The Mystery of the Harvester Vase: Remnants of an Agricultural Festival?

By: Anh Kiet Ngo

Classics M153A

Professor Papadopoulos.

1

The Harvester Vase is a mystifying, yet remarkable object. It depicts 27 men, who

are led by an older man wearing a cloak. There have been multiple different

interpretations for what is happening in this scene. Some thought that this is a march of

soldiers, possibly engaging in an exercise or drill. Others thought that this must be a

harvest festival, or a ritualistic dance. Whatever the case may be, it seems that the nature

of this procession scene has a ritualistic and ceremonial tone to it, as the men on the vase

seem to be celebrating something, be it a military victory or a harvest. It is thus very

likely that the vase itself was used in a ceremony, as the scene on the vase shows a ritual,

which can have several similarities to other rituals of the ancient world, as well as the

modern world.

Dating to the New Palace Period, around 1500 B.C. (Forsdyke 1954:1), the vase

was discovered at Haghia Triadha Villa A, on the island of Crete. The vase was made

from black steatite, and it could have been gilded, as were the cases of other stone vases

(Hood 1994:147). The paint could have faded away, though it is probably more likely

that it has never been gilded, considering how polished the vase seems to be. The more

problematic aspect, however, is that only the top half of the vase has survived, and thus,

whatever was depicted at the bottom will never be known. This may present some

difficulty in interpreting the scene on the upper half. It is possible that the surviving half

of the vase only shows a certain phase of a ceremony, or that there could be more people

on the vase than we know. The bottom half could also contain the missing legs of the

men on the upper half. However, it is probably better to focus on what is happening in

this scene rather than trying to think about what could have been depicted at the bottom.

Hence, let us take a closer look at the details on the vase.

2

The men participating in the procession seem to be shirtless and wearing only

loincloths, as well as caps on their heads. Depictions of shirtless males are common in

Minoan art. This can be observed in the frescoes at Knossos, such as the Priest-King

fresco or the Cup-Bearer fresco. It is also possible that the vase’s painting was inspired

by paintings or reliefs on palace walls (Hood 1994:147). Thus, what the vase shows us

could have been inspired by a palace fresco, or perhaps the palace fresco was copied onto

the vase itself. We do not have the palace fresco to make comparisons, however, since it

could have been destroyed when the Minoan palaces fell. Going back to the vase’s

depiction, and judging from the context, these men can be either soldiers or farmers, or

perhaps laborers of a royal compound. These men being palace servants or laborers

would not be surprising, as the vase itself was found in a royal villa. Most of these men

look very similar to each other. Their closed lips express a “deliberate silence,” and they

appear to be stamping the ground with their feet (Forsdyke 1954:2). Their movements

match each other quite closely, implying that they seem to be moving with a certain

rhythm and in an organized manner, not unusual in a ceremonial dance or a march. Just

what is it that they are celebrating? Perhaps the slender, pole-like objects that they are

carrying on their shoulders could give us a clue.

What those men are carrying with them is a matter of debate, because just as

there are interpretations about the nature of the scene on the vase, there are also many

interpretations about what those men are carrying. If those men were soldiers, then those

objects that they are carrying would probably be tridents, not different from those used by

Roman gladiators (Forsdyke 1954:2). However, that isn’t the only possibility. The objects

they are carrying are thin and long, like a pole, and seem to have multiple “branches”

3

sprouting out of its main body. These could be the produces of their harvest. They could

have been pitchforks, or some other kind of farming equipment. R. C. Bosanquet of the

British School at Athens thought that these instruments were winnowing forks, pitchforks

for “removing straw from the grain and chaff after threshing” (Forsdyke 1954:2).

However, he did not notice the blades at the upper end of those poles, which gave them a

scythe-like appearance (Forsdyke 1954:2). Hence, his interpretation might not have been

entirely correct. Another interpretation is that those are shoulder hoes with willow-shoots

attached to the ends (Higgins 1997:154). There does not seem to be a general agreement

about what these pole-like objects are. However, these objects can help us narrow down

the possibility of what is going on in this scene. Combining with the other elements on

the vase, as well as using the context of where the vase was found, we can at least have

an idea about the nature of the ceremony depicted on the vase, as well as what function

the vase served.

