Bichrome Ware
When one thinks of Iron age Cypriot pottery, the first thing that springs to mind is Bichrome ware. The name is derived from the greek for two colors (bi chrome). These two colors are a dark grey/black and a reddish orange slip that is applied to the vessel.
Bichrome ware first appears right after the Bronze age collapse in Cyprus, around 1150 B.C. and immediately becomes the dominant decoration style of the period. It is easy to think that it was the dominant style of pottery on the island, but this is just sampling bias. Plain White wares and other less decorated wares were made in very large quantities for utilitarian purposes. These were however not properly appreciated by archeologists, looters and excavators in the 1800s and early 1900s, and so were largely ignored. This is true for much of Cyprus' archeological history, with sampling bias dominating the types of artifacts we see in collections today.
Bichrome ware is seen in all types of pottery and statues across the island in the Iron age. It is also not only limited to Geometric motifs, but also the later Archaic patterns and ornamentation.
The Shapes of Bichrome
Bichrome was made in a variety of shapes not just limited to pottery, with the use of bichrome slip being prevalent on terracotta figurines. In the context of pottery, Bichrome was primarily applied to Jugs, Dishes, Jars, Flasks and Bowls.