Sydney Cyprus Survey Project (http://www.scsp.arts.gla.ac.uk/)

This object's fabric is of interest for future petrography. This fabric was identified and named soft red orange (SRO) during the Sydney Cyprus Survey Project's work at SIA 2, Klirou-Mazovounos (see Given and Knapp 2003: 78-81 and Given and Smith 2003). Soft red orange (SRO) fabric is generally for plain, undecorated vessels, thus it seems to be a version of Cypriot Plain Light (Iron Age) ware. It can be very friable and seems to be low-fired. Many pieces look as if they would break easily and a bright orange color ends up on your hands and everywhere when you work on this material. Study suggested that vessels of SRO would not have been sturdy for everyday use, nor would they have been suitable for serving food and drink that was actually consumed. The items from SIA 2 of this fabric include a terracotta figurine from a chariot group, thus the vessels and figures made of SRO may have been for symbolic purposes in a cult place. Good photos of the fabric and thin sections are needed. Thus far only drawings from the Sydney Cyprus Survey Project have been posted.