif.

262 Since Furumark grouped these cups with FS 224, this shape does not have a separate

shape number. His FS 221 was applied to later cups, but it is not the same shape as the

cup under discussion. See Fig. 3.12.

263 MDP, 16. However, as is the case with the Large Jar (see above), she does not substantiate her argument with any evidence. In fact, the unslipped interior of these examples as well as the use of the bar motif, which does not occur in LH IIA, argue for a

LH I date.

264 The rim diameter of LER 50 may be 14.0 cm, although this measurement is uncertain. 72

The principal size difference is its height of 10.5 cm, the rim diameter of 13.5 cm, and the

base width of 8.5 cm. Furthermore, a fish motif, FM 20, appears below an external rim

band of varying width. Below the fish are two medium bands, and a band appears around

the base. The handle is decorated as above.265

THE ROUNDED CUP/BOWL

The rounded cup/bowl from Chamber Tomb 26 at Prosymna (PRO 13) is the only complete example of this shape found and, until the excavations at Lerna (LER 51) and

Midea (MID 33), was the only example known.266 While Blegen describes the Prosymna piece as a cup with the handle missing and illustrates it as such, Mountjoy states that

“there is no trace of a handle attachment.”267 FS 220a is 6.0 cm high and has a lipless rim

measuring between 11.0 and 16.0 cm. The shape has a convex body and a flat base 4.0-

4.5 cm in diameter.

265 While Demakopoulou states that the Vapheio cup is unique because of its motif, she

herself notes cup fragments from Aigina with a similar motif (Hiller 1975, 15, 67 no. 14,

pl, 1:14), and other early Mycenaean pictorial pottery has been published since (see

Crouwel 1991 and Crouwel and Morris 1996).

266 The shape number Furumark assigned but did not illustrate is 220a (MP, 656, 658).

See Fig. 3.13.

267 Prosymna, 389, fig. 652:385; RMDP, 83 note 255. Furumark follows Blegen as does

Shelton (MP, 656; Shelton 1996, 71). 73

The cup/bowl has an exterior rim band and a deep interior one, although the interior band

on the Midea sherd is considerably shallower than the other two. The main decorative

zone is filled with the crocus, FM 10 (in alternating orientations) or with the ripple

pattern, FM 78. Two narrow bands are found below the main decorative zone on the

Prosymna example, and a band appears around the base of both PRO 13 and LER 51.

Blegen notes the presence of added white paint applied on the bands.268

In addition to the traditional stylistic presentation of Mycenaean Decorated, I have

provided in this chapter a brief description of the technical aspects of the ware in LH I

because they often are ignored. Furthermore, I have expanded the number of LH I

Mycenaean Decorated shapes traditionally discussed; while the Type I Vapheio cup may

be rare in the Argolid and Korinthia for example, handbooks of this ware must include

uncommon and rare shapes so that they may be recognized in the field by pottery

analysts.

Handbooks for “the other wares” do not exist. Chapter 5 is a preliminary step toward such a work, but before the proposed classification system is presented, the historiographical development of the concept of “the other wares” should be reviewed.

268 Prosymna, 389. He also mentions the similarity of the motif to that found on the jug

which comes from the same area of Tomb 26. Indeed, not only are the motifs alike, but

the two vessels exhibit similar morphological characteristics (see Prosymna, fig. 652:385

and 431). 74

CHAPTER 4: THE HISTORIOGRAPHICAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE

CONCEPT OF THE LATE HELLADIC I “OTHER WARES”

If the historiographical development of the concept of Late Helladic I Mycenaean

Decorated appears both simple and linear, the same assertion cannot be made for “the

other wares” because, as mentioned in Chapter 1, of the general neglect of these wares in

the scholarly literature. Indeed, over the past 125 years, numerous scholars have noted

several of the wares in brief passages, but they then often labeled them by an original

nomenclature despite the fact that, in numerous cases, one already existed. As Zerner

observes, this has led to the necessity of publishing a concordance of the various names,

and I do so in this study.269 Zerner has also observed that nothing “is more confusing that

MH and LH I ceramic terminology!”270

The purpose of this chapter is to review the development of the concept of these “other wares” in LH I. The major contributions from 1886 to 1991 are presented first. In 1991,

Dietz published his system, and because it is the most recent and has been utilized by

scholars, I describe it in detail.271

269 Zerner 1993, 40. See Figure 4.1.

270 Zerner 1993, 39.

271 Walberg, for example, uses it – with modifications – in her Middle Helladic pottery

chapter in the forthcoming Midea II volume (Gisela Walberg, personal communication). 75

I end this chapter with three case studies to illustrate both the various schemes discussed

and the impact they have on the chronology of the Shaft Grave Period.272 I focus in

particular on the results of Dietz’ analysis of the Lower Town of Asine, Caskey’s and

Blackburn’s investigations of the graves of Lerna V and VI, and the numerous studies of

the graves from the two grave circles at Mycenae.273

One of the first differentiations between Mycenaean Decorated and “the other wares” appeared over a century ago in Furtwängler and Loeschcke’s Mykenische Vasen, published in 1886.274 In their preface, they discuss the technical aspects of the pottery

and establish two categories: Vasen mit Mattmalerei and Vasen mit Firnissmalerei.275

Within the first category, Furtwängler and Loeschcke discern two subgroups:

“rotthonige” which include vessels with reddish clay decorated in violet-brown and red paint, and “blassthonige” which encompass vessels with either pale yellowish or greenish

272 I return to these case studies in Chapter 6 after I present my proposed classification

system in Chapter 5.

273 See Chapter 1 for the reasons I choose these three sites.

274 The two had previously published Mykenische Thongefässe in 1879, and in that work,

they note that the vessels are painted either with matt or lustrous paint, but they do not explore the possible reason(s) for this difference.

275 Mykenische Vasen, vi-xv. The second category, and the four subgroups which comprise it, is essentially Mycenaean Decorated. 76

clay adorned with violet-brown paint.276 While the authors utilized material from all over

Greece in their classification system, their primary source is the Grave Circle A pottery

excavated by Schliemann.277

According to Forsdyke, the classification of at least one of the other wares also began

with Schliemann, specifically from the latter’s reports of his excavation at

Orchomenos.278 The pottery Schliemann found below the Mycenaean decorated at the

site consisted of “monochrome, black, red, or yellow, hand-made or wheel-made pottery” of the type that Forsdyke notes is labeled “Minyan Ware.”279 For the description of the

technical aspects of the pottery, Forsdyke declares that the ware is wheel-made and

burnished to such a high degree that the surfaces feel soapy; furthermore, the fabric is

276 Mykenische Vasen, vi.

277 Mykenische Vasen, 53-71. In addition to their classification system based on paint,

Furtwängler and Loeschcke also produced a table of vessel forms (Mykenische Vasen,

85-87, pl. 44).

278 Forsdyke 1914, 126; Schliemann 1881.

279 Schliemann 1881, 152; Forsdyke 1914, 126-127. Forsdyke emphasizes his aversion

to the term “Minyan” but concedes that it is “too late, however, to repudiate . . . [as it] has

now been widely adopted” (Forsdyke 1914, 128). In regards to the names of wares, he states that “a descriptive name, where possible, is better than a local name, local always better than racial; for in the labyrinth of Aegean archaeology progress can only come by accurate observation and intelligible record” (Forsdyke 1914, 128.). 77

usually quite hard.280 While the fabric color is usually grey from the core out to the

surface, Forsdyke notes “varieties of inferior technique” in which the surface may be black, brown, red, or yellow, as Schliemann originally observed.281 Forsdyke states that

the forms of Minyan Ware “are few, heavily marked as members of one family.”282 He

lists three main types: deep-handled cups, low-handled shallow bowls, and angular or

curved goblets; all exhibit flat vertical handles.283 He believes that closed shapes, such

as jars/jugs, are absent.284 Forsdyke comments that all of the vessels appear to have

metal prototypes.285

In his article, Forsdyke also examines a number of other aspects of Minyan Ware,

including the chronological window in which Minyan appeared as well as the origin of

the ware, which he believes is Troy.286 Childe responded by utilizing then recently

published material to revise Forsdyke’s chronology and refute his Trojan origin for the

280 Forsdyke 1914, 129.

281 Forsdyke 1914, 129-130.

282 Forsdyke 1914, 136.

283 Forsdyke 1914, 136.

284 Forsdyke 1914, 152.

285 Forsdyke 1914, 131-136.

286 Forsdyke 1914, 154-156. 78 ware.287 More importantly for this study, Childe expanded the range of forms to include the missing closed forms, specifically jars and jugs.288

The first major attempt to classify several of the other wares was undertaken by Wace and Blegen in the same article in which they defined the notion of a “Late Helladic” civilization that paralleled the Minoan.289 After presenting five Early Helladic groups, they lumped the Middle and Late Helladic groups together.290 They first divide the pottery into two wares, Minyan and Matt-Painted, and within each are, respectively, four and three groups.291 Since Wace and Blegen defined these groups based primarily on the

Korakou material, and because Blegen altered them in Korakou, I review only his later definitions.

As mentioned in Chapter 2, Blegen records five other categories of pottery in addition to

LH I Mycenaean Decorated, and these wares include: unpainted, monochrome, Grey

Minyan, Matt-Painted, and domestic pots.292 Furthermore, toward the end of his treatment of the Middle Helladic pottery, he adds a new category to the three he examined with Wace – Class D, which he labels “Mainland Ware Corresponding to

287 Childe 1915, 201-207.

288 Childe 1915, 210. In a later publication, Forsdyke dismisses Childe’s claims in a footnote (Forsdyke 1925, xxv n. 2).

289 Wace and Blegen 1916-1918. See Chapter 2.

290 Wace and Blegen 1916-1918, 176-186.

291 Wace and Blegen 1916-1918, 180-186.

292 Korakou, 43-44. 79

Fabrics of the Third Middle Minoan Period.”293 He states that this pottery belongs with

the Late Helladic wares even though “in the stratified deposit . . . it is found together with

the later Minyan and Matt-painted wares.”294 He notes that few of these sherds exist, but

that they are important as they represent “the earliest ‘Mycenaean’ vases in use at

Korakou.” He labels them “Mycenaean” because of their lustrous paint, and subdivides

them into two subcategories: light-on-dark and dark-on-light.295 I review these

subcategories first before turning to the five listed above.

The light-on-dark pottery is wheel-made, and the well-prepared fabric is buff or greenish

yellow over a pink core.296 A red to brownish-black paint covers the surface of the vessel onto which a dull white paint is applied.297 In the sherd material, Blegen recognized four

general shapes: a high-necked jug with a globular body and a single, vertical handle; a

globular jar resembling the Minoan hole-mouthed-jar; a rounded or angular bowl with a

splaying rim; and the Vapheio cup.298 Motifs decorating these shapes consist of running

or double spirals, crossed circles, and concentric half-circles as well as linear

293 Korakou, 32-35.

294 Korakou, 32.

295 Korakou, 32.

296 Korakou, 32. Hereafter, I refer to this class of pottery as DI. Blegen also notes a “few odd sherds” which have black and white linear patterns on a “pinkish red ground”

(Korakou, 33).

297 Korakou, 32.

298 Korakou, 33. 80

adornment.299 Blegen notes that these motifs are essentially identical to those of the

Matt-Painted II wares but not to contemporary Minoan motifs; for this reason, he

attributes them to local production.300

While the clay and fabric of the dark-on-light ware resemble that of the light-on-dark, the

surface of the former ware is slipped.301 Painted onto the light slip is black to brownish-

black lustrous paint.302 There are four shapes of this ware: a small, squat jug with a

“fairly wide neck;” a small, stemmed goblet; the hole-mouthed jar; and the Vapheio

cup.303 The decoration of these shapes is “remarkably different from the preceding

[class].”304 Rather than the typical double spiral and concentric half-circle of Class DI,

bands of “round dots, small circles, dashes – or conventional leaves – and

299 Korakou, 32.

300 Korakou, 32. Labeled White on Burnished Dark in this study, this ware is of

particular importance (see Chapter 5).

301 Korakou, 33. Hereafter, I refer to this class of pottery as DII; this is the class that

Furumark re-dated to his Mycenaean I early. While this class is essentially Mycenaean

Decorated, I discuss it in this chapter since it was originally conceived as an “other” ware and to place it in its historiographical context. That Dickinson re-dated the Mycenaean

Decorated from Blegen’s Layer 1 to LH IIA also must be mentioned.

302 Korakou, 33.

303 Korakou, 34.

304 Korakou, 33. 81

conventionalized objects perhaps meant for sea-shells” are found.305 Furthermore, the

“net-pattern” appears, as does linear decoration and the running quirk, the “ordinary”

spiral, and the “poorly drawn” double axe.306 Blegen observes that while the motifs

differ, the shapes are the same as Class DI.307 Finally, while he believes that Class DI is

local, he cannot conclude the same for DII; he notes that a few similar sherds are known

from Tiryns, but that it is “certainly not like any known Cretan variety.”308

Of the five categories to which Blegen devoted little attention in his LH I section, he

states that a “large proportion” of the unpainted ware belongs to vases “which are

practically identical with Yellow Minyan.”309 He observes that the fabric, which in his

MH description is a finely-prepared buff or greenish-yellow, is “finer [and] thinner,” and the slip “still smoother” than the MH examples.310 In regard to the shapes, stemmed

goblets with a rounded profile almost completely replace those with an angular profile,

and the occasional incised rings found on the stems of MH examples disappear.

305 Korakou, 33.

306 Korakou, 33-34. Blegen’s net-pattern is Furumark’s Scale pattern (FM 70), while the

former’s “ordinary” spiral is probably of the running variety (FM 46).

307 Korakou, 34.

308 Korakou, 34. Unfortunately, Blegen does not provide a reference to the Tiryns pieces.

309 Korakou, 43. This is his Class AIII in the MH material (Korakou, 18-19) but Class B

in the LH I. In Table II on p. 127, he assigns 301 (approximately 25.5% of the total

number) Yellow Minyan pieces to the LH I layer.

310 Korakou, 18, 43. 82

Additional shapes include jugs with the cutaway neck, dippers/ladles with high ribbon

handles, side-spouted deep bowls, and flat-bottom handless cups.311

The second category of other LH I wares is the monochrome; the fabric is similar to that

of the Yellow Minyan, but the surface is not slipped – it is covered in red or black paint

of “good quality.”312 Shapes in this ware consist of a large two-handled or small one-

handled stemmed goblet with either a rounded or angular profile, a deep bowl with two

vertical, strap handles, and a large bowl with a side spout and two handles.313 Blegen

observes that while this ware appears in the second MH layer, it does so in “extremely

small quantities;” only in the LH I layer do sherds of it become “very numerous.”314

Grey Minyan vessels occur very infrequently in LH I, and Blegen does not discuss the

ware further.315 In his discussion of MH pottery, Blegen refers the reader to Forsdyke,

311 Korakou, 18, 43.

312 Korakou, 43. This ware does not have a corresponding MH class. Blegen notes that

some vessels are mottled. The black monochrome, numbering 107 examples, appears

with a frequency nearly equal to the red in the LH I layer, with the latter totaling 120

sherds (in total, approximately 19%) (Korakou, 127 Table II).

313 Korakou, 43-44.

314 Korakou, 43.

315 Korakou, 44. This is the MH Class AI (15-17). Only 26 sherds, approximately 2% of the total, were found in LH I (Korakou, 127 Table II). 83

but he adds to the latter’s account by more finely subdividing the shapes in which the

ware appears.316

The Matt-Painted ware receives equally short shrift.317 While Class BII – the fine ware -

is rare, BI, which is mainly comprised of large, coarse vessels such as hydriai and

spouted bowls decorated with curvilinear motifs, is numerous.318 In his MH description

of BI, Blegen states that the gritty, coarse fabric ranges in color from pinkish buff to

yellowish green, and that the curvilinear motifs may be black, blackish brown, and “brick

red” as well as purplish black and even white.319 Of the two shapes often found in LH I

contexts, the round-profiled hydriai generally have a painted band around the rim, two or

three bands around the bottom of the neck, and one or two “heavy” bands around the belly at approximately the same level as the lower horizontal handles.320 Any additional

316 Korakou, 15. One other, albeit minor, point that Blegen makes is to note the presence

of incised decoration on Grey Minyan; Forsdyke alludes to this only once in his text and

in the description of one of his examples (Forsdyke 1914, 133, Figure 6). Interestingly,

Blegen also ignores Childe’s addition of closed shapes to the ware at this point ,but see

below.

317 Class BI-III in the MH section (Korakou, 19-30).

318 Korakou, 44. Blegen does not subdivide the classes in his table and lists 152 Matt-

Painted pieces, approximately 13% of the total, not the 15% he reports (Korakou, 127

Table II, 44).

319 Korakou, 19.

320 Korakou, 23-24. 84 decoration occurs between these “heavy” bands and the lower neck.321 Spouted bowls,

Blegen asserts, are “almost invariably decorated in a uniform style.”322 Atop a band which is painted below the rim are two to three chevrons on each side of the spout and handle; furthermore, two parallel lines may be found around the base of the spout.323 He does not mention Class BIII, the polychrome Matt-Painted ware, in this chapter despite noting it elsewhere and stating that it is “similar to the well-known jugs from the sixth shaft grave at Mycenae.”324

The final category consists of undecorated domestic vessels; the fabric of these is coarse and varies in color from buff to yellowish-green to “brick red.”325 Shapes include high- necked hydriai, deep bowls, “urns on a heavy stem,” small jars - or “crocks” - on raised bases, shallow basins, and “sundry cooking pots with one or two handles.”326 Blegen

321 Korakou, 24.

322 Korakou, 20.

323 Korakou, 20.

324 Korakou, 28, 30. Labeled Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted in this study, this ware is also of particular importance (see Chapter 5).

325 Korakou, 28, 30. This is MH Class C (Korakou, 30-31). Blegen reports 153

(approximately 13%) “nondescript coarse” vessels in Table II (Korakou, 127).

326 Korakou, 28, 30. 85

notes that several of these vessels have a potter’s mark – a “+”, “X” or dots – on their

bases or, more rarely, their handles.327

Although ultimately based on only one site as well as accounts by scholars working at

other locations, Blegen’s classification system became the foundation for the majority of

subsequent schemes. Indeed, at Prosymna, Blegen states that practically “all of the

varieties of Middle Helladic wares that have been distinguished at other sites were at the

Heraeum.”328 These include a number of the other wares that occurred in LH I at

Korakou: Grey Minyan, Yellow Minyan, and Matt-Painted.329

327 Korakou, 28, 30. In 1925, four years after the appearance of Korakou, Forsdyke

published a catalogue of the prehistoric Aegean pottery in the British Museum. In

addition to the catalogue proper, he discusses the classes of pottery from the regions of

the Aegean in his introduction. As he bases most of his information on Korakou, I will

not discuss it in detail except to note that he does not utilize Blegen’s classes, and,

furthermore, he renames Blegen’s Class BI “Dull-painted Geometric Ware,” Class BII

“Slipped Ware,” and Class BIII “Polychrome Style” (xxvi-xxvii, 49-51). This is only one

- and a particularly blatant - case in which a scholar ignored an existing set of names in

favor of his own. Forsdyke also ignored Blegen’s terminology for the Mycenaean pottery

in favor of Early, Middle, and Late Mycenaean.

328 Prosymna, 378.

329 Prosymna, 378-388. 86

Blegen singles out for special mention a Grey Minyan goblet found in Chamber Tomb 25

“in association with polychrome Matt-painted ware and with our earliest specimens of

Late Helladic Ware.”330 He continues that:

[t]he shape deserves particular attention, for it is the forerunner of a

series of stemmed cups which had a long history through the Late

Helladic Period, occurring both in the plain and in the decorated

yellow Minyan categories.331

The Yellow Minyan vessels also produced a noteworthy example. Blegen suggests that a

goblet from Chamber Tomb 52 is of a “slightly later date” than those that are “the

immediate forerunner of the familiar Late Helladic goblets.”332 In addition, Blegen

observes that this vessel has a “knob” at the base of the handle, and he speculates that the

feature “suggests a rivet.”333

Blegen begins his discussion of his “polychrome Matt-Painted” (Class BIII) pottery by noting that the number of sherds found on and around the site are quite few, and he consequently provides no description of them. Instead, he focuses on three complete

330 Prosymna, 379, fig. 195:496. In another minor but significant point, Blegen now

acknowledges the presence of Grey Minyan closed vessels – he notes a small one-

handled jug found in Chamber Tomb 24 (Prosymna, 378).

331 Prosymna, 379.

332 Prosymna, 380, fig. 269:845.

333 Prosymna, 380. 87

vessels found in Chamber Tombs 25 and 26.334 He describes them as “capacious storage-

jars of approximately the same shape, with flat base, swelling ovoid body, cylindrical

neck, flaring rim and four horizontal round loop-handles.”335 The four handles are

composed of two pairs: large ones fixed on the body of the vessel, and small ones

positioned on the shoulder between the large ones. Oddly, while Blegen appears quite

willing to assign the aforementioned Grey and Yellow Minyan goblets to the Late

Helladic period (and indeed he notes the presence of the polychrome Matt-Painted vessels with the Grey Minyan example), he wavers in regard to these vessels by stating that they signify “a high stage of development . . . of the potter’s handicraft . . . by the

end of the Middle Helladic Period.”336 In fact, he nearly contradicts himself in his

subsequent discussion of the date of the earliest LH I vessels in Chamber Tombs 25 and

26; he states that “in each instance the date, contemporary with the early shaft-graves at

Mycenae, was attested by the other pottery found in the same association.”337

Throughout his discussion in MP on the origins of specific shapes found in the later

Mycenaean Decorated pottery, Furumark alludes to the other wares; depressed ovoid

334 While one (fig. 651:499) was discovered in Chamber Tomb 25, two (pl. IV:380 and

381) came from Chamber Tomb 26. While not listed as Mainland Polychrome Matt-

Painted, vessel 1048 (fig. 185:1048) is such, as Shelton has informed me (Kim Shelton,

personal communication).

335 Prosymna, 386.

336 Prosymna, 388.

337 Prosymna, 388. Emphasis mine. 88

shapes, globular shapes, alabastron shapes, semiglobular cup and bowl shapes, angular-

cylindrical cup shapes, stemmed cup shapes, and stemmed bowl shapes all have Middle

Helladic antecedents.338 Furumark recognizes that “as shown by some find groups, and

by stratification, ‘Middle Helladic’ pottery must have been in use long into Mycenaean times.”339

In his Chronology, however, Furumark discusses the other wares directly. He describes a number of categories and deliberately utilizes Blegen’s terminology, specifically AI

(Grey Minyan), AIII (Yellow Minyan), BI-BIII (Matt-Painted), and C (Coarse).

Additionally, he categorizes thirteen shapes, and this allows him to use a shorthand in his following discussion.340 In that discussion, he unequivocally assigns certain vessels of all

of the aforementioned categories to the Late Helladic I period.341 He concludes his work

by expanding upon his earlier statement:

Myc. I contexts frequently contain so-called Middle Helladic ware,

Mattpainted and Minyan, and these fabrics form the bulk of the

pottery found in Late Helladic I layers. There can be no doubt that the

ordinary LH I vessels were of “MH” type and that the Myc. I ware

occurred in relatively small quantities.342

338 MP, 27, 34, 42, 47, 54-55, 56-57, 64.

339 MP, 47.

340 CMP, 45.

341 CMP, 45-46.

342 CMP, 98. 89

The next significant step in the classification of the other wares came from Dickinson. In

his dissertation, he, like Furumark, uses Blegen’s terminology in the discussion of wares

that occurred in specific contexts with LH I Mycenaean Decorated. More importantly, he

corroborates Blegen’s classification with evidence from other regions of Greece as well

as the then recently excavated material in the Argolid and Korinthia.343 In his 1974

definition of LH I Mycenaean Decorated, Dickinson stresses the relative importance of

the other wares by noting that LH I “must be seen as a fine ware, introduced in

competition with other fine wares.”344

Citing a desire for “less duplication of effort,” French privately circulated notes on prehistoric pottery groups from central Greece in 1972.345 He observes in the

introduction of his work that the many previous accounts of prehistoric pottery in the

region “left unanswered certain outstanding problems in the sequence and zonation.”346

Therefore, he states that his work aims to “outline the position, in terms of pottery, of one region – Central Greece – in relation to its neighbors.”347 In particular, French defines

343 Dickinson 1970, 370-374.

344 Dickinson 1974, 113.

345 PPGCG, iv. While the geographical focus of French’s work lay outside the

boundaries of this dissertation, his references to material in the northeast Peloponnese requires a brief summary as do citations of his work discussed below.

346 PPGCG, 1.

347 PPGCG, 1. 90

the pottery groups of south Locris and Boeotia from the Neolithic through the Mycenaean

periods.348

Of the wares which French assigns to the “Minyan Phase,” which he equates to the MH period, several more individual wares than Blegen’s eight are defined. In fact, he defines twenty subdivisions, ten of which are relevant specifically to this study: Grey Minyan,

Red Slipped: “Mainland” type, Red Slipped: “Aigina” type, Yellow Minyan, Lustrous

Dark on Light, Matt-Painted, Polychrome: “Mainland” type, Polychrome: “Aigina” type, and White on Lustrous Dark.349 For each, French provides either an extremely short description or references to published work, the distribution of the ware, and a brief comment.

Grey and Yellow Minyan do not differ from Blegen’s description, and French provides no additional details.350 The Red Slipped: “Mainland” and “Aigina” types, however, are newly-defined wares. While both are wheel-made, a highly-burnished, possibly slipped red surface covers the red core of the “Mainland” type which could be decorated with

“white-painted patterns.”351 In contrast, the “Aigina” type also may have been slipped

348 PPGCG, 22-40.

349 PPGCG, 24-38. Several of these groups were defined previously in his article with E.

French on the prehistoric pottery from the area of the agricultural prison at Tiryns (Tiryns

V); for these wares, French refers the reader to this earlier work, and I note those

references below.

350 PPGCG, 24, 28-29.

351 PPGCG, 25. 91

but was fired to either red or black; furthermore, the surface is only lightly burnished and

may be “dull, striated, [and] sometimes crackled.”352 The shapes of each further

differentiate the two types. In particular, the “Aigina” variety includes a bowl with a

distinctive broad rim which is not found in the “Mainland” shapes; the latter tends to

reflect Grey Minyan forms.353

Another ware, Lustrous Dark on Light, consists of buff or pale red clay with a pale

surface that may be slightly lustrous.354 Furthermore, the dark paint, which is usually

brown or black, can occasionally appear, contrary to the chosen name, dull; the patterns

are distinctive however.355

The Matt-Painted ware consists of seven variants of fabric and paint.356 The fabrics

include: greenish-buff with grey-black inclusions, greenish-buff, buff with grey-black

inclusions (“oatmeal” fabric), buff with red core, pale red, buff slipped, and white

slipped.357 Paint types include: black, purple-black, dark grey, and “silver, purple-or

very pale-grey.”358 In addition, French asserts that the greenish-buff with grey-black

352 PPGCG, 26.

353 PPGCG, 26, 27. This bowl type was previously described as “distinctive and

diagnostic . . . of this ware” (Tiryns V, 26).

354 Tiryns V, 26.

355 PPGCG, 29.

356 PPGCG, 30-31.

357 PPGCG, 30-31.

358 PPGCG, 30-31. 92

inclusions and the white slipped fabric types “are usually burnished.”359 He concludes

his discussion of the ware by observing that “there are numerous varieties of matt-painted

ware,” and despite his seven fabric categories, that he has not “attempted to elucidate . . .

all of the forms and their possible significance.”360

Similar to the Red Slipped wares, French divides the Polychrome ware – Blegen’s Class

BIII - into “Mainland” and “Aigina” types. He describes the “Mainland” variety as having a fine, evenly-fired core covered with a well-burnished surface that can be either buff or pale red in color, and a matt paint that always includes bright red and either black, grey, or pale grey.361 In addition, white lines or patterns are occasionally painted over the

other paint colors.362 For the fabric of the “Aigina” type, French refers the reader to his

description of the “Aigina” category of the Red Slipped ware; the decoration consists of

red and black patterns.363

The last ware relevant to this study that French describes is White on Lustrous Dark. He

says little about it but notes that the fabric is the same as Lustrous Dark on Light, and that

the ware may be “a basically Peloponnesian ware.”364

359 PPGCG, 31.

360 PPGCG, 32.

361 PPGCG, 33.

362 PPGCG, 33.

363 PPGCG, 35. The prominent shape of the “Aigina” type is the same bowl shape found

in the “Aigina” variety of Red Slipped (Tiryns V, 27).

364 PPGCG, 36-37. 93

Because French’s stated purpose was little more than to “define the pottery groups” and

to provide a conventional terminology, he does not discuss the possible chronological

ramifications of his newly-defined wares.365 This was to be done by Davis when he revisited Blegen’s East Alley deposit from Korakou.366

In his 1979 study, Davis notes that Blegen’s report “although exemplary and still

indispensable, includes only the more striking vases and sherds found, and these are not

presented separately by deposit.”367 By studying the excavation notebooks and the finds stored in the Corinth museum, Davis determined that the pottery from East Alley levels

XII-XVI, which lay mainly between two layers of ash but was not associated with any

365 PPGCG, 1. French’s significant contribution rests in his discussion of the fabrics which, to a great extent, had been ignored.

366 While outside my prescribed geographical boundaries, the publication by Rutter and

Rutter of relevant material from the Ayios Stephanos excavations in Lakonia must be

mentioned (Rutter and Rutter 1976). Excavation in Area N revealed a stratified ceramic

sequence dating from the later Middle Helladic through the early Mycenaean periods, and

this led the two to define ten other wares in addition to the Mycenaean Decorated (see

Transition, 6-15, for the typology of all eleven wares). While certain wares, such as

Matt-Painted and Yellow Minyan, parallel those in the Argolid and Korinthia, the Rutters

also identified a series of “Minoanizing” wares, including Oatmeal, Micaceous, and Fine

Minoanizing; particular features of the Ayios Stephanos pottery also led them to place

French’s Lustrous Dark on Light in this Minoanizing category.

367 Davis 1979, 234. 94

architectural remains, comprises “a homogenous deposit which should be dated to LH

I.”368 He proceeds to present a representative selection of the c. 1200 sherds from these

levels; the categories (and subcategories) he utilizes consist of: Lustrous Painted

(Mycenaean, Minoan, Light on Dark, and Dark-coated), Polychrome Matt-Painted

(“Aigina,” “Mainland,” and Other), Matt-Painted (Matt-Painted II, Light Grey

Unburnished, and Other), Burnished (Grey Minyan and Yellow Minyan), and

Undecorated (Cooking Ware).369

Within the Lustrous Painted class, aside from the Mycenaean and Minoan pieces, are the

Light on Dark and Dark-coated wares.370 Davis equates the former with Blegen’s Class

DI (“Mainland Ware Corresponding to Fabrics of the Third Middle Minoan Period”) discussed above.371 He notes that this ware is “clearly related to both LH I [Mycenaean

Decorated] and Matt-painted II” in that the shapes correspond to those in the former

while the decoration imitates that on the latter.372 Unfortunately, he observes, the rarity

of the ware precludes determining conclusively whether it was produced before LH I.373

The same uncertainty applies to the Dark-coated ware, which Blegen did not distinguish

368 Davis 1979, 236.

369 Davis 1979, 238-252.

370 Davis notes that Blegen did not distinguish any Minoan sherds (Davis 1979, 240 n.

17).

371 Davis 1979, 240.

372 Davis 1979, 254.

373 Davis 1979, 254. See Chapter 5. 95

as a separate ware.374 In his report on the pottery of Keos, Caskey defined it, and Davis observes similarities between it and French’s Red Slipped: “Aigina” ware although the rim profiles of the goblets/kraters, which are the primary shape(s) of both wares, differ significantly.375

The Polychrome Matt-Painted category consists of three subcategories: “Aigina,”

“Mainland,” and Other. While Blegen included the vessels of the “Aigina” and

“Mainland” subcategories in his Class BIII, French was the first to define them as separate wares as noted above; Davis follows French’s classification for both.376 The

Other subcategory refers to three sherds which Davis asserts “do not belong to either of

the above [two] wares.”377 Davis argues that, despite the presence of both “Aigina” and

“Mainland” in LH I contexts, scholars “have persisted in calling them transitional.”378

He believes the evidence from Korakou and elsewhere suggests that these wares “are nearly as diagnostic of LH I as the LH I style [Mycenaean Decorated] itself.”379

374 Davis 1979, 254.

375 Caskey 1972, 392, although he labels it “Red-coated Ware.” PPGCG, 26-27; Davis

1979, 241 n. 23, 254.

376 Korakou, 28, 30; PPGCG, 33-34, 35; Davis 1979, 241 n. 26 and 30, 256-259.

377 Davis 1979, 243.

378 Davis 1979, 258.

379 Davis 1979, 259. See Chapter 5. 96

Three groups also comprise the Matt-Painted class. Matt-Painted II equals Blegen’s

Class BII, while Light Grey Unburnished matches Class BI; both are discussed above.380

The Other subgroup, as with the Polychrome Matt-Painted subcategory, contains a number of sherds – eleven in this case – which differ from the Matt-Painted II and Light

Grey Unburnished examples.381 As to the dates of these wares, Davis states that while

the Matt-Painted II appears to have begun at the end of the MH period, the Light Grey

Unburnished is “characteristic of LH I deposits.”382

Davis’ fourth category, the Burnished Wares, consists of Grey and Yellow Minyan

pottery. Both classes clearly emerged in the MH period according to Davis, and he

comments that few aspects of Minyan “changed radically enough in the Late Helladic

period to allow [the wares] to be diagnostic of LH I or later.”383

The final category, Undecorated, contains only one subcategory, Cooking Ware. Davis

observes that Blegen only published a few cooking pots for which a specific

“chronological limit . . . cannot be set.”384

Davis concludes his analysis by emphasizing the importance of the Korakou deposit.385

Furthermore, he argues that, based on his findings, scholars should not “rely solely upon

380 Korakou, 22-28; Davis 1979, 243 n. 33, 246 n. 42, 255.

381 Davis 1979, 246 n. 45. Davis speculates that these pieces are upcasts from earlier strata.

382 Davis 1979, 255.

383 Davis 1979, 255.

384 Davis 1979, 252, 255-256. 97

the Minoan-inspired LH I style for the chronology of the period” as “the . . . style is basically a Peloponnesian phenomenon . . . [with] a limited distribution.”386 Indeed, he

predicts that LH I deposits may exist which do not contain LH I Mycenaean

Decorated.387

In the year following the publication of Davis’ work, Dietz presented the results of the

Swedish excavations from the area east of the acropolis at Asine. He prefaces his introduction with a brief note on the classification of the pottery in which he states that with regard to the Middle Helladic pottery, “the ceramic material is classified in accordance with the definitions and terms of D.H. French.”388 However, Dietz asserts

that the clay of Red Slipped: “Aigina” ware “is not necessarily red and evenly fired” and

that a core of grey or brown “is just as common.”389

Through 1980, the classification system in general use was that of Blegen, originally set

forth in 1921. Other scholars had emended it and focused on the chronological aspects of

385 Davis 1979, 259.

386 Davis 1979, 259.

387 Davis 1979, 259.

388 Asine II, 15. Dietz commented upon any peculiarities specific to the Asine material in

his chapters on the Middle Helladic and Early Mycenaean material from Trenches 3 and

4 and the Late Helladic I deposits in the northern trenches (Asine II.2, 89-122 and 123-

140 respectively).

389 Asine II, 15. 98

it. This changed in a 1986 article on the MH and LH I pottery from Lerna, in which

Zerner states that:

[t]he variety of ware in the Middle Helladic period . . . seems

dauntingly complex . . . and the task of establishing a systematized

classification system and typologies of the numerous varieties seems

difficult in the extreme.390

Of the many causes for this, she lists four: 1) the sheer size of the mainland with its diversity of clay types; 2) the many and varied manufacturing techniques at non- centralized production centers during the MH and LH I periods; 3) the lack of publication of a site with a continuous, stratified sequence; and 4) studies of the pottery which attempt to “impose order on the material . . . [and] obscure the true nature of the ceramic evidence.”391

In an endeavor to establish a classification system for the material in question and

overcome the problems listed above, Zerner proceeds to divide the material into eight

fabric types owing, in part, to her assertion that vessel fabrics remain “basically the

same” in the MH and LH I periods.392 Furthermore, focusing on the clay allows her to

suggest possible centers of production.393

390 Zerner 1986, 58.

391 Zerner 1986, 58.

392 Zerner 1986, 59.

393 Zerner 1986, 59. This type of classification system has an entirely different aim than

the previous ones which focused on chronology. 99

Zerner’s eight fabric types are: Dark Tempered, Grainy, Dark Burnished, Micaceous

Dark Burnished, Gold Mica, Lustrous Decorated, Porous White, and Pink and White.394

For each, she provides a brief description of the clay characteristics, varieties of surface decoration, manufacturing techniques (where applicable), petrographic analysis (where available), and general comments on the fabric.

In several of Zerner’s types, familiar wares such as Minyan, Matt-Painted, and

Polychrome are listed; this emphasizes Zerner’s contention that fabrics - rather than the surface treatment, such as painted decoration - are of paramount importance. This approach yields two important results. First, all vessel with a Gold Mica fabric originate on Aigina and perhaps at Kolonna in particular.395 Second, the Lustrous Decorated group

shows parallels with Minoan wares, but scientific analyses indicate a mainland

production center (although Kythera remains a possible non-mainland center). Most

importantly, she believes that this center “played a major role in the development of [LH

I] Mycenaean [Decorated] pottery.”396

After establishing her classification system, Zerner proceeded to describe the primary

vessel shapes of each ware, beginning with the newly-identified Aiginetan Gold Mica

394 Zerner 1986, 60-68. She briefly discusses imported Minoan and Cycladic fabrics as

well (Zerner 1986, 69-71).

395 Zerner 1986, 64-66.

396 Zerner 1986, 67. Later Mycenaean Decorated pottery has a Dark Tempered fabric

according to Zerner, and she speculates that the change to this fabric from the Lustrous

Decorated fabric may have occurred as early as LH IIA. 100

fabric and the Lustrous Decorated fabric.397 For each shape, she provided illustrations, a

brief morphological description, and relative date(s).

In the first fabric, Zerner identifies a Red Slipped and Burnished ware, Matt-Painted and

Plain wares, and coarse cooking wares. While the first is essentially the same as French’s

Red Slipped: “Aigina” ware, the others are defined as wares in their own right for the

first time. Of particular relevance for this study is, in the Red Slipped and Burnished

ware, the two-handled goblet, and, in the Matt-Painted ware, the two-handled spouted

bowl/krater, the globular jar with round-sectioned vertical handle, and the jug with

vertical handle all of which Zerner dates in LH I.398 In the Aiginetan cooking ware, the

wide-mouthed jar with everted rim and one to two handles is important to note.399

Zerner subdivided the Lustrous Decorated fabric by inclusions into fine, gritty, and coarse categories. Not surprisingly, the shapes in this ware dated to LH I by Zerner are the same as a few of the previously-discussed LH I Mycenaean Decorated shapes; in particular, the fine fabric shapes are straight-sided and semiglobular cups.400

In Athens, at the 1989 celebration of the 1939 Klio article by Wace and Blegen, Zerner

again discussed her classification system and expanded it to include the ceramic

397 Zerner 1988, i. Unfortunately, Zerner has not yet published the shapes of the other

wares.

398 Zerner 1988, 1, fig. 3:18-20; 2, fig. 8:22-23; 4, fig. 16:46-47; 4, fig. 16:48.

399 Zerner 1988, 5, fig. 23:18-20.

400 Zerner 1986, 6-7, fig. 26:31-37. 101

assemblages of the entire Argolid.401 She broadly separates the discussion into wares

produced in the Argolid/northeastern Peloponnese and those imported into the Argolid

from outside the region.

For the pottery produced in the Argolid/northeastern Peloponnese, Zerner divides the

fabrics into two groups: Fine and Medium Coarse (which includes Grey and Yellow

Minyan, Dark Burnished, and Matt-Painted) and Coarse (which contains the Plain,

Burnished, and Incised).402

Zerner for the first time differentiates Grey and Yellow Minyan produced in the Argolid

from what she labels “true” Grey and Yellow Minyan, possibly imported from central

401 While the volume was not published until 1993, her work dates to 1989 and therefore

belongs to the pre-1991 section of this chapter. Prior to her discussion, she outlines her method of study. She divides the method into three sections: technology, style, and post- manufacture function and use. Technological aspects include fabric (the most important to Zerner), the formation method (handmade versus wheel-thrown), finishing methods, special features (especially potter’s marks), and firing techniques. The style section consists of possible surface treatments (slipping, burnishing, polishing, and added decoration that may be applied, incised, impressed, and/or painted), while the post- manufacture function and use section reflects its title (Zerner 1993, 40-41).

