DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.807#0081
THE EARLY MINOAN AGE
§ 2. EARLY MINOAN I; WITH SUB-NEOLITHIC (E.M.I)
Sub-Neolithic phase ; Incipient use of potter s oven ; Votive Deposit at
Mochlos ; Clay Horns of Consecration ; Pedestalled bowls; Sepulchral Cave
of Pyrgos, N.E. of Knossos; Tall Chalices — atrophied 1 Wishing-bone'
handles ; Burnished decoration—imitations of woodwork graining; Com-
parisons with Arkalokhori Chalice—E. M. Ill; Pedestalled bonds and
suspension pots ; Trojan and Cycladic parallels; Early painted ware;
Incipient use of lustrous paint; Further evolution of figurines ; Egyptian
Stone Vases of Pre-dynastic and Proto-dyuastic types found at Knossos ; Was
there a Settlement from Nile Valley ? Copper implements known—Chalco-
lithic phase ; ' Egypto-Iibyan ' seal types—monstrous forms—Evolution
of Minotaur ; Rectangular Houses ; Ossuary ' tholoi' ; Chronological clues
supplied by Egyptian evidence.
The earliest stage of what is here defined as the Minoan culture of Crete
is seen in a stratum which at Knossos and elsewhere is immediately super-
Transi- posed on the Neolithic. The phase here illustrated is of a broadly trarisi-
Aspectsof tional nature and must be taken to cover a considerable interval of time.
Provisionally, at least, it has been found convenient to include within it the
Sub- 'Sub-Neolithic' phase, which in many of its products is hardly distinguish-
Neolithic 1 ' J 1 to
Phase. able from the Upper Neolithic. On the other hand, it will be seen that its
more advanced stage corresponds with the First Settlement at Troy. Now,
too, we also obtain distinct evidence of connexions with the Nile Valley in
late prehistoric times and of an intensive pre-dynastic influence.
The principal finds of the better preserved potter)7 of the present Period
are from the caves and rock-shelters, at various sites, used both for dwellings
and interments, and the earlier objects from the ossuary tholoi of Messara.
The votive deposit of Mochlos will be described below, and a new and very
important source is the Sepulchral Cave of Pyrgos, at Nirou Khani, N.E. of
Knossos.
Incipient The pottery is hand-made, generally with a reddish core produced by-
Potter's the greater amount of firing due to the incipient use of the potter's oven.
During the early part of this Period many Neolithic ceramic types survive ;
the polish of these, however, is inferior to the best Neolithic.
Votive In Fig, 16 are given a series of clay objects brought to light by
Mochlos.1' Seager1 in an early stratum beneath Tomb V—of E. M. II or E. M. Ill
1 I am indebted to Mr, Seager for the all hand-made and of coarse fabric. No in-
photograph of these objects. The vessels cised ware occurred. Parts of a painted vase
found were ' of red and black clay, sometimes of the early geometrical, dark on light style
burnished, more often not'. The vases were were found.
§ 2. EARLY MINOAN I; WITH SUB-NEOLITHIC (E.M.I)
Sub-Neolithic phase ; Incipient use of potter s oven ; Votive Deposit at
Mochlos ; Clay Horns of Consecration ; Pedestalled bowls; Sepulchral Cave
of Pyrgos, N.E. of Knossos; Tall Chalices — atrophied 1 Wishing-bone'
handles ; Burnished decoration—imitations of woodwork graining; Com-
parisons with Arkalokhori Chalice—E. M. Ill; Pedestalled bonds and
suspension pots ; Trojan and Cycladic parallels; Early painted ware;
Incipient use of lustrous paint; Further evolution of figurines ; Egyptian
Stone Vases of Pre-dynastic and Proto-dyuastic types found at Knossos ; Was
there a Settlement from Nile Valley ? Copper implements known—Chalco-
lithic phase ; ' Egypto-Iibyan ' seal types—monstrous forms—Evolution
of Minotaur ; Rectangular Houses ; Ossuary ' tholoi' ; Chronological clues
supplied by Egyptian evidence.
The earliest stage of what is here defined as the Minoan culture of Crete
is seen in a stratum which at Knossos and elsewhere is immediately super-
Transi- posed on the Neolithic. The phase here illustrated is of a broadly trarisi-
Aspectsof tional nature and must be taken to cover a considerable interval of time.
Provisionally, at least, it has been found convenient to include within it the
Sub- 'Sub-Neolithic' phase, which in many of its products is hardly distinguish-
Neolithic 1 ' J 1 to
Phase. able from the Upper Neolithic. On the other hand, it will be seen that its
more advanced stage corresponds with the First Settlement at Troy. Now,
too, we also obtain distinct evidence of connexions with the Nile Valley in
late prehistoric times and of an intensive pre-dynastic influence.
The principal finds of the better preserved potter)7 of the present Period
are from the caves and rock-shelters, at various sites, used both for dwellings
and interments, and the earlier objects from the ossuary tholoi of Messara.
The votive deposit of Mochlos will be described below, and a new and very
important source is the Sepulchral Cave of Pyrgos, at Nirou Khani, N.E. of
Knossos.
Incipient The pottery is hand-made, generally with a reddish core produced by-
Potter's the greater amount of firing due to the incipient use of the potter's oven.
During the early part of this Period many Neolithic ceramic types survive ;
the polish of these, however, is inferior to the best Neolithic.
Votive In Fig, 16 are given a series of clay objects brought to light by
Mochlos.1' Seager1 in an early stratum beneath Tomb V—of E. M. II or E. M. Ill
1 I am indebted to Mr, Seager for the all hand-made and of coarse fabric. No in-
photograph of these objects. The vessels cised ware occurred. Parts of a painted vase
found were ' of red and black clay, sometimes of the early geometrical, dark on light style
burnished, more often not'. The vases were were found.