Part of a ship with angular low hull and vertical stempost. The small projection at the base is possibly a cutwater if not merely a smudge by the artist. The direction of the oars further supports a reading of this stem as the bow. A thick parallel line above the gunwale with reserved space between them filled with semicircular lines indicates that this space is probably the bulwark. If correct, the thick horizontal stripe itself should be the deck. The problem with this interpretation is that on other examples from Kynos the bulwark under deck is placed at a certain distance from the gunwale rather than immediately above it.¹ The presence of only four semicircles against eight oars precludes the notion that these represent the backs of rowers. At some distance above the bulwark is another construction beginning from the stem or stern-post comprised of vertical lines framed by a horizontal band below. The top of this construction is missing and its interpretation is problematic. Another odd detail is a crescent-like small protrusion drawn at the angle where the post joins the keel.

1. A decorated bulwark immediately upon the gunwale is observable on the Thera ships.

Dakoronia, F. 2002. “Further finds from Kynos,” in in H. Tzalas (ed.) Tropis VII: Seventh International Symposium on Ship Construction in Antiquity, Pylos, 26, 27, 28, 29 August 1999. Athens: Hellenic Institute for the Preservation of Nautical Tradition, pp. 283-290.

―――. 2006b. “Mycenaean Pictorial Style at Kynos, East Lokris,” in E. Rystedt and B. Wells (ed.) Pictorial Pursuits: Eigurative Painting on Mycenaean and Geometric Pottery. Paper from Two International Round-Table Conferences on Mycenaean and Geometric Pottery at the Swedish Institute at Athens in 1999 and 200. Stockholm: Svenska Instituted I Athen, pp. 23-29.