Collection Item

From:UC Teece Museum of Classical Antiquities

Name/TitleJug

About this objectThis large Bronze Age jug is an example of Red Polished III ware, and was discovered in a tomb at Lapatsa in the north of Cyprus.

The jug has an elongated spherical body with a small round blunt pointed base. The neck is tall and narrow, tapering to a round horizontal mouth with a rim that turns outwards, and does not quite sit centrally on the body. The circular shaped handle extends from the shoulder to reach about one third of the way up the neck.

The buff clay is covered in a rich red slip, which has been impressed with decorative reliefs resembling fillets. These fillets (ribbons or ties) most likely echo the actual fillets that would be tied around a vessel like this during festive occasions. One relief circles around the upper neck, with strips running down the sides to the top of the handle, in the same way a ribbon would hang. A similar relief circles the shoulder at the level of the handle, with strips hanging to either side, and a third separate pendant hanging below the handle. The relief ridges have depressions every four or five centimetres, which could be either a decorative or functional touch.

Date Madeca. 21st Century BC

PeriodEarly Cypriote

Place MadeCyprus

Place NotesExcavated from Karmi - Lapatsa tomb 11

Medium and MaterialsCeramic: Pottery

Style and IconographyCypriote

Style and IconographyRed polished III

TechniqueThrowing (pottery technique)

TechniqueImpressed relief (technique)

TechniqueGlazing (coating process)

TechniqueSlab method (pottery technique)

MeasurementsHeight ca. 660mm; Diameter 327mm

Subject and Association KeywordsMourning customs

Subject and Association KeywordsFood history

Named CollectionThe James Logie Memorial Collection, University of Canterbury, New Zealand

Credit LineDonated by the Melbourne University Cyprus Expedition, care of Dr J.B. Hennessy, University of Sydney, 1973.

Object TypeStorage Vessels

Object number133.73

Copyright LicenceAll rights reserved