Haghia Triadha, the place where the vase was discovered, was a royal villa, and at

least has some palatial trappings of the other Minoan palaces (Preziosi and Hitchcock

1999:114). This place had been interpreted as the summer residence for the king of

Phaistos (Preziosi and Hitchcock 1999:114), which is close by. Phaistos, as with other

Minoan palaces such as Knossos, has a labyrinthine design, very unlike the Mycenaean

palaces, with their citadels surrounded by tall Cyclopean walls. This difference in design

hints at the nature of those two people. The Mycenaean citadels show that they were

constantly in a state of conflict, and had to build those structures in order to defend

themselves. The Minoans apparently did not have that kind of structure, and there are no

obvious traces of fortifications (Preziosi and Hitchcock 1999:16). They also had very few

4

weapons remaining in their palaces or graves (Preziosi and Hitchcock 1999:17), at least

in the ones before the Mycenaean takeover. All of this hints at a much more peaceful

nature. Their arts also demonstrate this difference. Compare the Mycenaean Warrior vase

and the Minoan octopus stirrup jar. In a thematic sense, the Minoans tend to select

naturalistic subjects for their arts, whereas the Mycenaeans opt for the warlike and

martial. The Minoans’ art style would not change until the Mycenaeans take over Crete.

The men on the vase are also not wearing any armor, and hence, would probably be very

vulnerable if they were to fight. Thus, using these evidence, we can say that the men on

the vase are most likely not soldiers, as the Minoans seemed to have a more peaceful way

of life than the people on the mainland. This is not to say that there is no plausibility in

these men being soldiers. Rather, in the grand scheme of Minoan culture demonstrated by

their arts and architecture, as well as other archeological evidence, it seems much less

likely. With that, the chances that the poles the men are carrying are weapons also

diminish. It is more likely that they are carrying hoes, with willow shoots attached to

them.

With the chances of these men being soldiers diminished, the chances of them

participating in an agricultural festival also increased. If it is so, what is the nature of this

festival? How was it conducted? There are many parallels that we can draw in an attempt

to make sense of this. For example, dancing and procession were common ritualistic

elements in some cults of the ancient world. The Eleusinian Mysteries are perhaps some

of the better known, and they certainly contained procession and dancing. Thus, we can

easily draw some similarities between the two, though it is doubtful that they are one and

the same. The ritual on the vase seemed to have taken in the outdoors, and the lack of

5

torches indicates that it must have been daylight when the ritual happened, which is

unlike the Eleusinian rites that took place during the night. Even if these two rituals have

nothing in common, we can still use them to make educated guesses about the ritual of

the vase. Perhaps those men are honoring an agricultural god or goddess, as the

Eleusinian cult honored Demeter and Persephone? Whatever the case may be, we cannot

have a complete picture if we do not analyze every detail available to us on the vase.

When we look closer at the men carrying the poles, we can see that they are also

carrying pouches around their thighs. These probably contained corn seeds (Forsdyke

1954:2). Thus, this festival could be a sowing festival when the farmers sow their seeds,

in order to prepare for their harvest. They could also be offering the seeds to the god of

goddess that they are celebrating. Going back to the hoes, after narrowing down our

possibilities, we can interpret them as having symbolic purposes in this festival that they

were carrying out. According to Forsdyke, willow shoots can be “symbols of vigorous

growth, or charms to attract the rain, or to give virtue to the hoes” (Forsdyke 1954:6).

Thus, these hoes with willow shoots could be interpreted as a symbolic means to ensure

that there will be rain for the seeds, and hence, reinforcing the notion that this is a sowing

festival. These men clearly wanted a good harvest, and thus, may have attached willow

shoots to their hoes in order to increase their chances. Looking at just these men,

however, will not be enough to give us the complete picture. Hence, we will now turn to

the other people on the vase besides the men carrying hoes.

