Red Burnished Ware is a type of pottery of the Cypriot Bronze Age; it was introduced as part of the Philia culture, a phase characterised by changes to the economy, technology and society of Cyprus. Products of this culture are distinct from the previous Chalcolithic period, with the transition between the two marked by population movement and local development and a change in artistic and pottery style.
Ceramics of this type were handmade and painted with red or red-brown slips and burnished to create a smooth luster surface. Patterns and decorations were incised with a sharp cutting tool before being fired and contained a range of geometric, zoomorphic and ritualistic designs. Often, vessels of this type featured black rims and interiors, which was the result of specific and well-controlled firing techniques. On this vase in particular, the black mottled surface is a result of the firing technique.
