The Jugs of Ancient Cyprus

jugs

The "Jug" shape occupies a central place in the legacy of Cypriot pottery, being present and thriving in every ceramic period. Jugs were made in all sizes, from small sub 10cm wares, all the way to extremely large half meter tall or wide vessels. Jugs were also made across every type of pottery, from red slip, polished wares, bichrome, to plain.

Terminology

When jugs are small, they are often refered to as juglets, these are often under 15cm in height and usually around 10cm tall. Note that Iron age jugs, of a particular style, as discussed in a later section, are often refered to as Oinochoe drawing parallels to the Greek form.

Early & Middle Bronze Age Jugs

Red Polished Ware Jugs

Complex Jugs

Late Bronze Age Jugs

Base Ring Ware Jugs

Complex Base Ring Ware

White Slip Tankards

One of the most recognizable jug styles of the Bronze age are the White Slip Tankards. They are highly unique in their style, and coated in a beautiful layer of white slip with elegant black decoration.

Cypro-Geometric Jugs

The Bronze Age collapse and subsequent start of the Iron Age saw a massive change in pottery style across the island. The Jugs of ancient Cyprus were no exception. With the death of White Slip Tankards and Wheelmade Red Lustrous ware Bottles, came a more standardised style of Jug that became a prototypical form for the next 500+ years starting circa 1100 B.C.

These new Jugs came with a much more standardised design. Their design was comprised of several components, a bulbous body that often dominated the vessel and was the focus of much of the ornamentation, a neck that was often short attached to a spout that was made to appear animalistic so far as to often have eyes drawn upon it. A thick handle connects the spout to the body, with it never being attached to the neck. Animal patterns are often drawn upon this handle. Finally the jugs rarely had a separate base, though the bottom was always flat with a thin layer of clay added for stability.

Diagram of the components of an ancient Cypriot Oinochoe

The uniqueness of the Cypro-Geometric jugs never came from the addition or subtraction of components, but rather the proportions and focus that each component draws from the eye, with some being almost caricatures of this prototypical form.

Some Jugs had extremely elongated necks, with others having oversized bodies leaving nothing but a stump for where the neck should be.

This form is further explored in our article Cypriot Oinochoe: Wine Jugs. This article also explores the motifs and patterns that are often scene on these Jugs in depth.

Circular Geometric Motifs

Swastikas & Arrows

Intersecting Line Motif

Cypro-Archaic Jugs

Elaborate Patterns

Free Field Jugs