The men participating in the procession are led by a “long-haired” man wearing a

“scaly cloak,” as well as carrying a long stick on his shoulder (Preziosi and Hitchcock

1999:118). He seems to be a priest, who is probably older than the others. Judging from

6

the context, the priest was probably entrusted with the duty of ensuring that the festival is

successfully carried out. Hence, his long stick may have been used to keep others in line

and maintain discipline if necessary. This could lead others to interpret the scene as a

depiction of forced labor, however, which happened in Middle Eastern economies at the

time (Preziosi and Hitchcock 1999:118). Perhaps more likely, like the thyrsus staff of the

Eleusinian Mysteries, the stick that the priest carried was probably for ceremonial or

symbolic purpose, and not for flogging people.

We shall leave the priest for now, and look at the remaining figures on the vase.

We can see that among the men, there is a person carrying a rattle with him. The rattle is

identified as a sistrum, which is used in the rites of Isis (Forsdyke 1954:1). This person is

probably another priest, who seems to be singing or shouting, judging from his open

mouth, as opposed to the others who have their mouths shut. Behind him are three people

who seem to be wearing cloaks. They are also singing like him, possibly in the fashion of

a chorus, not unlike those we often see in Greek tragedies. Their singing is probably used

to drive away evil spirits that could hinder the success of the festival, as loud noises were

often used to drive away evil in some ancient festivals. Or they could be singing songs

honoring the agricultural god or goddess that they are celebrating. They could also be

praying for assistance for a good harvest, asking the gods to ensure a good harvest.

Whatever the case is, the chorus of men singing reinforced the notion that something

festive is going on, and the men are rejoicing because of it. Everything seems to be in

order, with the men marching, the priest leading them, and the chorus of men singing.

Perhaps because of that orderly and organized nature of the scene, two particular figures

manage to stand out from the rest.

7

The figures who stand out are two men. One of them seems to be tumbling

forward, grabbing the man before him. The man before him, meanwhile, turned his head

back, looked at him in the eyes and shouted something. Did the man accidentally trip and

fall into the man before him, or is all of this part of the ritual itself? Perhaps they are

acting out a play among the men as a part of a ritual. Seeing as the man who is tumbling

forward does not carry a hoe like the others, it seems that he could be an outsider who

joined in the procession. He could also be a dancer performing vulgar dance, who

deliberately exchanged impolite remarks with the other men and disturbed the order of

the procession, an act that would not be out of place in a Greek comedy (Forsdyke

1954:7). This could be an attempt to amuse the other men and get them into a festive

mood. But according to Forsdyke, “Grotesque dancing and verbal abuse are also essential

features of the devil-scaring or devil-dodging side of fertility rites” (1954:7). Hence,

ironically, the dancer’s deliberate rude remarks are just there to ensure that the ritual is

not interrupted by evil spirits. They are not acts of interruption, but rather, acts of

protection against evil. The dancer has a purpose in this procession, and that is to help

maintain its order by disturbing it and driving away evil. Thus, while he may look out of

place in the procession, he is still a part of the ritual itself.

The ritual on the vase included both organized and grotesque elements. The

organized elements were shown by the men marching in order, while the man shouting

insults and dancing displayed the grotesque elements. Grotesque elements, such as

raunchy dancing and ridiculing, can be found in other rituals, other than the one displayed

on the vase. Parallels could be drawn from rituals such as the rites of the Eleusinian

Mysteries. For example, on the fifth day of their festival, the initiates would engage in

8

“all-night dancing and rituals” (Keller 1988:51). Then, on the sixth day, they would cross

the aptly named Bridge of Jests, while masked town people “teased or ridiculed and told

secrets about the initiate” (Keller 1988:52). These rude gestures are not without purpose,

as they were supposed to remove any pride that might hinder the initiates from

understanding the insights of the Mysteries (Keller 1988:52). Similarly, at the

Thesmophoria, Athenian ladies had to use vulgar language in their duties (Forsdyke

1954:7). These grotesque and rude gestures are not gratuitous, but are integral to the rites.

