2.3 - Decorative Arts

• Jewlery:

  • worn by men and women
  • rings and beads have been found in major grave sites
  • rings made from gold
  • beads moulded from gold or carved ge stomes
  • gold necklaces and diadems
• Techniques

  • hammer and nail
  • inlay
• Pyxis from Mycenae

  • covered in 12 small plates of gold
  • spiral pattern & cattle heads
  • lion chasing deer and antelopes
  • rare example of wooden object

  
• Tyrins Ring

  • Goddess on a folding chair with a cup
  • approached by lion headed spirits with long necked jugs
  • signet ring
  • suns and ears of wheat

  
• Decoration on Swords

  • used a technique called cloisonne
  • tiny beads could also be dropped on an object to create a spotted effect

  
• Storage vessels and drinking vessels

  • iron rich slips were added, which turns various shades from red to black depending on the temperature of the kiln
• Jars

  • Pithoi
  • largest
  • over 1.5 m high
  • 2 tonnes
  • contain liquid or food
• Amphorae

  • smaller with a narrower neck
  • often elaborately carved and painted with geometric shapes
  • in later mycene the art was on the neck and lower part
• Stirrup Jar

  • most common form of storage
  • Used to store wine or oil
• Kraters

  • used for mixing wine and water
  • 3 handles

  
• Vapio Cup

  • one cup with a man tying a rope around a bulls leg without any signs of a struggle
  • originally from crete
  • only one handle without stems and not curved
• Cup of nestor

  • a cup said to have 4 handles and a pair of doves which was said to be heavy to lift
• Rhyta

  • takes the form of animal heads and liquids flow through the animals mouth
• Figurines

  • clay figures of anumals and humans found in both private housed and tombs
  • usually small enough to be held
  • some in children tombs
• Purposes

  • toys
  • religious worship
  • votive offerings
• Ivory carvings came form elephants, hippopotami and boars
• Frescos

  • some of the most ancient pieces come form the Mycenean period
  • influenced from Crete (mionian period)
  • lots of colour and attention to fine details
  • adorned on palace but also found on houses, workshops and public buildings
• How it was made:

  1. a thick layer of lime plaster would have been put on the wall
  2. a finer layer of plaster would've been added
  3. before it dries they would paint on colour using natural and manufactures products
  4. strings would be used to set out lines during the composition; faint lines can still be seen today
• Colours on frescos:

  • Yellow - ochre
  • Blur - Copper compound
  • Green - malachite / mixing blue and yellow
  • Red - Hematite (mineral)
  • Black - carbon
• What is seen in a fresco:

  • Women featured a lot; barebreasted
  • animals; bulls, horses , deer
  • some men are seen to be leaping from bulls
• Akrotiri:

  • Mionian site destroyed by a fire
  • scenes of featured feature heavily at Acrotiri such as spring frescos
  • have paintings for ships, boxers, flowers, birds, priests & worshippers
• What are some limitation's to frescos?

  • didn't have perspective
  • people / objects are disproportionate
  • no attempt to give a 3D feel