Cycladic Marble Plate

The external profile is convex and regular, and a deep-set groove underlines the horizontal, rounded edge. The bottom of the plate presents a wide depression, which forms the base and balances the piece. The interior edge still shows traces from the carving of the vessel.

With the kandiles, the low and wide plates – which can be compared to our fruit plates – are one of the most distinctive forms of Cycladic stone vessels. The purpose of these plates is unclear, but most of the examples whose provenance is known were found in necropoleis, often associated with marble figurines; this might suggest that they could have served as cult vessels during the funerary banquets.

The plate is intact except for some small chips on the edge. Its dimensions are well above average (average diam. is about 15-20 cm).

Art market, prior to 1978;

Ex- Schneider collection; Ex- property of “the Alice H. Decosta revocable Trust”; Ex- Swiss private collection; British private collection, London, 1978; B.C. Holland, Chicago, 1983

THIMME J.(ed.), Art and Culture of the Cyclades, Karlsruhe, 1976, p. 319, fig. 303.

GETZ-GENTLE, P., Stone Vessels of the Cyclades in the Early Bronze Age, Madison (Wisconsin), 1996, pl. 50, 52-54.

THIMME J. (ed.), Art and Culture of the Cyclades, Karlsruhe, 1976, pp. 318-319, fig. 295-305.

GETZ-GENTLE, Stone Vessels of the Cyclades in the Early Bronze Age, University Park, Pennsylvania, 1996, pl. 50, 52, 53, and 54.