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A small assemblage of ceramic fragments\u2014mainly necked bowls and a few cups\u2014was discovered in the Cyclops cave on Youra, a small uninhabited island in the Northern Sporades. Their defining feature is the red decorative motifs (meanders, angles, lozenges, or grouped zigzags), painted on the vessels using the grid technique: a mesh of very fine, closely spaced parallel lines that intersect and are painted across the vessel surface like \u201cgraph paper.\u201d The motifs are created by coloring selected squares of the grid, alternating with squares left empty of color. Some vessels also display free motifs, such as circles and triangles. The designs inspire admiration for the skill of the painter(s) in drawing such fine parallel lines, placed so closely together. In particular, the formation of motifs through measured patterning indicates inspiration from weaving and loom-based textile production.<\/p>\n
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The vessels were found in a narrow and inaccessible space formed between stalagmites, an area completely devoid of natural light. The ceramic assemblage is dated to the Middle Neolithic period (ca. 5800\u20135600 BC). From which settlement did these vessels originate? What was their function in the cave, inside the isolated space?<\/p>\n
One hypothesis is that the vessels were transported from a nearby island (Kyra-Panagia), where earlier excavations have revealed a contemporary settlement and similar ceramic wares. Although painted, the vessels from the Cyclops may not have lacked a functional purpose. They may have also carried contents\u2014perhaps food worthy of the symbolic weight of the decoration\u2014possibly within the framework of a particular act or ritual performed in that narrow space of the cave. Could they have belonged to members of a specific group who recognized themselves in these motifs? For example, the connection between ceramic decoration and weaving may indicate a relationship\u2014or even an identification\u2014between potters and loom weavers.<\/p>\n
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Excavation by the Ephorate of Paleoanthropology-Speleology<\/span><\/em>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row el_class=”s2-project-read-more”][vc_column width=”2\/3″][vc_column_text]2026, S. Katsarou, Color fashions in the Greek Neolithic: overlaps and interactions across painted styles. In: T. Dzhanfesova (ed.), Reading the Patterns:<\/em> exploring Balkan Painted Pottery within Neolithic context (7th-mid 6th mill. BC)<\/em>. Oxford University Press.<\/p>\n 2025,\u00a0S. Katsarou,\u00a0Caves and ritual activity in prehistory.<\/a>\u00a0In: F. Georgiadis, A. Gadolou (eds.),\u00a0In the Cave. Stories from Darkness Brought to Light<\/em>.\u00a0Publication Realized on the Occasion of the Exhibition \u201cIn the Cave: Stories from Darkness Brought to Light\u201d Organized by the Ephorate of Palaeoanthropology-Speleology and the Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki, in May 2025<\/em>, pp. 130-147. Ephorate of Palaeoanthropology-Speleology & Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki. Editions Melissa.<\/p>\n 2025, S. Katsarou,\u00a0Caves across bodies of past and present,<\/a>\u00a0EAA 2025, Belgrade, 2-6 September 2025, Session 46: What can bodies do? The archaeology of experience (Organizers: J. Chapman, D. Mlekuz).<\/em><\/p>\n 2025,\u00a0<\/em>S. Katsarou,\u00a0Cave excavations and their contribution to understanding Greek prehistory,<\/a>\u00a0Half a Century of Cave Protection and Research. Symposium Dedicated to the Memory of Evangelia Protonotariou-Deilaki, Athens, Epigraphic Museum, 9 October 2025<\/em>\u00a0(Organizer: Ephorate of Palaeoanthropology-Speleology). <\/em>[in Greek]<\/span><\/p>\n 2024, S. Katsarou, Ritual journeys t\u03bf caves during the Greek Neolithic: an integrated perspective of rituals, voyaging and caves,\u00a0Acta Archaeologica\u00a0<\/em>95(2), pp. 262-282. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1163\/16000390-09501001<\/a><\/p>\n 2021, S. Katsarou, The dawn of ancient Greek cave cult: Prehistoric cave sanctuaries.<\/a> \u03a3\u03c4\u03bf: S. Katsarou, A. Nagel (eds.), Cave and Worship in Ancient Greece. <\/em>New<\/em> Approaches to Landscape and Ritual<\/em>, pp. 17-48. London\/New York. Routledge. