DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.8944#0093
MYCENAEAN TREE AND PILLAR CULT.
191
porting pillar within the cell, for at its foot the familiar ' horns of conse-
cration ' stand clearly defined.
These single baetylic cells with the sacred object at the foot of the pillar,
or upon the roof-stone lead us naturally to what is really only a more
elaborate example of the same religious structures—namely the triple
.sanctuaries with the doves, of which models in thin gold plate were found in
the third Akropolis grave at Mycenae (Fig. Go). The building here is more
elaborate and conventionalised. Like the small Phoenician shrine known as
the Maabed of Ami-it the actual cells are raised upon a stonework base and a
Mycenaean altar is set on the roof of the central shrine. But the objects
which the sanctuary itself was intended to enshrine are the same baetylic
' pillars of the house,' having, as in the last example, the ' horns of conse-
cration set at the foot of each. They seem to stand at least a little way
Fin. 65.—Gold Shrine with Doves; Third Akropolis Grave, Mycenae.
(From Schliemann's 'Mycenae.')
back from the openings themselves, since there is room for the cult object to
be placed in front of them.
The parallelism between the triple dove shrines and the single baetylic
cells on the rings must set all doubts at rest as to the true character of the
miniature temples with which we have to deal. How far astray the ingenuity
of commentators could go in the absence of comparative materials is shown
by the theory which saw in the dove shrine the front of a large basilican
building and in the Mycenaean altar of the ordinary type, which crowns the
central cell, a window with 'semicircles introduced either to fill up the space
or as ornaments on the shutters.'1
1 Schuchhardt (Sellers' Translation), p. 200. niches should be interpreted in the same
' The curved lines under the columns of the manner : they merely cover the empty space
191
porting pillar within the cell, for at its foot the familiar ' horns of conse-
cration ' stand clearly defined.
These single baetylic cells with the sacred object at the foot of the pillar,
or upon the roof-stone lead us naturally to what is really only a more
elaborate example of the same religious structures—namely the triple
.sanctuaries with the doves, of which models in thin gold plate were found in
the third Akropolis grave at Mycenae (Fig. Go). The building here is more
elaborate and conventionalised. Like the small Phoenician shrine known as
the Maabed of Ami-it the actual cells are raised upon a stonework base and a
Mycenaean altar is set on the roof of the central shrine. But the objects
which the sanctuary itself was intended to enshrine are the same baetylic
' pillars of the house,' having, as in the last example, the ' horns of conse-
cration set at the foot of each. They seem to stand at least a little way
Fin. 65.—Gold Shrine with Doves; Third Akropolis Grave, Mycenae.
(From Schliemann's 'Mycenae.')
back from the openings themselves, since there is room for the cult object to
be placed in front of them.
The parallelism between the triple dove shrines and the single baetylic
cells on the rings must set all doubts at rest as to the true character of the
miniature temples with which we have to deal. How far astray the ingenuity
of commentators could go in the absence of comparative materials is shown
by the theory which saw in the dove shrine the front of a large basilican
building and in the Mycenaean altar of the ordinary type, which crowns the
central cell, a window with 'semicircles introduced either to fill up the space
or as ornaments on the shutters.'1
1 Schuchhardt (Sellers' Translation), p. 200. niches should be interpreted in the same
' The curved lines under the columns of the manner : they merely cover the empty space