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Hellenistic Fine Ware Pottery and Lamps from above the House with the Idols at Mycenae
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 27 September 2013
Extract
The excavations conducted to the north of and around the House with the Idols during the last two decades have brought to light groups of Hellenistic pottery from domestic contexts which will be presented in the following outline. The purpose of this article is principally to discuss the fine wares and the lamps as a distinct typological group, adding to our scant present-day knowledge of Hellenistic pottery in the Peloponnese outside Corinth. A discussion of the over-all archaeological context of the pottery as well as of the cooking-, coarse-, and pithos wares is to follow in a different context planned for a future publication.
The principal feature of the Hellenistic layer covering this area comprises two strata of construction within the identified dwelling units. These houses lay to either side of what appears to have been a street or alley, running up the slope south of both the Ramp House and the South House, carrying on in an approximately north west – south easterly direction.
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- Copyright © The Council, British School at Athens 1978
References
1 I am grateful to both Dr. E. B. French for suggesting this topic and to Lord William Tayiour for granting permission to publish the material.
2 Corinth VII 3 P. 30.
3 On the problem of Argive, Laconian, and East Peloponnesian wares: Rudolph, W., Hesperia 43 (1974)CrossRefGoogle Scholar Excavations in Metochi 1970, 127.
4 Likely Corinthian: 5; possibly 1.
5 A profile with similarly high placement of the rim curve: Corinth VII 3 pl. 2, 57 (second to third quarter fourth century). Samples from the Agora in Athens are generally too squat, cf. Agora XII 944–50, fig. 9, pl. 34.
6 Other ways of comparison like ratio of height to maximum D. do not help, since they do not represent any clear categorization. The ratio range for bowls with incurving rim ranges from 1: 2·57 (1) to 1: 1·73 (9); all other vessels lie in between.
7 Cf. Agora XII pp. 172–3, pl. 42.
8 Vourvoura. Further finds of pottery like that from Vouvoura at Halieis (unpublished) make it even more difficult to decide the question of any particular production centre. Little doubt remains, however, that this ware is made in the Eastern Peloponnese.
9 Corinth VII 3 pp. 33 ff.
10 The ratios for maximum D. to D. foot correspond with the higher and lower position of 17 and 18 respectively, as well as with Edwards's statement, Corinth VII 3 4 top. (17: 249: 1; 18: 2–32: 1).
11 Corinth VII 3 42 ff.
12 Corinth VII 3 pl. 6 and 47, 190.
13 Different types of kraters, plain ware as well as glazed from level A at Halieis, c 350–300 B.C. (unpublished).
14 Cf. BSA 48 (1953) 59 fig. 32 G6 Agamemnoneion (early Hellenistic).
15 Archaic Cups: BSA 48 (1953) 47 fig. 21 B 18–19 Handle (like 21) Corinth VII 3 pl. 51, 347 feet; ibid. pl. 14, 357–71.
The closest body-shape during the Hellenistic period is the one piece kantharos, Corinth VII 3 pl. 15, nos. 378–80.
16 The kantharoi with conical lower part, Corinth VII 3 pl. 16, nos. 460–6. Handles more elaborate. The ‘Hexamilia’ kantharos pl. 16, nos. 515–21.
17 Corinth VII 3 83 ff.
18 We are grateful to Dr. G. Siebert for helping with this material. The material will be included in a comprehensive discussion of the finds from Argos.
19 Cf. TCHP 451–9; Corinth VII 3 163.
20 Similar type with simple decoration, Corinth VII 3 pl. 38, 901.
21 Cf. the recent find of a mould, Corinth VII 3 pl. 83 no. 942 and 163.
22 Argive bowls might also have been exported: the similarity of floral design of Corinth VII 3 no. 843 (pl. 73) to 37 strongly suggests the former to be from the Atelier du Moule.
23 Cf. TCHP 335 figs. 15 and 16: B3.
24 Cf. Corinth VII 3 pl. 48 no. 207 and p. 51 for the type, though the shoulders are usually set off there.
25 Corinth VII 3 pl. 10 no. 280; TCHP 373 fig. 58 D22; AM 85 (1970) pl. 77, 1 no. 210.
26 Cf. AM 85 (1970) pl. 68, 2 no. 169.
27 A round, footless bottle with very similar stamped decoration from the nekropolis at Halieis will be published in a forthcoming article in the ADelt by Ms. C. Dengate. The finds from Vourvoura (cf. above note) displayed in the NM Athens most likely are of the same origin.
28 A similar palmette (with central core) Olympische Forschungen, 5 pl. 75 d (Elian).
29 Agora IV nos. 369, pls. 13, 40 (Type 26A) no. 372 (Type 26B) pis. 13, 40. The above date is based on Howland's chronology, not using any calibration for correction.
30 BSA 25 (1921–3) pp. 68–71: Hellenistic chambers; pp. 96–103. Hellenistic buildings over the South House: see especially p. 101: among the finds from the upper level a net-pattern bowl is mentioned, such as is found in Corinth VII 3 pl. 78, 908 which begin only well within the second century B.C. The distinction of three periods of the South House may have to be revised in that the second phase is only a minor repair. The pottery does not allow for a clear distinction of three phases.
31 This assertion is based upon the late material from Corinth which appears generally quite close to the stylistically most advanced pottery from the South House. This is a guarded statement, however, since conceivably occupation, most likely squatters, could have continued in others parts of the komé, and since also some scattered finds of the Imperial period are mentioned: BSA 25 (1921–3) 428.
32 BSA 25 (1921–3) 102 f. History of the site, where an intermediate destruction is assumed for the end of the second century B.C. with the latest level continuing into the first century A.D. which, judged by the evidence available now, appears too late. This revaluation is ako supported by the coins found at various spots at Mycenae. See Dengate, J., ‘Coins from the Mycenaean Excavations 1939–1962’, BSA 69 (1974) 95–102Google Scholar, especially pl. 97. The datum post quem for the intermediate destruction is 195 B.C., see BSA 25 (1921–3) XI. Hellenistic Mycenae (A. Boëthius).
33 Grace, Virginia R., ‘Revisions in Early Hellenistic Chronology’, AM 89 (1974) 193–203.Google Scholar
34 Vanderpool, E., McCredie, J. R., Steinberg, A., ‘Koroni, A Camp at the East Coast of Attica’, Hesperia 31 (1962) 26–61.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
35 Pottery very much like that of Halieis: Rudolph, W., ‘Excavations at Metochi 1970’, Hesperia 43 (1974) 105–31, especially p. 131CrossRefGoogle Scholar. The date for the Metochi material must be lowered about a quarter century, towards the end of the fourth century.