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.4324\/9781003015765-2<\/a><\/p>\n 2022, S. Katsarou, \u201cLindsey B\u00fcster, Eug\u00e8ne Warmenbol and Dimitrij Mleku\u017e, eds. Between Worlds: Understanding Ritual Cave Use in Later Prehistory (Cham: Springer, 2019, 270pp., 17 b\/w illustr., 85 colour illustr., hbk, ISBN 978-3-319-99021-7),\u201d\u00a0European Journal of Archaeology<\/em>\u00a025<\/em>(2), pp. 262-266. Review. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1017\/eaa.2022.8<\/a><\/p>\n 2021, S. Katsarou,\u00a0The dawn of ancient Greek cave cult: Prehistoric cave sanctuaries.<\/a> In: S. Katsarou, A. Nagel (eds.), Cave and Worship in Ancient Greece.\u00a0<\/em>New<\/em>\u00a0Approaches to Landscape and Ritual<\/em>, pp. 17-48. London\/New York. Routledge. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.4324\/9781003015765-2<\/a><\/p>\n 2016, S. Katsarou-Tzeveleki,\u00a0The Middle Neolithic pattern-painted ware from the Cave of Cyclops, Northern Aegean: Deconstructing older theories.<\/a> In: \u0395. Papadopoulou-Chrysikopoulou, V. Chrysikopoulos, G. Christakopoulou (eds.). ACHAIOS. Studies Presented to Professor Thanasis I. Papadopoulos<\/em>, pp. 117-126. Oxford. Archaeopress Archaeology. <\/em>https:\/\/doi.org\/10.2307\/j.ctvxw3ngx.21<\/a><\/u><\/p>\n 2010, P. Quinn, P. Day, V. Kilikoglou, E. Faber, S. Katsarou-Tzeveleki, A. Sampson, Keeping an eye on your pots: The provenance of Neolithic ceramics from the Cave of the Cyclops, Youra, Greece,\u00a0Journal of Archeological Science\u00a0<\/em>37, pp. 1042-1052. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.jas.2009.12.005<\/a><\/p>\n 2009, S. Katsarou,\u00a0Colorful images of the Greek Neolithic,<\/a>\u00a0Theoretical Archaeology Group-USA<\/em>\u00a02009,<\/em>\u00a0Stanford, CA, 1-3 May 2009<\/em>:<\/em>\u00a0The Color of Things: Debating the Role and Future of Color in Archaeology (<\/em>Organizer: <\/em>A. Nagel, University of Michigan)<\/em>. Oral text uploaded at www.academia.edu<\/a>.<\/p>\n 2008, S. Katsarou-\u03a4zeveleki,\u00a0Middle Neolithic weavers paint: red patterns as markers of the local group\u2019s identity.<\/a> In: A. Sampson (ed.), The Cave of Cyclops on the Island of Youra, Greece. Mesolithic and Neolithic Networks in the Northern Aegean Basin. Vol.\u00a0<\/em>\u0399<\/em>: Intra-Site Analysis, Local Industries and Regional Site Distribution<\/em>, pp. 69-110. Philadelpheia. INSTAP Academic Press.<\/p>\n 2006, S. Katsarou-Tzeveleki, Cave of Cyclops, Youra: contribution of the painted pottery to the discussion on Middle Neolithic symbolisms,<\/a> Archaeological Work of Thessaly and Central Greece<\/em> 2 (publ. 2009), pp. 53-59. [in Greek]<\/span><\/p>\n 2006, S. Katsarou-Tzeveleki, Middle Neolithic decorated vases in the cave of Cyclops.<\/a> In: A. Sampson, \u03a4he Prehistory of the Aegean Basin. Palaeolithic- Mesolithic-Neolithic,<\/em> pp. 126-136. Athens. Editions Atrapos. [in Greek]<\/span><\/p>\n 2001, S. Katsarou, Red-on-white painted pottery from the early Middle Neolithic levels of the cave of Cyclope, Youra.<\/a> In: A. Sampson (ed.), Archaeological Research in the Northern Sporades,<\/em> pp. 11-31. Alonnissos. Municipality of Alonnissos. [in Greek]<\/span><\/p>\n 1996, S. Katsarou,<\/em> S. Tsourinaki, Neolithic painted pottery from the cave of Cyclops and its relationship to weaving,<\/a> Archaeology in the Northern Sporades. Local Conference, Alonnissos, 12-13 October 1996 (Organizers: Society of Peparethian Studies & Municipality of Alonnissos). <\/em>[in Greek]<\/span><\/p>\n 2003, S. Katsarou, A. Sampson, Cave of Cyclope on Youra: Impressive finds reward effort demanding mission,<\/a> 3rd Symposium on Cave Archaeology, Geology and Palaeontology<\/em>, Athens, Harokopio University, October 17-19, 2003 (Organizers: Hellenic Speleological Society & Hellenic Federation of Speleology).\u00a0<\/em>Unpublished proceedings, uploaded on www.academia.edu<\/a>. [in Greek]<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" [vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”762″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][\/vc_column][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_column_text] A small assemblage of ceramic fragments\u2014mainly necked bowls and a few cups\u2014was discovered in the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"page-pagebuilder.php","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-31","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\n