Die geometrische Keramik von Kap Kolonna

The Protogeometric and Geometric pottery presented in this volume was mainly found on the Colonna Hill, a cape protruding into the sea in front of the island of Aegina, bearing a settlement from Neolithic times onwards. The high quantities of Protogeometric pottery indicate that the acropolis of Cape Colonna, which was abandoned during the Late Mycaenean times, was resettled in the 10th century B.C. It is apparent that the inhabitants of Aegina had close relations with Athens from the beginning, independent of their transmitted Doric descent, as the decorated ceramic fine wares have been almost exclusively imported from there. The shapes are typical of drinking and dining equipment, such as cups, drinking and mixing vessels, oinochoai and amphorae for the delivery and storage of wine. For more than two hundred years the people of Aegina had been using Attic vessels when celebrating their common drinking rituals, taking place under the patronage of local rulers and-or a phratry, which are very likely to be an early form of the cult of Apollon. From the middle of the 8th century B.C. onwards the Athenian monopoly was broken first of all by the increasing importance of the Corinthian ceramic products and later by Argive and Cycladic pottery. Additionally in the pottery of this time we can see a differentiation in society which did not exist before. Different social groups participated in the rituals, some less privileged but also a new aristocratic class which is evidenced by the refinement of dining customs. Printed with the support of the Fund for the Promotion of Academic Research.