Krater: Asia Minor?

Two nonjoining sections: one wall fragment (b: P 3229 b) and part of wall and rim (a: P 3229 a+ P 20593).

Upper body of calyx krater with widely flaring, molded, overhanging rim. Lower element of rim stamped with ovolo; upper element diagonally scored. Below rim, on inside, a guilloche pattern formed by two rows of stamped spirals, all within grooves. On wall, appliqué ivy garland with straight stem, heart-shaped leaves, and thick clusters of berries. Micaceous, reddish yellow fabric (7.5YR 7/6); shiny-to-lustrous black glaze, much missing.

For similar stamped rims see 1598--1600, 1708, 1709; similar stamps also appear on 1614. Shape and position of decoration reminiscent of Malacena Ware kraters (Montagna Pasquinucci 1972, Form 40A, pp. 325--329, fig. 7 on p. 289, no. 285), but the ware is probably eastern. The clusters of berries are similar to those on Pergamene appliqué ware (cf. PF II, pls. 34, 35). The shape and stamping of the rim is like that on ESA plates of Form 8 (Samaria III, no. 8, p. 328, fig. 78:8; HESamaria, Type 6, p. 306, fig. 185:6a; Hama III, ii, nos. 19, 21, 23, pp. 85--88, figs. 36, 37), which sometimes have stamped egg and dart (rather than ovolo) and beading in the same position as on our piece. The combination of egg and dart, beading, and spirals occurs more regularly on plates or bowls of a different variant of Samaria Form 8 (Antioch IV, i, Shape 101, p. 22, fig. 4:9--12; Samaria III, no. 2, p. 328, fig. 327:2; Coldstream 1973, J 1, p. 46, pl. 28).