'Black shades into purple, white into cream;
brown has sometimes a red, and sometimes an olive tint; yellows
are either pale or orange; and red is not only a crude vermilion,
but is weakened to pink, or strengthened with shades of orange
and cherry and terra-cotta.' In the decoration of the vases both
styles flourish side by side, dark design upon light ground, and
light upon dark. In some vessels of the period there is a combination
of conventionalized naturalistic ornament and geometric design.
A distinct link between Egypt and Middle Minoan II. is afforded by
the fact that at Kahun, close to the pyramid of Senusert II., near
the Fayum, Professor Petrie discovered vases which are unquestionably
of Kamares type, while the synchronism with the Twelfth Dynasty was
fully established by Professor Garstang's discovery at Abydos of
fragments of a polychrome vessel of late Middle Minoan II. type in
an untouched tomb, which also contained glazed steatite cylinders
with the names of Senusert III. and Amenemhat III. Middle Minoan
II., then, equates with the times of the Twelfth Egyptian Dynasty,
a period which was in many respects the most brilliant of Egyptian
history.
When we come to inquire, however, as to positive date, we are still
met, though almost for the last time, by the great discrepancy
between the systems of Egyptian dating.
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