DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.7525#0111
408
The Prehistoric Tombs of Knossos.
series, the shoulders of the blade are rounded off with a rivet on either side, and
terminate above in a tang for another rivet (fig. 111). This tanged round-
shouldered type is a variant or outgrowth of the commonest form of sword
found in the shaft-graves of Mycenae." The example from Grave 44 was the only
specimen of this type found in the Knossian cemetery, and its complete absence in
all the other Late Minoan or advanced Mycenaean cemeteries tends to show that it
had ceased to be in vogue in the ^Egean world in the Third Late-Minoan Period.
This conclusion derives special interest from the reappearance of bronze
swords and daggers of a closely allied type in certain Sikel tombs explored by
Dr. Orsi.b Tombs of the same class also contained imported Mycenaean or Minoan
pottery of very advanced character0 (Late-Minoan III.), with which, as we have
seen, this tanged type is never associated in the iEgean area. How then, it may be
asked, can swords of such early association be found in the same Sicilian tombs ?
The answer seems to be quite simple. The swords or daggers of the Sikel tombs,
though starting from the same .iEgean type, are not absolutely identical in form
either with those from the Mycenae shaft-graves or that of the Knossian tomb,
the uppermost rive$ for instance coming down below the base of the tang. The
section of the blade is often a simple rhomboid, and the fabric is quite inferior.
Already Dr. Nauea had been led to what seems to be the right conclusion, namely,
a Undset, L'Origine de VAge de Bronze en Europe, Materiaux, etc. 1886, p. 5, fig. 1, p. 7, figs. 6, 8.
J. ISTaue, Die vorrdrr.ischen Schicerter, pp. 3, 4, Atlas Taf. HI. 3. Schliemann's illustrations of these
swords are useless for scientific purposes.
b Necropoli sicula di Plemmirio (Siracusa), Bullettino di Paletnologia, 1891, Tav. xi. 4, 8, 16,
pp. 121 seqq. 125, 131. Necropoli sicula presso Siracusa, Monumenti Antichi, Vol. ii. Tav. ii. 5, 13,
18, p. 25, segq. Thapsos, Monumenti Antichi, vol. vi. pp. 121, 122, fig. 31. Nuovi materiali siculi del
territorio di Girgenti (Bull, di Pal. 1897, Tav. ii. 1, 2, p. 10 seqq.).
c See, for instance, the painted " amphora " from Milocca, Orsi, Bull, di Paletnologia, 1889,
p. 206, seqq. Tav. vii. 5, 9, closely resembling types from Ialysos, and of late-Mycenaean graves in
Cyprus. Other late imported vases of the same class were found in the cemetery of Thapsos
{Monumenti Antichi, vol. vi. Tav. iv. 8, 12, Tav. v. 7, 18, 24, etc.) A two-handled cup from Cozzo
Pantano (Orsi, Monumenti Antichi, vol. ii. Tav. i. 2, and pp. 9, 10) shows a design identical with a
part of that on a cup of similar foim, from a very late Mycenaean tomb at Haliki in Attica (Myc.
Vas. Taf. xviii. 122).
d Die vorromisclien Schwerter, p. 9. "Wenn die mykenischen Schachtgraber-Schwerter eine
hohe Vollendung bezeugen, so fehlt dieselbe den sikulischen Schwertern, infolgedessen ich niclit
glauben kann, dieselben seien in Mykenae angefertigt und von dort nach Sizilien eingefuhrt worden;
vielmehr bin ich der Ansicht dass die sikulischen Schwerter Nachbildungen jener Mykenae-
Schwerter sind." He notices the parallel fact that some of the indigenous Sikel vases were imitated
or derived from Mycenaean types.
The Prehistoric Tombs of Knossos.
series, the shoulders of the blade are rounded off with a rivet on either side, and
terminate above in a tang for another rivet (fig. 111). This tanged round-
shouldered type is a variant or outgrowth of the commonest form of sword
found in the shaft-graves of Mycenae." The example from Grave 44 was the only
specimen of this type found in the Knossian cemetery, and its complete absence in
all the other Late Minoan or advanced Mycenaean cemeteries tends to show that it
had ceased to be in vogue in the ^Egean world in the Third Late-Minoan Period.
This conclusion derives special interest from the reappearance of bronze
swords and daggers of a closely allied type in certain Sikel tombs explored by
Dr. Orsi.b Tombs of the same class also contained imported Mycenaean or Minoan
pottery of very advanced character0 (Late-Minoan III.), with which, as we have
seen, this tanged type is never associated in the iEgean area. How then, it may be
asked, can swords of such early association be found in the same Sicilian tombs ?
The answer seems to be quite simple. The swords or daggers of the Sikel tombs,
though starting from the same .iEgean type, are not absolutely identical in form
either with those from the Mycenae shaft-graves or that of the Knossian tomb,
the uppermost rive$ for instance coming down below the base of the tang. The
section of the blade is often a simple rhomboid, and the fabric is quite inferior.
Already Dr. Nauea had been led to what seems to be the right conclusion, namely,
a Undset, L'Origine de VAge de Bronze en Europe, Materiaux, etc. 1886, p. 5, fig. 1, p. 7, figs. 6, 8.
J. ISTaue, Die vorrdrr.ischen Schicerter, pp. 3, 4, Atlas Taf. HI. 3. Schliemann's illustrations of these
swords are useless for scientific purposes.
b Necropoli sicula di Plemmirio (Siracusa), Bullettino di Paletnologia, 1891, Tav. xi. 4, 8, 16,
pp. 121 seqq. 125, 131. Necropoli sicula presso Siracusa, Monumenti Antichi, Vol. ii. Tav. ii. 5, 13,
18, p. 25, segq. Thapsos, Monumenti Antichi, vol. vi. pp. 121, 122, fig. 31. Nuovi materiali siculi del
territorio di Girgenti (Bull, di Pal. 1897, Tav. ii. 1, 2, p. 10 seqq.).
c See, for instance, the painted " amphora " from Milocca, Orsi, Bull, di Paletnologia, 1889,
p. 206, seqq. Tav. vii. 5, 9, closely resembling types from Ialysos, and of late-Mycenaean graves in
Cyprus. Other late imported vases of the same class were found in the cemetery of Thapsos
{Monumenti Antichi, vol. vi. Tav. iv. 8, 12, Tav. v. 7, 18, 24, etc.) A two-handled cup from Cozzo
Pantano (Orsi, Monumenti Antichi, vol. ii. Tav. i. 2, and pp. 9, 10) shows a design identical with a
part of that on a cup of similar foim, from a very late Mycenaean tomb at Haliki in Attica (Myc.
Vas. Taf. xviii. 122).
d Die vorromisclien Schwerter, p. 9. "Wenn die mykenischen Schachtgraber-Schwerter eine
hohe Vollendung bezeugen, so fehlt dieselbe den sikulischen Schwertern, infolgedessen ich niclit
glauben kann, dieselben seien in Mykenae angefertigt und von dort nach Sizilien eingefuhrt worden;
vielmehr bin ich der Ansicht dass die sikulischen Schwerter Nachbildungen jener Mykenae-
Schwerter sind." He notices the parallel fact that some of the indigenous Sikel vases were imitated
or derived from Mycenaean types.