DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.8944#0060
158
ARTHUR J. EVANS
The fact that the column had a capital, and in this case actually supported a
roof, was pronounced by Dr. Adler to be fatal to the view that any aniconic
form of a divinity could be here represented, ' all such idols having a free
ending as a cone, a meta or a phallus.'1 It has been shown above, however,
that the idea of the divine column as a ' Pillar of the House,' and actually per-
forming a structural function is deeply rooted in this early religion, and finds
parallels both on the Semitic and the Egyptian side. In the succeeding
sections a series of Mycenaean shrines will be described in which the
stone pillar which is the aniconic form of the divinity is represented as
actually contributing to prop up the capstone or lintel. In the Lions' Gate
and kindred types where the column stands for the support of a building,
the capital and impost are in fact required to bring out the full idea 01
the upholding spiritual power. The divinity here is the ' pillar of Mycenae,'
even as Hector is described by Pindar,2 as the ' pillar of Troy.'
The Lions' Gate scheme is found, sometimes in an abbreviated form, on a
series of Mycenaean engraved stones and rings, some examples of which are
given below, associated with the same sacred animals. In other cases we
find the pillar, or simply the altar
base, guarded by Sphinxes, Griffins,
or Kriosphinxes.
On the ivory plaque from the
Tholos tomb, at Menidi.two Sphinxes
stand:! on either side of a Mycenaeai i
column. A small figure of ivory
from Mycenae 4 represents a Sphinx
resting both forelegs on the capital
of a short column. In Fig. 33 wo
have already seen Sphinxes as
guardians of a tree pillar.
A lentoid gem from Mycenae
(Fig. 3G)r' gives the best architec-
tural parallel to the Lions' Gate
pillar, save that here we see a pair
of Griffin supporters in place of the
lions. The column hero rests on
a single altar base instead of two.
It is spirally fluted, and above the capital is seen a part of the entablature
with the round ends of the transverse beams as on the tympanum reliefs.
Fro. 36.
-PllAAJt with Griffin SurroitTF.r.s ;
Lkntoid, Mycf.nae (f).
1 Arch. Zr ilitn;/, 1865, p. 0, ' Alle solche
Idole niemals in der Form einer init einem
Capitell geschmiickten Siiule (welche hier BOgar
cine Decke triigt) sondern stets frei beendigt
als Conus, Meta, Phallus crscheinen.'
2 01. ii. 14.), TpoUu &naxov affrpafiri xiova.
3 Lolling. Kuppdgrab vormMenidi, p. 20.
Perrot et Chipiez, L'Art, &c, p. 528, Fig.
208.
* Tsuntas, 'E<f>. 'Apx- 1887, PL XIII. 'B,
and p. 171. P. et 0. vi. p. 833, Fig. 417,
where however it is erroneously described as
' from the Acropolis of Athens.'
5 Tsuntas, Mu/fTjxai, PI. V. 0 ; Ts. and
Manatt, Myc. Age, p. 254, Fig. 131. Furtw.
Ant. Gemm. vol. iii. p. 44, Fig. 18.
ARTHUR J. EVANS
The fact that the column had a capital, and in this case actually supported a
roof, was pronounced by Dr. Adler to be fatal to the view that any aniconic
form of a divinity could be here represented, ' all such idols having a free
ending as a cone, a meta or a phallus.'1 It has been shown above, however,
that the idea of the divine column as a ' Pillar of the House,' and actually per-
forming a structural function is deeply rooted in this early religion, and finds
parallels both on the Semitic and the Egyptian side. In the succeeding
sections a series of Mycenaean shrines will be described in which the
stone pillar which is the aniconic form of the divinity is represented as
actually contributing to prop up the capstone or lintel. In the Lions' Gate
and kindred types where the column stands for the support of a building,
the capital and impost are in fact required to bring out the full idea 01
the upholding spiritual power. The divinity here is the ' pillar of Mycenae,'
even as Hector is described by Pindar,2 as the ' pillar of Troy.'
The Lions' Gate scheme is found, sometimes in an abbreviated form, on a
series of Mycenaean engraved stones and rings, some examples of which are
given below, associated with the same sacred animals. In other cases we
find the pillar, or simply the altar
base, guarded by Sphinxes, Griffins,
or Kriosphinxes.
On the ivory plaque from the
Tholos tomb, at Menidi.two Sphinxes
stand:! on either side of a Mycenaeai i
column. A small figure of ivory
from Mycenae 4 represents a Sphinx
resting both forelegs on the capital
of a short column. In Fig. 33 wo
have already seen Sphinxes as
guardians of a tree pillar.
A lentoid gem from Mycenae
(Fig. 3G)r' gives the best architec-
tural parallel to the Lions' Gate
pillar, save that here we see a pair
of Griffin supporters in place of the
lions. The column hero rests on
a single altar base instead of two.
It is spirally fluted, and above the capital is seen a part of the entablature
with the round ends of the transverse beams as on the tympanum reliefs.
Fro. 36.
-PllAAJt with Griffin SurroitTF.r.s ;
Lkntoid, Mycf.nae (f).
1 Arch. Zr ilitn;/, 1865, p. 0, ' Alle solche
Idole niemals in der Form einer init einem
Capitell geschmiickten Siiule (welche hier BOgar
cine Decke triigt) sondern stets frei beendigt
als Conus, Meta, Phallus crscheinen.'
2 01. ii. 14.), TpoUu &naxov affrpafiri xiova.
3 Lolling. Kuppdgrab vormMenidi, p. 20.
Perrot et Chipiez, L'Art, &c, p. 528, Fig.
208.
* Tsuntas, 'E<f>. 'Apx- 1887, PL XIII. 'B,
and p. 171. P. et 0. vi. p. 833, Fig. 417,
where however it is erroneously described as
' from the Acropolis of Athens.'
5 Tsuntas, Mu/fTjxai, PI. V. 0 ; Ts. and
Manatt, Myc. Age, p. 254, Fig. 131. Furtw.
Ant. Gemm. vol. iii. p. 44, Fig. 18.