402 Zerner 1993, 42, 43-45. 102

Greece.403 The Argolic varieties are hand-made and, for the most part, echo the

descriptions discussed above.404 The imported varieties, Zerner contends, are wheel-

made, are fashioned from a fine-grained light red clay, and exhibit certain technical

manufacturing skills, “crisp” carinations for example, that do not appear on the Argolic

pieces; the imported sherds may further be differentiated from the local pottery via scientific techniques.405

The local Dark Burnished, first discussed in Zerner’s 1986 article, is hand-made and, as its name implies, has a dark-colored and burnished surface; typical shapes imitate the

Grey and Yellow Minyan styles.406 This local product is distinguished from two others:

1) a southern Peloponnesian type which has quartz and mica in its fabric but appears the

same in all other regards, and 2) a central Greek type made from the same clay as the

“true” Grey and Yellow Minyan discussed above.407

Within the Matt-Painted type are three sub-types: dark on light, bichrome, and bichrome

on slipped and burnished.408 The dark on light sub-type is similar to previous accounts

403 Zerner 1993, 43, 47. I introduce the term “Argolic” as an adjective here rather than

the correct adjective “Argive” since the latter has a different connotation in the

historiographical development of Minyan.

404 Zerner 1993, 43.

405 Zerner 1993, 47.

406 Zerner 1993, 43-44.

407 Zerner 1993, 45.

408 Zerner 1993, 44. 103

presented above, while the bichrome is Zerner’s name for Blegen’s class BIII which

French labels Polychrome: “Mainland” type.409 Zerner discerns a third type - bichrome on slipped and burnished sub-style which “may have been local to the Argolid.”410 The shapes appearing in this sub-style are small/miniature cups, jugs, and jars.411

In the Coarse fabric, Plain and Burnished types follow “the same general pattern as

Minyan, Dark Burnished and Matt Painted.”412 The Incised type appears mainly on

kitchen vessels that may or may not be burnished and can exhibit evidence of burning.413

For the pottery produced elsewhere and imported into the Argolid, Zerner identifies

seven potting traditions.414 The southern Peloponnesian tradition consists of the quartz

and mica fabric fashioned into the Dark Burnished style discussed above.

The second tradition comes either from Kythera or the southern Peloponnese, and Zerner

divided it into two principal classes based on fabric inclusions: the mudstone and chert

class and the red silver micaceous class.415 Mudstone and chert is used for the Lustrous

Decorated type, which may be divided into three sub-types (dark on light, light on dark,

409 Zerner 1993, 44.

410 Zerner 1993, 44.

411 Zerner 1993, 44.

412 Zerner 1993, 44.

413 Zerner 1993, 44.

414 The sixth and seventh concern Cycladic and Minoan wares and are not discussed in

this study.

415 Zerner 1993, 45-46. 104

polychrome) and comes in fine, medium coarse, and coarse fabrics; Zerner notes that by

LH I, both the smaller and the larger open and closed vessels are wheel-thrown.416 While

she could not earlier identify a center of production, subsequent scientific analysis led her

to suggest either Lakonia – because of the presence of the ware at Ayios Stephanos - or

Kythera.417 Zerner states that vessels produced with the red silver micaceous inclusions

contain so much “silver mica,” which is really micaceous schist, that they “glisten.”418

While not common in the Argolid, examples that do appear include semiglobular cups, bowls/basins, hole-mouthed jars, and cooking vessels.419

The third potting tradition is the central Greek one, referred to above, which is

manufactured in a fine-grained light red clay. The decorative types consist of the

aforementioned “true” Grey and Yellow Minyan, Dark Burnished, and Matt-Painted.420

Within the last style are dark on light and polychrome sub-classes which are usually found on “Yellow Minyan” forms.421

416 Zerner 1993, 46. This is the Lustrous Decorated type she discusses in her 1988 article.

417 Zerner 1993, 46-47.

418 Zerner 1993, 47.

419 Zerner 1993, 47.

420 Zerner 1993, 47-48.

421 Zerner 1993, 48. 105

From an unidentified area on the mainland comes the pink and white fabric utilized for

Matt-Painted vessels.422 The name refers to the bright pink fabric and the white-slipped

and occasionally burnished surface; the primary vessel form for this class is the deep

basin, which Zerner compares to Cycladic parallels.423

The final tradition is the Aiginetan, which Zerner examined in her 1986 and 1988 articles.

In her 1993 work, however, she divides the gold mica fabrics into two sub-groups: gold

mica green/yellow and gold mica red.424 The former, which is usually fine to medium

coarse, contains Dark Burnished, Red Slipped and Burnished, and Matt-Painted (dark on

light and bichrome) and Plain types, while the latter, fashioned from medium coarse to

coarse fabrics, consists of cooking vessels.425

Published in the same year as Zerner presented her paper in Athens is an article by Rutter in which he examines a deposit of LH I vessels from Tsoungiza, and the most intriguing aspect of this deposit is that Davis’ prediction in 1979 came true – the deposit contains no

Mycenaean Decorated pottery. During the 1981 and 1984-1986 excavations in

Excavation Unit 7, a twin rectangular architectural complex was uncovered, and the southwestern half of this complex apparently suffered a conflagration and was never rebuilt or built upon later.426 Found on the floor sealed by the debris were, among other

422 Zerner 1993, 48.

423 Zerner 1993, 48.

424 Zerner 1993, 48-49.

425 Zerner 1993, 49.

426 Rutter 1989, 1. 106

items, nineteen partial and whole vessels, and Rutter speculates that they may represent

“the complete ceramic inventory of an ordinary Greek household of ca. 1600 B.C.”427

This inventory consists of four ware groups: Light on Dark-slipped and burnished, Matt-

Painted, unpainted, and cooking.428 The forms within those wares are: a juglet or

alabastron in the Light on Dark-slipped and burnished class; a teacup, a possible

miniature jar, and a four-handled jar (which is bichrome) in the Matt-Painted class; two

goblets, four kantharoi (including a miniature one), two dippers, a krater, two jugs with

cutaway necks, and an alabastron in the unpainted class; and three cooking pots in, not

surprisingly, the cooking class.429 Furthermore, while most of the vessels appear to be

manufactured from local fabrics, the bichrome four-handled jar and one of the cooking

pots exhibit the Aiginetan gold mica fabric and therefore are imports.430 Analysis of the

material and the simple existence of this deposit lead Rutter to assert that “ceramics of

this period should be defined in terms quite different from those conventionally employed

to categorize the pottery of subsequent phases of Mycenaean culture.”431

427 Rutter 1989, 1-2.

428 The ware definitions Rutter employs are essentially those which originate with

Blegen, but by this time, macroscopic fabric analysis – which Rutter does extensively –

has become part of the ware definitions.

429 Rutter 1989, 3-10.

430 Rutter 1989, 12 (Rutter’s nos. 4 and 17).

431 Rutter 1989, 2. 107

In 1991, Dietz published a study entitled The Argolid at the Transition to the Mycenaean

Age: Studies in the Chronology and Cultural Development in the Shaft Grave Period.

He states in the preface that the aim of the work, which originated in his analysis of the

Asine pottery excavated in the 1970s and discussed briefly above, is “to arrive at a precise outline of development in material culture on the Argive plain.”432

Dietz begins his discussion with an extremely brief historiographical examination of the research of the pottery from the transitional period.433 In the first section of his next

chapter, Dietz provides definitions of his eleven proposed ware groups.434 I describe

each in detail, along with their subdivisions where applicable.435

The first ware class, Argive Light Ware, is divided itself into three subdivisions based on temper: fine, medium, and coarse.436 The fine tempered ware, which is characterized by

no or few inclusions in the fabric, consists of four basic categories: fine tempered

burnished, fine tempered unburnished (within which are white slipped light red ware and

white slipped pink ware), black and red bichrome, and “Asine Bichrome.”437 Fine

432 ATMA, 7.

433 ATMA, 23-26.

434 Dietz describes thirteen classes, but I omit both the Cycladic and Minoan fabrics.

435 Dietz states that his system is an “elaboration” of previous ones. Along with Zerner

and Nordquist, he published a preliminary outline of his system in 1988 (Dietz, Zerner,

and Nordquist 1988).

436 ATMA, 29-31.

437 ATMA, 29-30. 108

tempered burnished is composed of: a core which may be hard or light and “rather soft”; a biscuit varying in color from grey to Reddish Yellow; a surface which is slipped and burnished and ranges in color from Pink to Reddish Yellow to Very Pale Brown to

White; and typical shapes including kantharoi, one-handled cups, bowls on conical feet or low stems, and small jars.438 The core of fine tempered unburnished corresponds to

the burnished ware, while the biscuit color ranges from Very Pale Brown to Reddish

Yellow; the surface may be slipped or not and varies in color from Pink to Reddish

Yellow to Light Grey to White; decoration consists of matt paint and, although rare,

incised lines; characteristic shapes include those in the burnished variety as well as

closed shapes.439 Within the fine tempered unburnished category are both white slipped light red ware (which has a thin Pink slip over a Reddish Yellow biscuit on generally open shapes) and white slipped pink ware which is also known as “strawberries and cream” ware (which has a Pink biscuit under a “fat creamy white slip”).440 The biscuit of

black and red bichrome varies from Light Red to Pink while the slipped and burnished

surface ranges from Pink to Very Pale Brown; both open and closed shapes occur.441

438 ATMA, 29. For all color references that are capitalized in the above description, Dietz provides a Munsell notation and the corresponding color name.

439 ATMA, 29-30.

440 ATMA, 30.

441 ATMA, 30. 109

“Asine Bichrome” has a hard grey core within a Reddish Yellow biscuit and a thickly slipped and burnished Reddish Yellow surface.442

Medium tempered ware, in which the inclusions are clearly visible on the surface, is

comprised of three categories: medium tempered burnished (within which is “dirty

brown” ware), medium tempered unburnished (within which is white slipped light red

and white slipped pink wares), and locally-produced red slipped.443 Medium tempered

burnished ware has a Reddish Yellow to Light Grey biscuit with a Very Pale Brown

burnished surface; shapes include open ones and stemmed goblets in particular.444 A variant of this ware, known as “dirty brown,” consists of a Pink biscuit, a Very Pale

Brown surface, decoration in matt paint which is virtually black, and is found especially in stemmed bowls, amphorae, and jars.445 The biscuit of medium tempered unburnished

ware ranges in color from Reddish Yellow to Very Pale Brown although black or grey

may be found; the surface varies from Pink to Very Pale Brown; matt paint decoration

occurs, and shapes are commonly open.446 Within this ware are white slipped light red

unburnished and white slipped pink variants. While the latter resembles its fine-ware

counterpart in all aspects except temper, the former has a grey biscuit rather than a

442 ATMA, 30.

443 ATMA, 30-31.

444 ATMA, 30.

445 ATMA, 30.

446 ATMA, 30. 110

Reddish Yellow one, and a Reddish Yellow surface under a Pinkish White slip.447 It is also decorated in matt paint; the shapes are usually open.448 The local (Argive) Red

Slipped category has a grey core within a Reddish Yellow biscuit, and the surface, which if burnished is only cursorily so, is Red.449 Stemmed bowls that may be hand-made or

wheel-thrown are the primary shape.450

Coarse tempered ware consists of burnished and unburnished categories, and the inclusions are large and even more clearly visible than those of medium tempered.451

The burnished variety - which Dietz equates with “typical ‘yellow oatmeal’” - contains a

Light Red to grey biscuit, a Very Pale Brown to Reddish Yellow slightly burnished surface (which may also be mottled with the two colors present on the same vessel), and matt paint; the typical shape is the pithos.452 The unburnished category is less coarse

than the previous one and also has a grey biscuit and a Very Pale Brown smoothed

surface.453 Matt paint also decorates vessels of this group, which tend to be large jars.454

447 ATMA, 30-31.

448 ATMA, 30-31.

449 ATMA, 31.

450 ATMA, 31.

451 ATMA, 31.

452 ATMA, 31.

453 ATMA, 31.

454 ATMA, 31. 111

The second ware class is Grey Minyan. It has a homogenous grey fabric which may

range in color to black or “even reddish yellow.”455 Vessels of this ware, which may be open or closed, are primarily wheel-thrown.456

Dietz defines Dark Burnished Ware as “not necessarily ‘Argive Minyan’ with a high burnished surface.”457 In fact, this ware is only “more or less burnished.”458 The fabric,

in contrast to Grey Minyan, tends not to be homogenously fired, and the shapes are

usually bowls.459

Local Kitchen Ware is characterized by a coarse micaceous fabric, a dark grey biscuit,

and an un-slipped Reddish Brown surface.460 The typical shape is the jar, and it may be

hand- or wheel-made.461

Dietz separates Lustrous Decorated Ware into two separate wares: one with that name,

and one with the added qualifier “Argive.” The former consists of fine, gritty, and coarse

fabric varieties, and monochrome, polychrome, light on dark, and dark on light

decorative schemes.462 Characteristic shapes include cups, amphorae, and jars.463 The

455 ATMA, 31.

456 ATMA, 31.

457 ATMA, 31.

458 ATMA, 31.

459 ATMA, 31.

460 ATMA, 31.

461 ATMA, 31.

462 ATMA, 35. 112

LDW-Argive ware exhibits a thickly-burnished usually Very Pale Brown slipped exterior

and an un-slipped interior.464 For this ware, Dietz states that in most cases “it is possible

to say that Argive clay has been used.”465 Cups, jugs, and hole-mouthed jars are the

predominant shapes.466

The next class, White on Burnished Dark, is locally produced, and Dietz cautions the reader not to confuse this ware with the light on dark Lustrous Decorated Ware.467 The biscuit of this ware is Pink with a burnished Reddish Brown surface; decoration tends to consist of lines and/or especially spirals, and forms include jugs and cups.468

Dietz provides little information about his Fine Orange and Red Silver Mica Wares

except to state that the former probably originated in central Greece, and that the latter is

“probably not an Argive group.”469 Characteristic shapes for the wares include,

respectively, kantharoi and jugs, and jugs and jars.470

463 ATMA, 236-238.

464 ATMA, 31.

465 ATMA, 31.

466 ATMA, 209-211. This ware is essentially Mycenaean Decorated, although Dietz does

not use the term “Mycenaean” in the description.

467 ATMA, 32.

468 ATMA, 32.

469 ATMA, 32.

470 ATMA, 214-216. 113

Polychrome Mainland Ware consists of a fine Reddish Yellow biscuit with a grey core, a

thickly-slipped, well-burnished Reddish Yellow surface, and a Light Red paint often

outlined by black lines or bands.471 While Dietz notes that Athens and Aigina are

“possible candidates as centers of production,” Dickinson has suggested a Boiotian origin

which Dietz believes “very likely.”472 Cups, jugs, askoi, hydriae, and jars were produced

in this ware.473

The final class is not a single ware but several based on one fabric – Aiginetan. Four variations of Aiginetan Matt-Painted and Plain occur: 1) a fine tempered and “flaking” biscuit with a Very Pale Brown interior surface and a Reddish Yellow exterior coated with a matt slip Very Pale Brown in color; 2) a soft, Reddish Yellow homogenous biscuit with a matt Pink slip; 3) a “rather soft” Pink biscuit with a smoothed Very Pale

Brown surface; and 4) a gritty White or Pink biscuit with a smooth Light Grey or Very

Pale Brown smoothed surface.474 If decorated, the paint tends to be black. The shapes

are generally closed vessels in the case of variants 1 and 3 and are specifically hydriai

and stamnoi in the case of 2 and 4.475

471 ATMA, 32.

472 ATMA, 32.

473 ATMA, 217-222.

474 ATMA, 32-33.

475 ATMA, 33. 114

The soft, fine biscuit of the Aiginetan Polychrome is usually Pink with a slipped Pink

surface.476 Broad-rimmed, spouted, and wheel-thrown bowls are decorated with matt

Red and black paint.477 The fabric of the Red Slipped bowls is similar to Polychrome

although slightly softer, while the surface is a highly burnished Red or, on occasion,

black.478 Finally, Aiginetan Kitchen Ware has a black fabric with a black surface, although a Light Red variant is known.479 The typical shape consists of a jar with a wide

mouth, flaring rim, and low conical feet; clay pellets often were applied to the shoulders

of such jars.480

After developing a typology of shapes for each ware, Dietz summarizes the pottery finds from the 1926 excavations at Asine and employs this material to determine the relative chronological date for his shapes.481 Combining this material primarily with the evidence

from Shaft Grave Circle B at Mycenae, Dietz constructs his classification system.482 In

476 ATMA, 33.

477 ATMA, 33.

478 ATMA, 33.

479 ATMA, 33.

480 ATMA, 33. Dietz provides a brief note on how to differentiate the Aiginetan and the

Argive Kitchen Wares. While the main factor is the fabric, he also asserts that Aiginetan

jars are always wheel-thrown, while the Argive vessels may be either hand- or wheel-

made. Furthermore, the rims of the Argive pots are not as angular as the Aiginetan jars.

481 ATMA, 36-105.

482 ATMA, 106-148 (for the other evidence) and 149-242 (for the classification system). 115

each section and, where applicable, subsection of his system, Dietz presents the shapes

and typical decorative schemes for each relative chronological period. In addition, he

briefly describes each example and notes its context, and he includes general dating and

geographical distribution information.

In his classification system, Dietz attempts to incorporate aspects of Zerner’s system into

the system used by most scholars. His Argive Light Ware, for example, is divided by

temper, and he does not differentiate between decorated and undecorated examples. His

Polychrome Mainland Ware, on the contrary, contains a description of the fabric but is defined primarily by its decoration. Unfortunately, he provides limited descriptions of the fabrics for certain wares, such as Grey Minyan, Dark Burnished, and Red Silver

Mica, and no description for his Fine Orange Ware; the surface treatments of this one appears to be the sole basis for its definition. In regard to the shapes for the wares, Dietz appears to rely on examples from funerary contexts, especially those vessels from the graves in Grave Circle B at Mycenae and graves from Asine. These difficulties, as well as others discussed in Chapter 6, leave the door open for a new system.

I present my proposed system in the next chapter, but since the second contribution of

this study is to examine the impact my system has on the chronology of the Shaft grave

Period, I end this chapter with three cases studies to demonstrate the impact the various

systems presented above have on the chronology of that period.483 The three include

Dietz’ aforementioned analysis of Asine, Caskey’s and Blackburn’s investigations of the

483 I only focus on those systems which emphasized chronology; Zerner’s system

concentrates on determining centers of production. 116

graves of Lerna V and VI, and the numerous studies of the graves from the two grave

circles at Mycenae, particularly Grave Circle B.

ASINE

The first major Swedish excavation in Greece was at Asine between 1922 and 1930.484

Arguably, the most important area excavated was the Lower Town.485

Work in the Lower Town began in the spring of 1922, and the excavation was conducted

by digging to bedrock, which was found 3.0 m below the surface, in 20 cm layers.486

Frödin and Persson note that Roman, Hellenistic, Geometric, and “pre-Mycenaean” pottery was mixed together to a depth of 2.6 m; below this were “E.H. and M.H. potsherds” apparently unattached to any architectural features, although they discovered two graves in this 40 cm layer.487

In 1924 and 1926, the initial trench was enlarged, and excavation proceeded by digging

10 cm layers in the new areas.488 Below Roman and Hellenistic layers which included

484 For a recent summary of the excavations and work at Asine, as well as a

comprehensive bibliography, see Nordquist and Hägg 1996.

485 See Fig. 4.2.

486 Frödin and Persson 1938, 45-46. See Frödin and Persson 1925, 33-37, for their

preliminary results.

487 Frödin and Persson 1938, 46.

488 Frödin and Persson 1938, 46. 117 structures, MH structures were found.489 However, in these new areas, particularly in the

1926 extension, “every layer contained mixed pottery (Roman, Hellenistic, Geometric,

L.H., and M.H.) down to a depth of 0.3 m above virgin soil,” and below this was a “pure

E.H. deposit.”490 Nevertheless, House B appeared to contain late MH material, and it is this material that Dietz examined in 1991.491

Through his study of the excavation notebooks, Dietz concludes that Lower Town trenches East and East II (hereafter LT-E and LT-EII) include reconstructable stratified deposits; he continues that a “complete stratigraphy” is possible “when material from

489 Frödin and Persson 1938, 46, 59-64, 68-74, figs. 42, 47, and 49.

490 Frödin and Persson 1938, 46.

491 Frödin and Persson 1938, 284; ATMA, 37. Dietz notes that Persson never studied this material “for various reasons” (ATMA, 37). For a re-examination of the architecture, see

Nordquist 1987, 69-90, and 76-79 for House B in particular. She also provides a useful review of the pottery from all of Frödin’s and Persson’s MH structures, especially the late

MH and LH I pottery (Nordquist 1987, 53-54). 118

these trenches is supplemented with that from trenches to the south and east.”492 He then

presents his ceramic sequence at Asine from MH II Late through and including LH IA.493

Of the changes in the percentages of wares in his system, Dietz observes that his fine

tempered burnished wares of the Argive Light Ware increase significantly in MH IIIA,

and that closed shapes in this temper variety first appear.494 Furthermore, Aiginetan

Kitchen Ware “is now represented in considerable quantities.”495

In MH IIIB, these trends continue; in fact, Aiginetan Kitchen Ware in this period “far exceeds the local cooking ware.”496 Grey Minyan and Dark Burnished, conversely,

which had declined in MH IIIA from MH II Final, continue this decline.497 For the first

492 ATMA, 37. Before he undertakes his analysis, he summarizes the opinions of the

original excavators, particularly Persson (ATMA, 37-38). Dietz faced a problem similar

to that which Davis encountered in his re-examination of the East Alley deposits at

Korakou in which the original excavations were conducted by digging in artificial layers.

493 ATMA, 41-102. Deitz then defines his concept of LH IB based not on Lower Town

material but previously published pottery from east of the Acropolis at Asine, specifically

the northern trenches (ATMA, 103-105).

494 ATMA, 58. Since this study is concerned primarily with LH I and the Shaft Grave

Period, I do not discuss the wares that appear in Dietz’s MH II Late and Final (see

ATMA, 42-57).

495 ATMA, 58.

496 ATMA, 70.

497 ATMA, 58, 70. 119

time, according to Dietz, two new wares appear - Aiginetan Polychrome Matt-Painted

and White on Dark Burnished Ware.498

Dietz notes that the sample size for LH IA is considerably smaller than MH IIIA and IIIB

but believes that “some conclusions about characteristic trends can be drawn.”499 In

regard to the fine tempered burnished wares, the quantity continues to increase steadily,

while the quantity of Aiginetan Kitchen Ware remains stable.500 Dietz’s Lustrous

Decorated Ware – Argive and Polychrome Mainland Ware first appear in LH IA,

although he acknowledges that they are represented “by only a few sherds.”501

LERNA

In addition to the two Shaft Graves and numerous other key discoveries, such as the

House of the Tiles, Caskey’s excavations at Lerna between 1952 and 1958 revealed 226 graves, and they date almost exclusively to Lerna V (MH) and Lerna VI (LH I).502 Of these, Caskey and Blackburn assign ten to Lerna VI: Shaft Grave 1, Shaft Grave 2, DB

498 ATMA, 70.

499 ATMA, 92.

500 ATMA, 92.

501 ATMA, 92.

502 Information concerning a number, but not all, of the graves may be found in the annual reports of each year (see Caskey 1954 through 1958). For a comprehensive discussion of all of the graves, see Blackburn 1970. 120

1, DC 1, DC 2, DC 3, DC 4, DE 44, F 2, and one which was not assigned a field

number.503 Of these ten, I discuss only DC 1 and DC 2.504

Excavations in 1956 produced four graves, defined by Blackburn as cist graves, in a scarp labeled DC.505 Grave DC 1 contained three interments, and between the skulls of the

second and third was a Matt-Painted jug (L.986) which Caskey describes as “of advanced

503 Blackburn renumbers all of the graves in her study, and the ten are, respectively, 220,

221, 227, 224, 223, 225, 226, 222, 219, and 228 (Blackburn 1970, 168-178).

504 The Shaft Graves have been discussed thoroughly both by Caskey (Caskey 1955, 32-

34; 1956, 155-157) and Blackburn (Blackburn 1970, 168-173), and both date to LH I because of the LH I Mycenaean Decorated present in both. In regards to the other graves, too little was recovered or reported to discuss DB 1 (Caskey 1957a, 143; Blackburn

1970, 178), F 2 (Caskey 1954, 12; Blackburn 1970, 168), and Blackburn’s grave 228

(Blackburn 1970, 178). Grave DC 3, apart from a bronze rivet and bone bead, was found empty according to Caskey (Caskey 1957a, 145; Blackburn 1970, 176-177). While grave DE 44 contained pottery “called Lerna V,” the presence of three LH I Mycenaean

Decorated sherds confirms the date (Blackburn 1970, 173). The date of grave DC 4 is likewise LH I because of LER 52, a Mycenaean askos (see Chapter 3 above); Blackburn reports that polychrome sherds were also found in this grave (Blackburn 1970, 177).

505 Caskey 1957a, 143; Blackburn 1970, 174-178. See Fig. 1.7 for the location of trench

DC 1. 121 type.”506 While Caskey does not provide a date, Blackburn dates the grave to LH I, not on the basis of the presence of the vessel but from the apparent geographical contemporaneity between DC 1 and the other three.507

Grave DC 2 only held one burial, a child, but contained six vessels. These include: a plain jug with a cutaway neck (L.921), an amphoriskos (L.922), a small semiglobular cup

(L.923), a hole-mouthed jar of possible Minoan origin according to Zerner (L.925), a two-handled goblet (L.926), and a plain stemmed cup (L.927).508 Following Blegen’s system, Caskey states that these vessels “are assignable to . . . the transition from Middle

Helladic to Late Helladic I.”509

MYCENAE

Since the discovery and excavation of Grave Circle B at Mycenae in the 1950s, numerous scholars have speculated about the chronology of the graves in both grave circles and the

506 Caskey 1957a, 144; Blackburn 1970, 176; Zerner 1990, 33, 31 fig. 46. Blackburn also notes the presence of “Keftiu cup” fragments in the grave (Blackburn 1970, 176). If these are LH I Mycenaean Decorated Vapheio cups, their presence obviously dates the grave to LH I.

507 Blackburn 1970, 176.

508 Caskey 1957a, 144-145, pl. 39 f-h for L.923, L.925, and L.926; Blackburn 1970, 174-

175; Zerner 1990, 33, 32 figs. 54 and 55, 33 fig. 57.

509 Caskey 1957a, 145. 122

chronological link between the two.510 One of the more important publications to examine the topic was the final publication of Grave Circle B.511 Utilizing parallels via

specific objects, especially ceramics, as well as the development of Minyan goblets,

Mylonas divides the graves of Grave Circle B into five groups: Group 1 contains Graves

Alpha, Alpha1, and Iota; Graves Zeta, Eta, Lambda2, Xi, Xi2, Pi, Rho, and Psi are in

Group 2; Group 3 includes Graves Beta, Nu, Upsilon, and possibly Sigma and Tau;

Group 4 includes Gamma, Kappa, Lambda, and Lambda1; and Group 5 is composed of

Delta, Epsilon, Omicron, and Mu.512 With the establishment of this relative chronology,

Mylonas then assesses the chronological relationship between Grave Circles A and B.

He states that the graves from Groups 4 and 5 of Grave Circle B are contemporary with

Shaft Graves VI, IV, and II from Grave Circle A, while Shaft Graves III and I post-date

Grave Circle B.513 In relative chronological terms, he places the use of Grave Circle B at the transition from MH III to LH I.514

Dickinson’s contribution appeared soon after that of Mylonas in The Origins of

Mycenaean Civilisation. Before Dickinson presents his chronology, he argues that he bases it on “the size and elaboration of the grave” as well as the pottery since a

510 I review only the major discussions and omit the vast number of summaries provided

in publications concerning other aspects of the graves and the material in them.

511 As Dickinson notes, this account supplants all earlier ones (Origins, 114 n. 1).

512 Circle B, 354, 270-275, 254-260.

513 Circle B, 357. Oddly, he omits Shaft Grave V.

514 Circle B, 357. 123

chronology founded solely on the ceramics “can mislead.”515 He then separates Grave

Circle B into three phases. The earliest graves include Alpha1 and 2, Zeta, Eta, Theta,

Lambda2, Xi1, Sigma, Tau, and Phi.516 The second phase consists of Beta, Iota, Kappa,

Lamda, Lambda1, Xi, and Upsilon.517 Finally, Alpha, Gamma, Delta, Epsilon, Nu, and

Omicron comprise the last phase.518

The graves of Grave Circle A, according to Dickinson, probably were “constructed within a short space of time and used concurrently.”519 Therefore, while Dickinson believes that the burials within the graves may be grouped depending on the associated finds, he does not organize them into a chronological progression.520

515 Origins, 42.

516 Origins, 42. Dickinson suggests that Delta, Nu, Rho, and Sigma may have contained

earlier burials that were destroyed by later ones (Origins, 42). One of the most confusing

aspects of the study of Grave Circle B, as becomes evident throughout this section, is the

different terminologies for the graves. While Mylonas includes all of the burials in a

grave when assigning it a phase, Dickinson and others consider each burial separately,

when more than one is present.

517 Origins, 43.

518 Origins, 44-45. Although “poor,” Dickinson assigns Mu, Pi, and Rho to the last phase

(Origins, 44).

519 Origins, 48.

520 Origins, 48-50. 124

As for the relationship between the two, he proposes that Grave Circle A was founded “at

or near the beginning” of the late phase of Grave Circle B, although the burials in the

middle phase “need not have been many years earlier.”521 Overall, he believes that all of

the graves in both circles were constructed and used within a single century.522

In 1986, Kilian-Dirlmeier approached the topic from a non-ceramic point of view. She

divides the graves from both grave circles into four phases based on the presence and

types of non-ceramic items, especially weapons and jewellery.523 In her first phase, she

places the Graves Alpha1, Zeta, Eta, Iota, Lambda 2, Xi, Xi1, and Sigma from Grave

Circle B.524 The second phase contains Graves Beta, Lambda1, and Upsilon as well as

specific burials from Alpha, Gamma, Delta, Epsilon, Lambda, Nu, and Omicron from

Grave Circle B; Shaft Graves II and VI in Grave Circle A also date to this phase.525

Graves Kappa, Mu, and Pi as well as specific burials from Alpha, Gamma, Delta,

Epsilon, Lambda, Nu, and Omicron from Grave Circle B, and Shaft Graves III and IV

(North) constitute her third phase.526 The last phase includes a possible burial in Grave

521 Origins, 50.

522 Origins, 51.

523 Kilian-Dirlmeier 1986, 160-176.

524 Kilian-Dirlmeier 1986, 160-161. She also places Grave Phi in this group since it only

contained pottery, and Graves Theta and Tau since they were empty.

525 Kilian-Dirlmeier 1986, 161-167. She also includes a possible burial in Grave Rho.

526 Kilian-Dirlmeier 1986, 167-174. 125

Rho as well as Shaft Graves I, IV (East), and V.527 Her work is particularly instructive

because of her focus on the value of non-ceramic objects, and in broad terms, her

chronology corresponds with Dickinson’s.528

Since 1980, two other scholars who have studied the problem from a specifically ceramic viewpoint and who have reached considerably different conclusions are Dietz and

Graziadio, and I review each in turn.

Dietz’ initial treatment appeared in 1980 in the conclusion of the second fascicle of Asine

II.529 In that work, he argues that “the chronological grouping we call MH IIIB is, in

general or at least for the most part, contemporary with the chronological phase called

LH I.”530 Essentially, Dietz believes that both the grave material he labels MH IIIB and

the settlement material he labels LH I date to the LH I period.531 To support this idea, he

needs a means to differentiate his MH IIIA and IIIB chronological groupings. He selects

the low-stemmed Yellow Minyan goblet, and observes that - “except in a few atypical

graves” - those with rings on the stems and those without do not appear in the same

527 Kilian-Dirlmeier 1986, 174-176.

528 See her 1988 article as well as Laffineur 1989 for an examination of her work, and a

comparison of her results with those of Mylonas, Dickinson, and Graziadio (see below).

529 Asine II.2, 141-144.

530 Asine II.2, 141.

531 Both Davis (1982, 137) and Dickinson (1982, 279) in their reviews of Dietz note the

confusion of such a statement. As Davis asks, “why not call it LH I?” (Davis 1982, 137). 126

grave.532 This diagnostic vessel, when applied to Grave Circle B, separates the graves

into two chronological groups, according to Dietz, and eliminates “the diffuse and

chronologically insignificant term ‘Shaft-grave horizon’.”533 The graves he assigns to his

MH IIIA phase are Alpha, Beta, Zeta, Eta, Iota, Lamba, Lambda1, Nu, Xi, and Upsilon,

while Gamma, Delta, Epsilon, Kappa, Mu, Omicron, and Pi as well as all of the shaft

graves from Grave Circle A date to his MH IIIB.534

In 1988, Graziadio sketched a different tripartite division of the graves from Grave Circle

B.535 He begins by attempting to reconstruct pottery groups for each burial, taking the

context of the finds into account.536 In order to accomplish this, he first divides the contexts into four groupings: 1) those with grave goods in situ; 2), those near displaced burials but inside the grave proper; 3) those immediately above the grave proper (on the

532 Asine II.2, 141. He also notes that the bowls of the goblets become more round (Asine

II.2, 143).

533 Asine II.2, 141.

534 Asine II.2, 142. Dietz modified his attributions in 1984; Graves Alpha, Beta, Delta

(epichosis), Iota, Nu, and “vermutlich” Lamba are moved to MH IIIB, while Gamma,

Delta, Epsilon, Kappa, Mu, Omicron, Pi, Phi, Xi1, and the last burial in Xi are placed in

LH I (Dietz 1984, 38-39).

535 This article is a later version of the paper published in 1985.

536 Graziadio 1988, 344. 127

roof, if one existed, of the grave); and 4) those mixed in the fill.537 Following this

discussion, he then attributes the pottery groups to specific burials, except for Graves

Beta, Zeta, Eta, Kappa, Lambda1, Xi1, Pi, and Upsilon which only had one burial.538

To place the graves in a relative chronological sequence, Graziadio separates all of the vessels present in the graves into three categories: Category A, Category B, and

Category C.539 Category A pottery includes “LH I Patterned Ware” (LH I Mycenaean

Decorated), Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted Ware, LM IA pottery, and “pottery

produced during LM IA” which consists of “various mainland and/or Cycladic vases

presumably produced during LM IA.”540 In Category B, he puts Dietz’s Type II goblets

(those without incised rings), “one-handled cups with sharply everted rims,” paneled

cups, kraters, beaked jugs, hydriai, and two- and four-handled jars.541 While all vessels

in this category are called MH, he notes that they should be considered “characteristic of

the very end of the MH period and/or of the Early Mycenaean age.”542 Finally, Category

537 Graziadio 1988, 344. He examines a few of the problems with attributing pottery to specific burials as well as the problems determining into what context to place the grave goods (Graziadio 1988, 344-346).

538 Graziadion 1988, 346-350, Tables 2-4.

539 Graziadio 1988, 350-359.

540 Graziadio 1988, 351-354. For each, Graziadio provides examples.

541 Graziadio 1988, 354-359. He again lists examples.

542 Graziadio 1988, 354. 128

C are “long-lived and undiagnostic” vessels found either by themselves or with pottery

from the other two categories.543

From these three categories, Graziadio is then able to present his chronology of the

graves. His earliest phase, titled Early Phase, includes Category C pottery and Graves

Alpha1 and 2, Zeta, Eta, Theta, Iota, Lambda2, Xi, Xi1, Sigma, Tau, Phi, and possibly an

early burial in Grave Rho.544 The burials in his second phase, or Late Phase 1, may

include pottery from any of the three categories; Graves Beta and Upsilon as well as the

fills (and therefore presumably the earlier burials) from Gamma, Delta, Epsilon, Lambda,

Nu, and the later burial from Lambda (based on the displaced pottery inside the grave)

comprise the burials that date to this phase.545 Late Phase II, the last of the three phases

which dates unequivocally to LH I and is not a “grave” equivalent of the period as Dietz

believes, also consists of pottery from any of the three categories and Graves Kappa,

Lambda1, Mu, Omicron, and Pi.546 He also attributes to this phase pottery groups from

543 Graziadio 1988, 359.

544 Graziadio 1988, 369. For Grave Rho, see Dickinson above. Graziadio notes that the

grave goods in the second burial of Grave Xi may date to his second phase (Graziadio

1988, 369).

545 Graziadio 1988, 370. Graziadio admits that the attribution of the early burials of

Graves Gamma and Epsilon to this phase is “hypothetical” (Graziadio 1988, 370).

546 Graziadio 1988, 370-371. In the cases of Mu and Omicron, Graziadio acknowledges

the difficulty in reconstructing the grave offerings, and observes that certain groups could date the initial burials to Late Phase 1 (Graziadio 1988, 370-371). 129

Alpha, the later burials from Epsilon and Nu, and secondary or later burials in Gamma

and Delta.547

Graziadio concludes with the chronological link between the two grave circles. Of all the phases, he believes Late Phase II lasted the longest, and it was during this phase that the earliest burials in Grave Circle A, probably Shaft Graves VI and II as well as the early burials in IV, V, and maybe even III were interred.548

Dietz revisits the topic in his 1991 work and comments very briefly on Graziadio’s work.

While he notes agreement on a few points, the differences are, he states, “distinctly

methodological.”549 He believes Graziadio mistakenly presumes that LM IA, LH I, and

Cycladic vessels are necessarily contemporary.550 On the contrary, he thinks that “in

general” Cycladic imports precede Minoan imports.551

After a short discussion of Kilian-Dirlmeier’s work, Dietz presents his revised relative

chronology.552 His previous MH IIIA phase is split into two and now consists of MH

IIIA and B, while his earlier MH IIIB is now LH IA, and the previous LH I becomes LH

547 Graziadio 1988, 370-371.

548 Graziadio 1988, 372. In a later article, Graziadio attempts to quantify the degree of wealth in the graves, via a multivariate analysis, from both circles to examine the process of social stratification at Mycenae in the Shaft Grave period (Graziadio 1991).

549 ATMA, 25.

550 ATMA, 25-26.

551 ATMA, 26. He refers the reader to his fig. 77.

552 ATMA, 264, 26 fig. 1. 130

IB.553 Dietz does not discuss these new phases anywhere in the text of his work; he lists

them in a chart and then fits the 1926 Asine material, as well as material from elsewhere

in the Argolid, into the system. Furthermore, Dietz utilizes the same terms from his

earlier works but ascribes them different meanings without explaining why he chooses a

new terminology.554

In regard to the grave circles, Dietz examines the Grave Circle B graves in detail while

Grave Circle A receives a cursory treatment.555 Utilizing his four-part relative

chronology, Dietz assigns the burials in both circles as follows.556

MH IIIA consists only of Graves Lambda2 and Phi. To MH IIIB belongs the early burial

of Grave Alpha, Beta, an early burial of Delta, Zeta, Eta, Iota, the early burial of Lambda,

Lambda1, Xi, Nu, and the possibly destroyed burial in Rho as well as the epichosis of

Shaft Grave IV. LH IA contains the later burial in Grave Alpha, most of the burials in

553 ATMA, 26 fig. 1. While Dietz indicates on fig. 1 that his 1980 scheme included LH I,

it did not; MH IIIB was considered equal to LH I for graves (see above). His 1984

proposal, on the contrary, did include an apparently separate LH I (see above).

554 While Dietz appears to use his new dates when referring to his earlier work, confusion

may result unless his “conversion chart” (fig. 1) is consulted. Also problematic are his

terms “LH IA” and “LH IB.” Furumark first employed these terms but confirmed a

different meaning to them, and Dickinson eliminated them in his 1974 article.

555 ATMA, 106-132, 247-250.

556 The information is all cited from ATMA, 250 fig 278. If LH IIA is included, the chronology includes five phases. 131

Gamma, an indeterminate number of burials from Epsilon, the later burial in Lambda,

Mu, Xi1, Pi, and an indeterminate number from Omicron along with most of the burials

in Shaft Grave IV. LH IB is comprised of the latest burial in Grave Gamma, the

remainders of Delta, Epsilon, and Omicron, and Grave Kappa in Grave Circle B; the

epichosis of Shaft Grave I and II-VI all date to this phase. Shaft Grave I and Grave Rho,

as found, date to LH IIA.557

As noted at the beginning of this chapter, the historiographical development of the concept of “the other wares” is neither linear nor simple. Indeed, a concordance is necessary to understand the various terminologies utilized by scholars for the past 125 years, especially in those cases in which a scholar deliberately ignored an existing classification system and applied a new nomenclature.

Despite the vast number of terminologies, most of the classification systems that exist currently rest ultimately on that of Blegen, established originally in 1921. The significance of French’s work in 1972 lay in the considerably greater concentration on fabric, and in 1986, Zerner developed a system that centered around fabrics. The aim of her system, however, is to determine production centers, not to establish a relative

557 In 1998, Dietz further increased the number of phases by subdividing MH IIIB into an

early and late subphase, and he equated Graziadio’s Early Phase with early MH IIIB

while Late Phase I correlated with late MH IIIB; Late Phase II incorporated elements of

both LH IA and B (Dietz 1998, 10-13). 132

chronology as is the case with the other schemes.558 Dietz, in 1991, attempted to fuse the two systems and created the most recent system currently available.

