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The Potters' Wheel in Minoan Crete*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 September 2013

D. Evely
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Abstract

The large numbers and variety of forms of this object type that have gradually accumulated in the last half century permit now of an overall review, drawing in part on earlier and more individual accounts. Following the Catalogue, five broad typological classes are discussed, analysed in detail, and manufacture and method of employment deduced, as far as possible. Geographical and chronological distribution is looked at. The Pre-Palatial period sees only the use of ‘mats’ – turned manually merely as the potter desired in building up his pot by hand; centrifugal force is harnessed at the perioid of the creation of the First Palaces – the freely-revolving wheel appears. Rapidly, before the construction of the Neo-Palatial buildings, a wheelhead incorporating a fly-wheel effect was devised, probably set low on the ground, pivoting in a fixed basal socket.

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Articles
Information
Annual of the British School at Athens , Volume 83 , November 1988 , pp. 83 - 126
Copyright
Copyright © The Council, British School at Athens 1988

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References

1 S.A. Xanthoudides, EAE III ff.

2 H.B. Hawes, Gournia 42: she overturned her first interpretation in favour of seeing them as ‘tables of offering’.

3 Franchet, L., Rapport sur une mission en Crète et en Égypte (1912–13) Nouv. archives des missions sci. et litt. 22 (Paris, 1917) 42 ff in particular.Google Scholar

4 Xanthoudides, EAE 118 ff. More detailed studies on this topic may be found: Voyatzoglou, M., The Jar Makers of Thrapsano in Crete Expedition 16.2 (1974) 18 ffGoogle Scholar; R. Hampe & A. Winter, TTKMZ 4 ff – both concentrating on Thrapsano, though the latter discusses comparable set-ups elsewhere in Crete (as at Asomatos).

5 Demargne, P., Explorations des Nécropoles (1921–23), I EC 7 (Paris, 1945) 61 and ft 3Google Scholar; Pelon, O., Exploration des maisons et quartiers d'habitation Le Quartier E (1963–66) III EC 16 (Paris, 1970) 29.12.Google Scholar

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7 Evely, D., The Other Finds in UM 84 and 253, pl. 226.Google Scholar

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9 Levi, D., Festòs I 1–108 ff, fig. 147Google Scholar; Olivier, J–P. & Godart, L., Le Quartier Mu I, Écriture Hiéroglyphique Crétoise EC 23 (Paris, 1978) 115.806, pl. 28.Google Scholar

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11 Georgiou, H. S., Keos VI: Ayia Irini, Specialized Domestic and Industrial Pottery (Mainz, 1986) 36 ffGoogle Scholar, and Minoan Coarse Wares & Minoan Technology, in Nixon, L. & Krzyszkowska, O., Minoan Society (Bristol, 1983) 75 ff.Google Scholar

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13 Rieth, A., 5000 Jahres Töpferscheibe (Konstanz, c 1960)Google Scholar has an illuminating survey of wheels (well illustrated) from all the periods and places here reviewed ‥ and more. An article by Foster, G.M., The Potter's wheel: an analysis of idea and artifact in invention SWJA 15.2 (1959) 99Google Scholar ff is also of great value in understanding the principles behind, as well as the definitions and varieties of wheels throughout the world past and present.

14 A flywheel is a device for storing and releasing kinetic energy rapidly; for which purpose the outer rim (always emphasized in mass and weight) serves as the main storage area. In addition, the form helps to smooth out fluctuations in the rotary action taking place.

15 For further specifics of definition, see below: §3 (I), under the discussion of the base for Type 3.

16 Broad accounts of tempering practices may be found in such as Rye, O. S., Pottery Technology: Principles and Reconstruction Manuals on Archaeology 4 (Washington, 1981) 31 ffGoogle Scholar, and Hamer, F., The Potter's Dictionary of Materials and Techniques (Cambridge, 1975) 120 and 234 ff.Google Scholar The same sources can be consulted for the other technical terms used in the following paragraph: slip, wet-wiping and rilling.

