The Prehistoric Macedonian Symposium: 1
The vast majority of Mycenaean sherds are from open shapes, some imported but mostly of Macedonian manufacture. Deep bowls (classed as open vessels with a diameter of over 11 cm), are common, but cups, kraters and large shallow basins are well represented and are in fact more common at Assiros than in assemblages in the Mycenaean heartland (see table below). Kylikes are much less frequent than cups or bowls and shallow angular bowls are exceptionally rare. From the information currently available the situation at Kastanas and Toumba Thessalonikis is very similar.Only a handful of sherds are from small stirrup jars. Few, if any, of these stirrup jars were manufactured in Macedonia and we must presume that the Macedonians had no need or no desire for the perfume they are thought to have contained. Small piriform jars and alabastra are a little better represented but hardly common.
The possession of a Mycenaean vessel in this region was undoubtedly a matter of some prestige, whether it was imported or made relatively near at hand. Almost without exception the popular Mycenaean vessels are those used for drinking and the greater frequency of the krater and cup than in southern Greece suggests that their function was particularly important, a function which may in many cases be legitimately connected with social or ceremonial drinking.
The size
range of Mycenaean drinking vessels in Macedonia is also different
from their local counterparts.
| Shape |
Mycenae |
Tiryns | Phylakopi |
Assiros |
| Citadel House | West Wall | Sanctuary | Phases 9-6 | |
| % |
% |
% |
% |
|
| Alabastra | - | - | - | 4 |
| Deep Bowls | 44 | 69 | 47 | 37 |
|
Cups |
7 | 5 | - | 14 |
| Jugs/Amphorae | 10 | 12 | 18 | 16 |
| Kraters | 8 | 4 | 6 | 13 |
| Kylikes | 12 | - | 7 | 4 |
| Piriform Jars | 2 | 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Stirrup Jars | 9 | 5 | 8 | 1 |
| Others | 8 | 4 | 8 | 5 |
| Total sherds counted | 1382 | 7945 | 1133 | 771 |
Unpainted
wares and all unassignable sherds have been omitted from the counts
Comparison of the popularity of Mycenaean shapes
in Southern Greece and Macedonia
This data forms part of an article entitled
THE SYMPOSIUM IN MACEDONIA: A PREHISTORIC PERSPECTIVE
by
K.A WARDLE, DIANA WARDLE, & N. M. H. WARDLE
published in Archaeological Work in Macedonia and Thrace (AEMTH) 15, 2001, 631-643