83-164

Skyphoi with relief decoration from Elis : recent excavations 1960-1983

• Προσκυνητοπούλου, Ρόζα

The 338 fragments of relief skyphoi examined come from recent excavations (1960-1983) conducted at the centre of the ancient city of Elis, where the theatre and agora have been revealed and also in the area of the main channel of the Peneios River, where very important extensive remains of the ancient city have come to light, including building remains, baths and workshop complexes, pottery kilns, the city cemeteries, and so-on.The skyphoi are preserved in very small fragments, the majority of which are not in good condition. The fabric used for the relief skyphoi of Elis is generally speaking pure, though frequently soft and friable. The uneven and not infrequently poor firing has led to the colour ranging from greyish brown to orange and from brownish pink to flesh-pink. The glaze is mostly black, though in a few cases it is brown or blackish brown.Amongst the material connected with the relief skyphoi are to be found three moulds (87,89, 321), which are also preserved in fragments. There must have been more than one workshop at Elis producing relief skyphoi. Some of the fragments have preserved the signatures of artists such as ΠΡΩΤΟΜΑΧΟΣ, Φ, K PE.Many of the Elian skyphoi reveal a similarity with products of other workshops, such as those of Corinth, Argos, Lakonia and of course Athens. In the context of largely commercial relations both with the West and the East, the output of Elis was influenced by Italian workshops in the 2nd-1st c. BC, especially that of Popilius, and also by Oriental - Ionian workshops.The Elian artists, however, took the motifs they borrowed and worked them in accordance with their own spirit, imagination and abilities, at the same time creating a special personality. Thus, decorative motifs that can be regarded as characteristically Elian include the motif of the palm-tree with hooked ends, the acanthus flower with heart-shaped ends, lotus petals with a thick outline and pronounced ribs, club-shaped petals with vertical rows of radiate ornaments, leaves with hook-shaped ribs, delicate shoots ending in lily-shaped flowers and radiate ornaments, horizontal bands with small obliquely set pointed leaves, interrupted by the motif of the ‘network’, heart-shaped ornaments with rounded antennae and a dot inside them, a zone with characteristic lily-shaped leaves alternating with palmettes in a kalyx, etc. Elian artists, however, also show a proclivity for motifs drawn from daily life, especially festive occasions, hunting scenes, chariot races etc. Their designs are distinguished by clear, distinct drawing, clarity of outline and a strongly three-dimensional quality. The activity of the Elian artists seems to have covered mainly the period from the middle or third quarter of the 2nd c. to the late 2nd and early 1st c. BC.

• History and Archaeology

• Αρχαιολογία
• Excavations (Archaeology)
• Pottery, Greek
• Decorative arts

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