17 Originally the suggestion of Hutchinson, R.W. – Warren, , An Early Bronze Age Potter's Workshop in Crete Antiquity 43.171 (1969) 225Google Scholar; it also appears in Betancourt, P.P., The History of Minoan Pottery (Princeton, 1985) 35.Google Scholar

18 Strat. Mus., Knossos Box 372 – fig; which information was passed on by Nicoletta Momigliano, whom I thank for allowing me to mention it here ‥ the context is largely EM III, with some later material; Warren, Myrtos 316 – vine.

19 Three examples are known to the author from the boxes stored in the Stratigraphical Museum at Knossos: all from pre-palatial contexts; a further is known to Nicoletta Momigliano, from a slightly later date.

20 Rye, Pottery Technology 63 (mold supports), figs. 42b and 57.

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24 Warren, Myrtos 223.116 – not that he ever makes such a claim Tor these.

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27 A typical example is that illustrated by Yule, P., Early Cretan Seals: a study of chronology, Marburger Studien 4 (Mainz 1980) 120.37, pl. 2.Google Scholar

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29 Woolley, C.L., Excavation at Ur, 1929–30 AJ 10.4 (1930) 332.Google Scholar

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32 R. Amiran & D. Shenav, Experiments with an Ancient Potter's Wheel, in Rice, P., Pots and Potters: Current Approaches in Ceramic Archaeology (Los Angeles, 1984) 107 ff.Google Scholar

33 Frescoes from Beni Hasan are published by Newberry, P.E., Beni Hasan I (London, 1893)Google Scholar Tomb 2, pl. xi (including kilns); and from the Tomb of Ken-amun by Davies, N. de G., The Tomb of Ken-amun at Thebes (New York, 1930) 51, pls. lviii, lix.Google Scholar For models, see Breasted, J.H., Egyptian Servant Statues (Washington, 1948) 49.2(1), pl. 45b.Google Scholar General accounts of Egyptian potters' wheels are given by Hope, C.A., Two ancient Egyptian Potters' Wheels SSEAJ 11.3 (May 1981) 127 ffGoogle Scholar, and Concerning Egyptian Potters' Wheels, SSEAJ 12.1 (January 1982) 13 ffGoogle Scholar; by Holthoer, R., New Kingdom Pharonic Sites: The Pottery Scandinavian Joint Expedition to Sudanese Nubia, Vol. 5: 1 (Lund, 1977) 31 ffGoogle Scholar; by Bourriau, J., Umm el-Ga'ab: Pottery from the Nile Valley before the Arab Conquest (Cambridge, 1981) 15 ffGoogle Scholar; and by Arnold, D., Wandbild und Scherbenfund MAC 32 (1976) 1 ff.Google Scholar

34 Humans seated on stools and the like exist too: Arnold, , MAC 32 (1976) figs. 13 and 17.Google Scholar

35 ‘Off the hump’, or ‘stack-throwing’: Fournier, 220; Gale, J., Teach Yourself Pottery (Hodder & Stoughton, 1984) 87.Google Scholar

36 Hope, , SSEAJ 11.3 (1981) 127–33Google Scholar, pls. III, IV and fig. la – Amarna and Khartoum pieces.

37 The literature is extensive, a selection follows: Saraswati, B., Bulletin of the Anthropological Survey of India 13.1 & 2 (1964) 39 ffGoogle Scholar – on North and West India, and 68 ff for Ladakh; Gupta, J.D., BASI 11.1 & 2 (1962) 67 ff – for PoonaGoogle Scholar; Das Gupta, B.K., BASI 12.1 & 2 (1963) 109 ff –f or AssamGoogle Scholar; Sinha, S., Das Gupta, B.K. and Bannerjee, H. N., BASI 10.1 (1961) 105 ffGoogle Scholar – for South Manbhum; Singh, G., Pottery in India New Delhi, 1979) 61Google Scholar; Mirmira, S. K., Indian pottery (Bhadrawati, 1973) 46 ff.Google Scholar Older reports include Dobbs, H.R.C., Journal of Indian Art and Industries 7 (1897) 1Google Scholar ff – on Oudh and the NW provinces; Holder, E., JIAI 7 (1897) 7 ffGoogle Scholar – for Madras.

