1985/04/01 by Halford W. Haskell · 13 citations
Arts and Humanities · Business, Management and Accounting · Engineering · #Amphora #Ancient Mediterranean Archaeology and History #Ancient history #Archaeology #Art #Breccia #CYCLADES #Engineering #Geology #History #JAR #Law, logistics, and international trade #Maritime and Coastal Archaeology #Paleontology #Sixth century #Stirrup
paper · doi:10.2307/504326
published in American Journal of Archaeology 89(2), 221-229 (Archaeological Institute of America)
openalex publication_date 1985/04/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/04/04
Stirrup jars, containers for oil and wine, are found at various sites throughout the Aegean from the time of their invention on Crete in MM III. Although much attention has been directed toward later versions (some with painted Linear B inscriptions), early stirrup jars—their origins, evolution, and distribution—have been poorly documented. Here the early history of this important vessel is examined. Since most early stirrup jars are sparsely decorated, if at all, the dating of individual specimens must usually be based upon typological details. Among the diagnostic features are the three-handle arrangement, disc hole, spout horns, and shape of the false neck and spout. By Late Minoan IA the form was well established on Crete and in the Cyclades. It was not, however, until LM IB/LH IIA that it reached the Greek mainland, and then only in small numbers.