Lid pyxis with spiral decoration

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Pyxis with spiral pattern, Antikensammlung Berlin 8102

The lid pyxis with spiral decoration ( Antikensammlung Berlin , inventory number 8102), often referred to simply as the hut pyxis , is an elaborately decorated stone vessel from the Bronze Age Cycladic culture . It is dated to the early Cycladic period between the 27th and 23rd centuries BC. Chr. (FK II) dated. The steatite vessel was excavated in 1885 by Ferdinand Dümmler at the Dokathismata site on the Cycladic island of Amorgos , published in 1886 and acquired from Dümmler's possession by the Antikensammlung Berlin in 1889.

origin

Drawing from 1886, with the underside and view of the interior

The philologist and archaeologist Ferdinand Dümmler had obtained information from a reliable source in Athens about graves and their contents on the Cycladic island of Amorgos. He visited the island in October 1885 to find out more about the “prehistoric necropolises there”. About an hour's walk northeast of the modern village of Arkesine and half an hour from the coast, the graves were on the hillside of a narrow creek valley in the Dokathismata area . Dümmler was able to “observe the establishment of some of those graves by a happy coincidence and see their contents separately” and further noted “that planned excavations have not yet taken place”. Unexpectedly, he came across material that was already known from other Cycladic islands. In his sketchbook he noted the location under the name Kornovigli (Dokathismata) . His knowledge of grave architecture and information on otherwise unknown details are viewed as the result of his own excavation activities. In the published report, however, he avoided information that could indicate unauthorized excavations.

In Skizzenbuch the grave A further detail is described. The trapezoidal stone box consisted of four standing side panels, a floor panel and a ceiling panel. The maximum digging depth was 50 cm below surface level. The "front vertical plate" was 5 cm higher than the other side plates and was 30 cm below today's floor level. On the opposite side there was a skull fragment in the left corner, several bones along the stone slab and a long bone in the right corner. Dümmler saw evidence of a burial in a contracted position on the longest side of the grave. The additions were placed on the left. Together lay a broken, handleless, white marble pallet with a round hole in the edge area and traces of red paint, an obsidian pestle and an "arrowhead", which is probably an obsidian cut . A broken marble foot bowl contained clear traces of blue pigment on the inside. The most remarkable find was the stone pyxis, a “vessel made of greenish marble with a lid and very well worked” under the base plate below the foot shell.

Probably Dümmler excavated on private property and acquired the finds from the owner. There is no evidence of an applied export license. In view of the rarity and special importance of pyxis, the authorities would not have granted it.

description

The lid pyxis made of greenish soapstone consists of a 6.5 cm high conical vessel and measures 10 cm with the flat, conical lid. The maximum diameter is 13 cm. Two pairs of matching, vertical twin eyelets connect the vessel and lid on the opposite sides. On the floor, two relief strips form an irregular cross, the ends merging into the four feet. The pyxis is decorated with two rows of interlocking, single-line spirals, which in turn are connected to their respective neighbors by further lines. The lid is also decorated with the same pattern. It starts with a central spiral lid and ends at the edge of the lid with a notched band .

The vessel with a gray-blue surface is very well preserved. It shows only a few, insignificant defects. The interior is divided by a thin partition, the transition from the wall to the floor is rounded. The pyxis is carefully crafted, individual irregularities can be found on various spiral rows due to lack of space.

classification

The artifacts found show a great variety. Through the matching grave architecture, Dümmler saw belonging to an era. However, he did not intend to assign the finds chronologically. The grave architecture, the practice of burial and the grave goods are typical of early Cycladic II (FK II). Due to the stratigraphic find situation described by Dümmler, according to Jörg Rambach the pyxis could belong to an older burial compared to the other grave goods dated after FK II. In its appearance it shows similarities to the conical-cylindrical clay pyxids of the Kampos group . The subdivision of the interior of the vessels can also be found in the conical clay pyxides from Agia Photia on Crete, which is also assigned to the Kampos group. The twin eyelets used to form the handle can only be found in the Cyclades on vessels of the later aplomata stage.

meaning

Various types of stone vessels were deposited as grave goods in the Keros-Syros group, especially on the islands of Naxos, Paros, Keros and Syros, but they are rarely found in the settlement context. Traces of use show the use before it was put down. As a sign of prosperity, they are combined with other vessels, idols , jewelry, devices and bone tubes and especially with pallets with pestles. In addition to marble vessels, vessels made of chlorite slate, steatite and other soft stones appear from the end of FK I. The line and spiral decorations are most pronounced in the hut-shaped pyxides standing on legs.

