Bamboula, Pottery classification

Minoan Sherds

The group of sherds with coarse temper catalogued as L.M.II is surely Minoan, as revealed by a check of sherds nos. Sh146,164,199,275,293,350 and 424 against pots in the Candia Museum and the stratified collection of sherds at Knossos. This class is represented by Sh146,158,164,199,204,205,223,232,275,277,278,293,350,361,392,406,424,427. The stratified groups from Knossos reveal that similar ware was in use at that site from M.M.III though L.M.III. The closest parallels to our sherds, however, are in L.M.I and L.M.II. Hutchinson is inclined to regard our sherds as L.M.IB, with the possible exception of Sh350, which may be L.M.II. The Knossian L.M.III has [handwritten: that of] similar temper to our ware, but the clay is generally drier, without the "leather burnish", and with matter paint. Our worn paint [handwritten: a] out the "leather burnish", and with matter paint. But most evidence points to L.M.IB. is most frequently met in M.M.III. But most evidence points to L.M.IB. These all seem to be from large pithoi of the "Palace Style".

Sh358 (Polychrome) Hutchinson believes to be Kamares Ware, M.M.II, in spite of the fact that we found no close parallel to the porous clay of the Bamboula specimen. Paint, decoration, and shape, are easily paralleled at Knossos, though ours is from an unusually flat piece. The grey clay and rather dull colour of the paint [handwritten: may] may be, in both H.'s and my opinion, due to burning. Since we found no exact parallel the identification of this sherd as Kamares ware is not absolutely certain, but Hutchinson says that I may regard it as fairly safe.