Minoan pottery

As Minoan ceramic or Creto - Minoan ceramic pottery styles of Minoan civilization are summarized, which developed in the Bronze Age Crete about 2800-1100 BC. The Minoan vase painting had its high points in the time of the Old and New Palaces (2000-1400 BC). The Minoan pottery also plays a large role in the Minoan chronology as an indicator.

History

Protopalatial

Even before the construction of the first Cretan palaces there were significant innovations in the ceramic industry: Probably developed in Mesopotamia, rapidly rotating potter's wheel was introduced in Crete. Since therefore the production vonstattenging much faster, and pottery developed with increasing skill new pottery styles in which the Vassiliki style and the Pyrgos - style taking a leitgeb role. More Styles of Protopalatial were the frühvorpalastzeitliche Agios Onouphrios style and the white style.

Altpalastzeit

In the old palace period it came with the Kamares - style to a first heyday Creto - Minoan pottery. The vessels are characterized by very thin walls and abstract paintings, which was usually painted with red or white on a black background. Because of their thin walls they are also called eggshell goods.

Neupalastzeit

With the start of the second period, the Minoan palace painter turned to the Flora style and the marine style back designs from nature. The vessels of the Flora style are often provided with lilies, papyrus or blossoms, saffron, iris and foliage. Popular motifs of the sea style, however, were octopus, purple snail, nautilus, starfish and corals.

In the last phase of Minoan vase painting, the palace style is emerging. Him him to find signs of geometric rigor. The production in this style of painted vessels, however, was limited to Knossos.

Bottle in marine style, Neupalastzeit (around 1500 BC)

Fragment from Knossos, palace-style (1450-1400 BC)

Tone "pocket" with Doppelaxtsymbolen. Postpalatial (1450-1200 BC)

As elements mainly ritual and sacred representations and lion or bull heads occur. Easier vessels were often geometrically decorated. The color scheme was mostly red, brown, black and white. Special vessel forms were diverse beak jugs.

The ancient historian Angelos Chaniotis writes: " ... the Minoan ceramics causes by ... technical skill ... admiration and leaves a feeling of nature and zest for life of the Cretans guess ... "