Late Helladic IIIB Stirrup Jar (Storage Vessel) with Painted Decoration

Late Helladic IIIB
ca. 1300 BCE - ca. 1250 BCE

5 1/2 x 4 15/16 x 4 15/16 in. (14 x 12.6 x 12.5 cm)

This object has the following keywords:

• Late Helladic - Refers to the style of artistic production in the southern and central Greek mainland during the Bronze Age between circa 1600 and 1050 BCE. Mycenaeans dominated the Aegean during this period and consequently works of art, though drawing on Minoan influence, demonstrate an increasing sophistication and variety. They include metalwork represented by golden Vapheio cups and gold face masks and wall paintings depicting predominantly scenes of warefare and hunting. Pottery is distinguished by the introduction of new formalized decorative motifs representing plant and animal life while architecture is characterized by the construction of palaces and elaborate tholos tombs such as the Treasury of Atreus.
• Mycenaean - Refers to the culture and style that flourished on the Greek mainland and various islands, excluding Crete, in the Late Bronze Age, from around 1600 BCE to around 1100 BCE. The style is known from pottery, sculpture, architecture, metal work, and wall paintings, and from its influence on many contemporary cultures. It is characterized by the combination of earlier Minoan and Middle Helladic motifs with new elements that were invented or are of unknown origin, including stylized plants and elaborate compositions that incorporate lively, naturalistic animals and marine life. In a narrow sense, the term is used to refer specifically to the art and culture of the ancient city of Mycenae. It is also used in reference to places where the Mycenaean language was spoken or the Linear B script has been found.
• stirrup jars - Ancient Aegean vessels with a false spout rising on top to support two stirrup-shaped handles and having a narrow, easily sealed spout further down on the shoulder.