One result of these various schemes is the differing relative chronologies that result for the Shaft Grave Period. But, as may be inferred from the above summaries of those chronologies, the differences often rest on the methodology employed. In regard to

Grave Circle B, for example, Mylonas relied on the development of Minyan goblets, while Dickinson expresses the belief that pottery alone would not suffice to arrange the graves. Kilian-Dirlmeier abandoned the ceramics altogether. Dietz and Graziadio did rely on the pottery but reached different conclusions. I re-examine the case studies presented above in Chapter 6, but before I do so, I first must introduce my proposed classification system.

558 Nordquist, in her study of Asine in the Middle Helladic period, used Zerner’s system

(Nordquist 1987). 133

CHAPTER 5: THE PROPOSED CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM FOR THE LATE

HELLADIC I “OTHER WARES” IN THE ARGOLID AND THE KORINTHIA

The purpose of this chapter is to outline a new classification system for the LH I pottery

of the northeast Peloponnese. Before proceeding to present the new system, I first

discuss the theoretical basis of classification systems in general and mine in particular. I

then offer my new system. In it, I describe each ware, and for each I first discuss

technical characteristics, such as the fabric type(s) employed, the surface treatment(s)

utilized, and method(s) of manufacture. I follow with a description of the major shapes

of each ware, the decoration when present, and examples. As with the account of the LH

I Mycenaean Decorated, the examples provided illustrate the main points of the wares.559

All of the pieces described represent the best examples available at the present time and are, in the majority of cases, complete; other known pieces are briefly described in the text and footnotes. All of the main shapes, furthermore, are illustrated when possible.560

559 See the catalogue at the end of this study for the 300 examples presented in this

chapter.

560 See Figs. 5.1-5.46. For certain shapes, complete profiles (either in photograph or

drawing form) are not available. Rather than illustrating profiles of diagnostic sherds

(rims, handles, and bases), I refer the reader to the original publication. As mentioned in

Chapter 1, the Lerna examples await final publication. 134

As Shepard notes in her 1956 book Ceramics for the Archaeologist, “the archaeologist’s

chief concern with pottery . . . centers about the problems of classification.”561 One principal problem is the type of classification system to utilize: devised or folk. In the first, which is also known as a formal or scientific system, the classification scheme is constructed artificially by the pottery analyst. In the second, also known as an

ethnotaxonomic system, the analyst attempts to understand a real, inherent structure in

the pottery assemblage. Rice observes that most pottery typologies are devised systems

established “primarily to standardize descriptions . . . develop chronologies, and help

with intersite comparisons.”562 My proposed classification system in this study is such a

system, and the objectives of it are the three Rice states; this choice of system also

fulfills her belief that “classification must always be carried out with respect to a

particular problem.”563 As mentioned above, one possible reason for the neglect of the

other wares is the lack of a standardized nomenclature and defined framework, which my

system provides.

Once the type of system has been chosen, general features of the pottery assemblage must

be recognized and selected to establish the classification system. This selection,

561 Shepard 1956, 306. While her work is nearly a half century old, more recent publications by Rice (1982, 1987) indicate that Shepard’s observation is still generally correct. As Chapter 4 demonstrates, Aegean prehistorians have focused on classifying pottery since the inception of the discipline and continue to do so.

562 Rice 1987, 288.

563 Rice 1982, 49. 135 according to Rice, is “the first and most elementary level [of ceramic study].”564 Since surface treatment/decoration is considered by numerous scholars as the most chronologically sensitive indicator of change, classification systems concerned with temporal variation/evolution have utilized this factor as their primary feature. Rice states that this belief has not been questioned to any significant degree, but Zerner, in fact, has argued adamantly that relying on surface treatment/decoration imposes order on a selection of pottery and may obscure the “true” nature of the evidence.565 Zerner outlines her method of study which consists of three main components: technology, style, and post-manufacture function and use.566 Her technology component includes surface treatment and decoration but as two separate entities; this component also incorporates fabric and formation method among other elements. Shepard emphasizes the importance of the technology component in a classification system by noting that this factor “does not suffer from the fragmentation of pottery as does that of shape and design.”567 In my proposed classification system, fabric composition is one major attribute in addition to surface treatment and decoration.568 I analyze of all of the specific attributes of a vessel,

564 Rice 1982, 48. Shepard also lists this step as the first of two (Shepard 1956, 307).

565 Rice 1982, 48; Zerner 1986, 58.

566 Zerner 1993, 40-41. See Chapter 4 for a fuller discussion of her method.

567 Shepard 1956, 314. She also stresses that it “directs attention to the human factor”

(Shepard 1956, 310).

568 While Zerner does not consider decoration in her fabric classification system, I do because the purpose of my system is different from hers (see Chapter 4 above). As to 136

and their co-occurrence with other vessels, in an attempt both to “create a unified picture”

and to determine the range of attribute variation which is the second level of ceramic

study.569 Analysis of the general features and specific attributes of the pottery from the

Argolid and the Korinthia has led to the proposed classification system, and to that I now

turn.570

In this system, I utilize the “ware” as my primary classificatory unit. In North American archaeology, the term is a relatively broad organizational element that is often further divided into the “type,” which, in turn, is then separated into the “variety.” I explicitly use “ware” to refer to a group of pottery with both a specific fabric composition

(including a defined range of colors), a specific surface treatment, and, when present, a defined range of decorative schemes.571 Since a few wares share certain characteristics, I place them in a broader level of classification that I label a “group.” For example, in the proposed classification system, Minyan is a “group” that includes Grey Minyan Ware,

Yellow Minyan Ware, and Dark Burnished Ware; it is this group that I explore first.

why I include it, I follow Shepard who states that “decoration adds to the value of the sherd when it used as a means of classification and correlation” (Shepard 1956, 255).

569 Shepard 1956, 307; Rice 1982, 48.

570 While Shepard only lists two steps in her process of classification, Rice discusses a

third which is “that of interpretation of a ceramic collection, or interpretation of some

part or whole of a site or region’s cultural development in terms of the pottery recovered

from that site or region” (Rice 1982, 48).

571 See Rice’s definition which also includes “similar technology” (Rice 1987, 484). 137

MINYAN GROUP

As a classificatory unit, the term “Minyan” today often encompasses an extremely broad

range of fabrics and surface treatments, and most scholars fail to provide a definition of it

or even a general list of attributes. More cautious pottery analysts, however, such as

Rutter, occasionally place Minyan in quotes, especially “Yellow Minyan,” to signify that this classification is not precise.572 Dietz is one of the few scholars who, in his discussion

of Yellow Minyan at Asine, notes the problem and provides a working definition.573

Because so-called “Yellow Minyan” often comprises the majority of pottery in LH I contexts, such as at Korakou, a precise definition is required.574

As discussed above in Chapter 4, Zerner differentiates what she labels “true” Grey and

Yellow Minyan from similar pottery produced in the Argolid and Korinthia. In my system, I acknowledge this division and define Minyan as a group based largely on

Zerner’s descriptions; I specifically note where my definitions differ from hers.

Grey Minyan Ware - True

In her 1986 article, Zerner observed that Grey Minyan was produced by employing a

specific type of surface treatment coupled with a reduced firing environment for two of

572 In his analysis on an LH I deposit at Tsoungiza, Rutter equates “Yellow Minyan” with

fine unpainted (Rutter 1989, 11).

573 Asine II.2, 124. He defines Yellow Minyan as “usually wheelmade and burnished.”

574 Korakou, 127 Table II. 138

her fabrics – Dark Tempered and Grainy.575 She later connected this Dark Tempered

Grey Minyan with her “true” Grey Minyan, the origin of which she placed in Central

Greece, while the Grainy Grey Minyan simply became Grey Minyan, which was made

either in the Argolid specifically or the northeastern Peloponnese in general.576 In this

classification system, I avoid pinpointing a place of manufacture and so eschew

geographical names for the wares. Instead, I separate Grey Minyan into “True” and

“Grainy.” I discuss the shapes of the ware and provide examples after the description of

the fabric types, since the shapes do not appear to differ between the two.

The clay of True Grey Minyan displays a homogenous fabric color from the core to the outer biscuit and, in fact, to the exterior and interior surfaces. The dominant hue is

10YR, and the most common values and chromae are 5/1 and 6/1.577 The most frequent

overall color is 10YR 5/1 Grey. The inclusions in the fabric, which is extremely well

prepared, also exhibit a high degree of uniformity; they are fine in size, “occasional” in

density, round in shape, and white in color.

As noted by virtually every scholar who discusses Grey Minyan, the surfaces have a

distinctive “soapy” texture, and most also state that this results from the high degree of

575 Zerner 1986, 60-62. In her dissertation, Zerner divided the ware into three categories:

fine, black-tempered, and coarse (Zerner 1978, 135-137). Presumably, the black-

tempered category, which could be relatively coarse, was merged with coarse.

576 Zerner 1993, 42-43, 47.

577 2.5Y 7/2 also occurs. 139

burnishing.578 Zerner, however, asserts that they are “not clearly burnished or polished,” and she appears to be correct.579 Polishing usually obliterates wheel marks, which are

clearly visible on most of the Korakou, Lerna, and Tsoungiza sherds, and the deep

troughs resulting from burnishing are not evident. The surfaces also were not wiped.

The most likely method seems to be a minimal polishing that did not completely obscure

the wheel marks. This surface treatment plus the nature of the clay body may explain the

distinctive texture.580 True Grey Minyan is wheel-thrown which accounts for the “crisp

angles of rim and body profiles.”581

Grey Minyan Ware - Grainy

The fabric composition of Grainy Grey Minyan differs from the True variety in both color and inclusions. While 10YR 5/1 is known and common for both fracture and surface colors, the fracture color may differ slightly from the surface color.582 The hues

are either 10YR or 2.5Y, and the values and chromae range from a dark 4/1 to a light 7/2.

The most common color for the fractures and surfaces are 10YR 5/1 and 2.5Y 5/1.

578 French and French specifically mention “bone burnishing” at Tiryns (Tiryns V, 24).

579 Zerner 1993, 54 n. 46. Emphasis mine.

580 Certain clay body compositions lend themselves to particular surface treatments, such

as burnishing, while others do not.

581 Zerner 1993, 47.

582 The difference is usually no more than one step in either value or chroma. 140

The fine grits in Grainy Grey Minyan are supplemented by medium inclusions, and white

ones are often found with grey, black, and silver sparkling.583 Furthermore, angular

inclusions occur with the round ones, and the density varies between “occasional” and

“some.” The fabric, overall, is still considered fine in this study.584

While the surfaces of this fabric type often exhibit the “soapy” texture from burnishing or polishing, they may also feel or appear slightly rougher in comparison to the True type.

The vessels of this fabric can be hand-built or wheel-thrown.

The shapes for both True and Grainy Grey Minyan are similar, and, according to Davis, goblets and kraters are common shapes of the ware; they may be differentiated by the type of base present - while “pedestaled” bases (labeled “splayed concave” here) probably come from goblets, torus bases are found on kraters.585 However, at least one krater with splayed concave base is known.586 A more specific difference may be the

short and unadorned stem of the goblet, although Dietz notes that his Group 2 goblets

may lack a stem entirely.587 For this study, a “goblet” has a stem and a splayed concave

583 Zerner notes the “tiny bits of silver material (probably quartz?)” in her definition of

Grainy Grey Minyan (1986, 62).

584 See Appendix I.

585 Davis 1979, 247.

586 A small, unpublished krater from Ayia Irini in the Korinthia (Gazetteer A71) on

display at the Nemea museum clearly has a splayed concave base. From the appearance

of the surface, it is probably Grainy Grey Minyan.

587 Asine II.2, 80-81. 141

base, while a “krater” lacks a stem and may have either a splayed concave or torus

base.588 KOR 9-17 and 22-29, all of which are rims, come from either shape; while

KOR 9-17 is True Grey Minyan, KOR 22-29 is Grainy. TSO 2, which is probably

Grainy, is a splayed concave base of either.

Goblets vary considerably both in form and measurements; they often have everted or down-sloping rims, deep bodies that are usually rounded but may be carinated, and two vertical strap handles. The splayed concave bases KOR 18 and 19 are from goblets.

The specific features and measurements of kraters also differ among examples. The rims

are the same as goblets as are the bodies. The handles, however, may be vertical or

horizontal and either strap or round.589

Other open shapes include the kantharos, the loop-handled cup, and the semiglobular cup.

Kantharoi, like goblets and kraters, vary widely in their form and their measurements.

They consist of everted rims, rounded or carinated bodies that may be shallow or deep,

splayed concave, splayed flat, or flat bases, and the distinctive high-swung, vertical strap

handles for which they are known. KOR 20 is the rim of a True Grey Minyan kantharos,

and LER 53, also of True fabric, belongs either to this shape or the loop-handled cup.

588 Nordquist advocates the term “stemmed bowl” for the goblet, and this term, indeed, is

more appropriate (Nordquist 1987, 48-50). Because “goblet” is the more standard

terminology, I use it here.

589 The Ayia Irini krater has two round horizontal handles. 142

The loop-handled cup has an everted rim, a short globular body, a flat base, and a loop

handle that attaches to the rim; LER 54 is a handle that may come from this shape.590

The semiglobular cup strongly resembles FS 212; in fact, the only major difference is the

base. Both FS 212 and the Grey Minyan semiglobular cups are comprised of tall everted

rims, deep globular bodies, and vertical strap handles that attach at the rim and the middle

of the body. While the Mycenaean Decorated cups have splayed flat bases, the Grey

Minyan cups have splayed concave bases. The rim diameters of the Grey Minyan cups

vary between 9.5 and 14.0 cm; the height ranges from 8.0 to 9.0 cm; the bases are 4.5-

5.5 cm wide.591 Examples consist of MYC 10 and 11, PRO 14, and possibly LER 55 which is Grainy.592

KOR 21 is True Grey Minyan, but the shape is difficult to determine. The sherd consists

of a thin, flat rim and part of a very shallow body. While Davis suggests a saucer, the

piece also could belong to a shallow cup or a shallow bowl.593

590 LER 53 and 54 do not come from the same vessel. A cup from Ayia Irini in the

Korinthia, which appears Grainy, has the same body but a vertical strap handle reaching

from the rim to the lower body; this cup is on display with the krater.

591 These measurements closely correspond to those of the Mycenaean Decorated FS 212

cups.

592 As I have not examined the Mycenae and Prosymna examples personally, I cannot

assign them a fabric type. See Fig. 5.1 for MYC 11.

593 Davis 1979, 247. Compare to the rim of fig. 10:202 which is identified as a shallow bowl (Davis 1979, 250). 143

Although Minyan vessels are commonly associated with open shapes, closed vessels in

Grey Minyan are known from LH I. These include the bridge-spouted jar, the jug, and the amphoriskos.

The Grey Minyan bridge-spouted jar, MYC 12, from Shaft Grave VI in Grave Circle A at

Mycenae is apparently unique.594 Standing 19.5 cm tall, it has a flat rim 25.0 cm wide and a deep globular body that tapers to a splayed concave base 10.0 cm wide. Opposite of the bridge spout is a vertical strap handle attached to the rim and middle of the body.

Below the level of the rim on both sides of the vessel are two round horizontal handles.595

MYC 13 is a jug described by Dietz as “bag-shaped.”596 It has a splaying mouth, 6.5 cm

wide, with a thin rim, a narrow neck, a “baggy” body, a flat base, and a vertical strap

handle that attaches to the rim and the shoulder. It stands 8.2 cm tall.597

Examples of amphoriskoi are MYC 14 and 15.598 The splaying mouths may have either a

thin or flat rim, a narrow neck, a globular body, and a flat base. Two vertical strap handles join at the rim and the middle of the body. The Mycenae vessels range in height

594 Compare to MYC 57, in Unpainted Ware, below. See Fig. 5.2.

595 Compare to FS 100, the handles of which sit above the rim. The bases also differ

slightly.

596 ATMA, 204. See Fig. 5.3.

597 The width of the base is not provided in Circle B.

598 One also is known from Ayia Irini in the Korinthia and is on display with the krater

and cup. See Fig. 5.4 for MYC 15. 144

from 16.0 to 18.5 cm; the mouths are between approximately 15.5 and 18.0 cm wide;

and the bases are around 8.5 cm wide.599

Yellow Minyan Ware - True

As discussed above, Yellow Minyan Ware is rarely defined. Most definitions that are

provided usually include, in some fashion, the following characteristics: a fine fabric,

well-burnished surfaces, and wheel-thrown vessels. In general, these features are true,

but more specific information is necessary.

I divide Yellow Minyan into the same two fabrics as Grey Minyan, “True” and “Grainy,”

and, as with Grey Minyan, I discuss the shapes of the ware and provide examples after

the description of the fabric types.600

The fabric of True Yellow Minyan has a similar composition as True Grey Minyan; in

addition to its well-prepared nature, it has fine, “occasional,” round, white inclusions.

Unlike True Grey Minyan, the color of the fabric differs substantially between examples,

ranging from 2.5YR to 2.5Y in hue, and varying across the charts in values and chromae.

Furthermore, certain sherds have distinct cores and biscuits. The exterior and interior

surface colors, in contrast to the fabric, cluster between 7.5YR 6/4 and 2.5Y 8/3, Light

599 Dietz reports Grey Minyan from the Asine northern trenches, but since he only

catalogues two non-descript sherds of the seven recovered, I do not discuss them.

600 Unlike Grey Minyan, Zerner in 1978 did not originally divide Yellow Minyan into

two fabrics. She does so in her 1993 article. Since the fabrics are related to those of

Grey Minyan, I employ the terms “True” and “Grainy” for Yellow Minyan as well. 145

Brown to Very Pale Brown to Pale Yellow. The surface treatment and formation methods – a type of polishing and wheel-thrown – are the same as True Grey Minyan discussed above.

Yellow Minyan Ware - Grainy

As the fabric of True Yellow Minyan mirrors True Grey Minyan in virtually every

aspect, Grainy Yellow Minyan does the same with Grainy Grey Minyan except in color.

The colors of the fabric, like True Yellow Minyan, vary considerably; the range of the

hue is 2.5YR to 2.5Y, and there is a vast array of values and chromae. The predominant

surface colors, both interior and exterior, are between 10YR 6/4 and 8/3, Very Pale

Brown. The inclusions (“occasional” to “some,” fine to medium, white with grey, black,

and silver sparkling, round and angular), surface treatments (burnishing or polishing), and

formation methods (hand-built or wheel-thrown) are the same as Grainy Grey Minyan.601

Again, the fabric should still be considered fine overall.

The shapes, as a whole, are identical to those of Grey Minyan. Open shapes include goblets, kraters, kantharoi, loop-handled cups, and semiglobular cups, while closed shapes are bridge-spouted jars, jugs, and amphoriskoi; all of these shapes echo the Grey

Minyan examples. Other vessel forms occasionally found in Yellow Minyan consist of dippers (shallow cups with a flat or rounded base and a high-swung handle attached at the rim and upper body) and shallow bowls, the specific features and measurements of which vary considerably. Indeed, the only major difference between the two wares is that the

Yellow variety was fired in an oxidized atmosphere. Most sites record “Yellow Minyan”

601 Zerner states that the surfaces have the look of “polished wood” (Zerner 1993, 47). 146 vessels, but I provide only examples from Korakou and Lerna as these are the only pieces

I have examined personally.602

KOR 30 is True Yellow Minyan and is a rim from a goblet, a krater, or a kantharos.

KOR 31 and 32, rims with handles, are Grainy Yellow Minyan goblets, while the rim

KOR 33 is a base from a Grainy goblet, krater, or kantharos. KOR 34 is a rim from a

Grainy hole-mouthed jar.

LER 56 and 57 are True Yellow Minyan goblets, krater, and/or kantharoi. LER 58 is a

True rim probably from a semiglobular cup. LER 59-61 are Grainy Yellow Minyan goblets and/or kraters. LER 62 and 63, bases, are probably from Grainy kantharoi.

Dark Burnished Ware

As with Grey and Yellow Minyan, Dark Burnished Ware also suffers from incomplete and imprecise definitions. While French, who labels it Black Burnished, equates it with

Argive Minyan, Dietz states that, as he defines it, it is “not necessarily ‘Argive

602 I did not find any examples at Tsoungiza, although they may exist in the material I did not study. At Kokla, Demakopoulou reports a “Yellow Minyan” kantharos from Tomb

VIIB (KOK 6), but describes it only as “highly polished” (1993, 60). Dietz also notes the presence of Yellow Minyan at Asine, and while his Nos. 242-244, 246, and 249 may be

Yellow Minyan as defined here, I cannot classify them further without personally studying them. 147

Minyan.’”603 Unfortunately, the only additional information he provides is that the fabric

“is not homogenously fired,” and that the surfaces are “more or less burnished.”604

In her dissertation, Zerner distinguishes four fabrics that she lumps under the heading

Dark Burnished because “the biscuit and surface treatment descriptions are basically the same.”605 In later articles, she assigns Dark Burnished to one of two fabrics.606 While

“Argive Minyan” does not exist in LH I, Dark Burnished may but only rarely.

Furthermore, defining the LH I manifestation of the ware precisely is problematic;

Zerner observes that the surfaces are obviously burnished except in certain areas, such as under the handles and the interior which may only be “cursorily burnished,” and that the vessel forms are “the same as Minyan.”607 Perhaps, as Zerner states, “if we were to record evidence of manufacturing techniques . . ., finishing techniques . . ., how handles and bases were attached, etc., we might gain more effective criteria to classify the dark- colored wares.”608

603 PPGCG, 24; ATMA, 31.

604 ATMA, 31.

605 Zerner 1978, 143-147. One of these fabrics is titled Black Burnished which she states is Argive Minyan (Zerner 1978, 145-146).

606 Zerner 1986, 63-64; 1993, 43-44, 45. In each, one of the fabrics – Micaceous Dark

Burnished in 1986 and Dark Burnished Quartz and Mica in 1993 – is essentially Argive

Minyan.

607 Zerner 1993, 43-44.

608 Zerner 1993, 52-53 n. 19. 148

While Minyan certainly existed in LH I contexts, separating LH I vessels from MH is still

problematic. Of all the shapes, the one that is the most diagnostic of LH I is the

semiglobular cup. As noted above, it is nearly identical to the Mycenaean Decorated FS

212.

MATT-PAINTED WARE

The specific fabric types, surface decorations, and decorative schemes of Matt-Painted, as they exist in LH I, are rarely defined, and the sheer number of vessels might be one of the causes.609 Blegen identified two types of Matt-Painted that basically represent a fine

category (Class BII/Matt-Painted II) and a medium/coarse category (Class BI/Matt-

Painted I).610 French later divided Matt-Painted fabrics into seven categories, all of

which display “strong inter-relations.”611 While Dietz initially followed French’s

scheme, he also correctly observed that the “material [at Asine] cannot be fitted into the

609 For an examination of Matt-Painted in general, see Buck 1956 and 1964. While he

labels all of his shapes, motifs, and examples MH, certain examples in his work are, in

fact, LH I. I refer to his shapes and motifs as Buck Shape and Buck Motif in the

discussion of this ware when possible, and cite his 1964 article as the shape numbers

differ between it and his dissertation.

610 His Class BIII/Matt-Painted III has polychrome decoration. See Mainland

Polychrome Matt-Painted and Aiginetan Polychrome Matt-Painted below.

611 PPGCG, 30-32. See also Tiryns V, 26-27. 149

many, exceedingly detailed groupings.”612 He subsequently abandoned the system, and

Davis, while aware of French’s fabric typology, chose to utilize Blegen’s more general classes instead.613 Zerner, in her examination of the Lerna pottery, only described two

fabrics decorated in Matt-Paint.614 In this study, I divide Matt-Painted Ware roughly into the two types established by Blegen: Matt-Painted - Fine and Matt-Painted -

Medium/Coarse.

Matt-Painted - Fine

Blegen observes that the clay of his Class BII at Korakou is well-prepared, and this observation appears to be correct for other sites.615 While the fabric colors vary

considerably, the predominant hues are 7.5YR and 10YR. Specific values and chromae

612 Asine II.2, 127.

613 ATMA, 29-31; Davis 1979, 243, 246-247.

614 Zerner 1978, 152, in which she labels them Black-Tempered and Sandy; 1986, 60-61,

in which she calls them Dark Tempered and Grainy; 1993, 44, 48, in which they

correspond with the True and Grainy Minyan fabrics above. The 1986 Grainy fabric

differs from the Grainy Grey Minyan discussed in the same article, but she does not

discuss this in her 1993 publication. In both her 1986 and 1993 articles, Zerner observes

the presence of matt paint on a pink and white fabric; see Pink and White Ware below.

The two fabrics noted above also exclude the “Gold Mica” fabric which is Aiginetan and

is discussed below.

615 Korakou, 24. 150

include 7/3, 8/3, and 8/4; the principal colors are therefore Pink and Very Pale Brown.

The color of the fabric is the same from the core to the outer biscuit.

Inclusions in the fabric range in density from “occasional” to “some,” and in size from

fine to coarse. Shapes may be round and/or angular, and the colors run the spectrum of

black, white, grey, red, and silver sparkling. Contrary to French’s claim, I have not

observed any correlation between fabric color and inclusions for Matt-Painted - Fine.616

The hues of the surface colors shift to 10YR and 2.5Y, and the values and chromae

expand to include 7/2 and 8/2. Consequently, Light Grey and Pale Yellow appear along

with Very Pale Brown. While the interior color of open shapes is usually the same color

as the exterior, the interior color of closed vessels is usually the same as the fabric.

The surfaces of Matt-Painted - Fine may be slipped on both the exterior and the

interior.617 The surface treatments employed are burnishing and/or wiping, and both of

these treatments may appear on the same vessel.618 As the name implies, a dull matt

paint of a manganese base appears on the vessels. While usually Black, Very Dark Grey

(10YR 3/1), Dark Greyish Brown (10YR 4/2), and even Dusky Red (2.5YR 3/2) and

Dark Reddish Brown (2.5YR 3/4) paint is found.

While certain vessels were wheel-thrown, others were hand-built. No correlation appears

to exist between the formation method and the fabric or shape.

616 PPGCG, 30-32. Tiryns V, 26-27.

617 Compare to the interiors of Mycenaean Decorated vessels which are only slipped on the exterior in the vast majority of cases; interior slipping does not begin until LH IIA.

618 The interior of TSO 4 is burnished while the exterior is wiped. 151

Virtually every small shape occurs in Matt-Painted – Fine, and these have a variety of decorative schemes. Kantharoi and cups are the most common open shapes.

While kantharoi occur in a variety of sizes, there are two main ones. MYC 16 represents the shape with a tall everted rim, a relatively shallow convex body, a flat base, and two high-swung horizontal square-sectioned handles attached at the middle of the body; it stands either 6.5 or 8.0 cm tall, the rim measures 11.0 cm in diameter, and base appears to be 4.5cm wide.619 It has a rim band and two lines framing a narrow band below the rim.

The main decorative zone, between the handles, contains a running spiral (Buck Motif

111).

TSO 3 is a miniature kantharos with a lipless rim, a shallow round body, a flat base, and

two high-swung vertical strap handles attached at the lip and the upper body.620 In addition to an interior rim band, TSO 3 has groups of three and four vertical lines on the main body, a band around the base, and a vertical band on the handle. The larger version of this form may have an everted rim, a carination in the middle of the body, and a splayed flat base.621

Although only a few examples are known, Matt-Painted – Fine spouted bowls occur in

LH I (Buck Shape B1). MYC 17 is an example of one and consists of a thin rim, a

619 Karo (1930) lists the height as 8.0 cm, while Dietz states the vessel stands only 6.5 cm

(ATMA, 152). The shape of this example corresponds with Buck’s Shape A6 in his

dissertation, but a corresponding shape does not exist in his 1964 article. See Fig. 5.5.

620 Buck Shape 10.

621 See Buck Shape 11. 152

semiglobular body, a rounded base, and a squared-section oblique handle opposite the

spout.622 It is decorated with dashes on the rim, a narrow band under the rim, and a

narrow band from which hang triple pendant semicircles (cf. Buck Motif 87); the handle

also exhibits a band.623

Cups are found in four main shapes: “Vapheio,” straight-sided, semiglobular, and

semiovoid. The first example, MYC 18, is not technically a Vapheio but is

morphologically similar; it resembles Buck Shape A13.624 Standing 7.7 cm tall, the rim

flares considerably and measures 10.5 cm in diameter. Approximately a third of the way

down the body, the sides of the vessel straighten and taper to a beveled base 6.4 cm

wide.625 A vertical strap handle extends from the rim to just below the middle of the body. Beneath three narrow bands immediately below the rim hang quadruple semicircles (cf. Buck Motif 87); around the middle, where the midrib would be on a

“true” Vapheio cup, are two bands framing a horizontal u-pattern (cf. Buck Motif 50).

There are two bands around the base, and a type of “ladder” pattern on the handle.

TSO 4 and 5 are rims of straight-sided cups (with diameters of 12.0 and 11.0 cm respectively), and KOR 35 is the base of either a straight-sided cup or a Vapheio cup

622 See Fig. 5.6.

623 Another example comes from the same grave and resembles MYC 17 in all respects

except the main motif, which is Buck Motif 6A with dots between the triangles.

624 See Fig. 5.7.

625 Compare the beveled base to that of the “true” Vapheio cups of Mycenaean

Decorated. 153

(with a width of 4.0 cm). Since Vapheio cups with midribs do not appear in the Matt-

Painted repertoire of shapes, this cup is most likely straight-sided. TSO 4 has an interior

and exterior rim band and a double filled pendant semicircle (cf. Buck Motif 88); below

are three narrow bands. TSO 5 also has an interior and exterior rim band, but below the exterior band is a “running” wavy line. Two narrow bands are immediately below the main motif, and below these are three slightly wider bands. KOR 35 contains part of a

medium band immediately below which are two narrow bands, and around the beveled base is a band; a dab of paint appears on the bottom of the base.

Three semiglobular cups are known from Tsoungiza (TSO 6-8). TSO 6 comes from the

LH I deposit and is complete.626 It has a tall everted rim, a semiglobular body, a flat

base, and a vertical strap handle extending from the rim to just below the middle of the

body.627 Below a thin exterior rim band is a wide band from which hang six double pairs of double pendant semicircles (Buck Motif 87). A wide band appears around the lower

part of the body, and a band exists around the base. There is a line on the handle. TSO 7

and 8 are rims, measuring 11.0 and 13.0 cm in diameter respectively. TSO 7 has an interior and exterior rim band, a wide band immediately below the tall everted rim, a running spiral (Buck Motif 111), and part of a band below.628 TSO 8 contains only the

interior rim band but a medium one appears just below the tall everted rim on the

626 See Fig. 5.8.

627 It resembles FS 211 but the base and rim are uneven.

628 Traces of matt white paint may exist on the wide band below the rim. 154 exterior. Below are two medium bands framing a horizontal u-pattern (cf. Buck Motif

50), part of a band appears below.

The fourth cup shape is the semiovoid cup.629 Three examples are presented here – MYC

19 and 20, KOR 36 - although others exist.630 The Mycenae examples represent the two basic variants of the shape. MYC 19 has a thin rim, a deep semiovoid body, a very short stem, a splayed concave base, and a vertical strap handle that attaches just below the rim and at the middle of the body.631 MYC 20 also has a thin rim, but the body is shallower and more conical in profile; the stem is considerably taller than the other, and the splayed conical base is nearly hollow.632 MYC 19 stands 14.0 cm tall, has a rim diameter

629 This is also known as the Mainland Panelled cup but, as Dietz observes, plain examples exist and so cannot be labeled “panelled” (ATMA, 157, 161). Further, the

Mainland Panelled style appears on “Vapheio” cups (see Davis 1978, 218-221 and figs.

4-6. The vessels are not true Vapheio cups because they lack a midrib, but since the sides are flared, they are not straight-sided either. Therefore, I have labeled them “Vapheio cups.”). See Davis 1978 for the differences between mainland examples and Cycladic imports.

630 Davis 1978, 219. Davis lists 32 cups, although he states that those listed come from

“MHIII/LHI” contexts. The Korakou and Mycenae examples are almost certainly LH I.

One rim from Tiryns (TIR 1) belongs to this shape.

631 See Fig. 5.9.

632 See Fig. 5.9. 155

of 14.9-16.2 cm, and a base width of 7.2 cm. A smaller size occurs.633 MYC 20 is 10.7-

13.5 cm in height and measures 12.1-12.7 cm at the rim and 6.3 cm at the base.

MYC 19 is decorated in the main zone with an exterior rim band, four rows of the

horizontal u-pattern immediately below (cf. Buck Motif 51), four narrow bands, three narrow bands on lower body above five broad bands, and a broad band around stem; vertical bands separate the main panel from the handle area, and in the latter are four oblique bands. MYC 20 has a similar motif. The decoration consists of an interior rim band, five rows of the horizontal u-pattern in the main panel, two narrow bands, four broad bands around lower body, one broad band around stem; vertical bands again separate the main decorative zone from the handle area. The horizontal u-pattern is a common motif as is the arrow which is the “u” with a horizontal dash; the handles often have a “ladder” pattern on them. Of the many Korakou examples, KOR 36, a body sherd, is noteworthy because of the rosettes which decorate it.

A common closed shape in Matt-Painted – Fine is the jug. Several variants of the jug are

known, including in particular four with a beaked spout (MYC 21, MYC 22, KOR 37,

and MYC 23), and one with a horizontal spout (MYL 4). MYC 21, 23.0 cm tall, consists of a high cylindrical beaked spout, a globular body, a conical base, and a vertical strap handle attached at the bottom of the spout and the shoulder.634 It is decorated with seven

633 An example of the smaller version comes from Shaft Grave Gamma (Gamma 58). It

stands only 8.3 cm tall with a rim diameter of 10.9 cm and a base 4.2 cm wide (Circle B,

68).

634 See Fig. 5.10. 156

narrow bands around spout, three narrow bands around the neck at the join with the

handle, a broad band around neck, three narrow bands on shoulder and a “running” wavy

line below, three narrow bands around belly with one broad band below them, a band around base, and vertical and oblique bands on the handle. MYC 22, 20.0 cm in height, has a short beaked spout with a cutaway neck, an ovoid body, a raised flat base, and a round vertical handle reaching from the base of the spout to the shoulder. The decoration consists of two medium bands around spout, two medium bands around neck, triangles with oblique lines (Buck Motif 46), and two medium bands around the belly framing a

wavy line. KOR 37, like MYC 22, has a beaked spout with a cutaway neck; the body

type cannot be determined because it is incomplete. The handle attaches at the base of

the spout and on the shoulder. In addition to three narrow bands around neck, two rows

of running spirals in the main decorative zone (Buck Motif 110), a band around handle,

and a band on handle, two plastic “nipples” are present below the spout on the shoulder.

MYC 23, 20.5 cm tall, consists of a short beaked spout, a globular body, a flat base, and a

vertical strap handle from the base of the spout to the middle of the body.635 The decorative scheme is quite elaborate; there are two narrow bands on spout, a scale pattern (cf. FM 70) on shoulder within a broad band, five bands of two rows of the horizontal u-patterns framed by lines on the shoulder and body, one band with only one row, oblique lines from the belly to the base, and three narrow bands around base.

MYL 4 is a jug that is 8.6 cm tall and has a wide, horizontal spout, which measures 4.6

cm wide, on a relatively tall neck, a biconical body, a flat base, and a vertical strap handle

635 See Fig. 5.10. 157

reaching from the rim to the middle of the body.636 Decorating it is a rim band, a band

around the neck, a "running" wavy line on the shoulder, bands around the belly and the

base, and a vertical band on the handle.

Two other closed shapes in Matt-Painted – Fine are the bridge-spouted jar (Buck Shape

B3) and the amphoriskos (Buck Shape D6). KOR 38 is a rim sherd from a bridge-

spouted jar with an interior and exterior rim band and a running spiral (cf. Buck Motif

111). MYC 24 is an amphoriskos with a wide mouth, 10.2 cm in diameter, a short

narrow neck, a globular body, a flat base 4.7 cm wide, and two vertical strap handles

attached at the rim and the shoulder; the vessel stands 10.3 cm tall.637 The decorative

scheme includes dots on the interior of the rim, an exterior rim band, three narrow bands

on the neck with dots immediately below, four-part spirals on belly (Buck Motif 121), a

“ladder” pattern with parallel and oblique lines on the handle and loops at base of the

handle.638

Matt-Painted - Medium/Coarse

Blegen’s Class BI consists of the large jars that originated in the MH period. By the

beginning of the LH I period, potters had begun to employ a particular type of fabric for

these jars. The colors of the fabric are a consistent 2.5Y or 5Y 6/2 or 7/2, which is Light

636 See Fig. 5.11.

637 See Fig. 5.12.

638 According to Walberg, fine Matt-Painted was found in the new excavations at Midea

(Gisela Walberg, personal communication). 158

Grey or Light Olive Grey. The inclusions in the fabric, which are “many” in density,

vary widely in size from fine to very coarse; inclusions of larger size can appear but are

usually isolated. The colors of the grits include black, grey, and white in the Korinthia,

and black, white, dark red, and yellow in the Argolid.639 The inclusions may be round

and/or angular.

The exterior surface may be slipped, and the colors are a uniform 5Y 7/2 or 8/2, Light

Grey or Pale Yellow. While the paint is usually matt Black, as with Matt-Painted – Fine,

5Y 3/1 Dark Grey is also known. The primary surface treatments are burnishing or wiping, and the vessels all appear handmade.

Jars of three different shapes were manufactured in this fabric: the amphora, the stamnos,

and the hydria.640 All could vary considerably in size.

An example of the amphora is MYC 25.641 It consists of a flaring mouth with a thin rim,

a narrow neck, an ovoid/conical body that tapers to a flat base, and the two diagnostic

639 Despite this difference in inclusion color, which could indicate a different fabric, the

remainder of the inclusion variables (density, size, and shape) are the same, and the

morphology of the vessel shapes is quite similar.

640 The definitions of the three depend on the handle orientation and placement. An

“amphora” has two vertical handles attached at the neck and shoulder. The “stamnos” has two horizontal handles on the belly, and the “hydria” has the same plus a vertical handle reaching from the neck to the shoulder. When the handles are not preserved and precise identification impossible, I use the term “jar.”

641 See Fig. 5.13. 159

vertical handles that are strap in section. The decoration of the vessel includes a broad

band around the neck, a broad band around the upper belly with intermittent fine lines

immediately below it, and parallel splashes on handles.

MYC 26 represents a stamnos (Buck Shape C5).642 The mouth of the vessel flares widely but tapers to a narrow neck; the body is ovoid in shape and rests on a flat base. The two round horizontal handles characteristic of the shape are on the belly. The decoration on this example is limited to two narrow bands around the neck and four double concentric circles on the shoulder.

The hydria shape (Buck Shape C6) is best exemplified by LER 64 which contains the round vertical handle attached to the rim and upper body. It is decorated with a deep interior rim band and probable exterior rim band, a band around the base of the tall neck, circles around the base of the handle, and a band along the length of the handle.

Additional but unclassifiable examples of these shapes include ASI 4, LER 65, and KOR

39.643

As with Minyan, Matt-Painted most likely had certain shapes that only appeared in LH I.

Again, the semiglobular cup is probably the most diagnostic.

642 See Fig. 5.14.

643 In a later publication, Dietz asserts that ASI 4 is Aiginetan (ATMA, 104, 105 fig.

30:287). 160

LUSTROUS DECORATED GROUP

Dietz notes that “a great deal of attention has been paid [to Lustrous Decorated] during

the last few years,” and Zerner, along with Betancourt and Jones, has concluded that

Lustrous Decorated vessels were produced in a “highly specialized center” in either the

southwestern Peloponnese or on Kythera.644 Zerner also has demonstrated that vessels

displaying the distinctive fabric of Lustrous Decorated first appeared at Lerna at the

beginning of the MH period, and, in a series of articles, she has thoroughly described the

characteristics of Lustrous Decorated as a whole.645 She has observed that several

varieties are known including Lustrous Decorated Light on Dark and Lustrous Decorated

Dark on Light.646

Despite Dietz’s use of the term “Lustrous Decorated Ware,” it is, more properly, a group

of wares. Each shares a close bond with the other, especially the use of an iron-based

paint that appears lustrous after firing. In this study, I divide the group into the Light on

644 ATMA, 35; Zerner 1986, 67; Jones 1986, 420-424; Zerner 1993, 46.

645 Zerner 1978, 159-170; 1986, 66-68; 1988, i, 6-10, figs. 24-41; 1993, 45-47.

Because she uses the name to refer to a technological group rather than the surface decoration, she advocates the label “Lustrous Decorated Mudstone and Chert” (Zerner

1993, 45-46).

646 The Polychrome variety probably does not appear in LH I (Carol Zerner, personal

communication). 161

Dark Ware and the Dark on Light Ware. Furthermore, I place Mycenaean Decorated in

this group as it belongs to the same tradition that gave rise to the other two wares.647

The fabric of Lustrous Decorated is distinctive. The fracture often exhibits a core that is

Grey (usually 7.5YR 6/1). The colors of the outer biscuit range in hue from 2.5YR to

7.5YR, and the values and chromae vary between 6/4 and 7/6, although 5/8 is known.

