Sipping my coffee ☕️ and thinking about these marvellous Minoan cups! They look so modern it’s incredible to think they were made by Bronze Age potters some 3,800 years ago! Heraklion Archaeological Museum, Crete. 📷 by me #Archaeology
My photo collage shows five cylindrical Minoan cups each with a single handle and a slightly flaring rim. Each cup has a black slip background decorated with a different geometric polychrome motif painted in white, red and orange colours. This type of Minoan pottery is known as Kamares Ware, after the Kamares Cave in central Crete where this kind of pottery was first found. Kamares Ware vessels were luxury items produced by palace workshops mainly at Phaistos and Knossos. These five cups were excavated at Phaistos and are dated 1800-1700 BC.

ALT My photo collage shows five cylindrical Minoan cups each with a single handle and a slightly flaring rim. Each cup has a black slip background decorated with a different geometric polychrome motif painted in white, red and orange colours. This type of Minoan pottery is known as Kamares Ware, after the Kamares Cave in central Crete where this kind of pottery was first found. Kamares Ware vessels were luxury items produced by palace workshops mainly at Phaistos and Knossos. These five cups were excavated at Phaistos and are dated 1800-1700 BC.

Aug 1, 2026 · 11:16 AM UTC

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For all of you wanting replica Kamares ware cups … the Knossos gift shop sells replicas … but at a price! knossos-shop.gr/en/museum-re…

KAMARES WARE CUP MUSEUM REPLICA ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM OF HERAKLION 3.15 INCHES

The above vessel is a museum copy on scale. Kamares Ware. The original vessel is in Archaiological Museum of Heraklion. Handmade, handpainted ceramic with a small deviation from the original. It is...

knossos-shop.gr
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For a more reasonable alternative, there’s a lovely ceramics shop close to Heraklion Archaeological Museum (I think it’s called Spirit of Greece). I bought a Minoan octopus pot replica there
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I’ve also found a large souvenir centre in Anisaras, Crete, which sells replica Kamares Ware and other Minoan pottery replicas. I bought a fab replica of the Minoan basket-shaped rhyton this year.
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Replying to @AlisonFisk @Marilyn_Res
We are going to Crete for the first time next year can’t wait.
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Have an amazing time! We love Crete! ❤️ 🇬🇷
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Replying to @AlisonFisk
Yes, please: someone make replicas!
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I’ve added various options for purchasing replicas to the thread
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Replying to @AlisonFisk
I was reading about the Kamares Cave recently, where a lot of this type of ware was found, and looking where it is in relation to the fires. I'd love to go up there but it's quite a hike...
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Yes, I had a look for the Kamares Cave location when we were holidaying on the island of Crete a couple months ago. I put it on the back burner for a return visit without the fam, when I’ve something more appropriate for hiking than a sarong and flip flops! 😂
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Replying to @AlisonFisk
Someone should do modern recreations of these cups- my morning coffee needs a stylish boost!
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There are various replicas out there! I’ve just added three alternatives to my thread!
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Replying to @AlisonFisk
What were they drinking out of them?
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It’s thought these cups were luxury ceramics used at palace banquets, so perhaps used for wine. There’s plenty of evidence of Minoan wine production; from wine presses, various types of ceramic vessels used for storing and pouring wine, and even a clay seal depicting a man treading grapes. A research project analysed residues from a range of Minoan pottery which revealed they drank a heady cocktail of wine flavoured with pine resin, beer and mead! They also drank wine, beer, and mead separately!
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Replying to @AlisonFisk
Do they sell replicas in the gift shop?
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If not in the museum gift shop, you can buy replicas in a nearby ceramics shop called Spirit of Greece 🇬🇷
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Replying to @AlisonFisk
I wonder if any modern potters recreate and sell these designs
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Plenty in Crete! I’ve added info in the thread
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Replying to @AlisonFisk
Good business opportunity here to make modern cups using Minoan designs.
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Replying to @AlisonFisk
It’s an exceptionally impressive museum!
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Replying to @AlisonFisk
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Replying to @AlisonFisk
Oh yes, I was in this same museum in Heraklion a few weeks ago and thought those cups were fabulous. It was a revelation to me just how skilful and beautiful Minoan pottery is.
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Replying to @AlisonFisk
They should definitely do reproductions, they look the perfect vessel for the morning coffee or tea even today!
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Replying to @AlisonFisk
Nice. I love ancient Greek pottery, and their markings are still so aesthetic. This one, less painted but still utilitarian cup from the Indus-Sarasvati civilisation, about 4500 years ago. We don't know what they drank, though.
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Replying to @AlisonFisk
I can understand you :-)!
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Replying to @AlisonFisk
This is the coolest museum!! Loved seeing the double bees pendant and the Phaistos disk!! So many other amazing artifacts
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Replying to @AlisonFisk
It was long ago that I went there and saw those same cups, but wow, what a treat to be there. Oddly, it’s one of the few commercial things i wish I’d brought back. I’d have loved to have my coffee in one. Am horrified for Crete and all the places on fire right now. 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼
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Replying to @AlisonFisk
I was also intrigued by the cups I saw in Mykene. It's amazing how the "technology" of the cup has been perfected millenia ago and there isn't anything essential that could be added to it.
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Replying to @AlisonFisk
They are fabulous. I would buy some if they were for sale (at normal retail prices!)
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Replying to @AlisonFisk
We are not as advanced as we often think we are
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Replying to @AlisonFisk
Mind-blowing. I feel the same way about roman glassware. 🤯😍
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Replying to @AlisonFisk
Wow, the museum should copy and sell them!
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Replying to @AlisonFisk
Such beautiful designs. How fortunate we are that they survived.
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Replying to @AlisonFisk @TerenceKerr5
@grok youtu.be/afSgBNwmZrQ?is=qzl6…

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