Cypro-Geometric Plate with Wishbone Handles

Cypro-Geometric II–III Period, c. 950–850 BC, Republic of Cyprus

This extraordinary wheel-made pottery plate, crafted in Bichrome III Ware, is a masterpiece of Cypriot craftsmanship from the Cypro-Geometric period. Its shallow, slightly carinated body rests on a ring foot, with distinctive horizontally protruding wishbone handles. The plate’s design demonstrates the artistic precision and creativity of ancient Cypriot potters, particularly in its striking black-painted decoration.

The interior features a black-painted rim with two widely spaced black bands encircling the dish, while the underside boasts an intricate design of concentric bands of varying widths. Four evenly spaced rectangular panels with wavy motifs accentuate the underside, framing a central umber circle surrounded by five thin concentric rings. The plate’s distorted shape, caused by firing, adds a unique character to the artifact, emphasizing its authenticity and historical significance. Made of coarse orange-red clay with a cream slip and small inclusions, this plate exemplifies the rich ceramic tradition of Cyprus. Cypriot pottery, which originated in the Neolithic period, reflects the island’s role as a cultural and commercial hub of the ancient Mediterranean. The Cypro-Geometric period, marked by its geometric motifs and bichrome decoration, bridges the transition from the Bronze Age to the Iron Age.

Cyprus, strategically located at the crossroads of the Aegean, Anatolia, the Levant, and Egypt, played a crucial role in ancient trade and cultural exchange. Its ceramic styles reveal influences from neighboring regions while maintaining a distinct Cypriot identity. The wishbone handles on this plate are a hallmark of Cypriot pottery, blending functionality with elegance. This plate, with its meticulous design and historical context, serves as a window into the daily life, artistic achievements, and cultural interactions of ancient Cyprus. It is a rare and valuable artifact, ideal for any collection focusing on early Mediterranean civilizations or the history of ceramic artistry.

Excellent condition. Intact, with some wear to the paint and minor rim chips. A museum inventory number "2959" written in ink under one of the handles. Size approx. 29,0cm x 22,2cm x 2,9cm. 

Provenance: Swedish private collection

For a similar examples see:

Terracotta plate, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Accession Number: 74.51.971 (https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/240559)

Bichrome ware dish, University of St Andrews Libraries and Museums, Accession Number: HC1994.3(133) 

(https://collections.st-andrews.ac.uk/item/bichrome-ware-dish/1000122)

Dish; plate, The British Museum, Accession Number: 1869,0604.22 

(https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/G_1869-0604-22)

References and further reading:

Pottery of Geometric, Archaic and Classical periods in Cyprus,  Anna, P. Georgiadou, Kyprios Character. History, Archaeology & Numismatics of Ancient Cyprus (kyprioscharacter.eie.gr/en/t/A0)

Pottery Types, Cypro-Geometric to Cypro-Classical, Einar Gjerstad, Opuscula Atheniensia. 7 (7): pp. 105–122, 1960.

Handbook of the Cesnola Collection of Antiquities from Cyprus, John L. Myres, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1914.

Swedish Cyprus Expedition IV, 2. The Cypro-geometric, Cypro-archaic and Cypro-classical Periods, Einar Gjerstad, Stockholm: Swedish Cyprus Expedition, 1948.