Vessels with interlocking spirals made of chlorite slate or soapstone from the Cycladic culture are rare. They are among the most remarkable pieces of early Bronze Age craftsmanship in the Aegean. The context of the find is known only from a few, two of them come from Naxos and the pyxis in the form of a building model from Milos. In addition to these long-known examples, fragments of six other vessels were found during the excavations at Keros-Daskalio, including three made of chlorite slate. Four other known vessels of unknown origin found their way into collections via the art trade, including three pyxids and a Cycladic handle shell . These come from illegal excavations and were illegally exported from Greece. Vessels made of chlorite slate with spiral decoration are also known from Minoan Crete. Whether these are pieces of Cycladic origin or pieces made in Crete is not clear and has been discussed among scientists since the 1960s.

literature

  • Ferdinand Dümmler: Communications from the Greek islands. Remains of the pre-Greek population on the Cyclades. In: Communications of the German Archaeological Institute, Athenian Department 11, 1886, pp. 15–46, here: 17 f. Online .
  • Yannis Galanakis: Early Prehistoric Research on Amorgos and the Beginnings of Cycladic Archeology. In: American Journal of Archeology. Volume 117, number 2, 2013, pp. 181–205, here: pp. 182–186.
  • Bernhard Steinmann: Hut Pyxis. In: Claus Hattler (Ed.): Cyclades - Worlds of Life in an Early Greek Culture . Primus Verlag 2011, ISBN 978-3-86312-016-0 , p. 265. No. 50.
  • Jürgen Thimme (Hrsg.): Art and culture of the Cyclades islands in the 3rd millennium before Christ. CF Müller, Karlsruhe 1976, ISBN 3-7880-9568-7 , p. 516, fig. 361.
  • Sophia Voutsaki: The stone vessels. In: Colin Renfrew, Christos Doumas, Lila Marangou, Giorgos Gavalas (eds.): Keros, Dhaskalio Kavos the investigations of 1987-88. McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research, Oxbow Books, Cambridge 2007, ISBN 978-1-902937-43-4 , pp. 285-349, here: pp. 344-349.

Remarks

  1. ^ Yannis Galanakis: Early Prehistoric Research on Amorgos and the Beginnings of Cycladic Archeology. 2013, p. 183.
  2. ^ Yannis Galanakis: Early Prehistoric Research on Amorgos and the Beginnings of Cycladic Archeology. 2013, p. 185 f.
  3. ^ Yannis Galanakis: Early Prehistoric Research on Amorgos and the Beginnings of Cycladic Archeology. 2013, p. 186, note 31.
  4. ^ Chlorite slate from Bernhard Steinmann: Hüttenpyxis. 2011, p. 265; chlorite schist at Sophia Voutsaki: The stone vessels. 2007, p. 344.
  5. ↑ Dimensions from pyxis lid with spiral decoration, Antikensammlung, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin ; different measurements for 9.4 cm height from Jürgen Thimme: Hüttenpyxis. 1976, p. 516; Bernhard Steinmann: Hut Pyxis. 2011, p. 265; Yannis Galanakis: Early Prehistoric Research on Amorgos and the Beginnings of Cycladic Archeology. 2013, p. 186; for a diameter of 12.0 cm from Bernhard Steinmann: Hüttenpyxis. 2011, p. 265; for 11.3 cm in diameter by Yannis Galanakis: Early Prehistoric Research on Amorgos and the Beginnings of Cycladic Archeology. 2013, p. 186.
  6. ↑ Jürgen Thimme: Art and culture of the Cyclades islands in the 3rd millennium before Christ. 1976, p. 516.
  7. ^ Ferdinand Dümmler: Communications from the Greek islands. Remains of the pre-Greek population on the Cyclades. 1886, p. 18.
  8. ^ Ferdinand Dümmler: Communications from the Greek islands. Remains of the pre-Greek population on the Cyclades. 1886, p. 25.
  9. ^ Ferdinand Dümmler: Communications from the Greek islands. Remains of the pre-Greek population on the Cyclades. 1886, p. 17.
  10. ^ Yannis Galanakis: Early Prehistoric Research on Amorgos and the Beginnings of Cycladic Archeology. 2013, p. 186.
  11. ↑ Jörg Rambach: Cyclades II. The early Bronze Age. Early Bronze Age additional customs circles on the Cyclades, relative chronology and distribution . German Archaeological Institute (Ed.), Dr. Rudolf Habelt, Bonn 2000, Dissertation, Heidelberg, 1990, ISBN 978-3-7749-2831-2 , p. 213.
  12. ↑ Eva Alram-Stern (ed.): The Aegean Early Period. 2nd series. Research report 1975-2004. The Early Bronze Age in Greece with the exception of Crete. Publishing house of the Austrian Academy of Sciences. Vienna 2004, ISBN 978-3-7001-3268-4 , p. 352 f.
  13. ^ Colin Renfrew : Vessels of chlorite schist . In: Sophia Voutsaki: The stone vessels: The marble open bowls. 2007, p. 340.
  14. ↑ Sophia Voutsaki: The stone vessels. 2007, pp. 344-346.
  15. ↑ Ioannis Sakellarakis : The Cyclades and Crete. In: Jürgen Thimme (Ed.): Art and Culture of the Cyclades Islands in the 3rd Millennium BC. CF Müller, Karlsruhe 1976, ISBN 3-7880-9568-7 , pp. 149-158, here: p. 151; Sophia Voutsaki: The stone vessels. 2007, p. 349.

Web links

Commons : Pyxis in Antikensammlung Berlin, Misc. 8102  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files