Transport amphorae, Kouriote Fabric
Cyprus/Eastern South Coast
End of the 4th century BCE - beginning/first half of the 3rd century BCE
Early Hellenistic, Middle Hellenistic
General InformationKouriote amphorae, called "Kouriaka keramia", imported to Egypt are mentioned in the Zenon Papyri (59680, 59741) dated to the mid-3rd century BCE (www.lib.umich.edu/reading/Zenon/index.html). In modern times they were first identified and described by V. Grace (1979) among the amphorae excavated in Kourion, Cyprus, by the University of Pennsylvania team. Since then, much attention was given to further finds of stamped handles of Kouriote amphorae (cf. Calvet 1986; Meyza 2004; Cankardeş-Şenol and Şenol 2013; Finkielsztejn 2013), but still there is a lack of a systematic study of Kouriote amphora typology and chronology. Only a few completely preserved Kouriote (or possibly Kouriote) amphorae have been presented in publications (e.g. cf. Deshayes 1963, 35 no. 41; Karageorghis 1983, 96 no. 1).
As indicated by different shapes of Kouriote amphora fragments (especially rims and feet) found at many sites in Cyprus (e.g. Agora or Maloutena in Paphos), it seems that few different types of Kouriote amphorae were produced. Further studies are needed to state if these types were produced contemporary or if they show a development of a shape of Kouriote amphorae. The most common shapes of the rim are the downfolded, rounded in section one, and the one triangular in section, slightly concave inside. Feet are pointed, ended with a hollowed knob of at least two shape variants: conical and globular. Body is conical. Handles are vertical, short in upper part and long in lower part, they bend roundly, and are oval in section. Some of them are stamped. Kouriote amphora stamps show a large variety. They contain of emblems, single letters and monograms.
Kouriote amphorae were distributed in Cyprus, Cilicia, ...
Palaepaphos (Cyprus/Western South Coast)
Paphos/Nea Paphos (Cyprus/Western South Coast)