The dominant colors are 5YR 7/6 and 7.5YR 6/4, Reddish Yellow and Light Brown.

The inclusions differ depending on the coarseness of the fabric. In the Fine variety

(occurring on LoD and DoL), the grits are “occasional,” fine, round/angular, and white;

red is found but rarely. The Medium and Coarse fabrics (occurring on LoD and DoL)

contain the same colors and shapes, and the difference is the size and density. The white

inclusions in Medium and Coarse may be particularly large (often pebble size).

The surfaces are often slipped, and in addition to the colors of the fabric above, 7.5YR

8/4 Pink is known. In addition to Black on DoL, the main paint colors are often around

7.5YR 3/2 (Dark Brown) but other colors, such as 2.5YR 5/6 (Red) and 5YR 6/6

(Reddish Yellow), are not uncommon. For LoD, the above colors cover a varying percentage of the surfaces of the vessel, and on those dark colors, a matt White paint is applied.

647 ATMA, 35. In his attempt to include Mycenaean Decorated, Dietz divides Lustrous

Decorated into two wares, one which he labels simply Lustrous Decorated Ware, and one which is titled Lustrous Decorated Ware – Argive (ATMA, 31, 35). He does not provide

an explanation for this division. 162

The exterior surfaces usually are burnished, albeit lightly in certain cases. By the

beginning of LH I, the vessels were almost entirely wheel-thrown.

Lustrous Decorated Light on Dark

By LH I, all small vessels in a Fine fabric are decorated with Dark on Light, and not

Light on Dark. The Light on Dark paint scheme in LH I appears to be reserved for

Medium fabric jars, particularly stamnoi, as represented by MYC 27 and 28. MYC 27,

33.0 cm tall, has a slightly offset flat rim measuring 9.2 cm, a narrow and relatively short

neck, a globular body, a flat base 12.8-13.4 cm wide, and two flat- to oval-sectioned

horizontal handles on the belly.648 In addition to two narrow white bands around the

neck, there are white spirals on the shoulder in the upper decorative zone which is

separated from the lower zone by two broad white bands below; a wavy line appears in

the handle decorative zone with a white broad band immediately below it. The lower

body and base are reserved. A white band decorates each handle.

MYC 28 is a larger vessel at 51.8 cm in height. It consists of a flat rim, 18.5 cm in diameter, with a hollow interior, a short neck, a globular body, and a flat base 14.6 cm wide. There are two large, shallowly grooved, horizontal strap handles on the belly and four small round horizontal handles on the upper shoulder. Between the handle zones are white spirals, and white oblique splashes appear on the handle.

648 See Fig. 5.15. 163

Lustrous Decorated Dark on Light

One of the examples Dietz provides of Dark on Light is a stemmed semiglobular cup in a

Fine fabric.649 The shape of the cup is FS 212, and the decoration is FM 78, ripple pattern with applied white paint on the exterior rim band. This is, essentially, Mycenaean

Decorated in all but fabric. As noted in Chapter 3, certain Mycenaean Decorated vessels have a fabric that is extremely similar or identical to the Fine fabric of Lustrous

Decorated Dark on Light. For the proposed classification, I equate Lustrous Decorated

Dark on Light with Mycenaean Decorated. It should be noted that this connection applies for LH I only and not the earlier MH periods.

Mycenaean Decorated Ware

While Mycenaean Decorated receives considerable attention in the scholarly literature, the ware - as defined in this study – should be placed in this group as simply another ware. See Chapter 3 for the full description.

MAINLAND POLYCHROME MATT-PAINTED WARE

Known since Schliemann’s excavation of Grave Circle A at Mycenae, this ware has been called a variety of names, but most include “mainland,” “polychrome” and/or “matt- painted” in various combinations. I label it Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted to reflect

649 ATMA, 236, 237 fig.75:MA-2. See also the semiglobular and other cup shapes from

Lerna illustrated by Zerner (Zerner 1988, 7, fig. 26:33-37). 164

both its origin and the type of decoration. The ware’s specific place of manufacture is

not known, although Dickinson has suggested a Boiotian origin.650

All studies of the ware to this point have discussed it as a single entity. In Davis’

examination of the Korakou pottery, however, he discusses an “Other” category.651 At

Tsoungiza, Rutter also describes a “related form of [polychrome] matt-painted decoration” that he believes was a “local product.”652 My examination of the sherds in

question, combined with the discovery of the same type of material at Lerna, has led me

to separate the pottery into two distinct types called simply “Type A” and “Type B.”

Type A

In regard to the Korakou sherds, Blegen observed that the fabric of Type A is “excellent,”

and, indeed, throughout the northeastern Peloponnese it is well-prepared. The fabric

often has a core which is usually Grey (5YR 5/1 or 6/1) although Pink is known (7.5YR

8/3). The hues of the outer biscuit cluster in the 5YR and 7.5YR range, and the values

650 Oliver Dickinson, personal communication. A number of other scholars have agreed

with Dickinson’s suggestion, and, at least in partial support of it, French notes that the

ware is “well-represented in Central Greece” (PPGCG, 34).

651 Davis 1979, 243. Blegen lumped both the Mainland and Aiginetan types from

Korakou into his Class BIII, and while he did not formally differentiate any subvarieties, he noted a “poorer” version (Korakou, 30). This “poorer” type – which he also states is

“lighter” - could be Type B.

652 Rutter 1989, 11. 165

and chromae are almost always 5/4-6/6; the dominant overall colors are Reddish Brown,

Light Reddish Brown, and Light Brown. The inclusions are also relatively uniform.

They range in size from fine to coarse/very coarse and produce a fabric that borders Fine

to Medium. The density is “some,” while the colors are black, grey, white, and silver

sparkling; the shapes of the grits are round. In a very limited number of examples, red

inclusions were also present and were angular in shape.

Since the majority of the shapes are closed, the exterior surface may be slipped while the

interior is usually unfinished. The typical colors for the exterior are 7.5YR 6/4-6/6 and

10YR 6/4-8/3, Light Brown-Reddish Yellow and Light Yellowish Brown-Very Pale

Brown, respectively. Decoration consisted of two colors: Black or 5YR 3/1, Very Dark

Grey, and either 2.5YR 4/3 or 5YR 4/4, Dark Reddish Brown or Reddish Brown. The

interior surfaces of closed shapes are often the same color as the outer biscuit.

The surfaces of Type A are burnished, often evenly and to a high luster. As to the

method of manufacture, the vessels were either hand-built or wheel-thrown. No

correlation appears to exist between formation method and shape.

The open shapes consist of cups - Vapheio, semiglobular, and semiovoid – and

goblets/kraters. The single example of the Vapheio cup comes from Mycenae – MYC

29.653 In form, it is essentially a Type II Vapheio cup (FS 224), and its measurements all fall with the standards of that shape. The decoration is relatively simple if unusual – a

653 The Vapheio cup from Shaft Grave 2 at Lerna, and the mate of LER 66, is not

Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted as Dietz states (ATMA, 217). The fabric is a dark red

and is suffused with silver sparkling inclusions. See Fig. 5.16. 166

red exterior rim band with a black line painted in the middle of it, a pendant semicircular

design (cf. Buck Motif 92) in black, a red midrib band with the same semicircular

pendant design, and red bands and black lines around base.

The semiglobular cup is represented by the vessel found on the floor of Shaft Grave 2 at

Lerna. LER 66 conforms to FS 211 in both shape and measurements although it is on the

smaller end of those ranges.654 It is decorated on the rim with groups of vertical black

dashes on a red background and a row of lozenges (Buck Motif 16) framed by black lines immediately below the rim.

The semiovoid cup, MYC 30, resembles MYC 19 in shape – a thin rim, a deep semiovoid body, a very short stem, a splayed concave base, and a vertical strap handle that attaches just below the rim and at the middle of the body.655 The measurements, 9.5 cm tall, 12.0

cm rim diameter, and 4.5 cm wide base, indicate that it is the smaller variety. The

decoration on it consists of an interior rim band, a deep exterior black rim band with

reserved pendant semicircles (Buck Motif 85), a red band between the black rim band

and a black line, a medium red band framed by black lines on the lower body, a narrow

black band around the stem, and vertical black lines framing the handle.

The examples of the goblets/kraters are known from Tiryns, TIR 2 and 3, and Korakou,

KOR 40 and 41. All are rim sherds, and the rims of all are flat. TIR 2, a goblet or a krater, is decorated with a black zigzag on the rim, a black band under the rim and above another zigzag, and two narrow black bands framing a medium red band. TIR 3, also a

654 See Fig. 5.17.

655 See Fig. 5.18. 167

goblet or a krater, simply has a medium red band between two black narrow bands. KOR

40 and 41 are definitely from kraters. KOR 40 has a rim diameter of 29.0 cm and is decorated with two wavy lines in very dark grey on the top of the rim, reddish brown paint on the front of the rim, two bands under the rim of very dark grey framing a band of reddish brown, and a very dark grey wavy line below. KOR 41, 34.0 cm in diameter, has dark red paint on the interior of the rim, black vertical dashes on the rim, dark red paint on the front of the rim, a dark red band under the rim, a wavy line in dark red outlined in white and then black, and two fine lines in white below.

The closed shapes of Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted are considerably more

numerous in both quantity and variety of shape. The shapes include jugs, askoi, hydriai,

and stamnoi.

The jugs come in three varieties. Beaked-spouted jugs, also known as bird jugs, have

been well known since their discovery by Schliemann.656 MYC 31-33 and LER 36 are

examples. MYC 31 and 32 represent the two general sizes of the jug although they have

the same general form.657 The shape has a beaked spout, which is often described as

“turned back,” a globular body, a flat base, and a vertical round handle that attaches to

the bottom of the spout and the shoulder. MYC 31 stands only 17.0 cm tall, while MYC

32 is the more common size at 29.5.658 MYC 31 lacks the typical bird motif; instead it

656 For a review of polychrome bird jugs, see Davis 1976.

657 See Fig. 5.19 for MYC 31.

658 Virtually all of the jugs of this type are this size, and, in fact, vary only between 28.5

and 29.5 cm. 168

has alternating red and black narrow bands on the spout, a narrow red band flanked by

narrow black bands on the upper body, a pendant hatched design, and alternating narrow

black and red bands on the belly. MYC 32 also has bands on its spout as well as a

medium red band framed by black bands around the neck, and then the red and black

birds on body for which the vessels are known. MYC 33 also is of the larger size and also has birds on it. LER 67 is a large body sherd with the head of a bird visible.

MYC 34 is a vertical-spouted jug, and differs in three key areas from the previous

type.659 The body is still globular, but the spout is tall and cylindrical, the base is a torus,

and the vertical handle, which attaches to the bottom of the spout and the shoulder, is

strap. Decoration consists of six medium red bands framed in narrow black bands on the

spout, medium red bands framed by narrow black bands on the neck, black hatched

lozenges (Buck Motif 16) framed by black narrow bands with a medium red band

immediately below bordered by a narrow black band all on the lower shoulder and belly,

and a medium red band framed by a narrow black bands on the lower body.

MYL 5 is the third type of jug, at 9.0 cm tall, and has a wide mouth, measuring 7.2 cm in

diameter, with a cut-off rim, a tall neck, a short and rounded biconical body, a flat base

approximately 3.8cm wide that has a groove in it, and a vertical strap handle reaching

from the rim to the central body. The decoration consists of bands – red above black on

the interior rim, and black above red on the lower neck and the middle of the body. LER

68 may be of the same type. LER 69 is of a large indeterminable type of jug.

659 See Fig. 5.20. 169

The askos in Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted is MYC 35.660 It consists of a vertical

round handle which sits immediately behind the obliquely-angled spout and a globular body; a splayed flat base is conjectured. A narrow black band around handle with

double pendant semicircles (Buck Motif 87), three narrow black bands, and wide red

band framed by narrow black bands around the belly adorn the vessel.

The large vessels are a hydria and several stamnoi.661 Standing 57.0 cm in height, the

hydria, MYC 36, has a squared, flat rim measuring 16.5 cm, a cylindrical neck, and ovoid

body that tapers to a rounded bottom, two round horizontal handles on the belly, and

around vertical handle attached at the neck and shoulder. The decoration consists of a

medium red band around the neck with a superimposed black ladder pattern, the same

design of two bands reaching from the neck band to a band of the same design around the

belly in the handle zone, and a zoomorphic design in a framed area.

The stamnoi are represented by MYC 37 and 38 and PRO 15-18 (Buck Shape C9).662 All six of the vessels have the same squared, flat rim of MYC 36, the bodies tend to be either globular/conical or globular, and the bases are flat. MYC 37 and 38 have the typical round horizontal handles on the belly, and while the Prosymna vessels do as well, they are supplemented by small round horizontal handles on the shoulders. The vessels all vary in height, rim diameter, and base width.

660 See Fig. 5.21.

661 See the definitions above in the discussion of Matt-Painted Ware.

662 While Blegen does not list PRO 15 (no. 1048 from Tomb 25) as polychrome, Shelton

states that it is (1996, 36; Kim Shelton, personal communication). 170

The decoration of MYC 37 is indeterminable, while that of MYC 38 consists of red bands

around the rim and the base of the neck and a red band framed by a black band in the

handle zone. PRO 15 has vertical bands from the upper handle area down to horizontal

bands around the belly.663 PRO 16 consists of a red band framed by black lines around neck, triple and quadruple pendant semicircles hanging from the band (cf. Buck Motif

88), four lines in black between the upper handles, and black lines bordering a red band

around the belly between the lower handles. PRO 17 has a red band framed by black

lines around the neck, a vertical red band with two black lines on each side descending

from the neck band to a band around belly comprised of black lines outlining a red band,

and two linked semicircles originating from under the small round horizontal handle on

the shoulder and consisting of red bands framed by black lines. Finally, the decoration of

PRO 18 is a red band framed by black lines with black dots immediately below (cf. Buck

Motif 59), a red band with black lines around the shoulder with one additional black line

on both sides, and black lines outlining a red band on the belly.664

Type B

Since only seven sherds have been identified, little as yet may be written about Type B of

Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted Ware.665 The hues of the fabric, which may have a

663 What color the bands are is not provided by Blegen.

664 According to Walberg, open and closed vessels in Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted

Ware were found in the new excavations at Midea, and all appear to be of Type A (Gisela

Walberg, personal communication).

665 ASI 7, which is from a krater, may be Type B. 171

core of Pinkish Grey (7.5YR 6/2) or Pink (7.5YR 7/4), vary between 7.5YR and 2.5Y;

the values and chromae, however, range only from 6/4 and 7/4. The overall colors are

Pink, Very Pale Brown, and Pale Yellow. The inclusion density is “occasional” to

“some,” and the size is fine to coarse in each example. The colors are black, grey, white,

and dark red, and they are round.

The color of the surfaces is a key visual difference between Type A and Type B, and is a

consistent 10YR 7/3-8/3 or 2.5Y 7/3-8/3, Very Pale Brown or Pale Yellow respectively.

The paint is another difference. Rather than Black, 7.5YR 3/1-5/1, Dark Grey-Grey

appears, and rather than a red, 7.5YR 4/4-5/6 or 7/6 – Brown-Strong Brown or Reddish

Yellow – is used. Because of the heavy ware on the majority of the sherds, the surface

treatment cannot be determined for each sherd, although they were probably burnished;

TSO 11, an open shape, was burnished on both the interior and exterior. The vessels

were either hand-built or wheel-thrown.

Aside from LER 70 and TSO 10, the remainder, LER 71-73 and KOR 42 and 43 are

small but relatively thick body sherds, and so the shape to which they belong cannot be determined; because of their size, they most likely belonged to large jars. Their decoration also, for the most part, consists of a medium band in brown/reddish yellow outlined by dark grey/grey lines. LER 70 comes from a small jug although the decoration is simply one medium band framed by two narrow bands. TSO 10 is from a krater with a flat rim and a large round horizontal handle. The decoration consists of a framed band

under the rim, vertical wavy lines under the handle, and two framed bands with hatched triangles between. 172

Almost all of the shapes of Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted can be dated to LH I

through association with LH I Mycenaean Decorated. Of the Type A open shapes, the

semiglobular cup and the goblet/krater definitely appear with LH I Mycenaean Decorated

as do the beaked-spouted and vertical-spouted jugs and the stamnoi of the closed shapes.

All of the Type B examples also appear in contexts with LH I Mycenaean Decorated.

Furthermore, in the northeastern Peloponnese, the ware as a whole does not continue into

LH IIA, although it does so in other regions.666 Therefore, as with Mycenaean

Decorated, Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted securely dates a context to LH I.

FINE ORANGE WARE

As defined in this system, Fine Orange Ware differs little from that described by Dietz,

although he provides virtually no information about the fabric.667 Because I have not personally examined any examples, I cannot provide any fabric information. However,

Dickinson has speculated that this ware, in fact, may be undecorated Mainland

Polychrome Matt-Painted ware, and if so, the fabric would be the same.668

Three examples have been published - MYC 39 and 40, and MYL 6. Standing 6.5 cm

tall, MYC 39 is a kantharos with a short everted rim 11.0 cm in diameter, a semiglobular

666 See Appendix II for a review of the presence of the ware beyond the Argolid and

Korinthia.

667 ATMA, 32, 214-215.

668 Oliver Dickinson, personal communication. Others, such as Davis and Galanaki,

concur (Jack Davis, Ioanna Galanaki, personal communications). 173

body, a ring base 4.8 cm in diamter, and two square-sectioned high-swung handles reaching from the upper rim to the upper belly. MYC 40 is also a kantharos but is taller at 10.2 cm tall; it features a flaring rim 15.3-15.6 cm in diameter, a double conical body, a flat base 6.6-7.1 cm wide, and two square-sectioned triangular handles attached at the rim and the middle of the body.669 MYL 6 is a globular jug, 14.5 cm in height, with a

cutaway cylindrical spout, a flat base, and a strap handle reaching from the base of the

spout to the shoulder.670

While the same information about the date of this ware would apply if it is indeed undecorated Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted, the presence of MYC 40 with LH I

Mycenaean Decorated in Grave Omicron places that example of Fine Orange Ware firmly in LH I. As only three examples have been identified, however, definitively dating the ware to LH I as a whole must wait until more pieces have been found.

669 See Fig. 5.23. Dietz believes that the shapes of MYC 39 and 40 are closely related to

Thessalian vessels (ATMA, 214).

670 See Fig. 5.24. Dietz and Divari-Valakou (1990) do not provide a diameter for the

base. Dietz notes that this shape is also not Argive in origin; on the basis of the fabric

and surface treatment, he believes a central Greek origin is possible (ATMA, 214). This

could support the notion that this ware is simply an undecorated version of Mainland

Polychrome Matt-Painted. 174

WHITE ON BURNISHED DARK WARE

Blegen appears to have been the first to identify White on Burnished Dark and did so at

Korakou.671 He assigned it to his Class D and subcategorized it DI, which is the light-on- dark variety of his “Mainland Ware Corresponding to Fabrics of the Third Middle

Minoan Period.”672 The ware fell into French’s White on Lustrous Dark category, and

Davis labeled it Lustrous Painted, Light on Dark in his study.673 Rutter has called it Light

on Dark-slipped-and-burnished at Tsoungiza, while Zerner first used Polychrome Matt-

Painted before changing to Matt-Painted: Bichrome on Slipped and Burnished.674

Deitz’s label of White on Burnished Dark Ware is what is utilized here.

The fracture color is often 5YR 6/6-7/4 or 7.5YR 7/4-7/6, Reddish Yellow-Pink or Pink.

The value and chromae rarely deviate more than one step in either direction. The fabric contains “occasional” to “some” fine to medium inclusions that are typically white, although grey and red appear as well; they are round in shape.

The exterior surfaces of closed vessels and both surfaces of open ones are painted, and the colors vary between 2.5YR and 7.5YR in hue, and 3/1 and 4/6 in value/chroma. The prevailing but not dominant colors are Dusky Red, Very Dark Brown, Dark Reddish

Brown, Reddish Brown, Reddish Yellow, and Very Dark Grey. The surfaces are

671 Korakou, 32-33.

672 Korakou, 32.

673 PPGCG, 36; Davis 1979, 240.

674 Rutter, 1989, 3; Zerner 1986, 60; 1993, 44. She states that her latter title is “the most

fitting” (Zerner 1993, 53 n. 23). 175

subsequently burnished, often to a high luster, and matt White paint is then applied. The interior of open vessels may be wiped. All of the vessels appear to be hand-built.

The vessels of White on Burnished Dark are small, and the two basic shapes are cups and

jugs. The cups include the “Vapheio” and semiglobular type. The “Vapheio” example is

KOR 44 which has a flaring, slightly ridged rim to a flat base.675 It is decorated with a

white rim band below the ridge, double pendant semicircles with central dots (Buck

Motif 88) in white hanging from the band with three white bands immediately below, and

two bands around base.

Semiglobular cups come from Tsoungiza (TSO 12) and Lerna (LER 74-76). The shapes

are essentially FS 211, although the overall measurements cannot be compared since

TSO 12 is a rim, LER 74 and 75 are rims with vertical strap handles attached, and LER

76 is simply a rim.676 TSO 12 does not have any distinctive motif, only a simple band

under the rim. LER 74 has the same band, and hanging from it are single pendant

semicircles with central dots (Buck Motif 86); a white vertical band is on the handle.

LER 75 appears to be decorated in the same fashion. LER 76 has a band below the rim,

but in the place of pendant semicircles is a running spiral (Buck Motif 112).677

675 The vessel is not a true Vapheio cup because it lacks a midrib, but since the profile is

flared, it is not straight-sided either. Therefore, I have labeled it a “Vapheio cup.”

676 The rim diameters of LER 74 (10.0 cm), LER 76 (12.0 cm) and TSO 11 (15.0 cm) all fall within the range of Mycenaean Decorated Semiglobular cups.

677 According to Walberg, the new excavations at Midea have produced three sherds of open vessels that are probably cups (Gisela Walberg, personal communication). 176

The closed shapes, with one exception, are all jugs. MYC 41 and 42, TSO 13-16, and

KOR 45 all belong to the same shape, which consists of an everted rim on a conical neck,

a biconical body, a flat base, and a vertical strap handle that attaches at the rim and upper

body.678 Because only MYC 41 and 42 are complete, the usual height of these jugs

cannot be determined; MYC 41 is 8.0-8.2 cm tall, while MYC 42 is 6.0 cm.679 The rim

diameters of these two jugs range between 3.0 and 8.0 cm, and the bases are around 2.5

to 4.0 cm wide.

All of the jugs have a white band at the base of the neck, although the decoration on the upper body varies. MYC 41 and 42 have rosettes and white bands around the middle;

MYC 41 has parallel white vertical bands on the handle. TSO 13 has a running spiral.

(Buck Motif 111?)680 KOR 45 is a nearly complete example, and the decoration consists

of groups of white vertical lines alternating with double semicircles with dots (the inverse

of Buck Motif 88) all occupying the area between the neck band and the belly band.681 A white vertical band decorates the handle which also has a vertical “rivet.”682

678 LER 77 may belong to this shape as well. The new Midea excavations may have

produced a jug (Gisela Walberg, personal communication).

679 See Fig. 5.25 for MYC 42.

680 TSO 13-15 are, respectively, two rims with necks and a base. The base has a white

band around it. See Fig. 5.25 for TSO 13.

681 See Fig. 5.25.

682 These “rivets” appear to be an important LH I feature (see Rutter 1989, 11). 177

The other closed shape is known from a single example. MYC 43 is a jar, 18.5 cm tall,

and has a flaring rim measuring 11.5 cm wide, a conical neck, a globular body, a flat base

approximately 6.0 cm wide, two round horizontal handles on the belly, and two round

vertical handles on the shoulder.683 It is decorated with perpendicular dashes on the rim in groups of three, two lines on the neck, two lines on the upper body with double semicircles above, and the same but with triple semicircles on the lower body in the handle zone.

As with Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted, associations with LH I Mycenaean

Decorated appear to date White on Burnished Dark to LH I only.684 All of the open shapes were found with it as well as four of the seven jugs and the jar; jug TSO 13 may be associated with LH I Mycenaean Decorated by extension. Greater sampling should confirm this date.

MATT-PAINTED PINK AND WHITE WARE

Zerner first identified this ware at Lerna.685 Also known as Strawberries and Cream,

which she asserts is the most descriptive name, as well as White Slipped Pink Ware by

Dietz, the fabric, according to Zerner, is “very distinctive.”686 She states that the fracture

683 See Fig. 5.26.

684 Dietz lists two sherds in an MH IIIB context at Asine, but this attribution is doubtful;

see Chapter 6 below (ATMA, 71 fig. 18).

685 Zerner 1986, 68.

686 Zerner 1993, 55 n. 51; ATMA, 30-31; Zerner 1986, 68. 178

colors vary between 2.5YR 6/8, Light Red, to 7.5YR 7/4, Pink; occasionally, a grey core

is present.687 Inclusions are “abundant” and may be fine to large round white grits,

although “some” dark red and silver sparkling inclusions also can appear.688 The surface exhibits a substantial white slip that is either white or 7.5YR 8/2, Pinkish White.689

While matt paint is present, Zerner does not provide any other details about it.690 The surfaces may be burnished.691 As I could not personally examine any specific examples,

I cannot provide more information about the ware.

RED SILVER MICACEOUS WARE

A relatively rare ware at Lerna but quite common at Ayios Stephanos and Kastri on

Kythera, Red Silver Micaceous also appears at Mycenae.692 Recent analyses indicate that

687 Zerner 1986, 68.

688 Zerner 1986, 68; 1993, 48.

689 Zerner 1986, 68.

690 In her 1986 article, she lists Dark on Light, Bichrome, and possibly Polychrome

decoration as well as Matt-Paint (Zerner 1986, 68). In her 1993 publication, however,

she lists only Matt-Paint (Zerner 1993, 48).

691 Zerner 1986, 68; 1993, 48.

692 Zerner 1993, 47; Transition, 11; Kythera, 139-140; Circle B, 193, 194. Zerner calls

the technological group to which the ware belongs Red Silver Micaceous, and I adopt

that name in this study. 179

the ware was probably produced in Lakonia, although a Kytheran origin cannot be

excluded entirely.693

The fabric, which is Medium/Coarse for both large and small vessels, often has a core of

2.5YR 4/1 or 5/1, Dark Reddish Grey or Reddish Grey, between a biscuit of 2.5YR 4/4 to

5/6, Reddish Brown to Red. The inclusions consist almost entirely of “massive” amounts

of silver sparkling grits which suffuse the fabric. Black, grey, and white inclusions which

are round also are found, and the particle size ranges from fine to granule.

The surface colors are the same as the outer biscuit, and although the surfaces of smaller vessels exhibit burnishing, larger vessels may be unburnished. The vessels of Red Silver

Micaceous may be hand-built, especially the smaller shapes, or wheel-thrown, especially the larger shapes.

Five examples of the ware come from Lerna, LER 78-82, and two from Mycenae, MYC

44 and 45.694

LER 78 and 79 are small bowls/cups. The first, comprised of a rim sherd, the base, and

various body pieces, consists of a slightly flaring rim which measures 13.0 cm in

diameter and a flat base 5.0 cm wide. LER 79 is the flat base, 3.0 cm wide, of a bowl/cup

with a similar profile to LER 78. LER 80 is a spout, probably from a spouted bowl/cup;

it contains traces of burning.

693 Jones’ appendix in Demakopoulou 1993 (Demakopoulou 1993, 79).

694 According to Walberg, Red Silver Micaceous was found in the new excavations at

Midea (Gisela Walberg, personal communication). 180

LER 81 presents the complete profile of a straight-sided cup. The straight rim appears to

be 7.0 cm in diameter, and the flat (possibly beveled) base is 3.0 cm. The rim and handle

from a kantharos, LER 82, is the final example from Lerna. The handle is a high swung vertical strap characteristic of the shape.

The two large examples of the ware come from Mycenae. The first, MYC 44, is a

bridge-spouted jar, 26.4 cm in height, with a flattened rim measuring 8.6 cm, a short

cylindrical neck, an ovoid body, a splayed flat base 9.2-9.3 cm in diameter, and two

opposing vertical strap handles attached at the rim and the shoulder.695 MYC 45,

standing 18.5 cm tall, is a globular jar with a flared rim 18.8-19.0 cm wide, a globular

body, a hollowed cylindrical foot 7.6 cm wide, and two round horizontal handles placed

on the shoulder.696

This ware occurs in early Middle Minoan contexts on Kythera.697 How early it appears in

the Argolid and Korinthia cannot be determined yet, but it definitely appears in LH I and

continues beyond LH I.698

695 See Fig. 5.27.

696 See Fig. 5.27. Supporting the Kytheran origin of this ware is a close parallel of MYC

47 found at Kastri (Kythera 139 n. 58, fig. 44:58). While this vessel, like MYC 47, was

manufactured in a coarse fabric, the surface was slightly burnished, unlike the Mycenae

example.

697 Kythera, 139.

698 From Tomb V at Kokla, Demakopoulou has published a deep semiglobular spouted cup with one strap handle and a flat base (Demakopoulou 1993, 64, pl. 8:28). The profile 181

RED SLIPPED AND BURNISHED WARE

French first separated the Red Slipped and Burnished vessels into Mainland and Aigina

types.699 Unfortunately, neither he nor anyone else provides much more information

about the ware, and what information that is available is often contradictory.700 French

states, in regard to the fabric, that the cores of the vessels “are usually red.”701 Dietz, in

contrast, writes that the biscuit, which is 5YR 7/6 Reddish Yellow, has a grey core.702

While both agree that the ware has a slip that fires red, French indicates that the surfaces were “highly burnished” in contrast to Dietz’s “slightly burnished.”703 Finally, French

of this vessel and the spout are quite similar to LER 78-80. Also from LH IIA, according to Dietz, is a “vast amount” of Red Silver Mica sherds from the Upper Citadel at Tiryns; this material is apparently unpublished (ATMA, 32).

699 PPGCG, 25-27. See also Tiryns V, 25-26, 28.

700 Zerner briefly discusses the Red Slipped and Burnished fabrics in her dissertation, but

primarily focuses on the MH shapes and the Aiginetan fabric (Zerner 1978, 148-150).

701 PPGCG, 25.

702 ATMA, 31.

703 PPGCG, 25; ATMA, 31. The two do not entirely agree on the color of the slip which

Dietz states is 10YR 5/6 Yellowish Brown. He further notes that a “black variant” is known. 182

believes that the vessels are “wheelmade;” Dietz indicates that hand-made and “wheel-

made” vessels are found.704

In his 1980 publication of Asine, Dietz identified two pieces that he assigned to French’s

Red Slipped and Burnished mainland type.705 ASI 6 comes from an open vessel, is 14.0

cm in diameter, and has a “fine-tempered fabric” that is 7.5YR 7/4, Pink, in color.706 The exterior surface is slipped, and the fired color is 5YR 6/8 Reddish Yellow.707 The sherd

is burnished and was wheel-thrown. In general, Dietz believes that goblets are the

common shape.708 I cannot discuss more about this ware until I have personally

examined examples.709

UNPAINTED WARE

As Davis observed, “undecorated pottery of [LH I] has received little attention.”710 For this study, Unpainted Ware consists of all pottery produced that lacks decoration of any

704 PPGCG, 25; ATMA, 31.

705 Asine II.2, 125, 128 fig. 122:269. As the two are virtually identical, only one is

catalogued and described here.

706 Asine II.2, 126.

707 Asine II.2, 126.

708 ATMA, 31.

709 According to Walberg, Red Slipped and Burnished was found in the new excavations

at Midea (Gisela Walberg, personal communication).

710 Davis 1979, 255. 183

sort and cannot be categorized as another ware. The sherds/vessels of Fine Orange Ware,

Red Silver Mica Ware, and Red Slipped and Burnished Ware all exhibit certain

characteristics that link them, while numerous other pieces that lack paint do not. I have

separated the Unpainted Ware into three fabrics: Fine, Medium/Coarse, and Kitchen

Ware. While Kitchen Ware could receive its own, independent classification and has in

other studies, I have placed it here simply because it lacks paint.711

Fine

The fine fabric of unpainted may be divided into two subcategories.712 The first is

Unpainted Mycenaean, and the fabric of these vessels is identical to Mycenaean

Decorated as are the major shapes. I have not identified any clear examples of Unpainted

Mycenaean in the pottery I have personally examined, but examples may exist at Kokla

(KOK 7), Mycenae (MYC 46 and 47), and Prosymna (PRO 19 and 20). Demakopoulou

describes KOK 7 as “highly polished,” and although she states that the interior is

“carelessly slipped,” the shape is a perfect example of the Type III Vapheio cup.713 This cup could date to LH IIA however. MYC 46 and 47 are semiglobular cups which resemble FS 212 in both form and shape. PRO 19 and 20, jugs, are plain varieties of FS

111a discussed in Chapter 3.

711 Dietz, for example, places it in a separate category (ATMA, 31).

712 Other than decoration, Unpainted differs from Matt-Painted because the fine fabric of

Unpainted can be divided into two different types.

713 Demokopoulou 1993, 60. 184

The other fine fabric is simply a fine fabric that resembles the fabrics of Matt-Painted.

The colors of the fracture vary widely as do the inclusions except that the inclusion size

does not exceed coarse. The surface colors range considerably, although Pinks and Very

Pale Browns are common. The treatment of the surfaces may include burnishing,

polishing, wiping, or nothing, and the vessels are either hand-built or wheel-thrown.

Popular open shapes are those already described above, particularly in Matt-Painted.

Cups of all shapes and sizes are common; the “Vapheio” type and the one-handled types

are especially widespread. Examples include LER 83-88, KOR 46-47, TSO 17.714 KOR

48-51 are shallow bowls of various sizes, and MYC 48 is a spouted bowl.715 Dippers are

known from Tsoungiza (TSO 18-20) and maybe Lerna (LER 88 could also be a cup).716

KOR 52-54 and LER 89 are goblets of different sizes. Kantharoi are represented by

KOR 55, LER 90, and MYC 50 and 51, and TSO 21 while LER 91 and 92 are miniature varieties.717 Kraters and basins exist in a fine Unpainted fabric as well; see KOR 56 for

a krater, KOR 60 for a basin, and KOR 57-59 for examples that could be either. KOR 61

and LER 93 are hole-mouthed jars.

714 LER 84 is a conical cup which, while ubiquitous on Crete and at several sites in the

Cyclades, is quite rare on the mainland.

715 See Fig. 5.28 for MYC 48; note the two “rivets.”

716 See Fig. 5.29 for TSO 18 and 19.

717 See Fig. 5.30 for TSO 21. 185

Closed shapes differ little from previously discussed pieces. Askoi of two distinct types

are represented by MYC 52 and 53.718 Jugs, specifically with beaked-spouts and cutaway

necks, are known from Mycenae (MYC 54) and Tsoungiza (TSO 22 and 23)

respectively.719 Other types also exist (KOR 62, TSO 24, LER 94 and 95, and MYC

55).720 Finally, TSO 25 is an alabastron, and MYC 56-59 are examples of

amphoriskoi.721

Medium/Coarse

Larger vessels appear in medium/coarse fabric. The fabric is also quite similar to the

Matt-Painted Ware fabrics discussed above, but Unpainted – Medium/Coarse differs in that open shapes may appear in a medium fabric. Goblets are known from KOR 63, TSO

26-27, LER 96-98, and MYC 60.722 TSO 28-30 are kantharoi, TSO 31 is a krater, and

MYC 61 is a bridge-spouted jar.723

The jars of the amphora/hydria/stamnos types are in either medium or coarse fabrics.

MYC 62 and 63 are hydriai, while KOR 64 is an unidentifiable jar.724

718 See Fig. 5.31.

719 See Figs. 5.32 and 5.33 respectively.

720 See Fig. 5.34 for MYC 55.

721 See Figs. 5.35 for TSO 25 and 5.36 for MYC 58.

722 See Fig. 5.37 for MYC 60 and TSO 26.

723 See Figs. 5.38 for TSO 28, 5.39 for TSO 31, and 5.40 for MYC 61.

724 See Fig. 5.41 for MYC 63. 186

Kitchen Ware

Locally produced and imported Aiginetan Kitchen Ware exhibit similar morphological

characteristics, although, as Rutter notes, they do differ “in several minor respects.”725

One of the most distinctive differences is the fabric. The fabric of the local cooking pots is quite uniform. The colors tend to be 5YR 3/1, Very Dark Grey, or 10YR 4/1-6/1, Dark

Grey-Grey. Inclusions are “massive” amounts of fine to granule/pebble size grits that are black, grey, white, and dark red in color and round and angular in shape.

The surface colors cluster around 5YR 5/3-5/4, Reddish Brown, and 10YR 6/3-7/4-8/2,

Pale Brown-Very Pale Brown. The exteriors of all the vessels are slipped and burnished or wiped, while the interiors appear burnished in a few cases. The vessels are always built by hand.726

Examples include TSO 32-35 and LER 99-104.727 TSO 32 and 33 are particularly important because they are complete.728 The vessels stand 25.7-27.0 cm and 34.7 cm tall

respectively. They have flared rims, measuring 19.5 and 27.5-28.0 cm and globular to

conical bodies that taper to splayed concave bases. TSO 32 has a single vertical strap

725 Rutter 1989, 11.

726 Dietz states that they are unslipped and may be wheel-thrown (ATMA, 31). All of the

examples that I studied were both slipped and hand-built.

727 Another example of this shape is a small pale-fired vessel from Ayia Irini in the

Korinthia. It is considerably smaller than the examples listed here.

728 See Fig. 5.42. 187 handle that attaches at the rim and the upper body, while TSO 33 has two round horizontal handles on the upper body.

Excluding Unpainted Mycenaean, no specific shapes can be clearly dated to LH I.

However, continued work, especially with Kitchen Ware, could identify specific LH I shapes.

AIGINETAN GROUP

In her dissertation, Zerner noted that two wares, Red Slipped and Burnished and Matt-

Painted, had what she labeled a “Gold Mica Fabric.”729 She fully described the ware in her 1986 article, in which she explained all of the wares in which the fabric was manufactured – Matt-Painted, Polychrome Matt-Painted, Red Slipped and Burnished,

Plain, and Kitchen – and observed that many vessels of the latter ware were marked in some fashion.730 More importantly, macroscopic and petrographic analyses indicated that

Aigina was most likely the center of production, and Zerner suggested Kolonna in particular.731 Further study has proven her correct. While she initially labeled the fabric

729 Zerner 1978, 148-150, 156-158. She also mentions that this fabric was fashioned into plain vessels (Zerner 1978, 158).

730 Zerner 1986, 64-66. See Lindblom 2001 for a comprehensive study of these marks.

731 Zerner 1986, 65-66. 188

Aiginetan Gold Mica, she and others now simply call it Aiginetan.732 Since the same

fabric is used for several wares, I have designated Aiginetan a group in this study.

The fabric of the vessels often has a Grey (5YR 6/1) core. The biscuit colors range in

hue between 5YR and 7.5YR, but the most common values and chromae are 6/4-6/6,

providing overall colors of Light Brown to Reddish Yellow. The value and chroma is

usually no more than one step away from these colors.

“Some” inclusions are found, although “many” occur as well. The sizes are fine to coarse/very coarse, and the shape and color is a uniform round and angular black, grey, white, and gold sparkling. This last inclusion color is visible in coarse/very coarse platelets and is one of the key diagnostic characteristics of the fabric. Since the surface treatments and decoration vary by ware, I describe them in each ware below.

Matt-Painted Ware

In LH I, large jars, especially hydriai and stamnoi, are the dominant shapes of Aiginetan

Matt-Painted Ware vessels.733 As with the Matt-Painted large jars, the typical external

surface color is Light Grey (2.5Y 7/2) although Very Pale Brown (10YR 7/3-8/3) also

occurs. The internal colors reflect the biscuit colors. The paint is 2.5Y 3/1-4/1, Very

Dark Grey-Grey.

732 Zerner 1988, i, 1-5; 1993, 48-50. In her 1988 article, she provides a catalogue of

shapes for the fabric (Zerner 1988, 1-5, figs. 1-23).

733 See Matt-Painted Ware above for the defining characteristics of these vessels. 189

The exteriors of the vessels are wiped as are the interiors of the necks. The wiping on the

interiors tends to be uneven; in certain cases, the interior of the upper body is also wiped.

All of the vessels are hand-built.

In form, the Aiginetan jars resemble their mainland counterparts. LER 105 and 106 and

MYC 64 are hydriai, while MYC 65 is a stamnos.734 LER 107 and 108 and KOR 64-72

are rims and rims with necks of either shape. The rims are squared and flat, and the neck

is a tall cylinder.735 The bodies of these vessels are globular in the upper body and conical from the handle zone to the flat base. Two round horizontal handles sit on the body just below the shoulder. The typical decoration includes interior and exterior rim bands, a band around the base of the neck, and bands in the main handle zone; around each handle is a Figure-8 motif. MYC 64 and 65 have unusually elaborate decorative schemes.

