Cypriot Black Slip Bichrome II Earthenware Plate
Cipro-Geometric I-II. (1050–850 BC). Height 5.3cm. Diameter 27.8cm, diameter of base 18.5.cm
A plate with a wide, flat, raised base and a wide, 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, and decorated in matte dark red and dark grey paint. On the exterior, the base is decorated with red and grey concentric bands and circles. From the centre radiate three grey-framed latticed triangles alternating with bordered red M-shaped motifs. A grey zigzag line runs around the edge of the base. 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 a grey band appears on the bottom.
The plate was excavated by the Swedish Cyprus Expedition in 1930 at Amathus from level 13 a chamber in Tomb 19. It has been part of the Cyprus collection of the Medelhavsmuseet, Stockholm, Sweden (Inv. No.: A. 019:005) since 1931.