38 Singh, Pottery in India 61; Mirmira, Indian Pottery 46 ff – to choose but two.

39 Holder, , JIAI 7 (1897) 7 ffGoogle Scholar; Mirmira, Indian Pottery 47 ff; Gupta, Das, BASI 12.1 & 2 (1963) 109 ff.Google Scholar

40 For a plan of the area concerned – Shaw, J., Excavations at Kommos (Crete) during 1978 Hesperia 48 (1979) 151, Fig. 2cCrossRefGoogle Scholar – Court 11 (at NE corner), with an earlier description of the region in Excavations at Kommos (Crete) during 1976 Hesperia 46 (1977) 220, Space n. In the last the piece in question is seen as a reused doorpivot, which merely underlines the point made in the preceding paragraph of this article. In the catalogue and studies prepared by H. Blitzer in 1979, the use of this object as a potter's wheel-pivot was suggested. S 32 will be completely published in ‘Implements and Industries’ Chapter 9 of Kommos I: The Minoan Settlement, Princeton University Press, forthcoming.

41 Marinatos, S., Excavations at Lykastos and Vathypetro in Crete (Greek) PAE (1955) 310.Google Scholar

42 Franchet, , Rapport 22 (1917) 44 ff.Google Scholar

43 As footnote 4 above.

44 Franchet, , Rapport 22 (1917) 46Google Scholar ff may well have helped to introduce this concept into the Aegean discussion. It was, however, known before him and has continued to cause problems to the present. Several authors have tried to redress the balance: Childe, HOT 196–7; Warren, Antiquity 43 (1969) 225; and most fully Eiteljorg, H., The Fast Wheel, The Multiple-brush Compass and Athens as Home of the Proto-Geometric Style AJA 84 (1980) 448 ff.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

45 On the underlying principles: Cardew, M., Pioneer Pottery (Thetford, 1969) 98–9.Google Scholar On the actual speeds: Homes–Fredericq, D. & Franken, H. J., Pottery and Potters – Past and Present 7000 years of ceramic art in Jordan (Tubingen, 1986) 29Google Scholar; Amiran & Shevav, in P. Rice Pots and Potters 107 ff; Eiteljorg, , AJA 84 (1980) 448 and ft 22.CrossRefGoogle Scholar Other references can be dug out of the welter of Indian ethnographic literature, see footnote 37 above.

46 Mountjoy, P–A., Jones, R.E. and Cherry, J.F., Provenance Studies of the LMIb/LHIIa Marine Style BSA 73 (1978) 168 ff in particular.Google Scholar

47 Seen in such primary indicators as kiln sites near Anemospilia, and the wheels from Archanes; and to some extent corroborated by the findings of J.A. Riley, The contribution of ceramic petrology to our understanding of Minoan society in Minoan Society 283 ff, with regard to both fine and coarse wares.

48 Georgiou, , Keos VI 36–7Google Scholar for the Kean pieces, and 38 for the rest.

49 Georgiou, , Keos VI 36 ffGoogle Scholar – discussion and catalogue.

50 Bosanquet, R.C. & Welch, F.B., The Minor Antiquities in Excavations at Phylakopi in Melos (London, 1904) 212, fig. 190.Google Scholar

51 Welter, G., Aiginetische Keramik AA 52 (1937) 24Google Scholar, exhibited in Aegina Museum.

52 Georgiou, , Keos VI 38 –Google Scholar the first (unpublished) was recently recognised by her; the latter is in the National Museum at Athens (NM 3257).

53 Childe, HOT 199–203 prefers a process of diffusion; Warren, , Antiquity 43 (1969) 226 ffCrossRefGoogle Scholar the opposite. A date of MMIb for the appearance of the freely-revolving wheel is broadly agreed to – Warren, , Antiquity 43 (1969) 224CrossRefGoogle Scholar (quoting too Hood and Evans), and Cadogan, G., Early Minoan and Middle Minoan Chronology AJA (1983) 510Google Scholar; though there are, as yet unsubstantiated, claims that some material was being so produced before the end of the Early Bronze Age.