Tankard

The vase belongs to the class of "Base-Ring Ware", which was widely produced and distributed in Cyprus during the Late Bronze Age (1650-1050 BC). The ware owes its name to the ring base usually present on jugs and cups of this type of pottery. Base-Ring vases are handmade and have fine yet resistant walls, which give a metallic texture to the dark, highly burnished surface. The repertoire of shapes includes wide-mouthed jugs, juglets, lentoid flasks, cups, bowls, as well as rhytons. They are usually decorated in relief with wavy and spiral patterns, while painted decoration is less common. Base-ring vases were widely exported to Egypt, Palestine, Syria, Anatolia and the Aegean.