Evans, Arthur: The Mycenaean tree and pillar cult and its Mediterranean relations: with illustrations from recent Cretan finds (London, 1901)

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ARTHUR J. EVANS

right of this is an object like an impaled triangle which has probably
some religious significance and occurs elsewhere in sacral subjects.1 The
two-horned object placed at the foot of the tree pillar will be seen to be the

Fig. 30.—Sacked Tree and Wild Goats on Lentoid Gem from Mycenae (j).

characteristic concomitant of Mycenaean cult referred to above as ' the horns
of consecration.' Its appearance in this place is of considerable importance
as affording a proof that we have here to deal with a conventional represen-

FiO. 31.—Sacked Palm and Wild Goat, Fig. 32.—Thee Pillar and Animals like
Lentoid, Palaeokastro, Crete (}), Red Deer : Lentoid Gem, Goulas, Crete (}).

tative of a sacred tree. It indicates the holy character of the tree before
which it is placed as in other cases its occurrence at the foot of the pillars
in Mycenaean shrines declare them to be the aniconic images of divinity.

1 See below, p. 159.