Book contents
- Mycenaean Civilization
- Classical Scholarship In Translation
- Mycenaean Civilization
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Foreword
- Preface
- Acknowledgements
- 1 The Bronze Age Civilization of Greece
- 2 The Late Helladic I Period
- 3 The Late Helladic II Period
- 4 The Late Helladic III Period
- 5 Pottery
- 6 Writing
- 7 Religion
- 8 The Mycenaean World
- 9 The End of Mycenaean Civilization
- 10 Mycenaean Greece in Homer
- Chronological Chart
- Abbreviations
- Further Reading
- Figures and Sources of Photographs
- Index
5 - Pottery
(1600–1050 BC)
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 19 December 2025
Book contents
- Mycenaean Civilization
- Classical Scholarship In Translation
- Mycenaean Civilization
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Foreword
- Preface
- Acknowledgements
- 1 The Bronze Age Civilization of Greece
- 2 The Late Helladic I Period
- 3 The Late Helladic II Period
- 4 The Late Helladic III Period
- 5 Pottery
- 6 Writing
- 7 Religion
- 8 The Mycenaean World
- 9 The End of Mycenaean Civilization
- 10 Mycenaean Greece in Homer
- Chronological Chart
- Abbreviations
- Further Reading
- Figures and Sources of Photographs
- Index
Summary
Mycenaean pottery has a remarkable continuity. In LH I and LH II pottery is based on Minoan principles. MH styles continue but the lustrous paint technique is introduced from Crete first in Ayios Stephanos, Laconia in LH I, and the lustrous decorated style developed. Marine, Ephyraean and the monumental palace style mark the LH II. Gradually though naturalism fades, tendency to abstraction and standardization appear leading to the uniformity of the famous Mycenae ‘koine’. In LH III, often inspired by wall-paintings, the Pictorial style expanded, kraters representing mainly chariot scenes being the typical vessels. The revival of the pottery after the destruction of the palaces brings to the pictorial an explosion of new themes. Close and granary styles mark the end of the pottery sequence. Clay painted larnakes, rare in Greece, appeared first in Crete under bathtub or rectangular form; exception is a unique set discovered in Tanagra depicting in a realistic vivid way scenes related to death and funeral rites.
Information
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- Information
- Mycenaean Civilization , pp. 428 - 473Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2026
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