The Harvester Vase was found in Hagia Triada on the island of Crete. This vase is from the Late Bronze Age, dating from 1550 to 1500 BC. The vase was originally made in three parts and was fitted together. The face is oval shaped and has a vessel on the top. The vase was carved on brownish steatite. The vase was originally glided with gold and hammered to paper-thin thickness. This piece is decorated with low-relief sculpture and shows a unique scene. The piece has pictorial designs. The composition is powerful, rhythmical, and lively.
The vase is a sculptural piece. To get the full effect of the piece you have to see the whole thing, which may cause you to have to walk around the piece. The piece is a dark brown and greenish color. The brown and greenish color of the vase resembles harvest time in a way. The figures of the pieces are stylistic, however, their expressions, facial features, and muscles appear to look life-like. Even though there is a lot of repetition within the piece, the artist also portrayed individuality.
The very top of the vessel has vertical lines that create texture. The neck of the vase looks like it has a smooth texture. When you reach the band, the texture becomes rough again because the figures are carved into the piece. Then the bottom, which was reattached when the original piece became missing, has smooth texture that matches the neck of the vase.
The vase has two parts, the neck and the shoulder. The form is a variant of the tall narrowed vessels. On the band, there is one leader of a group of twenty-seven figures. The leader, who has long hair, wears a cloak-like garment with a long staff on his shoulder. The dress and equipment of the figures are uniform. The figures are dressed in a kilt and a flat cap. Twenty-one figures out of the twenty-seven are carrying a stick-like object with three pointed ends.
Even though the vase as repetition, there is a lot of movement within the piece. The figures