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@The main production site of Krete was at Knossos and the
Orientalizing introduced around c.700 can be divided into
two period [1]. They were influenced by Cypriot
pottery, which is shown on perfume jars decorated with concentric
circles. The only figure on their vessles is a bird, which
is also taken from Cypriot pottery. Different from this pottery
decorated with many colours, however, Kretan workshops used
a few colours. The vessels are generally decorated with floral
patters, such as of lotus or rosettes.
Kretan workshops in the Geometric period produced large pithoi
covered with cream-white slip and decorated with red and blue.
Since this style was not applied to other shapes, these pithoi
were probably made for burials.
Technique of potting developed in the late Orientalizing
period, and the Fortetsa Painter drew complicated floral patterns
as miniaturist [2]. Some alabastra with style
similar to Protocorinthian were produced.
Painted vases were also made outside Knossos. Workshops at
Arkades (modern At Afrati) copied Knossian pottery and produced
a dinos with three Griffin-heads and oinochoai. A large pyxis
has a goddess with relief head and painted body. At Kommos
many cups decorated with engraved lines over black background
were made [3].
Kretan workshops also produced figured vases in shape of
animals, such as owls or lions holding a bowl with forelegs.
They also made small jars with human heads of Daedalic style.
The production, however, declined in the sixth century and
only some large vases with simple decoration which recalls
Minoan pottery were produced.
[1] |
For Kretan
pottery, see, Boardman, J., Cretan Coll. in Oxford,
(1961) |
[2] |
For the
Fortetsa Painter, see, Brock, J. K., Fortetsa (1957),
Boardman, J., BSA 56 (1961) p.78- |
[3] |
For these cups, see,
Betancourt, P. P., Eastern Cretan
White-on-dark ware, (1984)A Shaw, M. C., "Two
cups with incised decoration from kommos,Crete" AJA
87 (1983) pp.443-452 |
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