Mycenaean clay kylix

The kylix was the main drinking vessel of the Mycenaeans, as well as a ritual object. In the frescos decorating Mycenaean palaces we see kylikes held by participants in celebrations and feasts, and by priestly figures leading ritual scenes. At the Palace of Pylos there were shelves for the mass storage of kylikes, which were intended for use in public events. In addition, fragments of broken kylikes are often found at the entrances of Mycenaean tholos and chamber tombs, where they were probably used for a farewall toast to the deceased and then intentionally broken. The kylix is also depicted as an ideogram in Linear B script.

The kylix has usually a tall stem, conical body and two small vertical handles. The handles were probably decorative or for facilitating transportation, for the Mycenaean murals show people holding kylikes from the stem. A kylix could be plain or decorated with simple geometric motifs. Occasionally, it bore figurative motifs, like the illustrated one, which is decorated with a schematic οctopus.

Marine creatures – fish, octopus, argonaut (a special kind of octopus), shells etc. – were popular as decorative motifs in Mycenaean and Minoan art. We do not know if they had symbolic meanings – which is probable – but they do confirm the great affection of these cultures for the sea.

PUBLICATION
– Venieri Y. 2006. Catalogue no. 15, in Choremi-Spetsieri
Α. – Zarkadas Α. (ed.), Paul and Alexandra Canellopoulos Museum. Ancient Art, Athens, 33.