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Mycenaean Stirrup Jar

Stirrup jars were first produced in Crete in the seventeenth century BCE. The use of these jars spread rapidly, with mainland Greece following Crete’s example in the fifteenth century. Their popularity was so great that they became the most widely-used closed vessels from 1300 to approximately 1050 BCE . In the twelfth century, stirrup jars with octopus motifs became very common.

Stories

  • A Maritime Odyssey

    story by Hilke Hoogenboom, Nicky Schreuder, Olaf Smit.

    This small stirrup jar harbours many secrets and information on the Mycenaean Late Bronze Age. We will try to uncover these secrets in this tour, using our jar as a muse to guide us through its interesting history. Not only the physical aspects of the jar, but also its practical functions will be elaborated upon.

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