Mycenaean pottery - terracotta alabastron with stylised wave design, chamber tomb ET, 1450-1400 BC Nafplion Evangelistria. Nafplion Archaeological Mus
Mycenaean pottery - terracotta alabastron with stylised wave design, chamber tomb ET, 1450-1400 BC Nafplion Evangelistria. Nafplion Archaeological Museum. Against grey art background. Photographer Paul E Williams. The Mycenaean cemetery at Nafplion is located on the north west slopes of Evangelistra hill above the town. The tombs are arranged in clusters and were used for successive burials from the 16th t the end of the 13th century BC. The size of the cemetery and its long usage shows that there was a thriving Mycenaean settlement at Nafplion which, situated at an inlet of the Gulf of Argos, was a major trading centre. The pottery excavated from the cemetery sheds light on Mycenaean burial practices. Unguent vessels like alabaster and stirrup jars, used as balm containers, vessels for the preparation of food, Rhytha and other ritual vessels and incense burners, are remains of vessels used to prepare the dead for burial and for ritual feasting , libation and purification practises, The most common Mycenaean archaeological finds are examples of Mycenaean pottery. The potter's wheel was developed in the Near East around 3500 BC and 2000 years later, during the Late Helladic period, Mycenaeans adopted it. This led the Mycenaeans to produce fine pottery with hand painted decorations that was exported throughout the eastern Mediterranean. Mycenaean decorations are a continuation of the styles used by the earlier Minoans of Crete. Popular deigns were floral patterns, marine and octopus designs and swirling circular designs. The Mycenaeans were a Bronze Age Culture found primarily in mainland Greece in city states such as Thebes, Mycenae and Tiryns. The Mycenaean civilisation spanned the period from approximately 1750 to 1050 BC and ended abruptly during the collapse of Bronze Age culture in the eastern Mediterranean, to be followed by the so-called Greek Dark Ages.
Size: 9566px × 6803px
Location: Napflion Archaeological Museum. Greece
Photo credit: © funkyfood London - Paul Williams / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No
Keywords: ancient, antiquities, antiquity, archaeological, art, artefact, artefacts, background, ceramics, culture, exhibit, exhibits, finds, gray, greek, grey, historic, historical, image, interior, life, lighting, museum, mycenaean, nafplio, nafplion, person, pot, pots, pottery, studio
