DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.809#0220
SEALS AND CEILING PATTERNS 195
hitherto escaped recognition. The ground, in fact, had already been pre-
pared in Crete for the acclimatization of the fully developed spiraliform
system by the upgrowth of a somewhat elaborate curvilinear style of purely-
native culture. It is from the hybridization of this indigenous growth by
the new exotic implantation that the beautiful decorative schemes of Minoan
Art finally take shape. It is from this composite Aegean source that many of
the most elaborate Mycenaean patterns can be shown to originate and, at the
same time, this indigenous Cretan class also largely affected Egyptian orna-
mental designs from the beginning of the Xllth Dynasty onwards.
Already by the Second Early Minoan Period we begin to trace the
vogue of decorative designs, consisting of simple linked curves, which might
be described as Cs and Ss. Sometimes, again, we find disks linked with Linked
C- S-
tangential lines or ribbon-like bands. At times these disks are caught and J-'
in the curves of elongated Ss, and these S-shaped figures as well as scrolls-
plain hooks or Js are also to be seen symmetrically grouped in various
simple ways.
The S motive often originates from the breaking up of' cable' borders
on pots or other objects, of which we have many examples. The ritual clay
table found in the sacelhcm of the Early Palace at Phaestos presents rows
of impressed Ss, and we see the sign repeated in alternate colours as a
decorative entity on a fine polychrome cup from Knossos, illustrated above.1
On many of the early seals, again, it is associated with tendril-like sprays
(see Fig. 105, a, b, c),2 an artistic combination, perhaps suggested by whorl-
shells, which will be found to have a very special value in the history of
Minoan and Mycenaean ornament.
The comparative designs given in Fig. 105 demonstrate the fact that Sgrouped
this combination of S-scroll and tendril was taken over not only in the tendril*,
decoration of the finest polychrome fabrics of the Second Middle Minoan
Period (Fig. 105, d),3 but on embossed gold plates such as those found in
the Shaft Graves at Mycenae {e-h)* the earlier of which, in truth, are
separated from the polychrome ceramic examples by no long interval of
1 P. of M., i, Fig. 183, a and p. 243. (Seager, op. tit., pp. 23, 24); c, Platanos
* Fig. 105, a, from Platanos (Xanthudides, (Xanthudides, op. tit., PI. XIII, 1114).
op. cit., PL XIV, 1078, above); b, Mochlos 3 P. of M., i, Fig. 186, e; C. C. Edgar,
E. M. II (Seager, p. 70, Fig. 39; P. of M., i, Phylakopi, p. 150, Fig. 132: among the
p. 94, Fig. 64, b). The early deposit of Tomb ii, earliest Melian imports of * Knossian ' style,
in which this ivory signet was found, belonged 4 For Fig. 105, e, see Schliemann, Mycenae,
almost exclusively to E. M. II; only one object, p. 321, Fig. 484; f, ib., p. 323, Fig. 488; g,
a small jug, could be assigned to E. M. Ill . p. 323, Fig. 491; h, p. 323, Fig. 487.
O 2
hitherto escaped recognition. The ground, in fact, had already been pre-
pared in Crete for the acclimatization of the fully developed spiraliform
system by the upgrowth of a somewhat elaborate curvilinear style of purely-
native culture. It is from the hybridization of this indigenous growth by
the new exotic implantation that the beautiful decorative schemes of Minoan
Art finally take shape. It is from this composite Aegean source that many of
the most elaborate Mycenaean patterns can be shown to originate and, at the
same time, this indigenous Cretan class also largely affected Egyptian orna-
mental designs from the beginning of the Xllth Dynasty onwards.
Already by the Second Early Minoan Period we begin to trace the
vogue of decorative designs, consisting of simple linked curves, which might
be described as Cs and Ss. Sometimes, again, we find disks linked with Linked
C- S-
tangential lines or ribbon-like bands. At times these disks are caught and J-'
in the curves of elongated Ss, and these S-shaped figures as well as scrolls-
plain hooks or Js are also to be seen symmetrically grouped in various
simple ways.
The S motive often originates from the breaking up of' cable' borders
on pots or other objects, of which we have many examples. The ritual clay
table found in the sacelhcm of the Early Palace at Phaestos presents rows
of impressed Ss, and we see the sign repeated in alternate colours as a
decorative entity on a fine polychrome cup from Knossos, illustrated above.1
On many of the early seals, again, it is associated with tendril-like sprays
(see Fig. 105, a, b, c),2 an artistic combination, perhaps suggested by whorl-
shells, which will be found to have a very special value in the history of
Minoan and Mycenaean ornament.
The comparative designs given in Fig. 105 demonstrate the fact that Sgrouped
this combination of S-scroll and tendril was taken over not only in the tendril*,
decoration of the finest polychrome fabrics of the Second Middle Minoan
Period (Fig. 105, d),3 but on embossed gold plates such as those found in
the Shaft Graves at Mycenae {e-h)* the earlier of which, in truth, are
separated from the polychrome ceramic examples by no long interval of
1 P. of M., i, Fig. 183, a and p. 243. (Seager, op. tit., pp. 23, 24); c, Platanos
* Fig. 105, a, from Platanos (Xanthudides, (Xanthudides, op. tit., PI. XIII, 1114).
op. cit., PL XIV, 1078, above); b, Mochlos 3 P. of M., i, Fig. 186, e; C. C. Edgar,
E. M. II (Seager, p. 70, Fig. 39; P. of M., i, Phylakopi, p. 150, Fig. 132: among the
p. 94, Fig. 64, b). The early deposit of Tomb ii, earliest Melian imports of * Knossian ' style,
in which this ivory signet was found, belonged 4 For Fig. 105, e, see Schliemann, Mycenae,
almost exclusively to E. M. II; only one object, p. 321, Fig. 484; f, ib., p. 323, Fig. 488; g,
a small jug, could be assigned to E. M. Ill . p. 323, Fig. 491; h, p. 323, Fig. 487.
O 2