Desmond designated 9 categories to describe Cypriot pottery across the millenia of the islands history. While the scheme is elegant in its own manner, it is not suitable for all types of pottery.

Complex types are any types which deviate from the normal shape, usually in an artistic fashion rather than a utilitarian one.

These deviations may be small, such as a red polished jug with a small plank figure head poking out of it, or large such as vessels made to resemble a bird.

When a pottery vessel is complex but still obviously belongs to one type, such as the jar pictured here with its anthropomorphic head, it is difficult to decide where it should belong. Is it a jar? Well yes obviously, but is it complex? Also yes.

In these cases we often assign it to both groupings. The same is true when a vessel is so complex and either anthropomorphic or zoomorphic to also be classified as a statue.