734 See Figs. 5.43 and 5.44 for MYC 64 and 65. According to Walberg, sherds of

Aiginetan Matt-Painted, Aiginetan Polychrome Matt-Painted, and Aiginetan Red Slipped

and Burnished were found in the new excavations at Midea (Gisela Walberg, personal

communication).

735 Typical rim diameters range between 13.0 to 15.0 cm; the stamnos from Mycenae has

a rim diameter of 20.5 cm. 190

Polychrome Matt-Painted Ware

French differentiated the Aiginetan type of Polychrome Matt-Painted from the Mainland version before the place of manufacture had been discovered.736 Other scholars, such as

Davis, were quickly able to identify vessels of this ware.737 The prominent shape is the krater.

The surfaces of the kraters are usually slipped, and the exterior colors are almost exclusively 7.5YR 7/4 to 10YR 7/4-8/4, Pink to Very Pale Brown. The interior color varies a few steps in value and chroma from these colors. The paint is relatively uniform.

The “black” color is actually 2.5YR 3/1-5YR 4/1, Very Dark Grey to Dark Grey, and the

“red” tends to be 5YR 4/4, Reddish Brown.

In contrast to the Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted vessels, the Aiginetan is burnished but unevenly or to a low luster. The vessels may be either hand-built or wheel-thrown.

Kraters are represented by LER 109-119, TIR 4, and KOR 73-86. LER 109 is a typical example. It has a squared, flat rim, a deep globular/conical body, a torus base, and two round horizontal handles on the upper body. It also has a bridged spout.738 The torus base tends to be marked in various fashions.739

736 PPGCG, 35.

737 Davis 1979, 241, 258-259.

738 All of the kraters may be spouted, but without the spout, a vessel should be classified only as a krater. The rims of these kraters occasionally exhibit grooves. On the top, the groove tends be wide and shallow; on the front, the groove is narrow and deep.

739 See Lindblom 2001 mentioned above. 191

The krater tends to be decorated in a standardized fashion. The Reddish Brown paint

covers the interior and the exterior of the rim, and below the rim is a Very Dark Grey-

Grey band. In the handle zone is a pair of wavy lines with the grey above the red; these

bands merge with the band under the rim at the spout, when present, and a grey band is

painted around the spout. A Figure-8 in grey is found around the handles, and a band in

the same color decorates the area immediately above the base.

In addition to the typical krater are the large jars TSO 36 and 37. TSO 36 is a stamnos

with an additional small round vertical handle on the shoulder.740 The typical decoration

of these vessels suggests that an interior and exterior rim band and a band around the base existed on the now missing rim and neck of TSO 36, and, in fact, TSO 37 has a red band between two black at the base of the neck. There are bands in the main handle zone of

TSO 36 and the black bands frame the red; around the handles are Figure-8 motifs all in

black. TSO 36 also had a band beneath the upper handles and, again, black bands

outlined a red band. Hanging from the handle were six “drops.”

740 See Fig. 5.45. The other handle on the opposite side has not been preserved. While

this vessel could be labeled a four-handled jar, I categorize it as a stamnos. It is not a

hydria because the two small round vertical handles exist on the shoulder and are not

connected to the rim and shoulder. 192

Red Slipped and Burnished Ware

As with Aiginetan Polychrome Matt-Painted, French was the first to separate Aiginetan

Red Slipped and Burnished from the mainland ware, and others adopted this

distinction.741 The two-handled goblet and the krater are the typical shapes.

The vessels are solidly painted, inside and out, with a 2.5YR 3/4-4/6, Dark Reddish

Brown-Reddish Brown-Red or 5YR 3/1-5/1, Very Dark Grey- Dark Grey-Grey paint.742

The surfaces are burnished to a high luster before firing. The vessels are hand-built.

The goblets have an everted rim measuring between 18.0 and 25.0 cm in diameter, a globular body, a short stem, and a splayed concave to hollowed base that is 8.0 to 10.0 cm wide. Two vertical strap handles attach at the rim and the belly. Aiginetan Red

Slipped and Burnished goblets are represented by LER 120-124, KOR 87-88, and TSO

38.

Kraters come from Asine (ASI 7) and Tiryns (TIR 5-6). The shape and measurements of the krater are the same as the Aiginetan Polychrome Matt-Painted kraters. The diameters of the rims range between 16.0 and 30.0 cm wide.

741 PPGCG, 26-27; see, for example, Davis who labeled it Dark Coated but noted the

resemblance (Davis 1979, 241 n. 23).

742 Because of the dark color variety, Lindblom suggests the term Painted and Burnished

(2001, 32). While this is more descriptive, Red Slipped and Burnished is the commonly

used term, and so I retain it in the proposed classification system. 193

Unpainted Ware

The fabric of the Aiginetan Unpainted is the same as the Aiginetan Matt-Painted. The

surface treatments and formation methods also are identical, except that the surfaces are

not decorated with paint.

Fine

As I have not identified any examples of Unpainted Aiginetan Ware with a fine fabric

either personally or in the publications, I cannot provide a description of it at the present

time. One possible reason for this lack of examples is that none were imported to the

Greek mainland.

Medium/Coarse

The vessels TSO 39 and 40 represent an undecorated hydria and large jar in medium

fabric. While TSO 40 may, in fact, come from the undecorated part of a Matt-Painted jar,

TSO 39 – which consists of a partial rim, neck, and shoulder – lacks the characteristic decoration of an Aiginetan Matt-Painted hydria. The shape, however, is the same as are its dimensions.

Kitchen Ware

Cooking pots of Aiginetan fabric are known from Korakou (KOR 89-90), Tsoungiza

(TSO 41-44), Mycenae (MYC 66), and Lerna (LER 127-137); TSO 41, MYC 66, and

LER 125 are typical examples of the shape.743 The fabric of the ware, which often has a

Very Dark Grey (7.5YR 3/1) or Dark Grey (7.5YR 4/1) core, often has a 7.5YR 5/2-5/4 or 6/3 biscuit, Brown or Light Brown. The inclusions are the same as the other Aiginetan

743 See Fig. 5.46 for MYC 66 and TSO 41. 194

wares except that the density is usually “many,” and the size increases to granule in

certain examples.

The colors of the vessel surfaces are usually the same as the biscuit, although mottling in

several colors is known.744 The surfaces are always wiped, both inside and out, and the

vessels are always hand-built.745

The vessels appear to come in two sizes. MYC 66 stands 14.5 cm tall, while TSO 41 is

28.1-29.3 cm in height.746 Both sizes have wide mouths and everted rims, globular/conical bodies, splayed flat bases, and vertical round handles that reach from the shoulder just below the rim to the upper body. The rim diameters of the smaller variety range between 11.0 and 18.0 cm, and the larger between 20.0 and 28.0 cm. The bases of the smaller measure 4.5 to 8.0 cm, the larger 16.0 to 20.0 cm. The bases of all vessels tend to be marked.

Aiginetan vessels first appear at Lerna at the beginning of the MH period; presumably,

they spread throughout the northeastern Peloponnese during the period.747 Certain

vessels in specific wares, however, are not imported until LH I. The Polychrome Matt-

Painted kraters appear to be LH I only through association with LH I Mycenaean

744 Rutter 1989, 9-10.

745 Dietz states that they are “always wheelmade” (ATMA, 33). No examples I studied

showed the use of a wheel, and, as Rutter notes, although the wiping striations “resemble

wheelmarks,” the vessels are “unmistakably handmade” (Rutter 1989, 9).

746 LER 125 is approximately the same size as the Tsoungiza pot.

747 Zerner 1988, i. 195

Decorated as are the kraters and goblet of Red Slipped and Burnished. Additional

research may refine the dating of these wares as well as Aiginetan Kitchen Ware.

In this chapter, I have presented my classification system and described each of the

components – wares or groups of wares – which comprise it. In general, my definitions

for Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted Type A, Fine Orange, Matt-Painted Pink and

White, Red Silver Micaceous, Red Slipped and Burnished, and the wares of the Aiginetan

Group differ little from those discussed by Dietz and Zerner. Matt-Painted also remains

essentially unchanged from the common definition employed by most scholars.

My definition for Minyan, however, is more restrictive. The True variety for both Grey

and Yellow should have a finely-tempered fabric and a highly-burnished surface, and

vessels comprised of it ought to be wheel-thrown. The Grainy variety also should have a

finely-tempered fabric and exhibit burnishing, but the inclusions are more noticeable, and

the burnishing does not produce the same degree of luster; furthermore, the vessels may

be either hand-built or wheel-thrown.

My system also differs in that I place Mycenaean Decorated among the Lustrous

Decorated Group. Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted has a new type, Type B, which differs in fabric, surface treatment, and decoration from Type A. Finally, Unpainted contains both the unpainted fabrics that closely resemble those found in Matt-Painted as well as the undecorated fabric that appears in Mycenaean Decorated vessels.

While none of the wares can be described in the detail that is possible for Mycenaean

Decorated, the discussion of each ware individually - rather than as “the other wares” - should not only promote the notion of individual wares but also remind scholars that 196

Mycenaean Decorated is simply one of many as several scholars have observed. This reminder has consequences beyond a shift in attitude toward the wares. In fact, the relative chronology of the Shaft Grave Period is affected, and to that discussion I now turn. 197

CHAPTER 6: THE APPLICATION OF THE PROPOSED CLASSIFICATION

SYSTEM: THE CASES OF ASINE, LERNA, AND MYCENAE

The purpose of this chapter is to demonstrate the efficacy and advantages of my proposed classification system over previous schemes. To achieve this end, I apply the system presented in Chapter 5 to the three case studies presented in Chapter 4. For each, I re- examine the material studied previously. I then present a revised relative chronology based on my system.748 A conclusion follows.

ASINE

As noted in Chapter 4, White on Burnished Dark Ware and Aiginetan Polychrome Matt-

Painted Ware both first appear in MH IIIB according to Dietz.749 They are followed in

LH IA by the first appearance of Dietz’s Lustrous Decorated Ware – Argive and

Polychrome Mainland Ware.750 Yet an examination of the specific sherds which Dietz

uses to justify these dates demonstrates that the dates may not be as secure as they

appear.

Of the areas in trenches LT-E and LT-EII in the Lower Town at Asine, Dietz only lists one area, LT-EII Upper, in which MH IIIA to LH IA pottery appears in a continuously

748 I do not discuss absolute chronology; for this, see Kuniholm, et. al. 1996, Manning

1995, and Warren and Hankey 1989.

749 ATMA, 70.

750 ATMA, 92. 198

stratified context.751 The sherds which Dietz catalogues as MH IIIA, MH IIIB, and LH

IA reveal that only slightly more than half labeled MH IIIA come from pottery boxes attributed to LT-EII Upper.752 For MH IIIB, the number is less than half.753 LH IA

material, according to Dietz, appears in only nine total boxes, and while eight of those are from LT-EII, none are apparently from the Upper area of that trench.754 Therefore,

contrary to his figure 4 and a later statement to the effect, LT-EII Upper does not contain

a continuous stratified sequence from MH IIIA to LH IA.

751 ATMA, 39 fig. 4, 40-41. He does not list any areas in which his MH II Late and Final appear in a stratified context.

752 Of the 765 sherds he dates to MH IIIA (excluding one “early Mycenaean,” one “late

Mycenaean,” three Geometric, two Hellenistic, and one Hellenistic lamp), he catalogues

sixty-four (ATMA, 58-70). From these sixty-four, only thirty-five (55%) come from the

seven boxes he attributes to LT-EII Upper (ATMA, 41). Dietz actually lists eight boxes

from LT-EII Upper, but he selected none from Box 4164.

753 Dietz dates 1658 sherds to MH IIIB (excluding one EH, ninety-three “Late

Mycenaean,” seventy Geometric and Proto-Geometric, and six Hellenistic); 125 are

catalogued, but a mere fifty-four (43%) are from the ten LT-EII Upper boxes (ATMA, 42,

70-92).

754 ATMA, 40, 42. Compared to the previous periods, only 492 sherds are dated to LH IA

by Dietz (excluding twenty-one “later Mycenaean,” five “Late Geometric,” two Roman,

and six Hellenistic), and he catalogues fifty-six of those (ATMA, 92, 94-100). 199

A further, methodological problem occurs when the number of sherds utilized to date

White on Burnished Dark Ware and Aiginetan Polychrome Matt-Painted Ware to MH

IIIB is examined. Only two sherds of the 1658 in MH IIIB – or 1828 if one includes the

contamination pottery – are White on Burnished Dark.755 This represents only 0.1%.756

Aiginetan Polychrome Matt-Painted is represented by just seven sherds, and because of the small numbers, the percentage is only 0.4% of the total.757

The occurrence of Dietz’s Lustrous Decorated Ware – Argive in LH IA emphasizes this

point. In his definition of LH IB, Dietz states that Lustrous Decorated Ware – Argive is

the hallmark of the period, despite the four sherds found in LH IA.758 Those, he

continues, lacked “the linked spiral and foliate bands which are among the most characteristic features” of LH IB.759 Yet an examination of them reveals that two of the four are bases; the main motifs cannot be determined for them. Furthermore, he dismisses the four as “negligible.”760 This comment begs the question that if four of 492 are insignificant, why are two and seven (White on Burnished Dark and Aiginetan

Polychrome Matt-Painted respectively) of 1658 not insignificant? Therefore, doubts may

755 ATMA, 71 fig. 18.

756 The percentage is the same even if the 170 later sherds are excluded.

757 The percentage is the same without the later pottery.

758 ATMA, 103.

759 ATMA, 103.

760 ATMA, 101. 200

be raised about the MH IIIB date of White on Burnished Dark and Aiginetan Polychrome

Matt-Painted in Dietz’s system.

One final concern exists for the two-fold division of LH I. While Dietz utilizes Asine

material to separate LH I into LH IA and IB, the site does not contain a single stratified

deposit with LH IB overlaying LH IA. According to Dietz, LT-EII Upper provides the

LH IA material, although this is not the case as noted above. The LH IB material, on the

contrary, comes from the northern trenches.761 To further support this division, Dietz

assigns the Tsoungiza LH I deposit to LH IA while the Korakou East Alley material is

dated to LH IB.762 Examples from those sites, however, are cited in Chapter 5, and they

demonstrate that the two deposits are, in fact, remarkably similar in all aspects.763

LERNA

In Chapter 4 above, I discussed two graves from Lerna – DC 1 and DC 2. In Grave DC 1 was L.986, a Matt-Painted jug, described as “of advanced type” by Caskey.764 This vessel, which is of fine fabric, has a horizontally-spouted mouth, a globular body, a flat base, and a vertical handle which connects the rim and the shoulder. Overall, the shape

761 A review of the specific examples Dietz cites in ATMA reveals that eight of the

nineteen (Nos. 247, 248, 261, 274, 317, 324, 326, and 327) come from contaminated

trenches (ATMA, 103-105; Asine II.2, 123).

762 ATMA, 257, 24.

763 In his review of ATMA, Rutter raises similar concerns (Rutter 1993c).

764 Caskey 1957, 144. 201

of the jug is comparable to MYL 4 which suggests a LH I date for it.765 The decoration,

Buck Motif 112, is identical to that on MYC 16 and is also consistent with a LH I date.766

Therefore, while Blackburn dates the grave to LH I because of the apparent geographical contemporaneity between DC 1 and the other three, the vessel found within also dates this grave to LH I according to my proposed classification system.767

Grave DC 2 contained six vessels in the burial of a child. As noted in Chapter 4, Caskey

dated all of them to the transitional period between MH and LH I because of their

similarity to the vessels recovered from the two shaft graves which he also dates to the

transitional period. I review each vessel individually.

The first vessel, L.921, stands 12.0 cm high. It is a fine plain jug with a cutaway neck, a

biconical body, a flat base, and a vertical handle reaching from the neck to the shoulder.

Because this vessel differs from TSO 23 only in height, it is LH I in date.768

L.922, the second vessel, is an amphoriskos 9.0 cm tall; it has a globular body, a flat

base, and two handles attached at the rim and body. Zerner classifies this vessel as Dark

Burnished, but does not state whether it is produced locally in the Argolid, in the

southern Peloponnese, in central Greece, or in the Aegean.769 Regardless of the

765 See Fig. 5.11, and Fig. 6.1 for L.986.

766 See Fig. 5.5.

767 Blackburn 1970, 175.

768 See Fig. 5.33, and Fig. 6.2 for L.921.

769 Zerner 1990, 33; Zerner 1993, 42. 202

production center, the vessel closely resembles MYC 58 with the exception that the latter

has a base.770 This morphological similarity dates the vessel to LH I.

The third vessel is L.923, a 4.0 cm tall cup that is essentially a half-sized FS 211, a LH I

Mycenaean Decorated semiglobular cup.771 Caskey does not categorize the cup as

Mycenaean Decorated despite the presence, according to Blackburn, of lustrous paint.772

Furthermore, the motif is the stylized variant of the foliate band, FM 64, which occurs on semiglobular cups in LH I. If this vessel is Mycenaean Decorated, the date of all of the vessels, and therefore the grave, would be LH I.773

L.925, the fourth vessel, is, according to Caskey, “a spouted jar with two upright

handles” - a hole-mouthed jar.774 The vessel, which is 11.0 cm high, resembles the small

variety of LH I hole-mouthed jars in shape, and the stone pattern motif, FM 76, occurs on

hole-mouthed jars in LH I. However, Zerner assigns the jar a Minoan origin.775

The fifth vessel, L.926, is an excellent example of an Aiginetan Red Slipped and

Burnished two-handled goblet.776 The goblet, only 8.0 cm tall, has an everted rim, a

770 See Fig. 5.36, and Fig. 6.3 for L.922.

771 See Fig. 3.10, and Fig. 6.4 for L.923.

772 Caskey 1957, 145; Blackburn 1970, 174. Blackburn does not list it as Mycenaean

Decorated either, and as I have not examined the vessel personally, I cannot classify it.

773 Zerner appears to imply that it is Mycenaean Decorated (Zerner 1990, 33).

774 Caskey 1957, 145. See Fig. 3.7, and Fig. 6.5 for L.925.

775 Zerner 1990, 33. Mountjoy implies that it is of mainland origin (see Chapter 3 above).

776 See Fig. 6.6 for L.926. 203

globular body, a short stem, a splayed hollowed base, and two vertical strap handles that

attach at the rim and the belly. All of these features suggest Zerner’s LH I goblet.777

L.927, the last vessel, is a fine plain cup with deep bowl, a short stem, and flat base, and a vertical handle; in addition, a clay rivet appears at the join between the rim and the handle. Morphologically, the vessel, which is 7.0 cm tall and was found inside L.926, is reminiscent of MYC 19.778 This similarity could date the cup to LH I, and the presence

of the rivet confirms it.779

While Caskey placed the grave at the transition from MH to LH I, the classification system proposed in this study indicates that all six vessels, in fact, are LH I. Therefore,

the grave dates to LH I as well.

One other grave from Lerna requires mention in light of my classification system.

According to Caskey and Blackburn, grave DE 21 belongs to the Middle Helladic period,

Lerna V.780 Among the objects recovered are two vessels, L.974 and L.987.

L.974 is a small amphoriskos, standing only 6.0 cm high.781 The shape differs little from

L.922 above except that the former is slightly more squat and is Matt-Painted. While the main motif of L.974, Buck Motif 118a, does not have a LH I parallel in the catalogue, the

morphology of the vessel highly suggests a LH I date.

777 Zerner 1988, 1, fig. 3:18.

778 See Fig. 5.9, and 6.7 for L.927.

779 See Chapter 5 above.

780 Caskey 1957, 148, pl. 43d; Blackburn 1970, 160-164.

781 See Fig. 6.8. 204

The surface of L.987, a jug 9.0 cm tall, is extremely abraded in places, but according to

Zerner, it is possibly Aiginetan Red Slipped and Burnished.782 Regardless of ware type, the shape of the jug, with a horizontally-splayed mouth, a biconical body, a flat base, and a vertical strap handle connected to the rim and body, is identical to four LH I examples:

MYL 4, MYC 42, KOR 45, and TSO 13.783 The parallels between L.974 and L.987 and

LH I pots, therefore, dates DE 21 to LH I.

While DC 1 had been dated to LH I previously, my proposed classification system confirms that date. Furthermore, DC 2 no longer must be placed in a transitional phase – all of the vessels date to LH I. Finally, DE 21, which hitherto had been considered MH, is LH I instead.

MYCENAE

In Chapter 4, I reviewed the numerous systems used to classify the pottery in the graves from Grave Circles A and B and the different relative chronologies that arose, especially for Grave Circle B. I now apply my proposed classification system to the Grave Circles, beginning with Grave Circle B, but I first state the types of burials from Grave Circle B to which I can apply my system.

As Graziadio observed in his 1988 article, the burials in Grave Circle B may be placed into one of four groups.784 The most secure is the burial found in situ which, in the case

782 Zerner 1990, 33. See Fig. 6.9.

783 See Figs. 5.11 and 5.18.

784 Graziadio 1988, 344. See Chapter 4. 205

of multiple burials, dates to the last use of the grave. Burials found inside the grave but

displaced may represent several interments but are at least found inside the grave proper.

The burials found above the roof of the grave and in the fill are particularly problematic.

While most scholars appear to assume the fill material contains the earlier burials, it might also include material completely unrelated to any of them.785 For this reason, I only examine in detail those burials which were found in situ.

While Dietz states his belief that Skeletons 1 and 4 in Grave Gamma are in situ, he acknowledges almost immediately afterward that Skeleton 1 “apparently has no pottery safely in situ.”786 Indeed, only Skeleton 4 with vessels Gamma 17, 19, and 21-23 may be

considered reasonably in situ according to Mylonas’ description and illustrations.787 The presence of Gamma 19, a LH I Mycenaean Decorated squat jug, firmly dates this particular burial – and the last in Grave Gamma – to LH I.

Grave Kappa contained only one burial, and the skeleton in it was poorly preserved.788

Because of the single interment, the associated vessels – Kappa 109-112 – clearly belong

785 The material, regardless of origin, would produce a terminus ante quem for the grave as a whole.

786 ATMA, 110, 112.

787 Circle B, 43-50, 44 fig. 5, pl. 33. See Fig. 6.10. For Gamma 17, see Fig. 5.43; for

Gamma 19, see Fig. 3.6; for Gamma 20, see Fig. 5.41.

788 Circle B, 122-123, pl. 103 alpha. See Fig. 6.11. 206

with the body.789 The presence of Kappa 109 and 110 which are Mainland Polychrome

Matt-Painted Type A date the grave to LH I.

At least two and possibly three burials were found in Grave Omicron.790 Skeleton 1

appears to be the latest burial, and vessels Omicron 190-198 evidently are associated with

it.791 In addition to Omicron 193 and 194 which are Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted

Type A, a LH I Mycenaean Decorated hole-mouthed jar (Omicron 195) place this latest burial in LH I.

While Graves Gamma, Kappa, and Omicron are the only ones in which specific burials

may be dated securely on the basis of my proposed classification system, burials in

Graves Delta and Epsilon also may be dated firmly to LH I based on the appearance of

LH I Mycenaean Decorated and/or Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted in the grave

itself.792 Furthermore, at least one burial in Grave Mu and the single burial in Grave Pi

may probably be placed in LH I on the basis of shapes from wares associated with LH I

Mycenaean Decorated, Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted, and/or White on Burnished

Dark.

789 See Fig. 5.20 for Kappa 110.

790 Circle B, 187-189, pl. 164b. See Fig. 6.12.

791 Circle B, 187-189, 190-194. See Figs. 5.13, 5.23, 5.27, and 5.31 for Omicron 198,

192, 196, and 191.

792 Grave Alpha also would date to LH I based on the presence of White on Burnished

Dark; however, the grave is particularly difficult to understand (see Circle B, 21-23). 207

Because of the considerable difficulties in separating the burials in Shaft Graves I and III-

VI from Schliemann’s and Stamatakis’ accounts, I date each grave in Grave Circle A as a

whole.793 The latest use of Shaft Grave I is LH IIA from the Mycenaean Decorated

pottery present.794 Shaft Grave II contains only one interment, and it most likely dates to

LH I from the LM IA pegtop rhyton discovered.795 Shaft Grave III, on the contrary, dates

definitively to LH I because of MYC 6, a LH I Mycenaean Decorated squat jug.796 Shaft

Grave IV, the largest and “richest” of the graves in terms of the quantity of material

found in it, contained five burials; MYC 37 and 38, Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted stamnoi, date the latest use of the grave to LH I.797 Shaft Grave V contains both MYC 1,

a LH I Mycenaean Decorated large jar, as well as MYC 43, a White on Burnished Dark

jar, and both place Grave V in LH I.798 As with Shaft Grave IV, Mainland Polychrome

Matt-Painted vessels were found in Shaft Grave VI; MYC 29-32, 35, and 36 date the

grave to LH I.799

793 See Origins for a discussion of the problems (Origins, 46-50) as well as Kilian-

Dirlmeier 1986.

794 See Chapter 3.

795 See Chapter 3.

796 See Chapter 3 and Fig. 3.6.

797 See Chapter 5.

798 See Chapter 3 and Fig. 3.1; see Chapter 5.

799 See Chapter 5. 208

The three case studies presented in this chapter are intended to demonstrate the efficacy

and advantages of the proposed classification system over previous, comparable schemes.

While I cannot demonstrate a clear advantage of my system for the Lower Town from

Asine at the present time, the scheme utilized by Dietz appears to be problematic and

must be used with caution.800 For Lerna, the new system independently corroborates

Blackburn’s suppositions on the LH I date of DC 1, it revises Caskey’s date for DC 2,

and it reveals that DE 21 is actually LH I and not MH. The grave circles at Mycenae,

particularly Grave Circle B, still remain – and probably will continue to remain – an intricate puzzle. My proposed classification system, with its sole emphasis on LH I, is not intended to solve the date of the earliest graves in Grave Circle B. However, it does allow the dating of certain burials in specific graves to LH I; Graves Alpha, Gamma,

Delta, Epsilon, Kappa, Mu, Omicron, and Pi all contain LH I burials. Finally, pottery from Grave Circle A places Shaft Graves II-VI squarely in the LH I period.

800 One avenue for future research is an examination of the material utilizing the new

system. 209

CHAPTER 7: THE CLASSIFICATION OF LH I POTTERY AND THE

CHRONOLOGY OF THE SHAFT GRAVE PERIOD

The cultural period encompassing MH III, LH I, and LH IIA is known by many labels:

the Shaft Grave horizon, the Shaft Grave era, die Schachtgräberzeit, and the name I use

in this study, the Shaft Grave Period. As Rutter observes, these terms have served “to

mask the precise sequence in which several critical changes occurred” between MH III

and LH IIA.801 Furthermore, according to Rutter, archaeologists must begin to investigate both the relatively slow cultural development of the Greek mainland during the MH period vis-à-vis that of the south Aegean, particularly Crete, and why this transformation suddenly accelerated at the end of the MH period.802 A preliminary step

toward this investigation is a more precise relative ceramic chronology, and that more

precise chronology is the second intended contribution of this study. To achieve this aim,

I first offer a new classification system of LH I pottery in the northeastern Peloponnese,

and that is the main purpose of this study.

The traditional herald of the Late Bronze I period on the Greek mainland is the ware

known as LH I Mycenaean Decorated.803 The concept of what constitutes this ware has

been developing for nearly a century as I demonstrated in Chapter 2. In 1974, Dickinson

801 Rutter 1993b, 125.

802 Rutter 1993b, 125.

803 Mountjoy 1993, 33. 210 defined the ware, building on the ideas of Blegen and Furumark, and that definition has become codified in Mountjoy’s handbooks.804 While those handbooks are invaluable tools, especially in the field because of their convenient size and copious illustrations, they lack a discussion of any technical features of LH I Mycenaean Decorated.805 An overview of these features is provided at the beginning of Chapter 3, although further work is needed on the topic.

One intended effect of Chapter 3 is to exhibit the depth of knowledge concerning LH I

Mycenaean Decorated that we possess. The same claim cannot be made for “the other wares” of the period, despite the long-standing realization that these wares existed concurrently with Mycenaean Decorated in LH I, and, in fact, comprise the vast majority of material in ceramic assemblages.

In Chapter 4, the development of the concept of “the other wares” is reviewed. The attempts to classify them, previous to this study, have resulted in two main formats.

Zerner focuses specifically on the fabrics of the MH and LH I wares in an effort to determine the production centers of the pottery. 806 This system is entirely different from those that seek to ascertain a relative ceramic chronology. The latest of this type of scheme was presented by Dietz in 1991.807 In his system, which is reviewed in detail, he

804 Dickinson 1974; MDP; RMDP.

805 Mountjoy recognizes this in her 1999 work in which she very briefly discusses the value of both chemical and petrographic analyses (RMDP, 18).

806 Zerner 1978, 1986, 1988, 1993.

807 ATMA. 211 incorporates aspects of Zerner’s work on fabrics. Unfortunately, his descriptions of the fabrics vary among the wares. Furthermore, the shapes Dietz provides for the wares are primarily those from funerary contexts. Finally, the application of his system, as illustrated in Chapters 4 and 6, reveal methodological concerns, and all of these factors leave the door open for a new system.

The proposed classification system is devised with the three-fold purpose of, in the words of Rice, “to standardize descriptions . . . develop chronologies, and help with intersite comparisons.”808 In this system, presented in Chapter 5, I offered a multi-site, multi- regional framework in which I analyze the fabric, style, and context of 300 catalogued examples.809 For the first time, material from several sites and from more than one region is examined. In addition, I analyze both the fabric and - when present - the decorative style(s) of the examples, and I incorporate material from both funerary and settlement contexts into the system. This endeavor results in the following framework:

I. Minyan Group

· Grey Minyan Ware

o True

o Grainy

· Yellow Minyan Ware

o True

808 Rice 1987, 288.

809 The remaining 127 are examples of Mycenaean Decorated and thus appear in Chapter

3. 212

o Grainy

· Dark Burnished Ware

II. Matt-Painted Ware

· fine

· medium/coarse

III. Lustrous Decorated Group

· Dark on Light Ware

· Light on Dark Ware

· Mycenaean Decorated

IV. Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted Ware

· Type A

· Type B

V. Fine Orange Ware

VI. White on Burnished Dark Ware

VII. Matt-Painted Pink and White Ware

VIII. Red Silver Micaceous Ware

IX. Red Slipped and Burnished Ware

X. Unpainted Ware

· fine

· medium/coarse

· Kitchen Ware

XI. Aiginetan Group

· Matt-Painted Ware 213

· Polychrome Matt-Painted Ware

· Red Slipped and Burnished Ware

· Unpainted Ware (fine, medium/coarse, Kitchen Ware)

While the wares other than Mycenaean Decorated require study in their own right because of the general neglect of them in the past, this classification system is a means to an end – an examination of the effect it has on the relative chronology of the Shaft Grave

Period.

One primary result of my system is the elimination of Mycenaean Decorated in its earliest incarnation as the single criterion for assigning a LH I date to a context. As discussed in Chapter 5, both Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted Ware and White on

Burnished Dark Wares appear only in LH I deposits throughout the northeastern

Peloponnese.810 Therefore, the presence of any of the three either alone or in combination securely dates a context to LH I. This outcome is particularly useful because of the general rarity of LH I Mycenaean Decorated, especially in settlement contexts.811 Beyond these three wares, the Polychrome and Red Slipped and Burnished

810 Beyond the Argolid and Korinthia, Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted continues at least into LH II and maybe even into LH IIIA (see Appendix II). On a separate note, my system has demonstrated that two distinct types of the ware exist in the northeastern

Peloponnese (Type A and Type B).

811 White on Burnished Dark Ware, at the present time, is possibly even rarer, while

Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted is at least as frequent as – if not more than – LH I

Mycenaean Decorated. 214

Wares of the Aiginetan Group may not appear until LH I; the possibility of using any of these five wares to date a context to LH I would represent a significant advance in the precision of the relative ceramic chronology of the period.812

In addition to specific wares, specific shapes from the wares appear with significant frequency only in LH I. The most noteworthy are Rutter’s “novel triad” of cups: the semiglobular cup, the Vapheio cup, and the semiovoid cup.813 The semiovoid is also known as the paneled cup when decorated in a Matt-Painted style. Undecorated examples exist, however, which is the reason I use the term semiovoid cup. The Vapheio cup is well known in Mycenaean Decorated, but it also appears in Matt-Painted and

White on Burnished Dark Wares. The semiglobular is equally familiar and appears in a variety of wares. Especially for its incarnations in Grey and Yellow Minyan (True and

Grainy) as well as Matt-Painted, this is perhaps the only shape of those wares which may be dated with virtual certainty to LH I.

These results are best illustrated by the use of examples. In Chapter 6, three case studies are presented to demonstrate both the efficacy and advantages of my system over

812 Fine Orange Ware is also known only from LH I, although just three examples are known currently. Furthermore, the possibility exists that this ware is simply the undecorated version of Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted Ware.

813 Rutter 1989, 11. Both the semiglobular cup and the Vapheio cup continue into the LH

II period in Mycenaean Decorated. 215 previous schemes.814 For the 228 MH and LH I graves at Lerna, I am able to confirm the proposed date for one grave and re-date two others. The Grave Circles at Mycenae are significantly more complex, both in terms of the material and in regard to past examinations of them. Utilizing only clear examples of burials in situ, my system dates the last burials in Graves Gamma and Omicron from Grave Circle B to LH I. Grave

Kappa contained only one interment, and the associated pottery undoubtedly points to a

LH I date. Shaft Graves II-VI from Grave Circle A also date to LH I. In the case of the

Lower Town at Asine, I cannot demonstrate a noticeable advantage to my system per se, although the examination of the method by which Dietz dates the material raises concerns about his scheme.

Numerous avenues for future research are available for my proposed classification system. At the most basic level of investigation for such a system, new and revised definitions require additional exploration. Furthermore, also as with any classification system, sampling is a major issue, and while I have included 427 examples, the need exists to enlarge that dataset substantially. In addition to more pottery from other areas of the ten sites that I have already included, other sites in both the Argolid and Korinthia bear investigation.

The next step is to determine whether the framework of my system is applicable to sites beyond the northeastern Peloponnese. Nichoria and Voroulia in Messenia, Ayios

Stephanos in Lakonia, Kolonna on Aigina, and Eutresis in Boiotia all possess

814 I originally introduced these three at the end of Chapter 4 to illustrate the many results that originated from the previous systems. 216 chronologically relevant material.815 These sites may contain wares that I do not include in my system because they do not occur in the Argolid and Korinthia; the wares that are common in the northeastern Peloponnese and elsewhere also may have different characteristics. This study - as well as the examination of the pottery of LH I as a whole - will continue to remain a work in progress.

815 McDonald and Wilkie 1992; Lolos 1987; Transition; Hiller 1975; Goldman 1927 and 1931. 217

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Wiencke, M.H. 1998. "Mycenaean Lerna." Hesperia 67: 125-214.

Wright, J.C. 1995. "From Chief to King in Mycenaean Society," in The Role of the

Ruler in the Prehistoric Aegean. Proceedings of the Panel Discussion Presented at the

Annual Meeting of the Archaeological Institute of America, New Orleans, Louisiana, 28

December 1992 with Additions., edited by P. Rehak, 63-80. Aegaeum 11. Université de

Liège/University of Texas at Austin: Historie de l'art et archéologie de la Grèce

antique/Program in Aegean Scripts and Prehistory.

Wright, J.C., J. Cherry, J.L. Davis, E. Mantzourani, S.B. Sutton, and R.F. Sutton. 1990.

“The Nemea Valley Archaeological Project: A Preliminary Report.” Hesperia 59: 579-

659.

Zerner, C. 1978. “The Beginning of the Middle Helladic Period at Lerna.” Ph.D. diss.,

University of Cincinnati. 239

Zerner, C. 1986. "Middle Helladic and Late Helladic I Pottery from Lerna." Hydra 2:

58-73.

Zerner, C. 1988. "Middle Helladic and Late Helladic I Pottery from Lerna: Part II,

Shapes." Hydra 4: i, 1-10.

Zerner, C. 1990. "Ceramics and Ceremony: Pottery and Burials from Lerna in the

Middle and Early Late Bronze Ages," in Celebrations of Death and Divinity in the

Bronze Age Argolid. Proceedings of the Sixth International Symposium of the Swedish

Institute at Athens, 11-13 June, 1988, edited by R. Hägg and G. Nordquist, 23-34.

Stockholm: Paul Åströms Förlag.

Zerner, C. 1993. "New Perspectives on Trade in the Middle and early Late Helladic

Periods on the Mainland," in Wace and Blegen: Pottery as Evidence for Trade in the

Aegean Bronze Age 1939-1989, edited by C. Zerner with P. Zerner and J. Winder, 39-56.

Amsterdam: J.C. Gieben. 240

APPENDIX I: METHODOLOGY OF THE TECHNICAL DESCRIPTIONS

In both Chapters 3 and 5, I briefly describe the technical aspects of LH I Mycenaean

Decorated and the other wares. I specifically focus on the fabric types present, the surface treatments utilized, and the modes of manufacture. The purpose of this appendix is to explain the methodology I utilized in my examination of the pottery.

For all of the colors except Black (matt and lustrous) and White (matt) paint, I used the

Munsell Soil Color Charts in order to provide standardized color description. 816 In each case, I recorded the hue, the value over chroma, and the name of the color, e.g., 10YR 7/3

Very Pale Brown. Masks were applied to the fracture (and to the core, the inner biscuit, and outer biscuit if possible), to the exterior, to the interior, and to the painted surface at multiple points when possible. If more than one color was identified, I recorded a range of readings. In the cases of Black and White, I simply used these names, along with matt or lustrous when appropriate.

For inclusions, I recorded size, color, shape, and density. For size, I used the Wentworth

Size Classification table.817 Fabrics classified as fine generally do not contain inclusions larger than coarse or very coarse, while medium fabrics do not include any that are larger than very coarse or granule-sized; coarse fabrics have particles of granule size or larger

816 2000 revised edition. See the “Determination of Soil Color” (1-4) for the description of the structure of the charts and how to use them.

817 Shepard 1956, 118. 241 in significant quantities.818 Inclusion color is based on personal observation since the inclusions were too small to use the Munsell charts. The shape of the inclusions was determined in the same fashion. For density, Rutter’s four-point scale of “occasional,”

“some,” “many,” and “massive” was used.819 No positive identification of the minerals which constitute the inclusions is possible without microscopic petrographical investigation and/or chemical analysis.

Except for worn surfaces, I described the surface treatment. Three smoothing processes were distinguished according to the following definitions.820 Burnishing is perhaps the most easily detectable as it leaves pronounced, or at least visible, parallel troughs.

Wiping produces parallel striations, but these striations are too fine to have been achieved via burnishing. Polishing is characterized by a smooth surface and the lack of any detectable troughs or striations.

As Lewis discusses in her study of the manufacture of early Mycenaean pottery, pottery in LH I was produced by both hand-built and wheel-thrown techniques.821 Hand-built pottery is constructed either by hand on an immovable platform or by use of the tournette; the important factor is that centripetal force is not involved.822 Wheel-thrown pottery uses a true potter’s wheel which consists either of a hand-spun flywheel on a

818 See Rutter 1989, 2-3; 1990, 384; and 1993, 59 for a similar division of fabrics.

819 Rutter 1989, 2; 1990, 384; 1993, 59.

820 See the definitions in Shepard 1956 and Rice 1987.

821 Lewis 1983.

822 Lewis 1983, 33-41, 182, 186. 242 pivoted platform or of a compound wheel in which the lower wheel may be spun by the potter’s foot to maintain the spinning of the upper wheel. 823 While the determination of manufacturing method is relatively simple for pottery of later periods, my analysis of LH

I sherds revealed that, for a number of pieces, the method of manufacture could not be determined with any degree of confidence in part because of the surface treatment - wiping partially obscures wheel-marks while polishing almost completely obliterates them. 824 For certain shapes, both manufacturing methods may have been utilized.

Necks, for example, on large vessels could have been wheel-thrown, while the body was built by hand.

823 Lewis 1983, 186.

824 Lewis notes that this often occurs on open shapes (Lewis 1983, 11). 243

APPENDIX II: MAINLAND POLYCHROME MATT-PAINTED WARE

BEYOND THE NORTHEASTERN PELOPONNESE825

In Chapters 5-7 above, I assert that Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted ware existed only during the LH I period in the northeastern Peloponnese and, therefore, dates any context in which it occurs to LH I. While this argument is valid for the Argolid and the

Korinthia, the ware appears to continue in other regions of Greece later than LH I into

LH II and perhaps even into LH III. As one goal of my proposed classification system is to apply this framework to mainland Greece as a whole as well as the Aegean islands, those finds of the ware in contexts later than LH I must be examined briefly.

In PPGCG, French supplies a site distribution list of the ware, and Dietz updates this list in ATMA.826 The combined lists indicate that examples of the ware are found at forty- nine sites throughout the Greek mainland and the Aegean islands, with thirteen occurring in the northeastern Peloponnese. Of the finds at the remaining thirty-six sites, the majority are known from unpublished collections in storerooms and museums; in fact, only pieces from fifteen sites have been published in works other than PPGCG and

ATMA. Furthermore, only at eight sites can any significant chronological information be

825 As the two types of the ware have not been separated until this study, I cannot assign a type to examples in this appendix with any degree of certainty. From my examination of the illustrations provided in the sources cited below, however, the majority of the pieces appears to be of Type A.

