 Author: Eiji OKUBO Sales Network: Amazon.com / Amazon.co.jp   |
Author: Eiji OKUBO Sales Network: Amazon.com / Amazon.co.jp |
| Written by Eiji Okubo, Printed books and e-books Heritage of Minoan and Mycenaean civilizations Detailed data on Ruins and Excavated items |
| The World of Crafts and Arts of the Minoan Civilization "Pottery" |
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| subtitle: Data and explanations of excavated items language: English format: e-book / Web-download to Amazon-kindle, PC, e-book-reader, tablet-device, mobile-phone size: 341 pages (kindle screen) / capacity: 464Mb sales: Amazon Network / Amazon.com / Amazon.co.uk |
| Sumary: This e-book is a “Precise Illustrations & Data Book” of excavated items from the prehistoric Minoan Civilization ruins in Crete. This e-book is picked up 150 items of outstanding Minoan Pottery excavated from important ruins of the Minoan Civilization in Crete, including the Knossos Palace and surroundings ruins, which were the center of the Minoan Civilization. More than 90% of the excavated items explained are depicted in Precise Illustrations, and the rest are shown in Photographs. This e-book will invite you to the “World of Crafts and Arts” of the Minoan Civilization through carefully selected important works from among the excavated items on display at the Heraklion Archaeological Museum and other museums in Crete, and the National Archaeological Museum of Athens. Contents: I What is the Minoan Civilization? II Early Minoan Pottery III Middle Minoa Pottery / Kamares Style IV Middle Minoa Pottery / General Purpose V Late Minoan Pottery / Palace Style VI Late Minoan Pottery / Marine Design Style VII Late Minoan Pottery / Floral Design Style VIII Late Minoan Pottery / Abstract and Geometric Design Style IX Late Minoan Pottery / General Purpose X Ritual Rhyton XI Rhyton for Decoration XII Pottery for Daily Life XIII Terracotta Figurine & Larnax Coffin |
| Sample Page：(excerpt) ---------- V-01 Palace style, Pithos Jar, “Limited edition” for Knossos Palace  Site: West Storerooms, Room 11-13, West Wing, Knossos Palace Shape & Decoration: Palace style, Large Pithos vessel, “limited edition” for Knossos Palace reed clump of Floral design, double axe and rosette patterns Era: LMII, 1450-1400 BC Museum: HAM, inv. No. 7757 / H1,345mm Local: Central North, Crete Drawing: Eiji OKUBO During the LMIB period of the Late Minoan civilization, around 1450 BC, three Minoan Palaces and countless local mansions and towns on Crete were completely destroyed one after another by the militant Mycenaean invaders from mainland Greece. For about 75 years, until the Knossos Palace finally collapsed in a huge fire around 1375 BC, the skilled craftsmen of the pottery workshops in the East Wing under the rule of the occupying Mycenaeans, established a beautiful pottery style worthy of symbolizing Minoan civilization, which was no exaggeration to say that the “last flower of culture” of the New Palace Era. It was Palace style Ware, which called the most beautiful pottery in the Eastern Mediterranean region at the time and was the “limited edition” for Knossos Palace. The Palace style Ware was a special pottery which developed and improved at the Palace of Knossos, which was after the Mycenaean invasion of Crete around 1450 BC. For this reason, the Palace style Ware have uncovered virtually only from the Knossos Palace ruins, residences adjacent to the palace, and royal cemeteries and tombs scattered a short distance away. In Sir Arthur John Evans' excavations, a large pithos jar with a height of 1,345mm which can be emphasized as the best work of Palace style pottery, from the Rooms 11 to 13 of the West Storerooms, the West Wing of the Knossos Palace. Although it was in a broken state at the time of excavation, but it was concluded that the pithos jar collapsed during the final collapse of the Palace of Knossos, around 1375 BC, from the sacred Northwest Sanctuary Hall, which undoubtedly existed on the upper floor of the West Wing. This large Palace style pithos jar is for decorative purposes. The pattern is basically a Floral design that gives a gentle impression, but the double axe and large