The Harvester vase

The famous Harvesters vase is a masterpiece of Neopalatial art. It is a rhyton of oblong shape, resembling an ostrich egg, and bears a unique scene. Depicted on it in low relief is a procession of men, walking in groups and carrying harvesting tools on their shoulders, while several of them sing along to a sistrum, an Egyptian musical instrument. The procession is led by a middle-aged man with long hair, dressed in a curious robe with scales and a fringe, and holding a stick in his raised right hand. The composition, powerful, rhythmical and lively, displays a remarkable sense of synthesis and accuracy in the rendering of anatomy. The artist's sensibility is conveyed by exquisite details, such as the representation of a man who turns his head backwards to laugh at his companion who probably fell out of step and tripped up. The vase was made in three pieces of which only two - the upper part of the body and the neck designed to fit into it - are preserved.