They all served a purpose, and certainly, the same could be said about the dancing man

on the Harvester Vase, who used his grotesque dancing and insults to dispel evil and

enable the ritual to be carried out smoothly.

After gathering and analyzing all of those details, however, what do we know

about the function of the vase? Seeing as this vase is depicting a ritual, it might as well be

that the vase was used in a ritual. The Cup-bearers fresco from Knossos depicts two men

carrying vases, which were “used in religious rites for pouring ceremonial libations”

(Forsdyke 1954:1). Hence, the Harvester Vase was probably similarly used to pour

libations. The design of the vase also supports that notion, as there is a hole on the base.

You can keep your finger on it, and remove it when you need to pour out the content

(Forsdyke 1954:1). The ritual scene we see on the vase also reinforced that. This vase

depicts a ritual, and was used in a ritual for libations.

Thus, what we are seeing on this vase is possibly an agricultural festival, which

shared several elements from other ancient festivals that we know of. The grotesque

dancing, insults, singing, and marching are all part of it, and these elements could be

easily found in other rituals at the time. However, we can find parallels of the ritual not

9

just in the ancient rites, but also in relatively modern rites. One such rite is England’s

Plough Monday, dating back to the 15th century, and is still celebrated today.

The scene on the vase has been compared to that of Plough Monday. It was once

described as bearing a “remarkable resemblance to the English Plough Monday

Processions” (Preziosi and Hitchcock 1999:118). As we look at the festival itself, there is

no doubt that it has similar elements to the Harvester Vase’s painting. Plough Monday is

considered a “holyday for agricultural labourers” (Ridden 1974:352), just as the festival

depicted on the vase is an agricultural festival. The festival itself also has a procession.

During the procession, there are dancers who perform sword-dance, while musicians play

on a flute or fiddle (Ridden 1974:353). This can be compared with the priest using the

sistrum to make music. During the dance, two or three people called “Toms” or

“clowns”, dressed up as harlequins, made “antic gestures and movements” to amuse the

spectators (Ridden 1974:353). Sometime, a sword-dance would be accompanied by “a

kind of farce in which songs are introduced being enacted along with the dance” (Ridden

1974:354). This is another similarity to the vase’s scene, such as the dancing, as well as

the farce and people making “antic gestures.” All of these are grotesque elements that the

vase’s scene shared with Plough Monday. Hence, it is possible that they also have similar

functions, such as driving out evil, even if the cultures are different.

In spite of all of our current evidence and resources, however, the Harvester Vase

will probably continue to be a mystery for the time being. We can draw parallels and

comparisons from other rituals and festivals, both ancient and modern, yet we still don’t

know the full story on the vase. Regardless of that, it is still a remarkable piece of art that

told us a bit about Minoan religion, no matter how vague it might be. From the marching

10

men to the dancer and the musicians, they all told us a bit of the lost story of Minoan

rituals and festivals, preserved only in archeological records. When the written evidence

is lacking, the only storytellers we can rely on are those depicted on the vases, as well as

wall frescoes and so on. Every element of the vase is a part of a remarkable puzzle, and

this is a puzzle that will continue to fascinate men for a long time to come.

11

Works Cited

Forsdyke, John. “The 'Harvester' Vase of Hagia Triada.” Journal of the Warburg and

Courtauld Institutes 17.1-2 (1954): 1-9.

Higgins, Reynold. Minoan and Mycenaean Art. New York: Thames & Hudson, 1997.

Hood, Sinclair. The Arts in Prehistoric Greece. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1994.

Keller, Mara Lynn. “The Eleusinian Mysteries of Demeter and Persephone: Fertility,

Sexuality, and Rebirth.” Journal of Feminist Studies in Religion 4.1 (Spring,

1988): 27-54.

Preziosi, Donald and Louise A. Hitchcock. Aegean Art and Architecture. New York:

Oxford University Press, 1999.

Ridden, Geoffrey. “The Goathland Plough Monday Customs.” Folk Music Journal 2.5

(1974): 352-388.

12