Droop Cup

Droop - shells ( pronounced " Drope " ) are a form of Little-master cups, which were produced from about 550-510 BC, a few isolated examples, there was also in the 5th century BC They are named after John Percival Droop, an English classical archaeologist who has studied them first.

They have black concave lips that are clearly separated from the body than that of Little-master cups. The feet are hochstielig and have at the upper end to a tongrundig untreated bead and including just such a band that can be grooved; the edge of the base plate is opaque black. Inside the hollow foot, a wide black band is painted. Inside the shells a strip is recessed deep below the lip and sometimes there is also a central disc -free.

The first shells of this type to be set to 550 BC. This very early examples are completely black, these unpainted form is retained in the subsequent period. Were possible with early copies also decorated with buds rows Henkel zones. From about 540 BC, the decoration is changed so that now the entire outer shell body below the lip and over the foot with decorative ribbons - palmettes, leaves, dots, buds, radiation or animal silhouettes - was decorated. Rarely are figural ornaments.

Details in the decoration in the period after 540 BC are so similar that a connection must have existed here corresponding shells of Laconia. It is likely that both regions had served in the same East Greek models. Later to be applied in shells were based on assumed from Sparta decorative forms. The latest painted bowls of this form are to be set to 510 BC, black -covered shells there was even beyond.