Cretan Pottery

We’re going to celebrate Mother’s Day in France tomorrow, which made me think of pottery, because let's be honest who never offered one for Mother’s Day, or even made one at school?

To tell the truth, I already thought of writing this article previously, but it had been replaced by Single and Superwomen 4.

Especially on this Saturday June 6, I celebrate something very special to my heart: the freezing of my eggs in Madrid! I’ve mentioned it last week in my article Happy Anniversary.
Maybe one day I will have the chance to have a pottery too...

But for the moment, let's go back to Crete, great place of this craft, still very popular today.

The Heraklion Archaeological Museum (one of the most important in Greece) is a great place for pottery, from the Neolithic period to the Roman period, and obviously from the Minoan period too.

At first, pottery was ornamental, representing human forms, and sometimes animals or objects. They were used for rituals, magic, or as amulets or toys.

Then, widely developed as funerary objects, they filled the graves and tombs of the deceased, before finally becoming utensils for everyday life.

You will notice the colours, shapes and patterns which are sometimes very elaborate. Cretan pottery is one of the most beautiful pottery I’ve ever seen.

As a reminder, the pottery is made from terracotta.

These objects were found in various places of the island, in the tombs and the ruins of the palaces, including Knossos, remember I’ve talked about it in my article Crete Episode 1.

They cover more than 5,500 years of history!

I’ve rarely seen a collection so rich and so well preserved; this museum opened in 1883.

Also, the tiny Archaeological Museum of Chania (city that we've visited in my article Crete Episode 4) displays a small but very nice collection.

Above all, some artefacts date from the Roman period, or they're from workshops in Corinth and Athens (I’ll tell you more about it in a future post).
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We can see toys, perfume bottles and very pretty figurines too…

And for those who love history and artefacts, my previous articles:

• Tutankhamun
• Happy New Year 2020
• Crete Episode 2
• Crete Episode 5
• Rainy Day in Athens

 
Obviously, I went to visit a pottery and ceramic workshop, on the Lassithi plateau (place mentioned in Crete episode 3), to see what it looks like. They still use a potter's wheel and all the objects are painted by hand.

I’m sure you won’t see pottery the same way now…
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And at the end of the article, the trailer of an animated film highlighting a Super mum!
 
Have a great week everyone!
 
Love & Joy,
L.