Pottery of ancient Cyprus

The pottery of ancient Cyprus starts during the Neolithic period. Throughout the ages, Cypriot ceramics demonstrate many connections with cultures from around the Mediterranean. During the Early and Middle Bronze Ages, it is especially imaginative in shape and decoration. There are also many early terracotta figurines that were produced depicting female figures.

Neolithic Age

The earliest widely used ceramics during the 5th millenium BC are of the Dark Faced Burnished Ware type. ^[1] This ceramic technique was followed by the following techniques

• Red on White ware
• "Combed ware" ^[2]
• Painted and Combed ware, a combination of the two previous types

Bronze Age

Cypriot Red Polished Ware II-III, 2200-1700 BC. Kiel, Germany

Cypriot White Slip Ware. British Museum

Cypriot Base Ring Ware, Late Bronze Age. Hecht Museum

Cypriot "White Painted I" Ware, Iron Age. Israeli National Maritime Museum

Cypriot Bichrome ware. Jug with Scenic Decoration, 8th-6th centuries BC. Neues Museum, Berlin

"Red Polished Ware" has been found from the start of the Bronze Age in Cyprus.^[3]

White-slip- and Base-ring Ware are considered to be "typical Cypriot ceramics of the Late Bronze Age".^[4]

Early Iron Age

During the Iron Age the pottery was "colorful and often elaborately painted with geometric or figural motifs. Intricate 'Free-field' compositions graced juglets and jars. Ubiquitous concentric circles were applied to jars, juglets, bowls and kraters using multiple brushes. Finer wares like plates, bowls and jugs were made on the fast wheel, while larger forms like amphoras, amphoroid kraters and pithoi were built with a combination of techniques: wheel throwing, hand coiling or molding."^[5]

Cypro-Geometric I

During the period 1050-950 BC, characteristic pottery were^[6]

• "White Painted I"
• "Bichrome I" Ware"
• "Plain White I"
• "Black Slip I"

Cypro-Geometric II

During the period 950-850 BC, characteristic pottery were^[7]

• "White Painted II Ware"
• "Bichrome II"
• "Plain White II"
• "Black Slip II"

Cypro-Geometric III

During the period 850-700 BC, characteristic pottery were^[8]

• White Painted III Ware
• Bichrome III
• Plain White III
• Black Slip III
• Red Slip I
• Black on Red I
• Grey & Black Polished I

Cypro-Archaic I

During the period 700-600 BC, characteristic pottery were^[9]

• White Painted IV "Free-field Style"
• Bichrome IV "Free-field Style"
• Plain White IV
• Black Slip IV
• Red Slip II
• Black on Red II
• Grey & Black Polished II
• Bichrome Red I

Cypro-Archaic II

During the period 600-475 BC, characteristic pottery were^[10]

• White Painted V Ware
• Bichrome V
• Plain White V
• Black Slip V
• Red Slip III
• Black on Red III
• Bichrome Red II

Cypro-Classical I

During the period 475-400 BC, characteristic pottery were^[11]

• White Painted VI Ware
• Bichrome VI
• Plain White VI
• Black Slip VI
• Red Slip IV
• Black on Red IV
• Bichrome Red III
• Black & Grey Lustrous I
• Stroke Polished I

Cypro-Classical II

During the period 400-323 BC, characteristic pottery were^[12]

• White Painted VII Ware
• Bichrome VII
• Plain White VII
• Red Slip V
• Black on Red V
• Black & Grey Lustrous II
• Stroke Polished II

Gallery

• 
  White Slip II Ware—14th-13th centuries BCE
  ^{Israeli National Maritime Museum, Haifa}
• 
  Black on Red II Ware, 750-600BC
  ^{Museum of Cycladic Art at Athens, Greece}
• 
  Bichrome Red III Ware ; (600-480 BC);
  ^{Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna}

References

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Cypriotic pottery by style.

• Larnaca District Archaeological Museum
• Cyprus Museum
• Pierides Museum (Larnaca)
• Pit–Comb Ware culture
• Slip (ceramics)
• Philia culture