Small stirrup jar
Archaeological museum of Chora
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Small stirrup jar
1240 CE – 1190 BCE
Archaeological museum of Chora
Palace of Nestor, Room 32, Ano Englianos
Amphoriskos false-necked
TerracottaHeight: 16.2 cm
Small stirrup jar from Room 32 at the palace of Nestor. Globular body with a narrow spout on the upper part and a false-neck next to it, connected by two handles. Pale yellow clay, traces of fire on the lower body. Brownish-black decoration, partly faded, with red spots due to uneven firing. The vessel is decorated with successive bands, a row of semicircles on the lower shoulder, successive triangles and floral patterns in the handle zone. Room 32 contained 12 oil storage pithoi and numerous smaller decorated vessels. It is thought that this was the storage room for the higher quality olive oil. Stirrup jars were the vessels of choice for trading plain as well as perfumed olive oil; their shape facilitated the easy control of the flow control of the liquid.