826 PPGCG, 33-34; ATMA, 301-303, fig. 90. 244 obtained, and these include: Dimini in Thessaly, Athens Well E and Brauron in Attica,

Ayios Stephanos in Lakonia, Kastri on Kythera, Ayia Irini on Keos, Phylakopi on Melos, and Akrotiri on Thera.827

DIMINI

East of the Neolithic hill of Dimini lies the Mycenaean settlement which has been divided into three major levels.828 The second level, dated approximately to the LH IIIA period, contains a number of Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted sherds.829 According to the excavators and others who have examined the pottery, the pieces appear similar to other examples of the ware, especially those from the Argolid, and, furthermore, were found in a secure context. If the dating is indeed correct, these sherds represent the youngest of the ware yet discovered.

827 At Eutresis, for example, Goldman places the ware in the MH period as Blegen did, although she wonders whether it “ought not to be classified in point of time in Late

Helladic I and II” (Goldman 1927, 45; 1931, 124-125). Without a re-examination of the stratigraphic contexts in which the examples were found, the only conclusion that may be made at the present time is that the ware predates LH III.

828 All of the information concerning the ware at Mycenaean Dimini comes from a lecture by Panyota Panatou presented at the University of Cincinnati (February 2003).

829 From the illustrations shown, one example might be of Type B. 245

ATHENS

From Well E located on the south slope of the acropolis of Athens comes a single

Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted sherd.830 Well E is the deepest of the four wells discussed by Mountjoy, and while the recovered Mycenaean pottery dates primarily to

LH IIB-IIIA, she concluded that the sherd, which is from the neck of a vessel, does not date to these periods but is instead “an earlier throw up” as are examples of other wares in the well.831

BRAURON

In an examination of sherds from the site of Brauron in the collection of the American

School of Classical Studies at Athens, Davis observed that five examples of Mainland

Polychrome Matt-Painted are present.832 Found on the acropolis of the site and

“presumably on the hill of the Ayios Georgios chapel,” Davis concludes that these sherds, along with other wares from the same site, closely resemble assemblages from the northeastern Peloponnese, Aigina, and Keos which date to the Shaft Grave Period.833

830 Mountjoy 1981, 26, fig. 11:107.

831 Mountjoy 1981, 17-19. Of the other wares found, she assigns all of the Grey Minyan sherds discovered to “LH I or earlier” (Mountjoy 1981, 18, 64).

832 Davis 1977, 270, 271 fig. 3:3-7.

833 Davis 1977, 270 note 1, 272. Davis dates two Mycenaean decorated sherds

(presumably also from the acropolis) to LH I and LH IIA (Davis 1977, 272, 271 fig. 2:1-

2). 246

AYIOS STEPHANOS

In their typology of wares present from Area N at Ayios Stephanos, Rutter and Rutter defined Fine Matt-Painted and Fine “Yellow Minyan” as their third ware, and within this ware is a local variety that includes sherds painted in a bichrome fashion. 834 While bichrome sherds are present in Period III, which dates to LH I, and in Period IV, which dates to early LH IIA, as well as in an intermediate stratigraphical level, the Rutters only attributed one sherd to Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted.835 This example was singled out by them because of its close resemblance to examples from the northeastern

Peloponnese.836

KASTRI

In the results of the British excavations at Kastri on the island of Kythera, Coldstream discussed one Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted cup.837 Both this cup and another

834 Transition, 9.

835 Transition, 39, 51, 61. The one sherd is No. 717 from Period IV (Transition, 51, fig.

25:717).

836 Transition, 51.

837 Kythera, 179. 247 mainland vessel are listed as Middle Helladic but were found, according to Coldstream,

“in a L.M. IA context.”838

AYIA IRINI

Caskey identified a few examples of Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted in his conspectus of the pottery from Ayia Irini on Keos.839 He assigned these to Period G which is now equated with Period VI and dates to LM IA/LH I/LC I.840 In their final publication of House A at the site, particularly finds from Room 18, Cummer and

Schofield noted the presence of one nearly complete jug, one partially complete vessel

(almost certainly a jug), and two body sherds.841 As Room 18 was built at the beginning of Period VI and went out of use before Period VII, these finds date strictly to Period VI according to the authors, and the occasional finds from Period VII are “out of context.”842

Davis documents the presence near Tower e of “deep deposits of LBA pottery” in which

838 Kythera, 179, 284, fig. 54:19, pl. 51:19. The presence of a fine matt-painted sherd in a secure LM IA context confirms the date of numerous fine matt-painted vessels to LB I

(Kythera, 120, 284, pl. 30:73).

839 Caskey 1972, 392-393, pl. 93.

840 Caskey 1972, 391; Cummer and Schofield 1984, 2; Cherry and Davis 1982, 336.

841 Cummer and Schofield 1984, 47, pl. 64:b, e, 835, and 836.

842 Cummer and Schofield 1984, 30, 47. 248 two other examples were found - a partially preserved hydria and a body sherd - both of which also date securely to Period VI.843

Schofield’s subsequent study of the finds from other areas of the site has convinced her that Period VII, which had been divided into two sub-periods on the basis of the stratigraphical evidence from House A, should actually be separated into three.844

Furthermore, she observed that “certain characteristic features” of Period VI continued into VIIa, and one of these features was Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted ware.845 She emphasized, however, that it does not continue beyond this sub-period which dates to early LM IB/LH IIA/LC II.846

843 Davis 1986, 13; Davis and Cherry 1990, 194, 197 figs. 5, 6b.

844 Schofield 1984a, 179; Schofield 1984b, 3 (I would like to thank both Elizabeth

Schofield for granting me permission to cite this paper, which she delivered at the

Mycenaean Seminar on 17 October 1984, and Jack Davis for providing me access to it).

845 Schofield 1984a, 181; Schofield 1984b, 4.

846 Schofield 1984b, 4. 249

PHYLAKOPI

While the final publication of Phylakopi has yet to appear, studies of the pottery by

Cherry and Davis reveal that Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted ware does appear in clearly-defined LC I levels.847

AKROTIRI

In an examination of pottery in the “Middle Helladic tradition” from Akrotiri, Marthari discussed the Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted ware from the volcanic destruction level of the site.848 Among the vessels present are two jugs and three paneled cups.849

Marthari places these vessels in her Group A pottery, which comes from the ground and first floor levels of the last phase of the West House, and dates them to LC I.850

847 Cherry and Davis 1982, 337; Davis and Cherry 1992, 38 (I would like to thank Jack

Davis both for providing me access to this paper and for granting me permission to cite it); see also Davis and Cherry 1984.

848 Marthari 1982, 192-194, 187 fig. 2:alpha, gamma, 190 fig. 5:theta, pl. 71:alpha, beta, delta. See also Davis 1976.

849 Marthari 1982, 192-194; Marthari 1993, 249. Dietz asserts that one cup from Shaft

Grave VI in Grave Circle A at Mycenae is “no doubt . . . a Cycladic product” while the other two are “all Cycladic” (ATMA, 230, 311). Marthari counters that the fabric, surface treatment, and decorative elements “are unknown in local Cycladic pottery” (Marthari

1993, 255 n. 11).

850 Marthari 1990, 64. 250

From the eight sites discussed above, excavations and the study of material from beyond the northeastern Peloponnese have revealed the presence of Mainland Polychrome Matt-

Painted ware in contexts dating later than LH I. In nearby Attica, the Brauron pottery indicates that the ware may have continued into LH IIA, while the Athenian Well evidence might support a LH IIB-IIIA date, although Mountjoy specifically states that she believes the single sherd from Well E is an upcast and LH I in date.851 The Ayios

Stephanos example supports a date of early LH IIA, yet this is also only one sherd. Only one sherd was also found at Kastri, yet the context is the equivalent of LH I. The best evidence for a long-term continuation of the ware on the Greek mainland comes from

Thesslay. Unpublished examples indicate a LH IIIA date; confirmation will require the publication not only of the pottery but also of the stratigraphy of the site.

Three Cycladic sites provide a number of Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted sherds.

The ware occurs at Akrotiri in the final (volcanic) destruction level of the site, which is dated to LH I in mainland terms. Material of the same date has been found in the first level of the third city of Phylakopi. Ayia Irini, in contrast, has produced vessels/sherds in

Period VIIa early which Schofield dates to early LH IIA.

On the balance, therefore, the ware continues at least into the early part of LH IIA. A later date in LH II might be construed from the Athens Well evidence, although the evidence is not conclusive, while the Dimini evidence suggests production of the ware

851 Examples of earlier Mycenaean Decorated pottery have been found mixed with the later material (Mountjoy 1981, 17-19). 251 continued into LH IIIA, well after centers in the Argolid and Korinthia had ceased its importation. 252

CATALOGUE

ASINE

1. 306

Mycenaean Decorated Vapheio cup (FS 224 Type II)

Northern Trenches D4/9

H:7.4, Rim Diam:11.0, Base Diam:6.8

Partial

Asine II:2, 133, 130 fig. 124:306, 133 fig. 128:306

deep interior rim band, vertical foliate band separated by two vertical lines, band

above midrib, band below midrib, band around base, added white band above

midrib. FM 64.

2. 309

Mycenaean Decorated Vapheio cup (FS 224 Type II)

Northern Trenches D2/9

H:7.5, Rim Diam:12.0, Base Diam:3.5

Partial

Asine II:2, 134, 130 fig. 124:309, 134 fig. 129:309

deep interior rim band, tangent spiral band over midrib, band around base, added

white dots on spirals and blobs, lines on midrib band. FM 46.

253

3. 312

Mycenaean Decorated Vapheio cup (FS 224)

Northern Trenches D2/9

Rim Diam:12.0

Asine II:2, 134, 130 fig. 124:312, 134 fig. 129:312

deep interior rim band, horizontal foliate band, added white paint

on lower foliate leaves. FM 64.

4. 287

Matt-Painted jar

Northern Trenches D2/9

RI+NE

Asine II:2, 131, 128 fig. 122:287

band on the rim, band at the transition between neck and body.

5. 294

Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted-B? krater

Northern Trenches D2/9

Rim Diam:32.0

Asine II:2, 132, 130 fig. 124:294, 131 fig. 125:294 254

interior and exterior rim paint, band at transition between rim and body, double

wavy lines.

6. 269

Red Slipped and Burnished bowl

Northern Trenches D4/9

Rim Diam:14.0

Asine II:2, 127, 128 fig. 122:269

7. 271

Aiginetan Red Slipped and Burnished krater

Northern Trenches D2/9

Rim Diam:20.0

Asine II:2, 127, 128 fig. 122:271 255

KOKLA

1. MN 19188

Mycenaean Decorated Piriform Jar (FS 27)

Chamber Tomb VIIB

H:9.0, Rim Diam:6.0, Base Diam:4.0

Whole/Restored

Demakopoulou 1993, 60, pl. 3:5

paint covers neck (interior as well?) and handles(?), hatched loops (with

accessories?) "springing" from band, two medium bands, band around stem and

base. FM 63.

2. MN 19180

Mycenaean Decorated Hole-mouthed jar (FS 100)

Chamber Tomb VIIB

H:8.0, Rim Diam:6.5, Base Diam:4.0

Whole/Restored

Demakopoulou 1993, 60-61, pl. 4:7

framed tangent spiral, two narrow bands, band around base, paint on handles (and

spout?). FM 46.

3. MN 19078

Mycenaean Decorated Vapheio cup (FS 224 Type II) 256

Chamber Tomb V

H:7.0, Rim Diam:10.0, Base Diam:7.0

Whole/Restored

Demakopoulou 1993, 60, pl. 3:3

interior rim band, tangent spirals with blobs, broad band over midrib, band around

base. FM 46.

4. MN 19171

Mycenaean Decorated Straight-sided cup

Chamber Tomb VIIB

H:10.5, Rim Diam:13.5, Base Diam:8.5

Whole/Restored

Demakopoulou 1993, 60, pl. 3:2

interior and exterior rim bands, fish, two medium bands, band around base,

oblique(?) splashes on handle. FM 20.

5. MN 19099

Mycenaean Decorated Straight-sided cup

Chamber Tomb V

H:6.8, Rim Diam:9.7, Base Diam:6.0

Whole/Restored

Demakopoulou 1993, 60, pl. 3:4 257

interior rim band, vertical wavy lines separated by lines, narrow band around

base. FM 53.

6. MN 19192

Yellow Minyan/Unpainted – Fine kantharos

Chamber Tomb VIIB

H:9.0, Rim Diam:10.0, Base Diam:5.0

Whole/Restored

Demakopoulou 1993, 60, pl. 3:1

7. MN 19083

Unpainted – Fine Vapheio cup (cf. FS 224 Type III)

Chamber Tomb V

H:10.6, Rim Diam:12.5, Base Diam:6.3

Whole/Restored

Demakopoulou 1993, 60, pl. 4:6 258

KORAKOU

1. EA XV 81

Mycenaean Decorated Jar (FS 14)

East Alley Stratum XV

Davis 1979, 240, 239 fig. 3:10

spiral.

2. EA XIV 48

Mycenaean Decorated Jar (FS 14)

East Alley Stratum XIV

Davis 1979, 240, 239 fig. 3:11; RMDP, 202 no. 1, 203 fig. 62:1

spiral with arcs and floral(?) design?

3. EA XV 80

Mycenaean Decorated Jar (FS 14)

East Alley Stratum XV

Davis 1979, 240, 239 fig. 3:12

spiral and floral.

259

4. EA XIII 37

Mycenaean Decorated Piriform jar/Alabastron (FS 27/80)

East Alley Stratum XIII

Rim Diam:7.0

Davis 1979, 240, 239 fig. 3:6

solidly painted rim.

5. EA XIII 26

Mycenaean Decorated Piriform jar/Alabastron (FS 27/80)

East Alley Stratum XIII

Rim Diam:7.0

Davis 1979, 240, 239 fig. 3:15

fine interior rim band, solidly painted exterior with medium added white band.

6. EA XV 78

Mycenaean Decorated Squat jug (FS 87)

East Alley Stratum XV

Davis 1979, 238, 239 fig. 3:5

paint on sides, two fine lines framing a vertical zigzag.

260

7. EA XIII 25

Mycenaean Decorated Semiglobular cup (FS 211/212)

East Alley Stratum XIII

Rim Diam:11.0

Korakou, 35 fig. 49:5; Davis 1979, 238, 239 fig. 3:2

interior and exterior rim bands, stylized foliate band, trace of added white band on

exterior rim band? FM 64.

8. EA XIV 33

Mycenaean Decorated Vapheio cup (FS 224 Type II)

East Alley Stratum XIV

Rim Diam:10.0

Davis 1979, 238, 239 fig. 3:1

neat interior rim band, tangent spiral with one blob and one spiral preserved above

band on midrib, added white dots on spiral center and added white band on midrib

band. FM 46.

9. EA XVI 71

Grey Minyan-True goblet

East Alley Stratum XVI

Rim Diam:14.0 261

Davis 1979, 247, 248 fig. 8:142

10. EA XIV 52

Grey Minyan-True krater

East Alley Stratum XIV

Davis 1979, 247, 248 fig. 8:131

11. EA XIV 50

Grey Minyan-True krater

East Alley Stratum XIV

Rim Diam:26.0

Davis 1979, 247, 248 fig. 8:132

12. EA XV 86

Grey Minyan-True krater

East Alley Stratum XV

Rim Diam:22.0

Davis 1979, 247, 248 fig. 8:134

262

13. EA XVI 69

Grey Minyan-True krater

East Alley Stratum XVI

Rim Diam:24.0

Davis 1979, 247, 248 fig. 8:137

14. EA XVI 72

Grey Minyan-True krater

East Alley Stratum XVI

Davis 1979, 247, 248 fig. 8:138

15. EA XVI 70

Grey Minyan-True krater

East Alley Stratum XVI

Rim Diam:25.0

Davis 1979, 247, 248 fig. 8:139

16. EA XV 85

Grey Minyan-True goblet/krater

East Alley Stratum XV 263

Rim Diam:17.0

Davis 1979, 247, 248 fig. 8:141

17. EA XVI 68

Grey Minyan-True goblet/krater

East Alley Stratum XVI

Davis 1979, 247, 248 fig. 8:135

18. EA XVI 77

Grey Minyan-True goblet/krater

East Alley Stratum XVI

Base Diam:12.0

Davis 1979, 247, 248 fig. 8:143

19. EA XVI 78

Grey Minyan-True goblet/krater

East Alley Stratum XVI

Base Diam:13.0

Davis 1979, 247, 248 fig. 8:153 264

20. EA XV 87

Grey Minyan-True kantharos

East Alley Stratum XV

Davis 1979, 247, 248 fig. 8:158

21. EA XIV 51

Grey Minyan-True saucer?

East Alley Stratum XIV

Rim Diam:9.0

Davis 1979, 247, 248 fig. 8:159

22. EA XII 63

Grey Minyan-Grainy goblet

East Alley Stratum XII

Rim Diam:15.0

Davis 1979, 247, 248 fig. 8:140

23. EA XII 65

Grey Minyan-Grainy krater 265

East Alley Stratum XII

Rim Diam:21.0

Davis 1979, 247, 248 fig. 8:130

24. EA XV 84

Grey Minyan-Grainy krater

East Alley Stratum XV

Rim Diam:25.0

Davis 1979, 247, 248 fig. 8:133

25. EA XVI 67

Grey Minyan-Grainy krater

East Alley Stratum XVI

Rim Diam:24.0

Davis 1979, 247, 248 fig. 8:136

26. EA XII 64

Grey Minyan-Grainy goblet/krater

East Alley Stratum XII

Base Diam:8.0 266

Davis 1979, 247, 248 fig. 8:145

27. EA XII 66

Grey Minyan-Grainy goblet/krater

East Alley Stratum XII

Base Diam:18.0

Davis 1979, 247, 248 fig. 8:146

28. EA XV 88

Grey Minyan-Grainy goblet/krater

East Alley Stratum XV

Base Diam:14.0

Davis 1979, 247, 248 fig. 8:148

29. EA XV 89

Grey Minyan-Grainy goblet/krater

East Alley Stratum XV

Base Diam:13.0

Davis 1979, 247, 248 fig. 8:151 267

30. EA XVI 4

Yellow Minyan-True goblet/krater/kantharos

East Alley Stratum XVI

Rim Diam:14.0

Davis 1979, 247, 249 fig. 9:174

31. EA XII 21

Yellow Minyan-Grainy goblet

East Alley Stratum XII

Rim Diam:13.0

RI+HA

Davis 1979, 247, 249 fig. 9:185

32. EA XIV 24

Yellow Minyan-Grainy goblet

East Alley Stratum XIV

RI+HA

Davis 1979, 247, 249 fig. 9:188

33. EA XVI 29

Yellow Minyan-Grainy goblet/krater/kantharos 268

East Alley Stratum XVI

Davis 1979, 247, 249 fig. 9:195

34. EA XV 26

Yellow Minyan-Grainy hole-mouthed jar

East Alley Stratum XV

Rim Diam:7.0

Davis 1979, 252, 250 fig. 10:220

35. EA XIII 54

Matt-Painted straight-sided cup

East Alley Stratum XIII

Base Diam:4.0

BA+BO

Davis 1979, 243, 244 fig. 6:72

bit of dark greyish brown, medium band of same, fine line of brown, fine line of

dark greyish brown, medium band around base of same, band of same on base.

36. EA XII 74

Matt-Painted semiovoid cup

East Alley Stratum XII 269

Korakou, 24 fig. 34:5, pl. III:3; Davis 1979, 243, pl. 74:73

one rosette with parts of two other below a festooned(?) rim band?

37. CP 243

Matt-Painted beak-spouted jug

East Alley Stratum XV

Partial

Davis 1979, 246, pl. 74d:82

three narrow bands around neck, two rows of running spirals in the main

decorative zone, band around handle, band on handle.

38. EA XV 100

Matt-Painted bridge-spouted jar

East Alley Stratum XV

Davis 1979, 246, 245 fig. 7:87

interior and exterior rim bands, spiral.

39. EA XIII 45

Matt-Painted jar

East Alley Stratum XIII

Rim Diam:12.0 270

Davis 1979, 246, 245 fig. 7:90

parallel lines on rim.

40. EA XV 43

Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted-A krater

East Alley Stratum XV

Rim Diam:29.0

Davis 1979, 243, 242 fig. 5:52

two wavy lines in very dark grey on top of rim, reddish brown on front, two bands under rim of very dark grey framing band of reddish brown, very dark grey wavy line below.

41. EA XVI 278

Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted-A krater

East Alley Stratum XVI

Rim Diam:34.0

Davis 1979, 243, 242 fig. 5:53

dark red paint on interior rim, black vertical lines on rim, dark red on front of rim

and as a band under rim, wavy line in dark red outlined in white and then black,

two fine lines in white below.

42. EA XIV 61 271

Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted-B closed

East Alley Stratum XIV

Davis 1979, 243, 245 fig. 6:70

four reddish yellow undulating lines with very dark grey dots in between, band of

very dark grey, hatched motif of very dark grey and reddish yellow.

43. EA XVI 54

Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted-B closed?

East Alley Stratum XVI

Davis 1979, 243, pl. 74a:71

dark brown wavy line above a band in the same above a band in reddish yellow.

44. EA XVI 44

White on Burnished Dark Vapheio cup

East Alley Stratum XVI

Rim Diam:8.0, Base Diam:4.0

Partial

Davis 1979, 240, 239 fig. 3:13

solidly painted in reddish brown, interior and exterior rim bands in dusky red,

white rim band below ridge, double pendant semicircles with dots in center in

white, three white bands below, two bands around base. 272

45. CP 216

White on Burnished Dark jug

East Alley Strata XIV&XV

Base Diam:4.0

Partially Restored

Davis 1979, 240 fig. 4:14

groups of white vertical lines alternating with double semicircles with dots (the

inverse of Buck Motif 88) on shoulder, white band below, vertical white band on

handle.

46. EA XIII 19

Unpainted – Fine Vapheio cup?

East Alley Stratum XIII

Base Diam:4.0?

BA+BO+HA

Davis 1979, 247, 249 fig. 9:160

47. CP 217

Unpainted – Fine

miniature two-handled cup

East Alley Stratum XV

H:5.5, Rim Diam:c.3.0, Base Diam:c 2.5 273

Whole/Restored

Davis 1979, 247, 250 fig. 10:192

48. EA XII 61

Unpainted – Fine shallow bowl

East Alley Stratum XII

Rim Diam:6.0

Davis 1979, 247, 250 fig. 10:200

49. EA XII 15

Unpainted – Fine shallow bowl

East Alley Stratum XII

Rim Diam:21.0

Davis 1979, 247, 250 fig. 10:202

50. EA XV 27

Unpainted – Fine shallow bowl

East Alley Stratum XV

Rim Diam:20.0

Davis 1979, 247, 250 fig. 10:199

274

51. EA XVI 19

Unpainted – Fine shallow bowl

East Alley Stratum XVI

Rim Diam:8.0

Davis 1979, 247, 250 fig. 10:201

52. EA XV 5

Unpainted – Fine goblet

East Alley Stratum XV

Rim Diam:10.0

Davis 1979, 247, 249 fig. 9:186

53. EA XIII 21

Unpainted – Fine goblet

East Alley Stratum XIII

RI+HA

Davis 1979, 247, 249 fig. 9:187

54. EA XIV 26

Unpainted – Fine goblet

East Alley Stratum XIV 275

RI+HA

Davis 1979, 247, 249 fig. 9:189

55. EA XII 82

Unpainted – Fine kantharos

East Alley Stratum XII

RI+HA

Davis 1979, 247, 249 fig. 9:190

56. EA XIV 18

Unpainted – Fine krater

East Alley Stratum XIV

Rim Diam:29.0

Davis 1979, 247, 250 fig. 10:205

57. EA XV 24

Unpainted – Fine krater/basin

East Alley Stratum XV

Rim Diam:28.0

Davis 1979, 247, 250 fig. 10:206

276

58. EA XVI 20

Unpainted – Fine krater/basin

East Alley Stratum XVI

Base Diam:12.0

Davis 1979, 247, 250 fig. 10:212

59. EA XVI 23

Unpainted – Fine krater/basin

East Alley Stratum XVI

Base Diam:13.0

Davis 1979, 247, 250 fig. 10:213

60. EA XIV 65

Unpainted – Fine basin

East Alley Stratum XIV

Rim Diam:32.0

RI+HA

Davis 1979, 247, 250 fig. 10:204

61. EA XIII 14

Unpainted – Fine hole-mouthed jar 277

East Alley Stratum XIII

Rim Diam:9.0

Davis 1979, 252, 250 fig. 10:220

62. EA XII 60

Unpainted – Fine squat jug

East Alley Stratum XII

H:c.3.8, Rim Diam:c.4.8, Base Diam:c.2.3

Partial

Davis 1979, 247, 250 fig. 10:217

63. EA XV 111

Unpainted – Medium goblet

East Alley Stratum XV

Rim Diam:14.0

RI+HA

Davis 1979, 247, 249 fig. 9:184

64. EA XV 33

Unpainted – Medium amphora/hydria/stamnos

East Alley Stratum XV

Rim Diam:12.0

RI 278

Davis 1979, 252, 251 fig. 11:239

65. EA XIII 29

Aiginetan Matt-Painted amphora/hydria/stamnos

East Alley Stratum XIII

Rim Diam:12.0

Davis 1979, 246, 245 fig. 7:100

interior and exterior rim bands, band around base of neck.

66. EA XIV 34

Aiginetan Matt-Painted amphora/hydria/stamnos

East Alley Stratum XIV

Rim Diam:13.0

Davis 1979, 246, 245 fig. 7:103

interior and exterior rim bands.

67. EA XIII 27

Aiginetan Matt-Painted amphora/hydria/stamnos

East Alley Stratum XIII

Rim Diam:13.0

RI 279

Davis 1979, 246, 245 fig. 7:99

interior and exterior rim bands.

68. EA XIII 28

Aiginetan Matt-Painted amphora/hydria/stamnos

East Alley Stratum XIII

Rim Diam:10.0

RI+NE

Davis 1979, 246, 245 fig. 7:99

interior and exterior rim bands.

69. EA XII 38

Aiginetan Matt-Painted amphora/hydria/stamnos

East Alley Stratum XII

Rim Diam:13.0

RI+NE

Davis 1979, 246, 245 fig. 7:97

interior and exterior rim band, band at base of neck.

70. EA XVI 45

Aiginetan Matt-Painted amphora/hydria/stamnos

East Alley Stratum XVI

Rim Diam:13.0 280

RI+NE

Davis 1979, 246, 245 fig. 7:102

interior and exterior rim bands, band around base of neck.

71. EA XV 45

Aiginetan Matt-Painted amphora/hydria/stamnos

East Alley Stratum XV

Rim Diam:14.0

RI+NE

Davis 1979, 246, 245 fig. 7:104

interior and exterior rim bands, band around neck.

72. EA XIII 31

Aiginetan Matt-Painted amphora/hydria/stamnos

East Alley Stratum XIII

Rim Diam:15.0

RI+NE

Davis 1979, 246, 245 fig. 7:98

dark grey-brown interior and exterior rim bands, two wide bands of dark grey

around base of neck.

73. EA XIII 18

Aiginetan Polychrome Matt-Painted krater 281

East Alley Stratum XIII

Rim Diam:31.0

Davis 1979, 241, 242 fig. 5:34

reddish brown paint reaches from the interior rim to the exterior rim, band below

rim in dark grey, two arcs with dark grey above and reddish brown below.

74. EA XII 33

Aiginetan Polychrome Matt-Painted krater

East Alley Stratum XII

Rim Diam:22.0

Davis 1979, 241, pl. 73:29

brown paint reaches from interior rim to exterior rim, band under rim in yellowish

red, double chevron in yellowish red.

75. EA XII 31

Aiginetan Polychrome Matt-Painted krater

East Alley Stratum XII

Rim Diam:21.0

Davis 1979, 241, 242 fig. 5:31 282

brown-yellowish red paint reaches from interior rim to exterior rim, band under

rim in brown, two arcs with brown above and brown-yellowish red below.

76. EA XII 35

Aiginetan Polychrome Matt-Painted krater

East Alley Stratum XII

Rim Diam:22.0

Davis 1979, 241, 242 fig. 5:43

strong brown paint reaches from interior rim to exterior rim, band under rim in

dark grey, part of arc(?) in strong brown.

77. EA XII 32

Aiginetan Polychrome Matt-Painted krater

East Alley Stratum XII

Rim Diam:27.0

Davis 1979, 241, 242 fig. 5:45

brown-yellowish red paint reaches from interior rim to exterior rim, band under

rim in brown, part of another motif in brown.

78. EA XII 29

Aiginetan Polychrome Matt-Painted krater 283

East Alley Stratum XII

Rim Diam:32.0

Davis 1979, 241, 242 fig. 5:46

brown-yellowish red paint reaches from interior rim to exterior rim, band under

rim in brown, two arcs both in brown-yellowish red.

79. EA XII 62

Aiginetan Polychrome Matt-Painted krater

East Alley Stratum XII

Rim Diam:31.0?

Davis 1979, 243, 244 fig. 6:69

yellowish red paint reaches from interior rim to exterior rim, band under rim in

black, motif(s?) in black.

80. EA XIV 28

Aiginetan Polychrome Matt-Painted krater

East Alley Stratum XIV

Rim Diam:28.0

Davis 1979, 241, 242 fig. 5:33 284

reddish brown-red paint reaches from interior rim to exterior rim, very dark grey

underneath, wavy lines with very dark grey above and reddish brown-red below,

three fine bands below with very dark grey framing reddish brown-red.

81. EA XIV 30

Aiginetan Polychrome Matt-Painted krater

East Alley Stratum XIV

Rim Diam:23.0

Davis 1979, 241, 242 fig. 5:36

reddish brown paint reaches from interior rim to exterior rim, very dark grey

underneath, wavy lines with very dark grey above and reddish brown below.

82. EA XVI 40

Aiginetan Polychrome Matt-Painted krater

East Alley Stratum XVI

Rim Diam:22.0?

Davis 1979, 241, 242 fig. 5:39

dark reddish brown-red paint reaches from interior rim to exterior rim, band under

rim in same(?), two arcs with very dark grey above and dark reddish brown-red

below.

285

83. EA XVI 38

Aiginetan Polychrome Matt-Painted krater

East Alley Stratum XVI

Rim Diam:31.0

Davis 1979, 241, 242 fig. 5:40

very dark grey paint reaching from interior rim to exterior rim, band under rim of

dusky red, two arcs with dusky red above and very dark grey below.

84. EA XVI 41

Aiginetan Polychrome Matt-Painted krater

East Alley Stratum XVI

Rim Diam:25.0

Davis 1979, 241, 242 fig. 5:41

dark red-red paint reaching from interior rim to exterior rim, band under rim in

very dark grey, arc of dark red-red.

85. EA XV 60

Aiginetan Polychrome Matt-Painted krater

East Alley Stratum XV

RI+SP

Davis 1979, 241, 242 fig. 5:44 286

reddish brown-red paint reaches from the interior rim to the exterior rim, band

under rim of dark reddish grey, band around spout of dark reddish grey, two arcs

with dark reddish grey above and reddish brown-red below.

86. EA XVI 42

Aiginetan Polychrome Matt-Painted krater

East Alley Stratum XVI

Base Diam:14.0

Davis 1979, 241, 242 fig. 5:47

band around base.

87. EA XIV 41

Aiginetan Red Slipped and Burnished goblet

East Alley Stratum XIV

Rim Diam:20.0

Davis 1979, 241, 239 fig. 3:20

solidly painted.

88. EA XVI 59

Aiginetan Red Slipped and Burnished goblet

East Alley Stratum XVI 287

Rim Diam:25.0

Davis 1979, 241, 239 fig. 3:21

solidly painted with dark red on interior, dark red-reddish brown on interior.

89. EA XII 67

Aiginetan Kitchen cooking pot

East Alley Stratum XII

Rim Diam:11.0

Davis 1979, 252, 251 fig. 11:242

90. EA XIV 57

Aiginetan Kitchen cooking pot

East Alley Stratum XIV

Rim Diam:11.0

Davis 1979, 252, 251 fig. 11:243

91. EA XIV 58

Aiginetan Kitchen cooking pot

East Alley Stratum XIV

Rim Diam:11.0 288

Davis 1979, 252, 251 fig. 11:244

92. EA XV 90

Aiginetan Kitchen cooking pot

East Alley Stratum XV

Rim Diam:13.0

Davis 1979, 252, 251 fig. 11:247

93. EA XIV 55

Aiginetan Kitchen cooking pot

East Alley Stratum XIV

Rim Diam:22.0

Davis 1979, 252, 251 fig. 11:246

94. EA XIV 56

Aiginetan Kitchen cooking pot

East Alley Stratum XIV

Rim Diam:23.0

Davis 1979, 252, 251 fig. 11:245 289

95. EA XVI 80

Aiginetan Kitchen cooking pot

East Alley Stratum XVI

Rim Diam:25.0

Davis 1979, 252, 251 fig. 11:248

96. EA XVI 250

Aiginetan Kitchen cooking pot

East Alley Stratum XVI

Base Diam:6.0

Davis 1979, 252, 251 fig. 11:250

97. EA XV 412

Aiginetan Kitchen cooking pot

East Alley Stratum XV

Base Diam:6.0

Davis 1979, 252, 251 fig. 11:254

98. EA XIII 410 290

Aiginetan Kitchen cooking pot

East Alley Stratum XIII

Base Diam:8.0

Davis 1979, 252, 251 fig. 11:251

99. EA XIV 411

Aiginetan Kitchen cooking pot

East Alley Stratum XIV

Base Diam:6.0

BA+ST

Davis 1979, 252, 251 fig. 11:252 291

LERNA

1. -

Mycenaean Decorated Piriform jar (FS 27)

Shaft Grave 1 Fill

interior and exterior rim bands, part of unknown motif below exterior rim band.

2. -

Mycenaean Decorated Piriform jar? (FS 27?)

Shaft Grave 2 Fill

tangent spiral with a spiral and crocus and added white on center of spiral and on

linking lines and outside circle, three broad bands below with added white on at

least top band and maybe the others as well. FM46.

3. -

Mycenaean Decorated Piriform jar/Alabastron jar (FS 27/-)

Shaft Grave 1 Fill

painted shoulder/neck, running spiral, three medium bands. FM 46.

4. L.940 292

Mycenaean Decorated Alabastron jar

Shaft Grave 1 Fill

Rim Diam:6.0, Base Diam:5.0

Partial

interior and exterior rim bands, stylized foliate band, two medium bands, band

around base. FM 64.

5. -

Mycenaean Decorated Alabastron jar

Shaft Grave 1 Fill

interior and exterior rim bands with added white lines on the exterior, parts of two

running spirals with added white line on the spiral link. FM 46.

6. -

Mycenaean Decorated Alabastron (FS 80)

Shaft Grave 2 Fill

Rim Diam:6.0

Partial

interior and exterior rim bands, tangent spirals, two bands, band around base. FM

46.

7. - 293

Mycenaean Decorated Alabastron (FS 80)

Shaft Grave 2 Fill

Partial

band around interior and exterior neck with added white line on the exterior,

tangent spirals with added white dots in center of spirals and a splash in the center

of the linking line, three bands below all with added white lines, added white on

solidly painted handle.

8. -

Mycenaean Decorated Alabaston (FS 80)

Shaft Grave 2 Fill

below very bottom of neck band that has added white line at base, foliate band in

combination with circles above and added white line on single band between, two

medium bands below both with added white lines (two on upper band). FM 64.

9. -

Mycenaean Decorated Alabastron/Squat jug (FS 80/87)

Shaft Grave 1 Fill

part of urchin above two medium bands with the top having traces of two parallel

added white lines. FM 27.

294

10. L.941

Mycenaean Decorated Squat jug (FS 87)

Shaft Grave 1 Fill

Partial

interior and exterior rim bands, exterior has traces of two parallel lines of added

white, main motif consists of filled circles/blobs framed by wavy lines, two

medium bands, splashes on the handle.

11. -

Mycenaean Decorated Squat jug (FS 87)

Shaft Grave 1 Fill

Rim Diam:6.0

added white lines on exterior and on lip.

12. -

Mycenaean Decorated Squat jug (FS 87)

Shaft Grave 1 Fill

three splashes with traces of paint on sides.

13. L.266

Mycenaean Decorated Hole-mouthed jar (FS 100)

Shaft Grave 1 Fill 295

H:15.6, Rim Diam:9.0, Base Diam:c.5.5

Whole/Restored

Caskey 1955, pl. 16c; MDP, 13 fig. 6:1

interior and exterior rim bands with added white oblique dashes on rim, three

medium bands on shoulder with parallel lines of added white on them, parallel

rows of circles on belly, four medium bands on lower body with parallel lines of

added white on them, one band above base/painted base (not preserved), added

white circles around and splashes on handles, added white line around spout. FM

44.

14. L.942

Mycenaean Decorated Hole-mouthed jar (FS 100)

Shaft Grave 1 Fill

Rim Diam:14.0

Partial

exterior rim band with added white dashes, three roughly parallel medium bands

on shoulder; urchins between oblique naturalistic foliate bands?, three parallel

medium bands. FM27, 64?

15. -

Mycenaean Decorated Hole-mouthed jar (FS 100)

Shaft Grave 1 Fill

BO 296

two bands with the top having an added white line while the bottom has two

parallel lines (presumably the top also had two), row of four circles. FM 41.

16. L.1212a

Mycenaean Decorated Semiglobular cup (FS 211)

Shaft Grave 1 Fill

H:8.7, Rim Diam:13.0, Base Diam:6.0

Partial

MDP, 14 fig. 7:1

black interior rim band, red exterior rim band, bars pattern, two medium bands,

band around base.

17. L.938

Mycenaean Decorated Semiglobular cup (FS 211)

Shaft Grave 2 Fill

Rim Diam:12.0, Base Diam:5.0

Partial

interior and exterior rim bands with two added white lines on exterior one, tangent

spiral with added white in center of spiral and added white dots on linking lines

and exterior circle, two bands below with added white line on upper, band around

base. FM 46.

18. L.939 297

Mycenaean Decorated Semiglobular cup (FS 211)

Shaft Grave 2 Fill

Rim Diam:12.0, Base Diam:4.0

Partial

interior and exterior rim bands with two added white lines on exterior one, foliate

band in combination with wavy line above and one added white line on each

band, two bands below with an added white line on each, band around base. FM

64.

19. L.385

Mycenaean Decorated Semiglobular cup (FS 211)

Shaft Grave 1 Fill

Rim Diam:11.0, Base Diam:4.0

Partial

interior and exterior rim bands, exterior has two parallel added white lines,

stylized foliate band, the bands have added white lines on them, two medium

bands, the top of which has traces of an added white line, band around the base.

FM 64.

20. -

Mycenaean Decorated Semiglobular cup (FS 212)

Shaft Grave 1 Fill

Base Diam:5.0 298

part of band on exterior, exterior and interior(!) band around base.

21. L.948

Mycenaean Decorated Semiglobular cup (FS 211/212)

Shaft Grave 2 Fill

Rim Diam:12.0

Partial

interior and exterior rim bands, two wavy lines separated by narrow band, band

below, four splashes on handle with traces of paint on sides. FM 53.

22. L.1226

Mycenaean Decorated Semiglobular cup (FS 211/212)

Shaft Grave 1 Fill

Rim Diam:14.0

Partial

interior rim band which overlaps slightly, dots on exterior rim, band dividing rim

from body, double-axe. FM 35.

23. -

Mycenaean Decorated Semiglobular cup (FS 211/212)

Shaft Grave 2 Fill

Rim Diam:13.0 299

interior and exterior rim bands with added white line at bottom of exterior one,

two wavy lines, two bands below both with added white lines. FM 53.

24. -

Mycenaean Decorated Semiglobular cup (FS 211/212)

Shaft Grave 2 Fill

Rim Diam:13.0

interior and exterior rim bands, seven vertical lines separating blobs.

25. -

Mycenaean Decorated Semiglobular cup (FS 211/212)

Shaft Grave 2 Fill

Rim Diam:12.0

interior and exterior rim bands, unknown motif above two bands both with added

white bands.

26. -

Mycenaean Decorated Semiglobular cup (FS 211/212)

Shaft Grave 2 Fill

RI+HA 300

interior rim band, band on bottom of handle with blob and trace of paint on

interior, four splashes on exterior and painted rivet.

27. L.1601

Mycenaean Decorated Semiglobular cup

Shaft Grave 1 Fill

Rim Diam:12.0

Restored

interior and exterior rim bands, matt-painted motif, band, another matt-painted

motif, band.

28. L.936

Mycenaean Decorated Vapheio cup (FS 224 Type II)

Shaft Grave 2 Fill

Rim Diam:10.0, Base Diam:6.0?

Partial

interior rim band, bar pattern, band above midrib, band below midrib, band

around base.

