Bridge-spouted jar



Bridge-spouted jar

Π9465
Clay
Incomplete, mended and restored.
Height: 22 cm. Maximum diameter: 26 cm. Base diameter: 9.5 cm.
Malia
House Ζa
Late Bronze Age. Neopalatial period, Late Minoan IB period.:
1500-1450 BC:
Gallery:
IV
Case:
41
Exhibition thematic unit:
Late Bronze Age - Neopalatial period (1700-1450 BC). The New Palaces. The zenith of Minoan civilisation
Palaces of Phaistos and Malia
Description
This bridge-spouted jar stands out for its particularly refined formal features. The neatly shaped profile of neck and body is highlighted by the S-shaped strap handle and the long, raised spout, echoing metal prototypes. The striking decoration is a representative example of the Marine Style. A zone covering most of the body of the vase is filled with curvilinear themes (seaweed, argonauts, rockwork), giving the impression of underwater movement. The attractive aesthetic result condenses the dominant trends in vase-painting and the art of the period in general, stressing the vital part played by the world of the sea in Minoan daily life and religious beliefs.
Bibliography:
Demargne, P. and H. Gallet de Santerre. Fouilles ex?cut?es ? Mallia. Exploration des maisons et quartiers d'habitation (1921-1948). ?tudes Cr?toises IX. Paris, 1953, pl. XLIII, 1-4. Mountjoy, P.A. “The Marine Style Pottery of LM IB/LH IIA: Towards a Corpus”. Annual of the British School at Athens 79 (1984): 192, Mallia 5, pl. 17f. Betancourt, P.P. The History of Minoan Pottery. Princeton, 1985, pl. 20ΣΤ.
Author:
I. N.


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