Red polished Ware is a type of pottery from 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. Pieces from 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 lustre surface. Patterns and decorations were incised with a sharp cutting tool before being fired and contained a range of geometric, zoomorphic and ritualistic designs. The vessels take a wide variety of different forms ranging from jugs, much like this one, to dishes, bottles and zoomorphic pieces. 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.