rosette, which were the highest worship symbols of Minoan civilization, are expressed majestically in the wide body space. Many works of Palace style ware, a lineage of the Mycenaean civilization on mainland Greece, have been unearthed at Minoan and Mycenaean sites, including beautiful amphora shaped vessels and jugs. However, if it limits to the content of the design among the Palace style pottery which has been unearthed on Crete so far, we can confirm that is not a simple drawing of eight double axes. All patterns of this large ornamental pithos jar, which is accurately depicted with very delicate lines, so that can say to be emphasized as honoring the ruler of Knossos Palace in the highest degree of formality. Therefore, in Minoan pottery, there is no other high-quality art motif that symbolizes reverence than this one. There is no doubt that this large pithos jar was the perfect decoration for the final stage of the Palace of Knossos, and most suitable for decorating the magnificent sacred Northwest Sanctuary Hall on the second floor of the West Wing. The pithos jar was produced in the latter half of the New Palace Era, the Late Minoan civilization LMII period, 1450 to 1400 BC. Related: West Wing, Knossos Palace  Site: Plan of Upper Floor, West Wing, Knossos Palace West Court, West Pouch, South Entrance, Central Court=ground level Era: MMIIIA-LMIIIA1, 1625-1375 BC Re. information: Papers, Sir Arthur John Evans, “The PALACE of MINOS at KNOSSOS v. II” (1928) Local: Central North, Crete Drawing: Eiji OKUBO GPS: 35°17'53''N 25°09'47''E / ALT 95m VI-01 Marine Design style, Elegant Jar  Site: West Wing, Zakros Palace Shape & Decoration: Marine design style, Elegant Jar with argonaut pattern Era: LMIB, 1500-1450 BC Museum: HAM, inv. No. 14098 Local: Easternmost, Crete Drawing: Eiji OKUBO Related: West Wing, Zakros Palace  Site: Plan of West Wing, Zakros Palace Era: MMIIIA-LMIB, 1625-1450 BC Local: Easternmost, Crete / 19km southeast from Sitia city Drawing: Eiji OKUBO GPS: 35°05'53''N 26°15'40''E / ALT 5m XI-06 Marine Design style Rhyton, “Argonaut” motif  Site: Phaestos Palace Shape & Decoration: Marine Design style Rhyton, argonaut, reef and seaweed patterns Era: LMIB, 1500-1450 BC Museum: HAM, inv. No. 5832 / H260mm Local: Messara Plain, Crete Drawing: Eiji OKUBO Related: Minoan Fresco, “Argonaut and Seaweed” motif  Site: House of the Fresco, Knossos Palace Shape & Decoration: Fresco, “Argonaut and Seaweed” marine life and wave patterns Era: LMIA, 1550-1500 BC Museum: HAM Local: Central North, Crete Drawing: Eiji OKUBO Related: Mycenaean Bronze Dagger, “Argonaut” inlay technique  Site: Tholos Tomb, Myrsinochorion Shape & Decoration: Bronze Dagger of the “Tangles type” three gold rivets decoration of gold, niello, electrum alloy inlay technique: a herd of argonaut moving in the sea Era: LHIIA-LHIIIA1, 1500-1375 BC Museum: NAM, inv. No. 8339 Local: Messenia, Peloponnese / 4km east-northeast from Nestor’s Palace Drawing: Eiji OKUBO GPS: 37°01‘50’’N 21°44’1’’E / ALT 335m XI-07 Cylindrical vessel, Marine Design style  Site: House of Nirou Khani, so-called “House of High Priest” Shape & Decoration: Cylindrical vessel, Marine Design style, triton-shell, reef and seaweed patterns Era: LMIB, 1500-1450 BC Museum: HAM, inv. No. 7572 / H180mm Local: Central North, Crete Drawing: Eiji OKUBO Related: House of Nirou Khani  Site: House of Nirou Khani (as of 1982) so-called “House of High Priest”: noble building structure a) view=Two columns, Main Entrance, Paved Hall narrow Central passage, Main Room with bench b) left=South section, shrine, South court c) right=North section, bench room & Store Rooms Era: MMIIIA-LMIB, 1625-1450 BC Local: Central North, Crete / 11km east from Heraklion city Drawing: Eiji OKUBO GPS: 35°19'51.50''N 25°15'03''E / ALT 5m Related: Serpentine “Triton-shell” shaped Rhyton with ritual pattern  Site: Treasure Room, West Wing, Malia Palace Shape & Decoration: Serpentine “Triton-shell” shaped Rhyton Scene within the yellow line frame: Lion-headed spirits sharing a glass of sacred wine Era: MMIIIA-LMIA, 1625-1500 BC Museum: ANAM, inv. No. AE11246 / L27cm Local: Central North, Crete Photo: 1996 / Drawing: Eiji OKUBO ----------  |