Minyan ware

The Minyan pottery ( also: minische ceramic or Minyan Ware) is a ceramic form of the Middle Bronze Age Greece (ca. 2000-1600/1550 BC), which was developed at this time in an artistic sense only little. Recent research ( the year 1960 ) According to early forms minyscher goods had been produced already in the last phase of Frühhelladikums FM III. This is supported by the results of an excavation John L. Caskeys at Tiryns.

Another important genre of ceramic Mittelhelladikums was the matt -painted ceramics.

History

Until about 1960, it was assumed that the production minyscher goods would coincide with the beginning of the Mittelhelladikums. With the intrusion of Indo-European tribes who probably Ionians, perhaps were Thracians first, only in a second wave of immigration around 1580 BC, Aeolians and Achaeans, the new ceramic style would have consequently emerged, but would have to replace the Urfirniskeramik that in the peasant culture of Frühhelladikums occurred. However, doubt today's researchers that the advent of pottery was associated with the intrusion of Indo-European peoples, because there are early forms of this ceramic type recently come to light in discovery contexts, from the late phase of Frühhelladikums (FH III) originate (eg at Tiryns as a result of excavations John L. Caskeys ).

Coinciding with the minyschen ceramic there was named after its matte finish matt painted pottery, according to the current state of research has no precedent in Frühhelladikum. In Späthelladikum the Minyan pottery was gradually superseded by the Mycenaean, which is bright grundig with dark varnish. The grauminysche ceramic came before the Späthelladikum, something rarer gelbminysche ceramic lived on in the new emerging Mycenaean pottery.

Etymology

The term was originally developed from the German archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann, who found the ceramic type in Orchomenus and they therefore named after the Minyae, a legendary tribe that have inhabited under the leadership of King Minyas according to Homer just this place Orchomenus in Boeotia. Although the ceramic has nothing to do with the exception of the locality with the Minyae and not developed in Orchomenus, the name was retained because in that city most finds of pottery were found.

Manufacture, properties and sub-groups

The pottery is characterized by a refined, (usually, but not always) turned on the potter's wheel, polished type. After local occurrences drawee the genus can be divided into further sub- groups that differ in color, texture and turning technique. However, all have a Minoan and Anatolian influence.

Grauminysche ceramic

The most common occurring Minyan pottery is gray and has a slightly soapy, greasy looking polish on the surface. This has given rise to the presumption that the ceramic should imitate metallic objects, in the case of goods grauminyschen silver. This high-fired genus had its center in central Greece. The grauminyschen vessels are usually thin-walled and are characterized by sharp profiles. The greasy -looking vessel wall and the Tonker are always the same color in grauminyscher goods.

Schwarzminysche ceramic

In addition to the graumynischen ceramic was mainly in the Peloponnese, especially in the Argolid, a black genus in use. Pieces of ceramic subgroup until now entered into Orchomenus, where there are the largest deposits minyscher ceramic very rare days.

Gelbminysche ceramic

There was also a yellow ceramic that is said to have lived on in Späthelladikum I in the new Mycenaean pottery. The production gelbmynischer goods put a relatively late ( Mittelhelladikum II and III). The bright surface gelbmynischer goods which is often coated with matt gloss, has given rise to rather construed gelbmynische goods as a variety matt -painted ceramics. Gelbminysche pottery was found for example in Eutresis.

Red and braunminysche ceramic

It should also have been a fourth and fifth, red and brown subgroup, which often also have paintings.

Vessel forms

The vessels minyscher ceramics, insbedondere grauminyscher goods, according to Fritz Schachermeyr were often symmetrical and had two or four loops on. Mostly lay before open forms, including mainly cups and kantharoi. Other (closed ) vessel forms were:

• The Amphoriskos,
• The pitcher,
• The amphora,
• The hydria,
• And the stamnos.

Locations and dissemination

Minyan Ware was found mainly in Central Greece.

• Attica
• Orchomenus in Boeotia
• Eutresis
• Kirrha, Prosymna
• Asea, Malthi
• Import products and imitations on the northern Cyclades