Three-handled amphora

Archaeological museum of Chora

  • _1217 3
    _1217 3
_1217 3
_1217 3
_1217 3

Three-handled amphora

1240 CE – 1190 BCE

Archaeological museum of Chora

palace of Nestor, Room 32, Ano Englianos, Messenia

Amphora

Terracotta

Height: 44.8 cm

Creative Commons License CC BY-NC-ND 4

Large three-handled amphora, decorated with a marine theme. Yellowish to cinder-coloured clay, due to the fire that destroyed the palace. Globular, piriform body. Three vertical strap handles on the shoulders. Brownish-black paint, due to uneven firing. In each of the spaces between the handles one octopus or cuttlefish with wide open eyes. Found in Room 32 of the palace of Nestor, alongside numerous small and larger vessels for the storage of plain and scented olive oil. The marine decorative motif echoes the minoan influences in the decorated pottery of mainland Greece.