29. L.937

Mycenaean Decorated Vapheio cup (FS 224 Type II)

Shaft Grave 1 Fill

Rim Diam:11.0?, Base Diam:6.0? 301

Partial

uneven interior rim band, tangent spirals with blobs, bands above and below

midrib that almost meet with added white lines on each band, band around base.

FM 46.

30. -

Mycenaean Decorated Vapheio cup (FS 224 Type II)

Shaft Grave 1 Fill

Partial

neat interior rim band, handle loop, four splashes on handle, band on midrib, band

around base.

31. -

Mycenaean Decorated Vapheio cup (FS 224 Type II)

Shaft Grave 1 Fill

Rim Diam:8.0

neat interior rim band, foliate band in combination with traces of added white

lines on foliate bands, band on midrib with traces of added white lines above and

below midrib. FM 64.

32. -

Mycenaean Decorated Vapheio cup (FS 224 Type II) 302

Shaft Grave 1 Fill

Rim Diam:10.0

relatively shallow interior rim band, tangent spirals with blobs, band over midrib.

FM 46.

33. -

Mycenaean Decorated Vapheio cup (FS 224 Type II)

Shaft Grave 1 Fill

Rim Diam:15.0

neat interior rim band which overlaps slightly onto exterior with added white line

on interior lip, tangent spiral with blobs, floral motif in one of the spirals, added

white line on spiral link, band above the beginning of the midrib with two parallel

added white lines. FM 46.

34. -

Mycenaean Decorated Vapheio cup (FS224 Type II)

Shaft Grave 2 Fill

Rim Diam:11.0

RI 303

interior rim band, crocus originating from one of two vertical lines with added

white on center of crocus?, band over midrib with added white band above, band

below. FM 10.

35. -

Mycenaean Decorated Vapheio cup (FS 224 Type II)

Shaft Grave 2 Fill

Rim Diam:10.0

interior rim band, foliate band in combination with vertical lines above and

crocuses below, band over midrib with added white band above. FM 64.

36. -

Mycenaean Decorated Vapheio cup (FS 224 Type II)

Shaft Grave 2 Fill

Rim Diam:9.0

interior rim band overlapping lip, three rows of circles, band over midrib with at

least two lines above. FM 41.

37. -

Mycenaean Decorated Vapheio cup (FS 224 Type II)

Shaft Grave 2 Fill 304

Rim Diam:12.0

interior rim band, scale pattern, band over midrib. FM70.

38. -

Mycenaean Decorated Vapheio cup (FS 224 Type II)

Shaft Grave 2 Fill

Rim Diam:11.0

interior rim band, tangent spirals with added white on center of spirals, band on

midrib, band below. FM 46.

39. -

Mycenaean Decorated Vapheio cup (FS 224 Type II)

Shaft Grave 2 Fill

Rim Diam:11.0

interior rim band slightly overlapping lip, foliate band in combination with circles

below and added white lines on both bands, band above and below midrib with

added white bands on both. FM 64.

40. -

Mycenaean Decorated Vapheio cup (FS 224 Type II) 305

Shaft Graves 1&2 Fill

Rim Diam:11.0

interior rim band and narrow exterior one, foliate band in combination with chain

of mostly linked circles below and added white line on lower band, band above

and below midrib with added white paint on both. FM 64.

41. -

Mycenaean Decorated Vapheio cup (FS 224 Type II)

Shaft Grave 2 Fill

Rim Diam:11.0

interior rim band, tangent spirals with crocus between them and added white at

the centers of the spirals, band over midrib with added white band above and

below. FM 46, 10.

42. -

Mycenaean Decorated Vapheio cup (FS 224 Type II)

Shaft Grave 1 Fill

Base Diam:6.0

black band around midrib with two parallel lines of added white above and below

midrib, red band around base. 306

43. -

Mycenaean Decorated Vapheio cup (FS 224)

Shaft Grave 1 Fill

Rim Diam:10.0

interior rim band, possible exterior rim band but it does not completely cover the

motif, added white lines on exterior, "ripply" type of ripples. FM 78.

44. -

Mycenaean Decorated Vapheio cup (FS 224)

Shaft Grave 2 Fill

Rim Diam:10.0

interior rim band (with faded paint below that was wiped away before firing?),

foliate band in combination with crocuses above and chain of linked circles below

and added white lines on both bands, band below with added white line.

45. -

Mycenaean Decorated Vapheio cup (FS 224)

Shaft Grave 2 Fill

RI 307

interior rim band, unknown main motif, band over very beginning of midrib with

line of added white on top.

46. -

Mycenaean Decorated Vapheio cup (FS224)

Shaft Grave 1 Fill

bands above and below midrib with lines of added white on both, foliate band-

type motif on midrib.

47. -

Mycenaean Decorated Vapheio cup (FS 224)

Shaft Grave 2 Fill

RI+HA

interior rim band, rivets are painted, part of one handle splash.

48. L.934

Mycenaean Decorated Straight-sided cup

Shaft Grave 2 Fill

Rim Diam:9.0

Partial

interior rim band slightly overlapping lip, bar pattern with added white on lower

band, band, band around base. 308

49. L.935

Mycenaean Decorated Straight-sided cup

Shaft Grave 2 Fill

Rim Diam:8.0, Base Diam:4.0

Partial

interior rim band, band around base.

50. -

Mycenaean Decorated Straight-sided cup

Shaft Grave 2 Fill

Rim Diam:14.0?

interior rim band, vertical foliate bands separated by narrow band. FM 64.

51. L.384

Mycenaean Decorated, Rounded cup/bowl (FS220a)

Shaft Grave 1 Fill

Rim Diam:11.5, Base Diam:4.0

Partial

interior rim band, "ripply" and "wavy" ripples merge into band around base. FM

78.

309

52. L.924

Mycenaean Decorated Askos (FS 195)

Grave DC 4

H:7.1, Rim Diam:1.4, Base Diam:3.8

Whole/Restored

painted spout, handle, and shoulder, ripples on upper body, broad band below,

broad band around base, added white dots on shoulder. FM 78.

53. -

Grey Minyan-True kantharos/loop-handled

Shaft Grave 2 Fill

RI+BO

54. -

Grey Minyan-True loop-handled cup?

Shaft Grave 2 Fill

55. -

Grey Minyan-Grainy? semiglobular cup?

Shaft Grave 2 Fill

Rim Diam:14.0

RI 310

56. -

Yellow Minyan-True goblet/krater/kantharos

Shaft Grave 1 Fill

Rim Diam:12.0

57. -

Yellow Minyan-True goblet/krater/kantharos

Shaft Grave 2 Fill

Rim Diam:18.0?

58. -

Yellow Minyan-True semiglobular cup?

Shaft Grave 2 Fill

Rim Diam:10.0

59. -

Yellow Minyan goblet/krater

Shaft Grave 1 Fill

Rim Diam:16.0 311

RI+HA

60. -

Yellow Minyan goblet/krater

Shaft Grave 2 Fill

Rim Diam:22.0

RI+HA

61. -

Yellow Minyan goblet/krater

Shaft Grave 2 Fill

Rim Diam:21.0

RI+HA

62. -

Yellow Minyan kantharos?

Shaft Grave 2 Fill

Base Diam:5.0

63. -

Yellow Minyan kantharos?

Shaft Grave 2 Fill 312

Base Diam:4.0

64. -

Matt-Painted hydria

Shaft Grave 1 Fill

RI+HA+BO

deep interior rim band and probably exterior rim band, band around neck, bands

around ends of handle, band along length of handle.

65. -

Matt-Painted jar

Shaft Grave 1 Fill

Rim Diam:13.0

trace of exterior rim band, band around neck.

66. L.597

Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted-A semiglobular cup

Shaft Grave 2 Grave Floor

Rim Diam:10.0, Base Diam:4.0

Whole

Caskey 1956, pl. 39:e; AMTA, fig. 69 313

groups of vertical black dashes on a red background and a row of lozenges framed by black lines immediately below the rim.

67. -

Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted-A jug

Shaft Grave 2 Fill

Rim Diam:10.0

Partial

band(?) in very dark grey across rim near handle, band in same at neck, three fine

bands below, wide band in reddish brown framed by very dark grey below.

68. -

Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted-A bird jug

Shaft Grave 2 Fill

bird head.

69. -

Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted-A large jug

Shaft Grave 2 Fill

red band framed by black bands around neck, black dots immediately below, five

vertical black lines descending from neck band, red arc framed by black bands.

314

70. -

Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted-B jug

Shaft Grave 2 Fill

NE+HA

wide band of brown to strong brown framed by narrower bands of dark grey, dots

below in brown-strong brown.

71. -

Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted-B open

Shaft Grave 1 Fill

band of very pale brown framed by lines of very dark grey.

72. -

Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted-B closed

Shaft Grave 1? Fill

wide band of brown framed by narrower bands of dark grey.

73. -

Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted-B closed

Shaft Grave 2 Fill

BO 315

zigzag in strong brown framed by narrow bands of grey.

74. -

White on Burnished Dark semiglobular cup

Shaft Grave 2 Fill

Rim Diam:10.0

Partial

interior rim band, solidly coated exterior with band under rim, isolated spirals

descending from bands, band at slight carination, vertical band on handle.

75. -

White on Burnished Dark semiglobular cup

Shaft Grave 2 Fill

RI+HA

interior rim band, solidly coated exterior, white band under rim, white vertical

band on handle.

76 -

White on Burnished Dark semiglobular cup

Rim Diam:12.0

Shaft Grave 2 Fill

interior and exterior rim bands in very dark grey, solidly coated exterior in dark

red, white band below rim, running spiral below. 316

77. -

White on Burnished Dark jar/jug

Shaft Grave 2 Fill

Rim Diam:8.0

RI+NE

interior rim band in very dark grey, solidly coated exterior in dark reddish brown-

reddish brown, white band at base of neck.

78. -

Red Silver Micaceous bowl/cup

Shaft Grave 2 Fill

Rim Diam:13.0, Base Diam:5.0

Partial

79. -

Red Silver Micaceous bowl/cup

Shaft Grave 2 Fill

Base Diam:3.0

BA+BO

80. -

Red Silver Micaceous spouted bowl/cup 317

Shaft Grave 1 Fill

81. -

Red Silver Micaceous straight-sided cup

Shaft Grave 2 Fill

Rim Diam:7.0?, Base Diam:3.0?

Partial

82. -

Red Silver Micaceous kantharos

Shaft Grave 2 Fill

RI+HA

83. L.944

Unpainted one-handled cup

Shaft Grave 1 Fill

Rim Diam:11.0, Base Diam:5.0

Restored

84. L.769

Unpainted conical cup

Shaft Grave 1 Fill 318

Rim Diam:10.0, Base Diam:4.0?

Whole

85. -

Unpainted – Fine Vapheio cup

Shaft Grave 1 Fill

Rim Diam:9.0

86. -

Unpainted – Fine cup

Shaft Graves 1&2 Fill

Rim Diam:10.0, Base Diam:5.0

Partial

87. -

Unpainted – Fine cup

Shaft Grave 2 Fill

Rim Diam:8.0, Base Diam:4.0

Partial

88. -

Unpainted – Fine cup/dipper 319

Shaft Grave 2 Fill

Rim Diam:8.0, Base Diam:4.0?

Partial

89. -

Unpainted – Fine goblet

Shaft Grave 1 Fill

Rim Diam:17.0?

RI+HA

90. -

Unpainted – Fine kantharos

Shaft Graves 1&2 Fill

Rim Diam:10.0, Base Diam:5.0

Partial

91. -

Unpainted – Fine miniature kantharos

Shaft Grave 2 Fill

RI+HA

92. -

Unpainted – Fine miniature kantharos/cup 320

Shaft Grave 2 Fill

Rim Diam:6.0, Base Diam:3.0

Partial

93. -

Unpainted – Fine bridge-spouted jar

Shaft Grave 2 Fill

94. -

Unpainted – Fine ring-handled jug

Shaft Grave 2 Fill

Rim Diam:6.0

Partial

95. -

Unpainted – Fine jug

Shaft Graves 1&2 Fill

Rim Diam:5.0

Partial

96. -

Unpainted – Medium goblet 321

Shaft Grave 2 Fill

RI+HA

97. -

Unpainted – Medium goblet

Shaft Grave 1 Fill

98. -

Unpainted – Medium goblet

Shaft Grave 2 Fill

99. -

Unpainted – Kitchen cooking pot

Shaft Grave 2 Fill

Rim Diam:3.0

Partial

100. -

Unpainted – Kitchen cooking pot

Shaft Grave 1 Fill

Rim Diam:6.0 322

Partial

101. -

Unpainted – Kitchen cooking pot

Shaft Grave 2 Fill

Rim Diam:9.0

102. -

Unpainted – Kitchen cooking pot

Shaft Grave 1 Fill

Base Diam:5.0

103. -

Unpainted – Kitchen cooking pot

Shaft Grave 2 Fill

Base Diam:6.0

104. -

Unpainted – Kitchen cooking pot

Shaft Grave 1 Fill 323

105. -

Aiginetan Matt-Painted hydria

Shaft Grave 2 Fill

RI+HA

interior and exterior rim bands, band around neck, band down length of handle.

106. -

Aiginetan Matt-Painted hydria

Shaft Grave 2 Fill

RI+HA

interior and exterior rim bands, band around neck, band down length of handle.

107. -

Aiginetan Matt-Painted amphora/hydria/stamnos

Shaft Grave 2 Fill

Rim Diam:13.0

interior and exterior rim bands, band around neck.

108. -

Aiginetan Matt-Painted amphora/hydria/stamnos

Shaft Grave 2 Fill 324

Rim Diam:13.0

interior and exterior rim bands, band around neck, seven dots below.

109. L.946

Aiginetan Polychrome Matt-Painted two-handled spouted bowl

Shaft Grave 1 Fill

Rim Diam:21.0?

Restored

rim band in lustrous reddish brown; matt grey band under exterior rim, wavy

lines in matt grey above, reddish brown below.

110. -

Aiginetan Polychrome Matt-Painted krater

Shaft Grave 2 Fill

Rim Diam:25.0

reddish brown paint reaches from interior rim to exterior rim, band under rim of

very dark grey, two wavy lines with very dark grey above and reddish brown

below, three bands below with very dark grey framing reddish brown.

111. -

Aiginetan Polychrome Matt-Painted krater 325

Shaft Grave 2 Fill

Rim Diam:25.0

red paint reaches from interior rim to exterior rim, band under rim in red, wavy lines with red above and below.

112. -

Aiginetan Polychrome Matt-Painted krater

Shaft Grave 1 Fill

Rim Diam:23.0

very dark grey paint reaches from interior rim to exterior rim, band under rim of

reddish brown, two wavy lines with reddish brown above and very dark grey

below (this is reversed from normal).

113. -

Aiginetan Polychrome Matt-Painted krater

Shaft Grave 1 Fill

Rim Diam:34.0

very dark grey paint reaching from interior rim to exterior rim where it becomes

reddish brown, band under rim of very dark grey, oblique parallel intersecting

lines of very dark grey filled with reddish brown dots, reddish brown semicircle

with two lines of very dark grey around it. 326

114. -

Aiginetan Polychrome Matt-Painted krater

Shaft Grave 1 Fill

Rim Diam:28.0

red paint reaches from interior rim to exterior rim, band under rim of very dark

grey, oblique parallel lines of very dark grey framing wavy lines in red.

115. -

Aiginetan Polychrome Matt-Painted krater

Shaft Grave 2 Fill

RI+SP

very dark grey paint reaches from interior rim to exterior rim, band under rim,

band around spout, arcs originating from intersection of spout band and band

under rim, paint lining spout.

116. -

Aiginetan Polychrome Matt-Painted krater

Shaft Grave 2 Fill

RI+SP

reddish brown-red paint reaches from interior rim to exterior rim, band under rim of very dark grey, band around spout of same, arcs originating from intersection of spout band and band under rim with top in very dark grey and bottom in reddish brown-red, reddish brown-red lining spout. 327

117. -

Aiginetan Polychrome Matt-Painted krater

Shaft Grave 1 Fill

Base Diam:13.0

band around base of dusky red, splash of red

118. -

Aiginetan Polychrome Matt-Painted krater

Shaft Grave 1 Fill

Base Diam:11.0

119. -

Aiginetan Polychrome Matt-Painted krater

Shaft Grave 1 Fill

half of Figure 8 in very dark grey around handle, very dark grey and red bands

leading from Figure 8.

120. -

Aiginetan Red Slipped and Burnished goblet 328

Shaft Grave 1 Fill

RI+HA

solidly coated.

121. -

Aiginetan Red Slipped and Burnished goblet

Shaft Grave 2 Fill

Diam:10.0

solidly coated.

122. -

Aiginetan Red Slipped and Burnished goblet

Shaft Grave 2 Fill

Base Diam:9.0

solidly coated.

123. -

Aiginetan Red Slipped and Burnished goblet

Shaft Grave 2 Fill

Base Diam:8.0

BA 329

solidly coated.

124. -

Aiginetan Red Slipped and Burnished goblet

Shaft Grave 1 Fill

Base Diam:10.0

solidly coated.

125. L.950

Aiginetan Kitchen cooking pot

Shaft Grave 2 Fill

Rim Diam:18.0, Base Diam:7.0

Restored

126. L.951

Aiginetan Kitchen cooking pot

Shaft Grave 2 Fill

Rim Diam:14.0

Partial

127. -

Aiginetan Kitchen cooking pot 330

Shaft Grave 1 Fill

Rim Diam:12.0

128. -

Aiginetan Kitchen cooking pot

Shaft Grave 1 Fill

Rim Diam:14.0

129. -

Aiginetan Kitchen cooking pot

Shaft Grave 2 Fill

Rim Diam:12.0

130. -

Aiginetan Kitchen cooking pot

Shaft Grave 2 Fill

Rim Diam:28.0

131. - 331

Aiginetan Kitchen cooking pot

Shaft Grave 1 Fill

Rim Diam:27.0?

132. -

Aiginetan Kitchen cooking pot

Shaft Grave 1 Fill

Base Diam:5.0

133. -

Aiginetan Kitchen cooking pot

Shaft Grave 1 Fill

Base Diam:9.0

134. -

Aiginetan Kitchen cooking pot

Shaft Grave 2 Fill

Base Diam:6.0

332

135. -

Aiginetan Kitchen cooking pot

Shaft Grave 2 Fill

Base Diam:7.0

136. -

Aiginetan Kitchen cooking pot

Shaft Grave 2 Fill

Base Diam:20.0

137. -

Aiginetan Kitchen cooking pot

Shaft Grave 2 Fill

Base Diam:16.0

333

MIDEA

1. M97 Vb12S-256D

Mycenaean Decorated Jar (FS 14/15/24)

Lower Terraces Trench Vb

Kramer in Midea II (forthcoming)

part of a hatched loop, three lines. FM 63.

2. M96 Nf2N-078A

Mycenaean Decorated Piriform jar (FS 27)

Lower Terraces Trench Nf

Kramer in Midea II (forthcoming)

part of a tangent spiral with circle fill. FM 46.

3. M95 Mx1a-028A+Mx1a/2-042A

Mycenaean Decorated Squat jug (FS 87)

Lower Terraces Trench Mx

Kramer in Midea II (forthcoming)

urchin with parts of two circles, part of a band below. FM 27, 41.

334

4. M97 NpE2S-026B

Mycenaean Decorated Squat jug (FS 87)

Lower Terraces Trench Np

Kramer in Midea II (forthcoming)

band with added white paint, part of urchin. FM 27.

5. M96 Nt1E-009A

Mycenaean Decorated Hole-mouthed jar (FS 100)

Lower Terraces Trench Nh

Rim Diam:13.0

Kramer in Midea II (forthcoming)

exterior rim band with added white line, transverse white strokes on rim, part of a

spiral. FM 46?

6. M97 Nt1E-009A

Mycenaean Decorated Hole-mouthed jar (FS 100)

Lower Terraces Trench Nt

Kramer in Midea II (forthcoming)

vertical foliate band with white paint. FM 64.

335

7. M97 Vb9bSC-203A

Mycenaean Decorated Hole-mouthed jar (FS 100)

Lower Terraces Trench Vb

Kramer in Midea II (forthcoming)

vertical foliate band with a very thick band, two fine bands. FM 64.

8. M96 Nf2-074C

Mycenaean Decorated Hole-mouthed jar? (FS 100?)

Lower Terraces Trench Nf

Kramer in Midea II (forthcoming)

circles, two bands. FM 41.

9. M96 Nf2-074A

Mycenaean Decorated Semiglobular cup (FS 211/212)

Lower Terraces Trench Nf

Rim Diam:16.0

Kramer in Midea II (forthcoming)

interior and exterior rim bands, part of a tangent spiral. FM 46.

10. M96 Nh7XVIIISW-307AA 336

Mycenaean Decorated Semiglobular cup (FS 211/212)

Lower Terraces Trench Nh

Rim Diam:12.5

Kramer in Midea II (forthcoming)

interior and exterior rim bands, ripple. FM 78.

11. M96 Ni4XX-045A

Mycenaean Decorated Semiglobular cup (FS 211/212)

Lower Terraces Trench Ni

Kramer in Midea II (forthcoming)

interior and exterior rim band, part of a tangent spiral. FM 46.

12. M96 NMegW1-034A

Mycenaean Decorated Semiglobular cup (FS 211/212)

Lower Terraces Trench NMeg

Rim Diam:12.0

RI/BO

Kramer in Midea II (forthcoming)

thick interior rim band, exterior rim band with two white horizontal bands and

oblique strokes of added white paint, part of a retorted spiral. FM 46.

337

13. M96 NMegWSurf-023B

Mycenaean Decorated Semiglobular cup (FS 211/212)

Lower Terraces Trench NMeg

Kramer in Midea II (forthcoming)

ripple. FM 78.

14. M95 Mv3W-123AA

Mycenaean Decorated Semiglobular cup (FS 211/212)

Lower Terraces Trench Mv

Rim Diam:9.5

Kramer in Midea II (forthcoming)

interior and exterior rim bands, vertical lines of bar pattern?

15. M95 Mx2-050B

Mycenaean Decorated Semiglobular cup? (FS 211/212?)

Lower Terraces Trench Mx

Kramer in Midea II (forthcoming)

tangent spiral. FM 46.

16. M94 Mf3-087F 338

Mycenaean Decorated Vapheio cup (FS 224 Type II)

Lower Terraces Trench Mf

Kramer in Midea II (forthcoming)

interior rim band, foliate band. FM 64.

17. M94 Mh5XII-141A

Mycenaean Decorated Vapheio cup FS 224 Type II

Lower Terraces Trench Mf

Rim Diam:9.0

Kramer in Midea II (forthcoming)

interior rim band, ripple with handle loop. FM 78.

18. M95 Ms2NE-047AA

Mycenaean Decorated Vapheio cup (FS 224 Type II)

Lower Terraces Trench Ms

Rim Diam:13.0

Kramer in Midea II (forthcoming)

interior rim band, tangent spiral, band below the spiral with traces of added white,

added white also appears to be in the center of the spiral. FM 46.

339

19. M95 Mx2-050C

Mycenaean Decorated Vapheio cup (FS 224 Type II)

Lower Terraces Trench Mx

Kramer in Midea II (forthcoming)

interior rim band, foliate band in combination with added white paint. FM 64.

20. M96 Nh5XVIIISW-279A

Mycenaean Decorated Vapheio cup (FS 224 Type II)

Lower Terraces Trench Nh

Kramer in Midea II (forthcoming)

foliate band in combination of crocus, naturalistic within

horizontal bands, interior band, traces of added white above midrib FM 64

21. M97 NtDr1-023A

Mycenaean Decorated Vapheio cup (FS 224 Type II)

Lower Terraces Trench Nt

Rim Diam:8.0

Kramer in Midea II (forthcoming)

interior rim band, tangent spiral, band above midrib. FM 46.

340

22. M95 MuPA-065A

Mycenaean Decorated Vapheio cup (FS 224 Type II)

Lower Terraces Trench Mu

Base Diam:4.0

BA/BO

Kramer in Midea II (forthcoming)

two parallel bands with added white.

23. M95 Mt1-004A

Mycenaean Decorated Vapheio cup (FS 224)

Lower Terraces Trench Mt

Rim Diam:10.0?

Kramer in Midea II (forthcoming)

red band on rim with white wavy line superimposed, ripple below. FM 78, 53.

24. M97 Nr5XXV-152A

Mycenaean Decorated Vapheio cup (FS 224)

Lower Terraces Trench Nr

Rim Diam:10.0

Kramer in Midea II (forthcoming) 341

interior and exterior rim bands, foliate band variant with quirk, added white bands

above and below. FM 64, 48.

25. M97 Nt5E-047B-D

Mycenaean Decorated Vapheio cup (FS 224)

Lower Terraces Trench Nt

Rim Diam:14.0

RI/BO

Kramer in Midea II (forthcoming)

interior and exterior rim bands, exterior has added white wavy lines and two fine

white lines, ripple. FM 78.

26. M97 NuDr4-033A

Mycenaean Decorated Vapheio cup (FS 224)

Lower Terraces Trench Nu

Kramer in Midea II (forthcoming)

interior rim band, ripple, band on midrib. FM 78.

27. M97 Vb6-094A

Mycenaean Decorated Vapheio cup (FS 224)

Lower Terraces Trench Vb

RI 342

Kramer in Midea II (forthcoming)

interior and exterior rim bands, ripple. FM 78.

28. M97 Vb9a-190D

Mycenaean Decorated Vapheio cup (FS 224)

Lower Terraces Trench Vb

Rim Diam:7.5

Kramer in Midea II (forthcoming)

interior and exterior rim bands, ripple. FM 78.

29. M97 Vb9b-197A

Mycenaean Decorated Vapheio cup (FS 224)

Lower Terraces Trench Vb

Rim Diam:9.0

Kramer in Midea II (forthcoming)

interior and exterior rim bands, ripple. FM 78.

30. M94 Md-Surf-002B

Mycenaean Decorated Vapheio cup (FS 224)

Lower Terraces Trench Md

Rim Diam:12.0 343

Kramer in Midea II (forthcoming)

interior and exterior rim bands, diagonal bars.

31. M97 NqW3-026C

Mycenaean Decorated Vapheio cup (FS 224)

Lower Terraces Trench Nq

Rim Diam:10.0

Kramer in Midea II (forthcoming)

interior rim band, diagonal bars.

32. M97 NuSurf/1-009A

Mycenaean Decorated Vapheio cup (FS 224)

Lower Terraces Trench Nu

Rim Diam:10.0

Kramer in Midea II (forthcoming)

two foliate bands, oblique fine lines, two horizontal bands below foliate bands.

FM 64.

33. M97 NpE2S-026A

Mycenaean Decorated Rounded cup/bowl (FS 220a) 344

Lower Terraces Trench Np

Rim Diam:16.0

Kramer in Midea II (forthcoming) interior and exterior rim bands, ripple. FM 78. 345

MYCENAE

1. 856

Mycenaean Decorated Jar (FS 14)

Grave Circle A Shaft Grave V

H:54.8, Rim Diam:26.5, Base Diam:17.5

Whole/Restored

Karo 1930, 148-149, pl. 172:856; RMDP, 80, 81 fig. 10:1

paint covers the rim, the neck (interior and exterior), the handles, and the base,

linked circles on the shoulder, two bands below the handle, running spiral, several

narrow bands/lines, added white paint on rim (hemicircles), on the neck (lines,

dots), on the handle (splashes), and on the running spiral (dots). FM 46.

2. 518:5

Mycenaean Decorated Oval-mouthed amphora (FS 71)

Chamber Tomb 518

H:27.7, Rim Diam:10.2, Base Diam:9.0

Whole/Restored

Wace 1932, 76, 79, pl. 42:5; RMDP, 82, 81 fig. 10:4

paint covers the rim and neck (interior and exterior), two medium bands around the neck, retorted spiral on the upper body, two broad bands, retorted spiral on the lower body, broad band, band around the base, bands around the handles. FM 46.

3. Delta 64

Mycenaean Decorated Alabastron jar 346

Grave Circle B Shaft Grave Delta

H:13.5, Rim Diam:9.3-9.4, Base Diam:5.9

Whole/Restored

Circle B, 83-84, pl. 65:gamma; RMDP, 82, 81 fig. 10:5

paint covers the rim, neck (interior and exterior), and handles, linked circles with

blobs, two broad bands, band around base. FM 46.

4. 518.7

Mycenaean Decorated Squat jug (FS 87)

Chamber Tomb 518

H:7.8, Rim Diam:5.6, Base Diam:4.0

Whole/Restored

Wace 1932, 77, 79, pl.42:7; MDP, 13 fig. 5:2; RMDP, 82, 81 fig. 10:7

paint covers rim and neck (interior and exterior), concentric circles, two medium

bands, band around base, oblique splashes on handle. FM 41.

5. Gamma 19

Mycenaean Decorated Squat jug (FS 87)

Grave Circle B Shaft Grave Gamma

H:9.2-9.9, Rim Diam:7.8-7.9, Base Diam:4.2-4.4

Whole/Restored

Circle B, 55, pl. 43:alpha; RMDP, 82, 81 fig. 10:8 347

painted rim, linked circles with dot fill, broad band, medium band, band around

base, added white paint lines on neck framing running spiral in white, white dots

on broad band. FM 46.

6. 156

Mycenaean Decorated Squat jug (FS 87)

Grave Circle A Shaft Grave III

H:7.8, Rim Diam:6.2, Base Diam:4.1

Whole/Restored

Karo 1930, 63, pl. 166:156; RMDP, 82, 81 fig. 10:9

paint covers the rim and neck (interior and exterior), tangent spiral with crocus fill

and blobs, medium bands, band around base, oblique splashes on handle. FM 46.

7. Omicron 195

Mycenaean Decorated Hole-mouthed jar (FS 100)

Grave Circle B Shaft Grave Omicron

H:14.4, Rim Diam:11.0, Base Diam:8.2-8.3

Whole/Restored

Circle B, 192-193, pl. 170:gamma

painted rim, spout, and handles, tangent spirals in decorative zone, three medium

bands below, painted base, possible added white paint on bands? FM 46.

8. 68-410 348

Mycenaean Decorated Semiglobular cup (FS 212)

South House Room 22

H:7.3, Rim Diam:9.8, Base Diam:3.9

Whole/Restored

Mountjoy 1976, 103, 108, 103 fig. 15; MDP, 15, 14 fig. 7:3; RMDP, 83, 84 fig.

11:19

interior and exterior rim bands, wavy line, two medium bands, one broad band,

one medium band, painted base. FM 53.

9. Gamma 54

Mycenaean Decorated Vapheio cup (FS 224 Type II)

Grave Circle B Shaft Grave Gamma

Partial

Circle B, 66-67, pl. 52:gamma

ripples above and below the midrib, band over midrib, band around base. FM 78.

10. Gamma 56

Grey Minyan semiglobular cup

Grave Circle B Shaft Grave Gamma

H:8.1, Rim Diam:9.6, Base Diam:4.5

Whole/Restored

Circle B, 67, pl. 52:delta,2; ATMA, 199, 201

349

11. Gamma 57

Grey Minyan semiglobular cup

Grave Circle B Shaft Grave Gamma

H:8.7, Rim Diam:11.4, Base Diam:5.1

Whole/Restored

Circle B, 67-68, pl. 52:delta,1; ATMA, 199, 201

12. 949

Grey Minyan bridge-spouted jar

Grave Circle A Shaft Grave VI

H:19.5, Rim Diam:25.0, Base Diam:10.0

Whole/Restored

Furtwängler and Loeschcke 1879, pl.10:50; Karo 1930, 165, pl. 174:949;

ATMA, 200, 204, 203 fig. 61:BF-1

13. Mu 153

Grey Minyan jug

Grave Circle B Shaft Grave Mu

H:8.2, Rim Diam:6.5?, Base Diam:2.0

Whole/Restored

Circle B, 155, pl. 134:gamma; ATMA, 200, 204

14. Epsilon 82 350

Grey Minyan amphoriskos

Grave Circle B Shaft Grave Epsilon

H:16.0, Rim Diam:15.3-15.7, Base Diam:8.5-8.6

Whole/Restored

Circle B, 95, pl. 80:alpha, 1; ATMA, 200, 204, 202 fig. 61:BD-1

15. Epsilon 83

Grey Minyan amphoriskos

Grave Circle B Shaft Grave Epsilon

H:18.4, Rim Diam:17.5-17.8, Base Diam:8.4

Whole/Restored

Circle B, 95, pl. 80:alpha, 2; ATMA, 200, 204

16. 198

Matt-Painted kantharos

Grave Circle A Shaft Grave I

H:6.5 (ATMA, 152), 8.0 (Karo 1930, 68), Rim Diam:11.0, Base Diam:c.4.5?

Whole/Restored

Furtwängler and Loeschcke 1879, pl. I:6; Karo 1930, 68, pl. 168:198; ATMA,

152, 154, 150 fig. 47:AA-8

interior and exterior rim bands, medium band and narrow band around neck,

retorted spiral, medium band below, narrow band on lower body, lines on handles.

FM 46. 351

17. Gamma 62

Matt-Painted spouted bowl

Grave Circle B Shaft Grave Gamma

H:6.4, Rim Diam:13.4-13.7, Base Diam:c.3.0?

Whole/Restored

Circle B, 69-70, pl. 53:beta, 1; ATMA, 171, 171 fig. 52:AE-2

perpendicular dashes on rim, two narrow bands, triple pendant semicircles.

18. Gamma 53

Matt-Painted Vapheio cup

Grave Circle B Shaft Grave Gamma

H:7.7, Rim Diam:,10.5, Base Diam:6.4

Whole/Restored

Circle B, 66, pl. 52:alpha; ATMA, 156, 160, 162 fig. 48:AB-10(2)

three external rim bands, quadruple pendant semicircles, horizontal u-pattern

framed by narrow bands on body, two narrow bands around base, ladder pattern

on handle.

19. Gamma 60

Matt-Painted semiovoid cup

Grave Circle B Shaft Grave Gamma

H:14.0, Rim Diam:14.9-16.2, Base Diam:7.2 352

Whole/Restored

Circle B, 68-69, pl. 53:alpha, 1; ATMA, 157, 161, 163 fig. 48:AB-15

exterior rim band, four rows of horizontal u-pattern, four narrow bands, three

narrow bands on lower body above five broad bands, broad band around stem,

vertical bands framing handle area with oblique bands present.

20. Gamma 59

Matt-Painted semiovoid cup

Grave Circle B Shaft Grave Gamma

Whole/Restored

H:10.7, Rim Diam:12.1-12.7, Base Diam:6.3

interior rim band, five rows of horizontal u-pattern, two narrow bands, four broad

bands around lower body, one broad band around stem, vertical bands framing

handle area.

Circle B, 68, pl. 53:alpha, 2; ATMA, 157, 161, 163 fig. 48:AB-16.

21. Gamma 34

Matt-Painted beak-spouted jug

Grave Circle B Shaft Grave Gamma

H:23.0, Base Diam:5.2-5.3

Whole/Restored

Circle B, 60-61, pl. 47:alpha; ATMA, 172, 175-176, 182 fig. 54:AF-1(3) 353

seven narrow bands around spout, three narrow bands around neck at join with

handle, broad band around neck, three narrow bands on shoulder, "running" wavy

line, three narrow bands around belly, one broad band, band around base, vertical

and oblique bands on handle.

22. 222

Matt-Painted beak-spouted jug

Grave Circle A Shaft Grave II

H:20.0, Base Diam:5.4

Whole/Restored

Furtwängler and Loeschcke 1879, pl. IV:13; Karo 1930, 71, pl. 170:222;

ATMA, 172, 176, 182 fig. 54:AF-3

bands around spout, two medium bands around neck, triangles with dash fill, two

medium bands around belly framing wavy line.

23. Gamma 31

Matt-Painted beak-spouted jug

Grave Circle B Shaft Grave Gamma

H:20.5, Base Diam:6.3-6.4

Whole/Restored

Circle B, 59-60, pl. 45:beta; ATMA, 173, 176-177, 182 fig. 54:AF-7.

two narrow bands on spout, Scale pattern (FM 70) on shoulder within broad band,

five bands of two rows of horizontal u-patterns framed by lines on shoulder and 354

body, one band with only one row, oblique lines from belly to base, three narrow

bands around base.

24. Gamma 44

Matt-Painted amphoriskos

Grave Circle B Shaft Grave Gamma

Whole/Restored

H:10.3, Rim Diam:10.2, Base Diam:4.7

dots on interior rim, exterior rim band, three narrow bands on neck with dots

below, four-part spirals on belly, ladder pattern with parallel and oblique lines on

handle and loops at base of handle.

Circle B, 64, pl. 50:gamma; ATMA, 195, 198, 197 fig. 60:AK-6.

25. Omicron 198

Matt-Painted amphora

Grave Circle B Shaft Grave Omicron

H:49.4, Rim Diam:38.3, Base Diam:7.6-7.7

Whole/Restored

Circle B, 193-194, pl. 171:alpha; ATMA, 189, 193, 193 fig. 59:AI-5

broad band around neck, broad band around upper belly below handles with

intermittent fine lines immediately below, parallel splashes on handles.

26. Gamma 38 355

Matt-Painted stamnos

Grave Circle B Shaft Grave Gamma

H:49.0, Rim Diam:15.2, Base Diam:10.0

Whole/Restored

Circle B, 62, pl. 48:alpha; ATMA, 189, 192, 191 fig. 58:AI-4

two narrow bands around neck, double concentric circles on shoulder.

27. Alpha 3

Lustrous Decorated stamnos

Grave Circle B Shaft Grave Alpha

H:33.0, Rim Diam:9.2, Base Diam:12.8-13.4

Whole/Restored

Circle B, 24, pl. 13:gamma; ATMA, 236, 237 fig. 75:MB-2

two narrow white bands around neck, white spirals on shoulder, two broad white

bands, wavy line in handle zone, white broad band, white on handles, reserved

lower body and base.

28. Gamma 42

Lustrous Decorated stamnos

Grave Circle B Shaft Grave Gamma

H:51.8, Rim Diam:18.5, Base Diam:14.6

Whole/Restored

Circle B, 63, pl. 49:gamma; ATMA, 236, 237 fig. 75:MB-3 356

white running spirals between handle zones, oblique white splashes on horizontal

handles.

29. 954

Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted-A Vapheio cup

Grave Circle A Shaft Grave VI

H:7.8, Rim Diam:13.5, Base Diam: 9.5

Whole/Restored

Furtwängler and Loeschcke 1879, pl. XI:53; Karo 1930, 165, pl. 173:954;

ATMA, 217, 219, 220 fig. 69:IA-1(1)

red exterior rim band with horizontally bisecting black line, pendant semicircular

design in black lines, red midrib band with same semicircular pendant design, red

bands and black lines around base.

30. 943

Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted-A semiovoid cup

Grave Circle A Shaft Grave VI

H:9.5, Rim Diam:12.0, Base Diam:4.5

Whole/Restored

Furtwängler and Loeschcke 1879, pl. XI:52; Karo 1930, 163, pl. 173:943;

ATMA, 217, 219, 220 fig. 69:IA-2

interior rim band, deep exterior rim band with reserved semicircles, red band

between black rim band and black line, medium red band framed by black lines 357

on lower body, narrow black band around stem, vertical black lines framing

handle.

31. 941

Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted-A beak-spouted jug

Grave Circle A Shaft Grave VI

H:17.0

Whole/Restored

Furtwängler and Loeschcke 1879, pl. XI:51; Karo 1930, 163, pl. 173:941;

ATMA, 217, 219

alternating red and black narrow bands on spout, narrow red band flanked by

narrow black bands on upper body, pendant hatched design, alternating narrow

black, red, black, red, black bands on belly.

32. 947

Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted-A beak-spouted jug

Grave Circle A Shaft Grave VI

H:29.5, Base Diam:c.6.0

Whole/Restored

Furtwängler and Loeschcke 1879, pl. X:45; Karo 1930, 164; ATMA, 217, 219,

220 fig. 69:IB-1

black bands on spout, medium red band framed by black bands around neck, red

and black birds on body. 358

33. Gamma 30

Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted-A beak-spouted jug

Grave Circle B Shaft Grave Gamma

H:28.5, Rim Diam:3.5, Base Diam:6.8-7.1

Whole/Restored

Circle B, 58-59, pl. 45:alpha; ATMA, 217, 219

birds?

34. Kappa 110

Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted-A vertical-spouted jug

Grave Circle B Shaft Grave Kappa

H:28.6, Rim Diam:c.1.5, Base Diam:6.1-6.2

Whole/Restored

Circle B, 123, pl. 105:alpha; ATMA, 217, 219, 220 fig. 69:IB-2

six medium red bands framed in narrow black bands on spout, medium red bands

framed by narrow black bands on neck, black hatched lozenges framed by black

narrow bands, medium red band immediately below bordered by narrow black

band all on lower shoulder and belly, medium red band framed by narrow black

bands on lower body.

35. 944

Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted-A askos 359

Grave Circle A Shaft Grave VI

Partial

Furtwängler and Loeschcke 1879, pl. X:47; Karo 1930, 163, pl. 173:944;

ATMA, 217, 219, 220 fig. 69:IC-1

narrow black band around handle with double pendant semicircles, three narrow

black bands below, wide red band framed by narrow black bands around belly.

