DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.14696#0928
846 Retrospect
the type of Zeus shouldering a double axe. This was an adaptation
from the cult-image of Zeus Strdtios or Labrdyndos {Labrandeus,
Labrandenos, etc.), who was worshipped at Labranda near Mylasa1.
The Mylasians just outside their city had a second sanctuary, that
of Zeus Osogoa, whose attributes the eagle, the trident, and the crab
procured for him the title Zenoposeiddn2.
And here, by way of parenthesis, we contended that the Hellenic
Poseidon himself was but a specialised form of Zeus, his name
Potei-Ddn, etc., denoting originally 'Lord Zeus,' just aspotnia Here
meant 'lady Hera3.'
In Karia the cult of Zeus had probably been superposed on that
of an indigenous earth-mother, whose characteristics he had to some
extent absorbed. Two queer reliefs show the Zeus of Labranda
grasping a double axe but equipped with female breasts4—an
abnormal figure, which recurs at Snzcasa in Kappadokia5 and is
balanced by a bearded goddess brandishing a thunderbolt at Zogui
in Pontos6.
A short section followed in which, accepting M. Mayer's con-
nexion of Idbrys and Labyrinthos, we maintained (1) that the Carian
Labrdynda, Labranda and the Cretan Labyrinthos both denoted a
place where lightning, the sky-god's Idbrys, had fallen, and (2) that
in Karia and Crete alike the Idbrys was primarily the attribute of a
god and only secondarily, if at all7, the attribute of a goddess8.
More space was devoted to E. Conybeare's suggestion that the
labarum was derived from the Idbrys, and a fresh attempt was made
to trace the steps by which the pagan symbol developed into the
Christian monogram9. It was shown (1) that the old Anatolian
double axe was still recognised as a sacred object or sign throughout
the Levant in the opening centuries of our era—witness the coin-
types and reliefs discussed above, the reputed axe of Noah1?, the
Ophite diagram11, the Gnostic mystery of the double axe12, and
(2) that the pictograph of the Idbrys, having already given rise to
a variety of syllabic and alphabetic characters, might readily be
adapted to other significant uses13. Accordingly it was suggested
that Constantine, who during his stay in the east had observed the
Idbrys and noted its possibilities, later deliberately transformed it
into the labamm, an emblem at once old and new, pagan and
Christian, in a word thoroughly Constantinian14.
8 Supra p. 582 ft".
6 Supra p. 595 f.
9 Supra p. 601 ft.
2 Supra p. 611 ft.
1 Supra pp. 573ff-> 585 ff-
4 Supra p. 592 ff.
7 Supra p. 622 ff.
0 Supra p. 609 f.
3 Supra p. 613, cp. p. 607 f.
2 Supra p. 576 ff.
5 Supra p. 594 f.
8 Supra p. 600 f.
11 Supra p. 6iof.
14 Sitpra p. 613 f.
the type of Zeus shouldering a double axe. This was an adaptation
from the cult-image of Zeus Strdtios or Labrdyndos {Labrandeus,
Labrandenos, etc.), who was worshipped at Labranda near Mylasa1.
The Mylasians just outside their city had a second sanctuary, that
of Zeus Osogoa, whose attributes the eagle, the trident, and the crab
procured for him the title Zenoposeiddn2.
And here, by way of parenthesis, we contended that the Hellenic
Poseidon himself was but a specialised form of Zeus, his name
Potei-Ddn, etc., denoting originally 'Lord Zeus,' just aspotnia Here
meant 'lady Hera3.'
In Karia the cult of Zeus had probably been superposed on that
of an indigenous earth-mother, whose characteristics he had to some
extent absorbed. Two queer reliefs show the Zeus of Labranda
grasping a double axe but equipped with female breasts4—an
abnormal figure, which recurs at Snzcasa in Kappadokia5 and is
balanced by a bearded goddess brandishing a thunderbolt at Zogui
in Pontos6.
A short section followed in which, accepting M. Mayer's con-
nexion of Idbrys and Labyrinthos, we maintained (1) that the Carian
Labrdynda, Labranda and the Cretan Labyrinthos both denoted a
place where lightning, the sky-god's Idbrys, had fallen, and (2) that
in Karia and Crete alike the Idbrys was primarily the attribute of a
god and only secondarily, if at all7, the attribute of a goddess8.
More space was devoted to E. Conybeare's suggestion that the
labarum was derived from the Idbrys, and a fresh attempt was made
to trace the steps by which the pagan symbol developed into the
Christian monogram9. It was shown (1) that the old Anatolian
double axe was still recognised as a sacred object or sign throughout
the Levant in the opening centuries of our era—witness the coin-
types and reliefs discussed above, the reputed axe of Noah1?, the
Ophite diagram11, the Gnostic mystery of the double axe12, and
(2) that the pictograph of the Idbrys, having already given rise to
a variety of syllabic and alphabetic characters, might readily be
adapted to other significant uses13. Accordingly it was suggested
that Constantine, who during his stay in the east had observed the
Idbrys and noted its possibilities, later deliberately transformed it
into the labamm, an emblem at once old and new, pagan and
Christian, in a word thoroughly Constantinian14.
8 Supra p. 582 ft".
6 Supra p. 595 f.
9 Supra p. 601 ft.
2 Supra p. 611 ft.
1 Supra pp. 573ff-> 585 ff-
4 Supra p. 592 ff.
7 Supra p. 622 ff.
0 Supra p. 609 f.
3 Supra p. 613, cp. p. 607 f.
2 Supra p. 576 ff.
5 Supra p. 594 f.
8 Supra p. 600 f.
11 Supra p. 6iof.
14 Sitpra p. 613 f.