EARLY CYCLADIC POTTER'S MARKS FROM MOUNT
KYNTHOS IN DELOS
Re-investigation of the prehistoric pottery from Mt. Kynthos in Delos brought to light fourteen potter's marks belonging to the Early Gycladic period.1 The marks are ail intentional signs made by the potter before fîring the pot.
The potter's marks do not provide a great deal of information in themselves, as there is still little comparative material. Graffiti on Aegean Early Bronze Age pottery is relatively scarce,2 and has only recently been published in détail.3
The prehistoric pottery from Mt. Kynthos belongs to three groups: A, Β and A/B, or, E.C.II, E.G.IIIA and E.G.II/IIIA respectively. The potter's marks are presented hère in the same groups as the pottery forms. The catalogue numbers are those assigned to the pots for the purpose of the re-investigation.4
Abbreviations : Ε AD XI Plassart, Α., Les Sanctuaires et les Cultes du Mont Cynthe, Ε AD XI (1928). E.C. Period Barber and MacGillivray, "The Early Cycladic Period: Matters of Définition and Terminology", AJA 84 (1980), p. 141-157. Mt. Kynlhos E.C. MacGillivray, "Mount Kynthos in Delos. The Early Cycladic Seulement", BCH GIV (1980), p. 3-45. Tiryns Graffiti I Dohl, H., "Bronzezeitliche Graffiti aus Tiryns I. Vor dem Brand eingekerbte und eingeritzte Zeichen", Kadmos XVII (1978), p. 115-150. (1) See Mt. Kynthos E.C., p. 8-44 for study of pottery. (2) For example at Zygouries only about six separate marks occur among the large quantities of Early Helladic pottery recovered, see Blegen, Zygouries (1928), p. 107. (3) Tiryns Graffiti I, p. 125-142. (4) The catalogue numbers correspond to those given in Ihe publication of the pottery forms, see above n. 1. Delos Muséum inventory numbers, abbreviated D.M. are cited when available.
Group A.
The mark on saucer 48 (Fig. 1) is the only example from Mt. Kynthos which may be assigned with certainty to E.G.II. The mark, in the shape of a reversed gamma, is deeply incised with a thin, pointed object. It is situated c. 1.5 cm above the base on the side of the saucer.
