Cypriot Black Slip Bichrome I Earthenware Plate
Cypro-Geometric I-II (1050-850 BC), Height 5.5cm. Diameter 25.4cm, diameter of base 15.8cm
Wide, flat base plate with a central raised bulb, supporting a wide and shallow body. The rim is plain, with round, knobbed horizontal handles attached at the edge. Made of hard, pinkish-buff clay with a matte buff slip. Decorated in matte dark red and dark grey paint. On the exterior, the base features a central Maltese cross, surrounded by red and grey concentric bands and circles. From this centre, nine grey chevrons radiate outward, each with a filled central triangle, alternating with nine bordered ladder patterns. The sides of the body are fluted and painted grey, and the knobbed handles are also painted grey. The interior has two grey concentric circles decorating the lower body and bottom, with two additional grey lines encircling the base.
The plate was excavated by the Swedish Cyprus Expedition in 1930 at Amathus at level 15 of a chamber in Tomb 19. It has been part of the collection of the Medelhavsmuseet, Stockholm, Sweden (Inv. No. A. 019:013) since 1930.