Ornamentation In Minoan Art

The things that people today know about the stages of development help in understanding the art work, its style and the meaning it is trying to convey to the viewer (Lapatin & Marina, pg.143. )Naturalism evolved and eventually began to change during the late Minoan palace period (Richter 1912, pg 34).
“Minoan naturalism was inhibited by ornamentation” (Friedrich, pg.143). Ornamentation is often separated in to two separate classes. (Stockbauer, pg.65). The first class of ornamentation is contributed to all of the separate parts of an art work that come together and make it a whole piece (Stockbauer, pg.65). This can include the shape of the art piece and the textured details it consists of along with its general style (Stockbauer, pg.65)

It is said that many of the themes and styles of Minoan art had originally been inspired by those from Egypt but it is also said that Egypt was influenced by Minoan painting and ornamentation (Pierre, pg.137). The Late Palace Period was a time in which simple things such as every day house wares, tools and utensils were considered true works of art because of the style and ornamental detail that was included in the decorating of the art work (Pierre, pg.174). The tiniest of art works were the ones that had the most intricate and advanced details painted and engraved on them (Pierre, pg.174). Octopus with tentacles, painted like the Octopus Flask from eastern Crete, and bands of ivy and lilly were depicted on to the tiny art pieces (Pierre, pg.174). Artists that used engraving methods were very skilled in carving into even the tiniest pieces which animated the art pieces to their fullest (Pierre, pg.174).
Evidently Minoan art reached its peak in the Late Bronze period and it was then that it gave fullest scope to its versatility and originality. Challenging the monumental art of its contemporaries and the age-old traditions of the great empires, it created the masterpieces of its so-called ‘minor parts,’ prodigies of a fertile, far-ranging imagination. (Pierre,

When knowing the details behind the style, decoration and form it is easier to appreciate this rare piece of pottery from so long ago. Even the Ancient Egyptians knew that the Minoan created pottery that was to be idolized. Naturalism was used when creating this piece of pottery by the way the artist incorporates nature and the habitat around them into the decoration and style. The octopus and its tentacles on the Octopus Flask represent the common marine style theme that was used in the Late Minoan era. There is also a slight floral design that has been incorporated as well with the seaweed that was included. Spirals and wavy lines were very common in pottery of the Late Minoans (Friedrich 1912, pg.142). Ornamentation was also an important feature in the creation of art from this time. Ornamentation included the separate parts of the art work that made it a whole piece. Ornamentation also included the exterior decoration of the art work (Stockbauer, pg.65). It is clear that Minoan Pottery such as the Octopus Flask can reveal many secrets of the past. Things that can be told from art work such as the Octopus Flask can include everything from style, culture and even the way they were living at that time. Minoan art in general has been an inspiration to other works of art and art forms for many years and even still to this day. Art work is a representation of a person, group of