36. 948

Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted-A hydria

Grave Circle A Shaft Grave VI

H:57.0, Rim Diam:16.5

Whole/Restored

Furtwängler and Loeschcke 1879, pl. VIII:43; Karo 1930, 165, pl. 174:948;

ATMA, 218, 222, 221 fig. 69:ID-2

medium red band around neck with superimposed black ladder pattern, same

reaching from neck band to the same around the belly in the handle zone,

zoomorphic design in framed area.

37. 590

Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted-A stamnos

Grave Circle A Shaft Grave IV

Rim Diam:20.0

Partial 360

Karo 1930, 117, pl. 171:590; ATMA, 218, 222, 221

indeterminable.

38. 591

Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted-A stamnos

Grave Circle A Shaft Grave IV

Rim Diam:16.0

Partial

Karo 1930, 117, pl. 171:591; ATMA, 218, 222, 221

red bands around the rim and base of neck, red band framed by black in handle

zone.

39. Gamma 52

Fine Orange kantharos

Grave Circle B Shaft Grave Gamma

H:6.5, Rim Diam:11.0, Base Diam:4.8

Whole/Restored

Circle B, 66, pl. 5:beta; ATMA, 214, 215 fig. 67:GA-1

40. Omicron 192

Fine Orange kantharos

Grave Circle B Shaft Grave Omicron

H:10.2, Rim Diam:15.3-15.6, Base Diam:6.6-7.1 361

Whole/Restored

Circle B, 191, pl. 170:zeta; ATMA, 214, 215 fig. 67:GA-2

41. Alpha 6

White on Burnished Dark jug

Grave Circle B Shaft Grave Alpha

H:8.0, Rim Diam:5.8, Base Diam:3.2

Whole/Restored

Circle B, 25-26, pl. 13:delta; ATMA, 212, 213

two narrow white bands on neck, rosettes on upper body, two narrow white bands

on middle of belly, parallel white lines on handle.

42. Alpha 8

White on Burnished Dark jug

Grave Circle B Shaft Grave Alpha

H:6.0, Rim Diam:3.0, Base Diam:2.6-2.8

Whole/Restored

Circle B, 26-27, pl. 15:betaγ ATMA, 212, 213 fig. 66:FB-2

narrow white band on neck, rosettes on upper body, narrow white band on middle

of belly.

43. 858

White on Burnished Dark jar 362

Grave Circle A Shaft Grave V

H:18.5, Rim Diam:11.5, Base Diam:c.6.0

Whole/Restored

Furtwängler and Loeschcke 1879, pl. VII:39; Karo 1930, 149, pl. 172:858;

ATMA, 213, 213 fig. 66:FC-1

perpendicular dashes on rim in groups of three, two lines on neck, two lines on

upper body with triple semicircles above, same on lower body in handle zone.

44. Omicron 196

Red Silver Micaceous jar

Grave Circle B Shaft Grave Omicron

H:18.5, Rim Diam:18.8-19.0, Base Diam:7.6

Whole/Restored

Circle B, 193, pl. 170:delta; ATMA, 216, 216 fig. 66:HB-1

45. Omicron 199

Red Sliver Micaceous bridge-spouted jug

Grave Circle B Shaft Grave Omicron

H:26.4, Rim Diam:8.6, Base Diam:9.2-9.3

Whole/Restored

Circle B, 194, pl. 171:gamma; ATMA, 216, 216 fig. 66:HA-1

46. Gamma 24 363

Unpainted - Fine semiglobular cup

Grave Circle B Shaft Grave Gamma

H:7.0, Rim Diam:9.3, Base Diam:4.4-4.5

Whole/Restored

Circle B, 56, pl. 43:beta,4; ATMA, 157, 159

47. Mu 147

Unpainted - Fine semiglobular cup

Grave Circle B Shaft Grave Mu

H:9.4, Rim Diam:11.3-12.5, Base Diam:5.5

Whole/Restored

Circle B, 153-154, pl. 133:zeta; ATMA, 157, 159, 163 fig.48:AB-17

48. Mu 151

Unpainted - Fine spouted bowl

Grave Circle B Shaft Grave Mu

H:3.3, Rim Diam:8.2-8.5, Base Diam:3.2-3.4

Whole/Restored

Circle B, 154-155, pl. 134:alpha; ATMA, 171, 171 fig.52:AE-1

49. Gamma 49

Unpainted - Fine goblet

Grave Circle B Shaft Grave Gamma 364

H:15.6, Rim Diam:18.4, Base Diam:9.8

Whole/Restored

Circle B, 65, pl. 51:gamma, 1; ATMA, 167, 170, 168 fig.51:AD-7

50. 611

Unpainted - Fine kantharos

Grave Circle A Shaft Grave IV

H:6.3, Rim Diam:12.0, Base Diam:5.4

Whole/Restored

Karo 1930, 120, pl. 171:611; ATMA, 152, 154, 150 fig. 47:AA-7

51. Gamma 21

Unpainted - Fine kantharos

Grave Circle B Shaft Grave Gamma

H:7.0, Rim Diam:6.9, Base Diam:4.0-4.2

Whole/Restored

Circle B, 55-56, pl. 43:beta,2; ATMA, 152, 153-154, 150 fig. 47:AA-4(3)

52. Gamma 48

Unpainted - Fine askos

Grave Circle B Shaft Grave Gamma

H:14.0, Base Diam:4.5-5.0

Whole/Restored 365

Circle B, 65, pl. 51:beta; ATMA, 188, 188 fig.57:AH-2

53. Omicron 191

Unpainted - Fine askos

Grave Circle B Shaft Grave Omicron

H:30.0, Base Diam:9.3-9.7

Whole/Restored

Circle B, 191, pl. 169:gamma; ATMA, 188, 188 fig.57:AH-1

54. Gamma 35

Unpainted - Fine jug

Grave Circle B Shaft Grave Gamma

H:13.5, Base Diam:3.6-4.0

Whole/Restored

Circle B, 61, pl. 47:gamma; ATMA, 173, 177, 182 fig.54:AF-8

55. 159

Unpainted - Fine jug

Grave Circle A Shaft Grave III

H:8.8, Rim Diam:5.0, Base Diam:2.7

Whole/Restored

Karo 1930, 63, pl. 166:159; ATMA, 175, 179, 182 fig. 54:AF-15(2)

366

56. 614 irrig.

Unpainted - Fine amphoriskos

Grave Circle A Shaft Grave IV

H:12.7, Rim Diam:7.5

Whole/Restored

Karo 1930, 120, p. 173:614; ATMA, 195, 198

57. 615

Unpainted - Fine amphoriskos

Grave Circle A Shaft Grave IV

H:9.5, Rim Diam:6.5

Whole/Restored

Karo 1930, 120, p. 173:615; ATMA, 195, 198

58. Gamma 46

Unpainted - Fine amphoriskos

Grave Circle B Shaft Grave Gamma

H:10.0, Rim Diam:6.7

Whole/Restored

Circle B, 65, pl. 4:beta,3; ATMA, 195, 198

59. Omicron 197

Unpainted - Fine amphoriskos 367

Grave Circle B Shaft Grave Omicron

H:13.0, Rim Diam:5.6-8.6, Base Diam:4.7-5.0

Whole/Restored

Circle B, 193, pl. 170:epsilon; ATMA, 195, 198, 196 fig.60:AK-4

60. Omicron 216

Unpainted - Medium goblet

Grave Circle B Shaft Grave Omicron

H:16.0, Rim Diam:18.2, Base Diam:11.0

Whole/Restored

Circle B, 198, pl. 176; ATMA, 167, 170, 168 fig.51:AD-9

61. Omicron 189

Unpainted - Medium bridge-spouted jar

Grave Circle B Shaft Grave Omicron

H:25.8, Rim Diam: 28.4, Base Diam:11.8-11.9

Whole/Restored

Circle B, 190, pl. 69:alpha; ATMA, 186, 187 fig.56:AG-3

62. Kappa 111

Unpainted - Medium/Coarse hydria

Grave Circle B Shaft Grave Kappa

H:28.1, Rim Diam:11.6-11.7, Base Diam:8.4-8.7 368

Whole/Restored

Circle B, 124, pl. 105:beta; ATMA, 192, 193 fig.59:AI-7

63. Gamma 20

Unpainted - Coarse hydria

Grave Circle B Shaft Grave Gamma

H:45.1, Rim Diam:14.9, Base Diam:9.7

Whole/Restored

Circle B, 55, pl. 43:gamma; ATMA, 189, 192, 190 fig.58:AI-3

64. Gamma 17

Aiginetan Matt-Painted hydria

Grave Circle B Shaft Grave Gamma

H:31.8, Rim Diam:12.2-13.1, Base Diam:8.7-8.8

Whole/Restored

Circle B, 53-54, pl. 41:beta; ATMA, 224-225, 227 fig. 71:KB-3

two medium bands around neck, double circle on shoulder, oval around handles

connected to floral motif and vertical wavy lines terminating in arrows.

65. Omicron 200

Aiginetan Matt-Painted stamnos

Grave Circle B Shaft Grave Omicron

H:60.5, Rim Diam:20.5, Base Diam:12.3 369

Whole/Restored

Circle B, 194, pl. 171:beta; ATMA, 224-225, 226 fig. 71:KB-2

exterior rim band, two narrow bands around neck, broad band around belly,

spirals and swallows(?) on shoulder.

66. Omicron 205

Aiginetan Kitchen Ware cooking pot

Grave Circle B Shaft Grave Omicron

H:14.5, Rim Dia 11.9-12.0, Base Diam:4.3

Whole/Restored

Circle B, 195-196, pl. 172:beta; ATMA, 224-225, 226 fig. 71:KC-1 370

MYLOI

1. VII,3

Mycenaean Decorated Squat jug (FS 87)

Oikopedon Manti Grave VII

H:8.2, Rim Diam:5.3, Base Diam:4.1

Whole

Dietz and Divari-Valakou 1990, 56, 57 fig. 22:VII,3, 58 fig. 25; ATMA, 210, 211

fig. 65:ED-1.3

paint covering interior and exterior of rim and neck, running spiral with crocus

fill, two medium bands, band around base, added white paint on neck, oblique

splashes on handle. FM 46, 10.

2. VII,4

Mycenaean Decorated Squat jug (FS 87)

Oikopedon Manti Grave VII

H:8.7, Rim Diam:6.4, Base Diam:4.3

Whole

Dietz and Divari-Valakou 1990, 56, 57 fig. 22:VII,4, 58 fig. 26; ATMA, 210, 211

fig. 65:ED-1.4

paint covering interior and exterior of rim and neck, tangent spiral with blobs, two

narrow bands, band around base, oblique splashes on handle. FM 46.

371

3. VII,1

Mycenaean Decorated Straight-sided cup

Oikopedon Manti Grave VII

H:5.8, Rim Diam:,9.5-9.7, Base Diam:c.5.0

Whole

Dietz and Divari-Valakou 1990, 56, 57 fig. 22:VII,1, 58 fig. 23. ATMA, 210, 211

fig. 65:EB-1

deep interior rim band slightly overlapping lip, vertical foliate band, band around

base, oblique splashes on handle. FM 64.

4. III,1

Matt-Painted jug

Oikopedon Manti Grave III

H:8.6, Rim Diam:4.6, Base Diam:c.4.5

Whole

Dietz and Divari-Valakou 1990, 50 fig. 9, 51 fig. 12:III,1; ATMA, 178, 182 fig.

54:AF-13

line on rim, band around neck, "running" wavy line, bands around belly and base,

vertical band along handle length.

5. IV,1

Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted-A jug

Oikopedon Manti Grave IV 372

H:9.0, Rim Diam:7.2, Base Diam:c.3.8

Whole

Dietz and Divari-Valakou 1990, 50, 51 fig. 12:IV,1; ATMA, 219, 220 fig. 69:IB-

black band above red band on interior of rim and neck, same around base of neck

on exterior, same around belly.

6. VII,2

Fine Orange Ware jug

Oikopedon Manti Grave VII

H:14.5, Base Diam:c.3.8

Whole

Dietz and Divari-Valakou 1990, 56, 57 fig. 22:VII,2, 58 fig. 24; ATMA, 214, 215

fig. 67:GB-1 373

PROSYMNA

1. 453

Mycenaean Decorated Piriform jar (FS 27)

Chamber Tomb 25 East Chamber, Lower Level, Rear

H:11.8, Rim Diam:8.1, Base Diam:5.3

Whole/Restored

Prosymna, vol. I 391, vol. II figs. 195:453, 653:453; Shelton 1996, 67, 208-210;

MDP, 12 fig. 3:3; RMDP, 81 fig. 10:3

monochrome rim and neck, monochrome handles, two bands with added white

paint, naturalistic foliate band of which has added white paint(?), two bands with

added white paint, monochrome base. FM 64.

2. 454

Mycenaean Decorated Piriform jar (FS 27)

Chamber Tomb 25 East Chamber, Lower Level, Rear

H:11.5, Rim Diam:8.0, Base Diam:4.7

Whole/Restored

Prosymna, vol. I 391, vol. II figs. 195:453, 653:453; Shelton 1996, 67-68, 208-

210; MDP, 12 fig. 3:3; RMDP, 81 fig. 10:2

monochrome rim and neck with added white lines on neck, monochrome handles,

two bands with added white paint, tangent spiral with blobs, spiral comprised of 374

one spiral and one filled with circles, two bands with added white paint,

monochrome base. FM 46.

3. 495

Mycenaean Decorated Piriform jar (FS 27)

Chamber Tomb 25 East Chamber, Lower Level, Right Side, Skeleton 2

H:11.8, Rim Diam:8.4, Base Diam:5.6

Whole/Restored

Prosymna, vol. I 391, vol. II figs. 195:495, 653:495; Shelton 1996, 67, 208-210;

MDP, 12 fig. 3:3

monochrome rim and neck with added white bands on neck, monochrome handles

with added white oblique bands, two bands with added white paint, scale pattern,

two bands with added white paint, monochrome base. FM 70.

4. 382

Mycenaean Decorated Piriform jar (FS 27)

Chamber Tomb 26 Side Chamber, Rear

H:10.6, Rim Diam:8.1, Base Diam:4.6

Whole/Restored

Prosymna, vol. I 390-391, vol. II figs. 210:382,653:382; Shelton 1996, 72, 212-

214 375

monochrome rim and neck with added white lines on neck, monochrome handles,

two bands with added white paint, foliate band in combination with linked circles

above, two bands with added white paint, monochrome base. FM 64.

5. 914

Mycenaean Decorated Piriform jar (cf. FS 20, 27)

Chamber Tomb 52 Chamber, Right Side

H:29.7, Rim Diam:12.3, Base Diam:6.4

Whole/Restored

Prosymna, vol. I 394, vol. II figs. 269:914, 657:914; Shelton 1996, 162-163,

271-272, 357 fig. 73

monochrome rim and neck, papyrus leaves on shoulder joining with two bands

below handles, papyrus leaves alternating with triangles on body reaching down

toward but not to base. FM 11.

6. 870

Mycenaean Decorated Alabastron (FS 80)

Chamber Tomb 25 East Chamber, Lower Level, Inner Left Corner

H:6.3, Rim Diam:7.5, Base Diam:5.3

Whole/Restored

Prosymna, vol. I 392, vol. II figs. 195:870, 654:870; Shelton 1996, 68, 208-210,

342 fig. 37 376

monochrome rim with added white bands(?), monochrome handles, hatched loops

above two bands with added white paint, band around base. FM 63.

7. 344

Mycenaean Decorated Alabastron jar

Chamber Tomb 26 Side Chamber, Center

H:10.1, Rim Diam:7.4, Base Diam:4.4

Whole/Restored

Prosymna, vol. I 390, vol. II figs. 210:344, 653:344; Shelton 1996, 71, 212-214;

MDP, 12 fig.4:1; RMDP, 81 fig. 10:6

monochrome rim and neck with added white lines, monochrome handles, tangent

spiral with blobs and floral centers, three bands white added white paint, band

around base. FM 46.

8. 345

Mycenaean Decorated Alabastron jar

Chamber Tomb 26 Side Chamber, Center

H:9.4, Rim Diam:7.0, Base Diam:5.2

Whole/Restored

Prosymna, vol. I 390, vol. II figs. 210:345, 653:345; Shelton 1996, 71, 212-214;

MDP, 12 fig.4:2 377

monochrome rim and neck with added white lines, monochrome handles, running

spiral with irises separating spirals, two bands with added white paint, band

around base. FM 46, 10.

9. 343

Mycenaean Decorated Squat jug (FS 87)

Chamber Tomb 26 Side Chamber, Center

H:6.3, Rim Diam:5.4, Base Diam:3.4

Whole/Restored

Prosymna, vol. I 389-390, vol. II figs. 210:343, 652:343; Shelton 1996, 71-72,

212-214; MDP, 13 fig.5:1

monochrome rim and neck with added white lines, handles with at least four

splashes, running spiral separated by dots, two bands with added white paint,

band around base. FM 46.

10. 488

Mycenaean Decorated Hole-mouthed jar (FS 100)

Chamber Tomb 25 West Chamber, Lower Level

H:28.2, Rim Diam:11.3, Base Diam:9.4

Whole/Restored

Prosymna, vol. I 393, vol. II figs. 190:488, 656:488; Shelton 1996, 65, 208-210

monochrome rim with added white line above circles above two lines,

monochrome spout with added white lines, monochrome handles (with added 378

white paint?), filled papyrus motifs branching from crossing bands (with added

white paint?), four bands with added white paint, monochrome base with added

white paint. FM 11.

11. 431

Mycenaean Decorated Jug (FS 111a)

Chamber Tomb 26 Side Chamber, Platform, Lower Level, Left Side

H:10.4, Rim Diam:4.6, Base Diam:4.5

Whole/Restored

Prosymna, vol. I 389, vol. II figs. 208:431, 210:341, 652:431; Shelton 1996, 71,

212-214; Dickinson 1974, 113

monochrome rim and neck, monochrome handle, two bands with added white

paint, crocuses, two bands with added white paint, band around base. FM 10.

12. 489

Mycenaean Decorated Semiglobular cup (FS 211)

Chamber Tomb 25 West Chamber, Lower Level

H:9.0, Rim Diam:13.3-14.0, Base Diam:5.2

Whole/Restored

Prosymna, vol. I 393, vol. II figs. 190:489, 655:489; Shelton 1996, 65, 208-210

interior and exterior rim bands, handle with seven splashes, double-axes with

wavy stems separated by rows of dots, monochrome base. FM 35.

379

13. 385

Mycenaean Decorated Rounded cup/bowl (FS 220a)

Chamber Tomb 26 Side Chamber, Platform, Lower Level, Right Side

H:6.0, Rim Diam:11.0, Base Diam:4.2

Whole/Restored

Prosymna, vol. I 389, vol. II figs. 208:385, 210:385, 652:385; Shelton 1996, 71,

212-214; MDP, 16 fig. 11:1 but without the handle

interior and exterior rim bands with added white lines on exterior, crocuses two

bands with added white paint, monochrome base. FM 10.

14. 496

Grey Minyan semiglobular cup

Chamber Tomb 25 East Chamber, Lower Level, Right Side, Skeleton 1

H:8.2, Rim Diam:11.5, Base Diam:5.4

Whole/Restored

Prosymna, vol. I 379, vol. II fig. 195:496; Shelton 1996, 67, 208-210

15. 1048

Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted stamnos

Chamber Tomb 25 Central Chamber, Floor, Inner Left Corner

H:c.44.8, Rim Diam:c.14.8, Base Diam:c.6.0

Whole/Restored

Prosymna, vol. I 383, vol. II fig. 185:1048; Shelton 1996, 63, 208-210 380

horizontal bands between handles, vertical bands from upper handle(s?) to

horizontal bands.

16. 499

Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted-A stamnos

Chamber Tomb 25 East Chamber, Lower Level, Inner Left Corner

H:26.1, Rim Diam:11.8, Base Diam:6.2

Whole/Restored

Prosymna, vol. I 387, vol. II figs. 195:499, 651:499; Shelton 1996, 68, 208-210

red band framed by black lines around neck, triple or quadruple pendant

semicircles handing from black band, four lines in black between upper handles,

black lines bordering red band around belly between lower handles.

17. 380

Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted-A stamnos

Chamber Tomb 26 Side Chamber, Rear

H:37.2, Rim Diam:15.5-16.0, Base Diam:8.2

Whole/Restored

Prosymna, vol. I 387, pl. IV, vol. II fig. 210:380; Shelton 1996, 72, 212-214

red band framed by black lines around neck, vertical band of same with two

additional lines on each side descending from neck band to band around belly

comprised of black lines outlining red band, two linked semicircles originating 381

from under the small round horizontal handle on the shoulder of red bands

framed by black lines.

18. 381

Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted-A stamnos

Chamber Tomb 26 Side Chamber, Inner Left Corner

H:22.3, Rim Diam:13.0, Base Diam:5.5

Whole/Restored

Prosymna, vol. I 387, pl. IV, vol. II fig. 210:381; Shelton 1996, 72, 212-214

red band framed by black lines, black dots under the bottom black lines, red band

with black lines around shoulder with one additional black lines on both sides,

black lines outlining red band on belly.

19. 342

Unpainted Ware - Fine jug

Chamber Tomb 26 Side Chamber, Inner Left Corner

H:c.10.0, Rim Diam:c.6.4, Base Diam:c.3.6

Whole/Restored

Prosymna, vol. I 388, vol. II fig. 210:342; Shelton 1996, 73, 212-214

20. 808

Unpainted Ware - Fine jug

Chamber Tomb 52 Chamber, Right Side 382

H:c.6.8, Rim Diam:c.4.0, Base Diam:c.3.2

Whole/Restored

Prosymna, vol. II fig. 269:808; Shelton 1996, 163, 271-272 383

TIRYNS

1. -

Matt-Painted cup

Agricultural Prison

Rim Diam:c.6.0

Tiryns V, 26-27, 32 fig. 4:10

exterior rim band, horizontal u-pattern, part of a band.

2. -

Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted-A goblet/krater

Agricultural Prison

Rim Diam:c.10.8

Tiryns V, 27, 32 fig. 4:15

black zigzag on rim, black band under rim above zigzag, narrow black bands

framing medium red band.

3. -

Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted-A goblet/krater

Agricultural Prison

RI 384

Tiryns V, 27, 32 fig. 4:16

narrow black bands framing medium red band at bottom of bowl.

4. -

Aiginetan Polychrome Matt-Painted krater

Agricultural Prison

Rim Diam:c.18.0

Tiryns V, 27, 32 fig. 4:17

red band on exterior of rim, black band under, black wavy line above red wavy

line.

5. -

Aiginetan Red Slipped and Burnished krater

Agricultural Prison

Rim Diam:16.0

Tiryns V, 25, 31 fig. 3:11

6. -

Aiginetan Red Slipped and Burnished krater

Agricultural Prison

Rim Diam:26.0 385

Tiryns V, 25, 31 fig. 3:12

7. -

Aiginetan Red Slipped and Burnished krater

Agricultural Prison

Rim Diam:22.0

Tiryns V, 25, 31 fig. 3:13

8. -

Aiginetan Red Slipped and Burnished krater

Agricultural Prison

Rim Diam:30.0

Tiryns V, 25, 31 fig. 3:14 386

TSOUNGIZA

1. 1775-2-2

Mycenaean Decorated Semiglobular cup? (FS 211/212?)

EU10 Pit Fill

Rim Diam:8.5

Rutter 1993, 63, 65, 64 fig. 6:13

interior and exterior rim bands with fugitive added white paint, blob from a

tangent spiral? FM 46?

2. 1334-2-12

Grey Minyan-Grainy? goblet/krater

EU8 Dump

Rim Diam:5.0

3. 1335-2-3

Matt-Painted miniature kantharos

EU8 Dump

Rim Diam:5.0, Base Diam:3.0

Partial

interior rim band, matt vertical lines, line on handle, band around bottom of base. 387

4. 1405-2-17

Matt-Painted straight-sided cup

EU8 Dump

Rim Diam:12.0

interior rim band, exterior rim band from which originate pendant semi-circles,

two medium bands, part of a third band.

5. 1410-2-26

Matt-Painted straight-sided cup

EU8 Dump

Rim Diam:11.0

interior and exterior rim bands, "running" wavy line, two fine bands, three

medium bands.

6. 1173-2-1

Matt-Painted semiglobular cup

EU7 Floor

H:5.1-5.4, Rim Diam:7.5-9.0, Base Diam:4.0

Whole/Restored

Rutter 1989, 4, 15 fig. 3:2 388

exterior rim band, double pendant semicircles arranged in six pairs, lines on

handle.

7. 1409-2-25

Matt-Painted semiglobular cup

EU8 Dump

Rim Diam:11.0

interior and exterior rim bands, band below rim, running spirals, fine band, part of

a medium band, traces of matt white on band below rim and medium band.

8. 1334-2-19

Matt-Painted semiglobular cup

EU8 Dump

Rim Diam:13.0

interior rim band, exterior band at junction between rim and body, two bands

framing a horizontal u-pattern, part of medium band.

9. 1410-2-3

Matt-Painted jar

EU8 Dump

RI, BO 389

human figure among linear matt decoration.

10. 1165-2-1

Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted-A miniature jar? jug?

EU7 Floor

RI+BO

Rutter 1989, 4, 15 fig. 3:3

pendant semicircles above three fine lines above a red band bordered by fine

lines.

11. 1410-2-2

Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted-B krater

EU8 Dump

RI+BO+HA

bands, wavy lines, hatched triangles(?).

12. 1335-2-10

White on Burnished Dark semiglobular cup

EU8 Dump

Rim Diam:15.0

matt white band under flared rim.

390

13. 1155-2-1

White on Burnished Dark jug

EU7 Floor

Base Diam:3.8

Partial

Rutter 1989, 3, 15 fig. 3:1running spiral in matt paint applied subsequent to

burnishing.

14. 1405-2-14

White on Burnished Dark jug

EU8 Dump

Rim Diam:8.0?

RI+NE+BO

matt white band at the junction of the shoulder and body, dark interior rim band

with traces of white paint on it.

15. 1405-2-2

White on Burnished Dark jug

EU8 Dump

RI+NE

matt white band at the junction of the shoulder and body, dark interior rim band.

16. 1409-2-3 391

White on Burnished Dark jug

EU8 Dump

Base Diam:4.0

matt white band around base.

17. 1406-2-2

Unpainted Ware - Fine one-handled cup/goblet

EU8 Dump

HA+RI+BO

18. 1181-2-2

Unpainted Ware - Fine dipper

EU7 Floor

H:5.6, Rim Diam:9.0

Partial

Rutter 1989, 7, 17 fig. 5:11

19. 9-2-1

Unpainted Ware - Fine dipper

EU7 Floor

H:5.3-6.5, Rim Diam:9.0-10.5, Base Diam:3.8-4.0

Whole/Restored 392

Rutter 1989, 7, 17 fig. 5:12; Wright 1982, 387 P685, pl. 91a

20. 1334-2-10

Unpainted Ware - Fine dipper

EU8 Dump

Rim Diam:2.0, Base Diam:2.0

Partial

21. 1155-2-3

Unpainted Ware - Fine miniature kantharos

EU7 Floor

Rim Diam:5.7

Partial

Rutter 1989, 7, 17 fig. 5:10

22. 9-2-5

Unpainted Ware - Fine jug with cutaway neck

EU7 Floor

H:16.3, Base Diam:4.7

Whole/Restored

Rutter 1989, 8, 18 fig. 6:14; Wright 1982, 387, P724, pl. 91a

23. 18-2-1 393

Unpainted Ware - Fine jug with cutaway neck

EU7 Floor

H:18.9, Rim Diam:4.5-5.0, Base Diam:4.5-5.0

Whole/Restored

Rutter 1989, 8, 18 fig. 6:15; Wright 1982, 387, P723, pl. 91a

24. 1334-2-11

Unpainted Ware - Fine jug

EU8 Dump

Partial

Rim Diam:4.0

25. 1173-2-2

Unpainted Ware - Fine alabastron

EU7 Floor

H:11.0, Rim Diam:8.5, Base Diam:5.0

Whole/Restored

Rutter 1989, 8, 18 fig. 6:16

26. 9-2-3

Unpainted Ware - Medium goblet

EU7 Floor

H:15.4-16.1, Rim Diam:16.0-18.0, Base Diam:9.5 394

Whole/Restored

Rutter 1989, 5, 17 fig. 3:5; Wright 1982, 387 P716, pls. 91a, 92

27. 1155-2-2

Unpainted Ware - Medium goblet

EU7 Floor

H:18.0, Rim Diam:22.0, Base Diam:11.0

Partial

Rutter 1989, 5, 15 fig. 3:6

28. 9-2-4

Unpainted Ware - Medium kantharos

EU7 Floor

H:8.4, Rim Diam:9.0-10.5, Base Diam:5.0

Whole/Restored

Rutter 1989, 5, 17 fig. 5:7; Wright 1982, 387 P722, pls. 91a, 92

29. 1-2-1

Unpainted Ware - Medium kantharos

EU7 Floor

Rim Diam:11.4-12.8

Partial

Rutter 1989, 6, 17 fig. 5:8 395

30. 9-2-2

Unpainted Ware - Medium kantharos

EU7 Floor

H:10.8-11.5, Rim Diam:12.0-16.0, Base Diam:7.0

Whole/Restored

Rutter 1989, 5, 17 fig. 5:9; Wright 1982, 387 P708, pls. 91a, 92

31. 1181-2-1

Unpainted Ware - Medium krater

EU7 Floor

H:21.9-22.9, Rim Diam:24.5-25.0, Base Diam:12.0

Whole/Restored

Rutter 1989, 7-8, 18 fig. 6:13

32. 9-2-8

Unpainted - Kitchen cooking pot

EU7 Floor

H:25.7, Rim Diam:19.5, Base Diam:5.0-5.5

Whole/Restored

Rutter 1989, 8, 18 fig. 6:18; Wright 1982, 387, P740, pl. 91a

33. 1116-2-1 396

Unpainted - Kitchen cooking pot

EU7 Floor

H:34.7, Rim Diam:27.5-28.0, Base Diam:6.0-7.0

Whole/Restored

Rutter 1989, 9-10, 18 fig. 6:19

34. 1335-2-11

Unpainted - Kitchen cooking pot

EU8 Dump

35. 1410-2-20

Unpainted - Kitchen cooking pot

EU8 Dump

36. 1104-2-1

Aiginetan Polychrome Matt-Painted stamnos

EU7 Floor

Base Diam:7.5

Partial

Rutter 1989, 4-5, 16 fig. 4:4 397

red bands framed by black lines in both handle zones, black Figure 8 around the

lower handles, six "drops" hanging from upper handle.

37. 1410-2-22

Aiginetan Polychrome Matt-Painted amphora/hydria/jar

EU8 Dump

part of a band around the neck, three medium bands, one red flanked by two

black.

38. 1335-2-1

Aiginetan Red Slipped and Burnished Ware two-handled goblet

EU8 Dump

Rim Diam:18.0

Partial

39. 1409-2-1

Aiginetan Unpainted - Medium hydria

EU8 Dump

Rim Diam:10.0

RI+NE+BO

40. 1334-2-8 398

Aiginetan Unpainted - Medium amphora/hydria/jar

EU8 Dump

Base Diam:5.0

41. 9-2-9

Aiginetan Kitchen cooking pot

EU7 Floor

H:28.1, Rim Diam:20.5, Base Diam:7.5

Restored

Rutter 1989, 8, 18 fig. 6:17; Wright 1982, 387, P741, pl. 91a

42. 1410-2-30

Aiginetan Kitchen cooking pot

EU8 Dump

43. 1334-2-16

Aiginetan Kitchen cooking pot

EU8 Dump

Base Diam:5.0

399

44. 1409-2-23

Aiginetan Kitchen cooking pot

EU8 Dump

Figure 1.1: Map of the Greek Mainland

Figure 1.2: Map of the Northeastern Peloponnese

Figure 1.3: Plan of the East Alley from Korakou

Figure 1.4: Plan of EU 7 from Tsoungiza

Figure 1.5: Plan of the Northern Trenches from Asine Figure 1.6: Plan of Kokla

Figure 1.7: Plan of the Lerna

Figure 1.8: Plan of the Lower Terraces from Midea

Figure 1.9: Plan of the Grave Circles from Mycenae

Figure 1.10: Plan of the Graves from Myloi

Figure 1.11: Plan of the Chamber Tombs from Prosymna

Figure 1.12: Plan of the Agricultural Prison from Tiryns

Figure 2.1. Furumark Shape 14 Figure 2.6. Furumark Shape 100

Figure 2.7. Furumark Shapes 211/212

Figure 2.2. Furumark Shape 27

Figure 2.8. Furumark Shape 224

(Types II and III)

Figure 2.3. Furumark Shape 71

Figure 2.4. Furumark Shape 80

Figure 2.5. Furumark Shape 87

Figure 3.1: Large Jar

MYC 1

Figure 3.2: Piriform Jar

PRO 1-4, KOK 1

Figure 3.3: Oval-Mouthed Amphora

MYC 2

Figure 3.4: Alabastron Jar

PRO 7 and 8, MYC 3

Figure 3.5: Alabastron

PRO 6

Figure 3.6: Squat Jug

MYL 1 and 2, PRO 9, MYC 4, 6, and 5

Figure 3.7: Hole-Mouthed Jar

LER 13, PRO 10

Figure 3.8: Jug

PRO 11

Figure 3.9: Askos

LER 52

Figure 3.10: Semiglobular Cup (FS 211 and 212)

LER 16, PRO 12, MYC 8

Figure 3.11: Vapheio Cup (Type II)

KOK 3

Figure 3.12: Straight-Sided Cup

MYL 1, KOK 5 and 4

Figure 3.13: Rounded Cup/Bowl

PRO 13

Figure 4.1: Ware Concordance of the Major Classification Systems

Blegen 1921 French 1971, 1972 Davis 1979 Zerner 1986 Matt-Painted Matt-Painted A Dark Temp. Fine (BII)/ Burnished B Yellow Minyan Dark Temp. Fine (AIII)

Matt-Painted/ Yellow Minyan Matt-Painted A Dark Temp. Burnished B Medium Coarse (Matt-Painted/ Dark Temp. Yellow Minyan) Medium Coarse Dark Temp. Coarse Dark Temp. Coarse Grey Minyan Grey Minyan Burnished A Dark Temp. Fine (AI) Grey Minyan Grainy GM? Argive Minyan Black Burnished: Dark Burnished (AII) “Argive Minyan” Micaceous Dark Burnished

Lustrous Painted A Dark Temp. Fine LH I Mycenaean Dark on Light Light on Dark White on Lustrous Dark Lustrous Painted C Dark Temp. Fine (DI) Light on Dark Light on Dark

Pink and White

Red Slipped: “Mainland Type” Polychrome Polychrome: Polychrome Matt- Dark Temp. Fine Matt-Painted “Mainland” Type Painted B Polychrome (BIII) “Mainland” Matt-Painted (2) Matt-Painted B Gold Mica Matt- Greenish Buff Light Grey Painted Unburnished Gold Mica Plain Polychrome: “Aigina” Polychrome Matt- Gold Mica Type Painted A “Aigina” Bichrome Red Slipped: “Aigina” Lustrous Painted D Gold Mice Red Type Dark Coated Slipped and Burnished Undecorated A Gold Mica Plain Cooking Ware Coarse Lustrous Dark on Light Lustrous Decorated Dark on Light Polychrome: Dark on Light DII “Lustrous” Type Light on Dark Polychrome

Dietz 1991 Proposed Classification System Fine Temp. 1 Yellow Minyan (True and Grainy) Matt Painted: fine Unpainted Fine Fine Temp. 2 Matt Painted: fine Fine Temp. 2a Unpainted: fine Fine Temp. 3 Fine Temp. 4 Medium Temp. 1 Matt Painted: medium Medium Temp. 1a Matt-Painted Pink and White Unpainted: medium Medium Temp. 2 Matt Painted: medium Medium Temp. 2a Matt-Painted Pink and White Medium Temp. 2b Unpainted: medium Coarse Temp. 1 Matt-Painted: coarse Unpainted: coarse Coarse Temp. 2 Matt-Painted: coarse Unpainted: coarse Grey Minyan Grey Minyan (True and Grainy) Dark Burnished Dark Burnished Kitchen Ware Unpainted: Kitchen Ware Lustrous Decorated Ware- Mycenaean Decorated Argive White on Burnished Dark White on Burnished Dark Fine Orange Fine Orange

Red Silver Mica Red Silver Mica Red Slipped and Burnished Red Slipped and Burnished Polychrome Mainland Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted

Aiginetan Matt-Painted Aiginetan: Matt-Painted

Aiginetan: Unpained - Fine Aiginetan: Unpainted – Medium/Coarse Aiginetan Polychrome Aiginetan: Polychrome Matt-Painted Aiginetan Red Slipped Aiginetan: Red Slipped and Burnished

Aiginetan Kitchen Ware Aiginetan: Unpained – Kitchen Ware Lustrous Decorated Ware Lustrous Decorated - Light on Dark Lustrous Decorated - Dark on Light

Figure 4.2: Plan of the Lower Town of Asine

Figure 5.1: Grey Minyan Semiglobular Cup

MYC 11

Figure 5.2: Grey Minyan Hole-Mouthed Jar

MYC 12

Figure 5.3: Grey Minyan Jug

MYC 13

Figure 5.4: Grey Minyan Amphoriskos

MYC 15

Figure 5.5: Matt-Painted Kantharos

MYC 16

Figure 5.6: Matt-Painted Spouted Bowl

MYC 17

Figure 5.7: Matt-Painted “Vapheio” Cup

MYC 18

Figure 5.8: Matt-Painted Semiglobular Cup

TSO 6

Figure 5.9: Matt-Painted Semiovoid Cups

MYC 19 and 20

Figure 5.10: Matt-Painted Beak-Spouted Jugs

MYC 21 and 23

Figure 5.11: Matt-Painted Horizontal-Spouted Jug

MYL 4

Figure 5.12: Matt-Painted Amphoriskos

MYC 24

Figure 5.13: Matt-Painted Amphora

MYC 25

Figure 5.14: Matt-Painted Stamnos

MYC 26

Figure 5:15: Lustrous Decorated Stamnos

MYC 27

Figure 5:16: Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted Vapheio Cup

MYC 29

Figure 5:17: Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted Semiglobular Cup

LER 66

Figure 5:18: Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted Semiovoid Cup

MYC 30

Figure 5:19: Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted Beaked-Spouted Jugs

MYC 31

Figure 5.20: Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted Beak-Spouted Jug

MYC 34

Figure 5:21: Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted Askos

MYC 35

Figure 5.22: Mainland Polychrome Matt-Painted Stamnoi

PRO16-18

Figure 5.23: Fine Orange Kantharos

MYC 40

Figure 5.24: Fine Orange Jug

MYL 6

Figure 5.25: White on Burnished Dark Jugs

MYC 42 and KOR 45

TSO 13

Figure 5.26: White on Burnished Dark Jar

MYC 43

Figure 5.27: Red Silver Mica Jars

MYC 44 and 45

Figure 5.28: Unpainted – Fine Spouted Bowl

MYC 48

Figure 5.29: Unpainted – Fine Dippers

TSO 18 and 19

Figure 5.30: Unpainted – Fine Miniature Kantharos

TSO 21

Figure 5.31: Unpainted – Fine Askoi

MYC 52 and 53

Figure 5.32: Unpainted – Fine Beak-Spouted Jug

MYC 54

Figure 5.33: Unpainted – Fine Jugs with Cutaway Necks

TSO 22 and 23

Figure 5.34: Unpainted – Fine Jug

MYC 55

Figure 5.35: Unpainted – Fine Alabastron

TSO 25

Figure 5.36: Unpainted – Fine Amphoriskos

MYC 58

Figure 5.37: Unpainted – Medium Goblets

MYC 60 and TSO 26

Figure 5.38: Unpainted – Medium Kantharos

TSO 28

Figure 5.39: Unpainted – Medium Krater

TSO 31

Figure 5.40: Unpainted – Medium Bridge-Spouted Jar

MYC 61

Figure 5.41: Unpainted – Coarse Hydria

MYC 63

Figure 5.42: Unpainted – Kitchen Ware Cooking Pots

TSO 32 and 33

Figure 5.43: Aiginetan – Matt-Painted Hydria

MYC 64

Figure 5.44: Aiginetan – Matt-Painted Stamnos

MYC 65

Figure 5.45: Aiginetan – Polychrome Matt-Painted Stamnos

TSO 36

Figure 5.46: Aiginetan – Kitchen Ware Cooking Pots

MYC 66 and TSO 41

Figure 6.1: L.986

Figure 6.2: L.921 Figure 6.3: L.922 Figure 6.4: L.923

Figure 6.5: L.925 Figure 6.6: L.926 Figure 6.7: L.927

Figure 6.8: L.974 Figure 6.9: L.987

Figure 6.10: Grave Gamma

Figure 6.11: Grave Kappa

Figure 6.12: Grave Omicron