Meaning, Exchange, And Wine Economics: An Investigation into the Minoan Trickle Pattern Motif’s Presence and Use from the Early Minoan I – Late Minoan III

Abstract

The trickle pattern motif appears from Early Minoan I through Late Minoan III on the island of Crete during the Minoan civilization. First seen at Priniatikios Pyrgos and Charakas, Myrtos in the Early Minoan I period, the dark-on-light trickle motif continues in use for 2,500 years through the end of the LM IIIB period. This motif, depicting a red, brown, or black liquid trickling down from the shoulder, neck, or rim of a vessel, is seen commonly on the exteriors of pithoi, cups, jars, and jugs. This pictorial motif therefore seems to depict a dark liquid pouring forth from the vessel – wine. While cursory attempts have been made to distinguish the meaning of the motif in correlation to the utility of trickle decorated vessels, there is a distinct lack of an intensive, investigative approach to this subject. In order to analyze this motif, an anthropological theory from Plog (1983) and Wobst (1977) was adapted to best discuss the meaning and communication of the motif on the exteriors of these vessels in terms of distribution of goods and cultural identity. However, due to the lack of research into the trickle pattern, there was not a strict delineation of the trickle pattern motif; as a result, I first created a schema to define the trickle pattern motif for use in this analysis. A large study sample was created from all available site reports, archaeological survey reports, and museum collections and analyzed. First presented in this thesis is supplementary background information on previous scholarship of the motif, its associations, and significant evidence of its association to the production, storage, and consumption of wine. The critical results of my analysis are presented according to chronological period and site to best synthesize this data into cogent areas of distribution diachronically.