DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.1118#0562
9io
THE GRIFFIN FRIEZES
Features
of
Griffins.
Conven-
tional
reeds as
' Argon-
aut'
Frieze.
the ' Procession Fresco '-1 Each of these wall-sections is broken in the
middle by a special feature, in one case the gypsum throne, in the other
a doorway leading to an inner shrine, the altar-ledge of which, too-ether
with the sacred images that it once bore, would be framed by it (see
Frontispiece). In conformity with this arrangement, the fresco friezes
decorating the two pairs of wall-sections present, as a central religious
feature, two couchant Griffins, guarding in one case a vision of the Goddess
herself and her divine associates on the altar ledge beyond, in the other
the seat of honour of her terrestrial vicegerent, the Priest-king.
Of the Griffins, the figures of which repeat one another, the most
completely preserved was not unnaturally that in the more narrowly enclosed
space to the left of the doorway leading to the inner shrine, and towards
which its head was directed. As can be seen from the coloured illustra-
tion (Plate XXXII), the body is of a pale yellow hue, the tail showing
a faint bluish tinge. The outer plumes of the monster's crest recall those
of the ' Priest-king' fresco, and in that case the blue eye visible at the
end clearly betrays an imitation of those of a peacock. No such precise indi-
cation is here given, but the plumes are seen to curve round an inner scroll
formed of the ' waz', or sacral papyrus wand, between two spirals (Fig. 884).
Both this and the pendent papyrus spray on the neck—more literally
rendered—and the rosette (or facing papyrus) in the coil beside it, show
a distinct relationship to decorative fresco bands on the Palace walls
already described.2
The width of the picture frieze was 1-02 metre, just three times the
height of the benches from the pavement, which was 34 centimetres. It is
further observable, as illustrating the minute accuracy of the scale and
proportions with which the L. M. II decorative artists worked, that, imme-
diately above its upper border of two white lines, is a Venetian red band
or frieze of exactly the same number of centimetres in height. This is
again bordered above by two white lines surmounted by a red band, the
upper margin of which is unfortunately lost (Fig. 885).3
Direct relationship and contemporaneity between the ' Griffin Frieze
and that depicting the large Argonaut illustrated above,4 is established by
the practical identity of the background in both cases. Here, too, we see
the same reeds with their ' papyrus' flower against the same waving bands
' Cf. P. ofM., ii, Suppl., PL XXVII. In
this case the bands are divided by narrow
fringes.
2 See above, pp. 875, S76, and Figs. SG5-7.
'' From Mr. Theodore Fyfe's drawing.
Ji. I. B. A. /own., x (1003), p. ill, lrig- 6-
4 See above, p. S90, Fig. S70.
THE GRIFFIN FRIEZES
Features
of
Griffins.
Conven-
tional
reeds as
' Argon-
aut'
Frieze.
the ' Procession Fresco '-1 Each of these wall-sections is broken in the
middle by a special feature, in one case the gypsum throne, in the other
a doorway leading to an inner shrine, the altar-ledge of which, too-ether
with the sacred images that it once bore, would be framed by it (see
Frontispiece). In conformity with this arrangement, the fresco friezes
decorating the two pairs of wall-sections present, as a central religious
feature, two couchant Griffins, guarding in one case a vision of the Goddess
herself and her divine associates on the altar ledge beyond, in the other
the seat of honour of her terrestrial vicegerent, the Priest-king.
Of the Griffins, the figures of which repeat one another, the most
completely preserved was not unnaturally that in the more narrowly enclosed
space to the left of the doorway leading to the inner shrine, and towards
which its head was directed. As can be seen from the coloured illustra-
tion (Plate XXXII), the body is of a pale yellow hue, the tail showing
a faint bluish tinge. The outer plumes of the monster's crest recall those
of the ' Priest-king' fresco, and in that case the blue eye visible at the
end clearly betrays an imitation of those of a peacock. No such precise indi-
cation is here given, but the plumes are seen to curve round an inner scroll
formed of the ' waz', or sacral papyrus wand, between two spirals (Fig. 884).
Both this and the pendent papyrus spray on the neck—more literally
rendered—and the rosette (or facing papyrus) in the coil beside it, show
a distinct relationship to decorative fresco bands on the Palace walls
already described.2
The width of the picture frieze was 1-02 metre, just three times the
height of the benches from the pavement, which was 34 centimetres. It is
further observable, as illustrating the minute accuracy of the scale and
proportions with which the L. M. II decorative artists worked, that, imme-
diately above its upper border of two white lines, is a Venetian red band
or frieze of exactly the same number of centimetres in height. This is
again bordered above by two white lines surmounted by a red band, the
upper margin of which is unfortunately lost (Fig. 885).3
Direct relationship and contemporaneity between the ' Griffin Frieze
and that depicting the large Argonaut illustrated above,4 is established by
the practical identity of the background in both cases. Here, too, we see
the same reeds with their ' papyrus' flower against the same waving bands
' Cf. P. ofM., ii, Suppl., PL XXVII. In
this case the bands are divided by narrow
fringes.
2 See above, pp. 875, S76, and Figs. SG5-7.
'' From Mr. Theodore Fyfe's drawing.
Ji. I. B. A. /own., x (1003), p. ill, lrig- 6-
4 See above, p. S90, Fig. S70.