DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.805#0146
137 THE HAGIOS ONTJPHRIOS DEPOSIT.
SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES.
The following supplementary notes are mainly the result of a visit to
Crete, in company with Mr. J. L. Myres, during the spring of this year.
In the neighbourhood of Retimo (Rbithymna) I heard of the existence
of a 'Column' on which was a sign UJ resembling No. 26 on Table I.
(p. 340) which is seen on a block of the prehistoric building at Knosos (see
p. 282, Fig. 9/) and again on the amphora handle from Mycenae (see p. 273,
Fig. 2). In this case however the central prong is of the same length as the
others being continued across the square part of the symbol, and in this
respect it is identical with a variety of what is evidently the same sign found
at Kahun. Owing to the jealousy of the owner of the land and tbe belief in
buried treasure I was not at the time able to investigate further the remains
with which this sign was here associated. I may add that the recent excava-
tions executed on behalf of the British Museum at Curium in Cyprus have
resulted in the discovery of two more linear signs of Mycenaean pottery.
One of these resembles No. 18 of Table I. The other is an upright with a
central prong on one side. Fresh discoveries of signs on Cretan seal-stones
have been made by Professor Halbherr, Dr. Mariani, and Dr. Taramelli.
The four-sided seal-stone, Fig. 32, p. 25 (294), now in the Ashmolean
Museum at Oxford was labelled by its original possessor, Mr. Greville Chester,
as having been found at Sparta. I saw however an impression of the same
gem in the hands of a private proprietor at Candia who had formerly pos-
sessed it and learnt from him that it was obtained in Crete, though he was
unable to inform me of its exact find-spot. Judging from its material, a red
cornelian, it probably came from the easternmost part of the island.
In the same hands at Candia I saw the impression of a three-sided seal-
stone, on one side of which were grouped the pictographs, Nos. 5 (bent leg)
and 25 (gate) while on the two other faces respectively were a wolf and an
insect, perhaps a spider.
Another three-sided cornelian seal-stone procured by me from Messara,
bearing on its respective sides a stag, a dog or wolf, and a bird, bore the im-
press of a somewhat later art, and seems to show that this form of gem may
have survived in parts of the island to the verge of the classical period.
The stag's antlers were of a curiously conventional form, closely agreeing
with that represented on one of the bronze pateras from the cave of the
Idaean Zeus.40 This points to a date approaching 700 B.C.
The three-sided stone from Smyrna (Fig. 53, p. 334) probably also
belongs to somewhat later date than most of the Cretan seal-stones of the
trilateral type. The cap or helmet on the man's head on the second side
40 AntiehM dell' Antfo di Zeus Ideo, F. Halbherr e P. Orsi. Atlas, PL YIII.
SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES.
The following supplementary notes are mainly the result of a visit to
Crete, in company with Mr. J. L. Myres, during the spring of this year.
In the neighbourhood of Retimo (Rbithymna) I heard of the existence
of a 'Column' on which was a sign UJ resembling No. 26 on Table I.
(p. 340) which is seen on a block of the prehistoric building at Knosos (see
p. 282, Fig. 9/) and again on the amphora handle from Mycenae (see p. 273,
Fig. 2). In this case however the central prong is of the same length as the
others being continued across the square part of the symbol, and in this
respect it is identical with a variety of what is evidently the same sign found
at Kahun. Owing to the jealousy of the owner of the land and tbe belief in
buried treasure I was not at the time able to investigate further the remains
with which this sign was here associated. I may add that the recent excava-
tions executed on behalf of the British Museum at Curium in Cyprus have
resulted in the discovery of two more linear signs of Mycenaean pottery.
One of these resembles No. 18 of Table I. The other is an upright with a
central prong on one side. Fresh discoveries of signs on Cretan seal-stones
have been made by Professor Halbherr, Dr. Mariani, and Dr. Taramelli.
The four-sided seal-stone, Fig. 32, p. 25 (294), now in the Ashmolean
Museum at Oxford was labelled by its original possessor, Mr. Greville Chester,
as having been found at Sparta. I saw however an impression of the same
gem in the hands of a private proprietor at Candia who had formerly pos-
sessed it and learnt from him that it was obtained in Crete, though he was
unable to inform me of its exact find-spot. Judging from its material, a red
cornelian, it probably came from the easternmost part of the island.
In the same hands at Candia I saw the impression of a three-sided seal-
stone, on one side of which were grouped the pictographs, Nos. 5 (bent leg)
and 25 (gate) while on the two other faces respectively were a wolf and an
insect, perhaps a spider.
Another three-sided cornelian seal-stone procured by me from Messara,
bearing on its respective sides a stag, a dog or wolf, and a bird, bore the im-
press of a somewhat later art, and seems to show that this form of gem may
have survived in parts of the island to the verge of the classical period.
The stag's antlers were of a curiously conventional form, closely agreeing
with that represented on one of the bronze pateras from the cave of the
Idaean Zeus.40 This points to a date approaching 700 B.C.
The three-sided stone from Smyrna (Fig. 53, p. 334) probably also
belongs to somewhat later date than most of the Cretan seal-stones of the
trilateral type. The cap or helmet on the man's head on the second side
40 AntiehM dell' Antfo di Zeus Ideo, F. Halbherr e P. Orsi. Atlas, PL YIII.