Wheelmade Red Lustrous Ware
Red Lustrous Ware stands out as a unique and remarkable style of pottery, it was produced during the Late Bronze Age, approximately from 1500 to 1200 BC. This pottery first emerged in the archaeological record around 1550 BC, marking its presence until the Bronze Age collapse near 1100 BC. Its longevity and widespread distribution underscore its significance in the ancient Cyprus.
Production Methods & Distribution
Originating from Cyprus, Red Lustrous Ware is synonymous with the island's skilled potters and the growing technical advancement of ceramic production during the late Bronze Age. This ware was saught after by Cyprus' neighbors, seeing export across the Levant and Anatolia [2]. While Red Lustrous Ware was found across the eastern Mediterranean, it was not a common style of pottery: Eriksson [4] documents only 1173 pieces. In Kalavassos it comprises about 0.7% of the pottery found [5].
Made on the wheel from exceptionally fine clay, with some variants utilizing coarser materials, Red Lustrous Ware is easily recognizable by its vibrant red hue permeating the clay [2]. The pottery's surface, treated with a self-slip and meticulously burnished, results in an almost glazed like appearance [3]. These characteristics not only highlight the aesthetic appeal of Red Lustrous Ware but also reflect the advanced techniques employed by Cyprus' potters of the period. It is likely that Red Lustrous Ware was a luxury item, it is often found in tombs and burials, but comprises such a small proportion of vessels found. Red Lustrous Wares were kiln fired at between 900 and 1000 degrees C. The consistency of the fabric across many examples of Red Lustrous Wares hint at a single source of production, however no specific Kiln has been identified.
Shapes & Use
There are three main shapes that Red Lustrous Ware takes: flasks, arm-shaped vessels and most commonly and famously the spindle bottles. The arm shaped vessels, such as [Artefact 12] are a yet unexplained shape, it is not clear what their use was and their rarity hinders the potential for study. Some theories include incense burners, however no burning marks are present. As is often the case when a shape is not yet understood, many have theorized that they were religious or ritualistic in nature.
Spindle Bottles had internal volumes of between 0.3 and 3 liters, with an average of just under a liter, Flasks had slightly less than this. As with much of Cypriot pottery, some very large examples of these shapes have been found with internal volumes of around 6L, these are however rare and the exception.
Flasks and spindle bottles were clearly created to contain some form of liquid, their spout being too small to hold anything but the finest of solids. These liquids would also likely not have been very thick, making products such as animal fats highly unlikely. What these liquid might have been has been up to debate since the 1890s, though early scholars often made the case that due to their standardised shape, single source of production and almost identical appearance, a single type of liquid was likely to have been contained within them. Modern evidence suggests otherwise.
Analysis of various fragments and intact bottles and flasks has hinted at them potentially containing vegetable oils, pine resin, wines and castor oil. Beeswax was also found on many vessels, though it is possible that this was used as a sealant rather than content. This raises more questions however, given their wide use across the eastern Mediterranean, were these vessels transported with these original liquids in mind? Or were these later filled locally. It is however clear that Red Lustrous Ware vessels were not used to transport or store a single type of liquid, but rather a variety of products.