§ 8j. Chryselephantine Figurines of 'Boston Goddess' and Boy-God
CONNECTED WITH IVORY DEPOSIT : The MOTHER GODDESS AND CHILD.
The acrobatic ivory figures connected -with bull-ring; Religious elements
of Treasury Deposit—miniature bronze Double Axes and part of shrine
on fresco ; the Sphinxes ; Were there also images of divinities ? Facilities here
for abstraction ; ' Boston Goddess' : parallel to Knossian Snake Goddess—
Knossos its probable source ; Locks secured as in acrobatic ivories ; Physiognomy
individual and modem ; Emergence of ivory boy-God, in the same jtyle and
probably from same Knossian source; Fragments of steatite cup with male
heads in relief; Ivory figurine of boy-God, as found; Belt already fitted to
child's body ; Very young infants beltless—Palaikastro examples ; Rivet-holes
in ivory figurine for gold-plated belt and kilt; Girdles on young girls ; Pro-
portions of boy-God; Comparative girth of adult male figure ; Adaptation of
human form to early waist constriction ; Looser belts worn by elderly men ;
Tight waists begin with M. M. Ill; Boy-God on tiptoes and adorant; Deli-
cate execution of toes ; Foot of M. M. IIra figurine; Waving hair and features
of boy-God—recall 'Boston Goddess'; Correspondence in height; Same
group—Mother and adoring Child ; Matriarchal stamp of Minoan Religion ;
Same Goddess zvith various attribtttes ; Youthful male adorants—-fine bronze
example; Adorants on signets; Armed youthful male figure grotiped with
Goddess; Adult warrior God exceptional till latest Minoan epoch—figures of
Reskeph; Mourning scene for youthful wanior God on Minoan signet;
Minoan Goddess, resurgent as Gaia ; Unarmed boy-God—Oriental parallels ;
Minoan versions of Mother and Child ; Terra-cotta idol from Knossian tomb ;
Adoration scene on Thisbl; signet ; Goddess with child on lap, holding cymbals ;
Adorant warriors bearing gifts ; Reeds borne, as in honour of Cybeli; Metal
vessels as offerings ; Adoration of Magi compared—Christian version on ring-
stone ; Thammuz at Bethlehem.
The Although the evidence is, in the nature of things, very imperfect, it
ivoryatl° tends to show that the ivory figurines above described—contained,
figures apparently, in a special Chest—were connected with some miniature
nected model of the Palace bull-ring and its appurtenances. The feature that
most distinguishes them, the gold-plated wires stuck into their heads, repre-
senting coiling tresses mostly flying out from them, had indeed a special
importance in connexion with the sport, since they indicated the direction of
flight through the air. The long locks, fashionable with both sexes, were in
with bull
ring.
CONNECTED WITH IVORY DEPOSIT : The MOTHER GODDESS AND CHILD.
The acrobatic ivory figures connected -with bull-ring; Religious elements
of Treasury Deposit—miniature bronze Double Axes and part of shrine
on fresco ; the Sphinxes ; Were there also images of divinities ? Facilities here
for abstraction ; ' Boston Goddess' : parallel to Knossian Snake Goddess—
Knossos its probable source ; Locks secured as in acrobatic ivories ; Physiognomy
individual and modem ; Emergence of ivory boy-God, in the same jtyle and
probably from same Knossian source; Fragments of steatite cup with male
heads in relief; Ivory figurine of boy-God, as found; Belt already fitted to
child's body ; Very young infants beltless—Palaikastro examples ; Rivet-holes
in ivory figurine for gold-plated belt and kilt; Girdles on young girls ; Pro-
portions of boy-God; Comparative girth of adult male figure ; Adaptation of
human form to early waist constriction ; Looser belts worn by elderly men ;
Tight waists begin with M. M. Ill; Boy-God on tiptoes and adorant; Deli-
cate execution of toes ; Foot of M. M. IIra figurine; Waving hair and features
of boy-God—recall 'Boston Goddess'; Correspondence in height; Same
group—Mother and adoring Child ; Matriarchal stamp of Minoan Religion ;
Same Goddess zvith various attribtttes ; Youthful male adorants—-fine bronze
example; Adorants on signets; Armed youthful male figure grotiped with
Goddess; Adult warrior God exceptional till latest Minoan epoch—figures of
Reskeph; Mourning scene for youthful wanior God on Minoan signet;
Minoan Goddess, resurgent as Gaia ; Unarmed boy-God—Oriental parallels ;
Minoan versions of Mother and Child ; Terra-cotta idol from Knossian tomb ;
Adoration scene on Thisbl; signet ; Goddess with child on lap, holding cymbals ;
Adorant warriors bearing gifts ; Reeds borne, as in honour of Cybeli; Metal
vessels as offerings ; Adoration of Magi compared—Christian version on ring-
stone ; Thammuz at Bethlehem.
The Although the evidence is, in the nature of things, very imperfect, it
ivoryatl° tends to show that the ivory figurines above described—contained,
figures apparently, in a special Chest—were connected with some miniature
nected model of the Palace bull-ring and its appurtenances. The feature that
most distinguishes them, the gold-plated wires stuck into their heads, repre-
senting coiling tresses mostly flying out from them, had indeed a special
importance in connexion with the sport, since they indicated the direction of
flight through the air. The long locks, fashionable with both sexes, were in
with bull
ring.