Cypriot Red Polished Black-Topped Bowls (Bronze Age)
Cyprus/Kyrenia Mountains and North Coast, Cyprus/Western Mesoria, Cyprus/Eastern Mesoria
2200 BCE - 1750 BCE
Early Cypriot, Middle Cypriot I-II
General Information
Red Polished Black-Topped is a recognized variation of Red Polished. These ware categories are defined by the ceramic typologies of Stewart (1962) and Åström (1972) for the EC and MC ceramic assemblages of the north coast and central Mesaoria. These regions are also where this ware is most frequently found. Its existence is frequently noted, but Jennifer Webb and David Frankel defined it separately from RPII and RPIII in their publication of the cemeteries at Deneia (2007)
The ware consists of fine textured, soft, light colored fabrics (primarily calcareous), covered in a thin, highly burnished slip, which is differentially fired to produce a distinctive strong orange-red color, with black tops and interiors. The use of similar and homogenous fabrics and surface treatments, and the resulting distinctive and surprisingly uniform appearance justifies its definition as a distinct ware category.
In earlier phases this ware is primarily appears in tulip-shaped bowls, but also other shapes such as bottles and ear-lug pots, but these are later replaced by the ubiquitous small hemispherical bowl, sometimes with small lug handle. Vessels may be plain, or covered in fine incised-decoration, filled with white lime.
RPBT occurs in all phases of the prehistoric Bronze Age after the Philia facies, although they appear to decline in frequency through the Middle Bronze Age. Their prevalence peaks in the ECIII.
Red Polished II Black-Topped
Ped Polished III Black-Topped
Red Polished Bichrome
Karmi, Lapatsa (Cyprus/Kyrenia Mountains and North Coast)
Lapithos, Vrysi tou Barba (Cyprus/Kyrenia Mountains and North Coast)
Politiko Troullia (Cyprus/Western Mesoria)
Red Polished Black-Topped is widely accepted as a variation of RPII, while Robert Merrillees pointed out that much of the RPBT material is more properly considered RPIII. However, the petro-fabric(s), surface treatment, and firing technology appears as early as the Philia. Arguably all of these vessels belong to the same ware, while chronological divisions may be established by vessel form and decoration.
This ware appears at sites throughout the island, and in highest numbers on the north coast. It is unknown the extent of production centers (or household production) in the Mesaoria. Examples found in sites on the south and west coasts are most likely traded?
