CATALOGUE
55
sometimes good and usually very good. Morphologically, Epomia are relatively heterogeneous.
Decoration and dating
Two thirds of the Epomia catalogued here are carved with cross-hatching, five with herring-
bone ornament and three show curvilinear rapport patterns. These motifs are not datable
on the grounds of style, as the term is used here. Several Epomia are known from archaeologi-
cal contexts:
CMS III 232-234
EM II-MM IA
Marathokephalo, Tholos
263, 266, 322
EM II-MM IB
Platanos, Tholos A
361
EM II-MM IB
Porti, Tholos II
371
EM MI - MM IA/B?
Siva, south Tholos
424
MM II
Phaistos, vano XXVII
The evidence from stratified examples and from the typology of materials suggests a tentative
dating for Epomia within EM II-MM IA.
Class 13: FOLIATE BACKS
This seal shape appears in the literature under several different names. Among these are,
"two buds antithetically conjoined", "scarabo'ide"', "bead with convoluted back", "discoid, the
back of which is engraved in the form of two leaves antithetically disposed" and others. Fol-
iate Backs are somewhat similar in shape to 33c "Intertwined foreparts of animals".
13a) frit/faience
CMS IV 104, 107
Both extant 13a Foliate Backs are in white frit/faience. Their backs
have deep plastically torsional S-incisions. One of the "leaves" of CMS IV
107 is diagonally hatched. In length CMS IV 104 and 107 measure respec-
tively 1.1 and 1.28 cms. CMS IV 104 is bored through the side and the
boring of 107 enters the side, goes halfway into the seal and makes a
ninety degree turn. The workmanship is very good.
CMS IV 107
Decoration and dating
CMS IV 104 and 107 are decorated with leaves and hatched triangles and are assigned to
the EM III-MM IA (-?) Border/Leaf Complex.
13b) soft stone112
CM 174; CMS IX 27; CS 143
The bases of the three extant Foliate Backs in soft
stone are circular, irregular and ellipsoidal in shape. The
backs of CM 174 and CS 143 are formed of plastically
and concavely modelled members. The backs of CMS
IX 27 is formed by two concave "leaves" which are sep-
arated by an incision. In length, these seals range from
CMS IX 27
CS 143
55
sometimes good and usually very good. Morphologically, Epomia are relatively heterogeneous.
Decoration and dating
Two thirds of the Epomia catalogued here are carved with cross-hatching, five with herring-
bone ornament and three show curvilinear rapport patterns. These motifs are not datable
on the grounds of style, as the term is used here. Several Epomia are known from archaeologi-
cal contexts:
CMS III 232-234
EM II-MM IA
Marathokephalo, Tholos
263, 266, 322
EM II-MM IB
Platanos, Tholos A
361
EM II-MM IB
Porti, Tholos II
371
EM MI - MM IA/B?
Siva, south Tholos
424
MM II
Phaistos, vano XXVII
The evidence from stratified examples and from the typology of materials suggests a tentative
dating for Epomia within EM II-MM IA.
Class 13: FOLIATE BACKS
This seal shape appears in the literature under several different names. Among these are,
"two buds antithetically conjoined", "scarabo'ide"', "bead with convoluted back", "discoid, the
back of which is engraved in the form of two leaves antithetically disposed" and others. Fol-
iate Backs are somewhat similar in shape to 33c "Intertwined foreparts of animals".
13a) frit/faience
CMS IV 104, 107
Both extant 13a Foliate Backs are in white frit/faience. Their backs
have deep plastically torsional S-incisions. One of the "leaves" of CMS IV
107 is diagonally hatched. In length CMS IV 104 and 107 measure respec-
tively 1.1 and 1.28 cms. CMS IV 104 is bored through the side and the
boring of 107 enters the side, goes halfway into the seal and makes a
ninety degree turn. The workmanship is very good.
CMS IV 107
Decoration and dating
CMS IV 104 and 107 are decorated with leaves and hatched triangles and are assigned to
the EM III-MM IA (-?) Border/Leaf Complex.
13b) soft stone112
CM 174; CMS IX 27; CS 143
The bases of the three extant Foliate Backs in soft
stone are circular, irregular and ellipsoidal in shape. The
backs of CM 174 and CS 143 are formed of plastically
and concavely modelled members. The backs of CMS
IX 27 is formed by two concave "leaves" which are sep-
arated by an incision. In length, these seals range from
CMS IX 27
CS 143