Base Ring Tankard

This is an example of one of the most common, and most recognizable, types of pottery from the Late Cypriot period, known as Base Ring Ware. You will notice that it is set slightly at an angle. It has no lid, but does have a high "thumb-hold" above the handle on the back. It is modeled after metal prototypes, a common practice in the ancient world, as metals were easier to make into varied shapes, which were subsequently copied into the various ceramic forms. This piece has relief decoration with a wavy ring around the cylindrical upper body, another midway along the rounded lower body, and a few other places as well.