unknown Cypriot
Cypriot Primary

Late Cypriote Body Fragment of Mycenaean Vessel with Painted Decoration

Late Cypriote IIB-C
1400 BCE-1200 BCE

4 7/16 in. x 2 1/8 in. x 3/16 in. (11.2 cm x 5.4 cm x 0.5 cm)

This object has the following keywords:

• bodies - Those parts of containers that enclose the contents, as distinguished from accessory components such as covers, handles, and applied decoration.
• Late Cypriote - Refers to the period from about 1600 to 1050 BCE on the island of Cyprus. The art of the period is characterized by distinctive pottery styles, refined metalwork and decorative ivory pieces, and the growth of eclectic styles resulting from increased trading links with the Near East, Egypt, and Aegean.
• 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.
• painting - The application of paint to a surface primarily for protection or to apply a general color. For the application of pigments to a surface to create an expressive or communicative image, use "painting (image-making)."
• sherds - Limited to fragments of pottery or glass.