DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.806#0053
LINEAR SCRIPT OF CLASS B 39
may have been the result of a dynastic revolution which also, perhaps, left its traces in
the widespread catastrophe that brought to a close the Middle Minoan Period of the
Palace. There was no real ethnic break, and the general continuity of the Minoan
culture remained unaffected.
It underwent, indeed, from this time onwards a new development, which attained Charac-
its most characteristic shape in the Second Late Minoan Period, best illustrated by ^second
the latest remains of the Remodelled Palace at Knossos. This period, though its Late
artistic productions were still at a very high level, is characterized by a greater period?
mannerism than is visible in the works of the preceding age—the great age of Zakro
and Hagia Triada. Some of its manifestations, such as the miniature wall-paintings
showing the Court ladies with their puffed sleeves and elaborate coiffure, may even be
•described as rococo. The long traditions of Palace life moreover had generated a style Architec-
of art that can best be described as architectonic. The free, natural designs of the l*^
native lily or the saffron, of argonaut-shells or seaweed-covered rocks that we find on Style'.
the clay or faience vessels of the two preceding periods, were now being systematized
into mere patterns, or giving place altogether to elements of a more artificial origin.
There was a general striving after decorative unity, and the motives found on such
movable furniture as the painted jars reproduce the stylized clumps of Nile plants
seen on the walls, the alternating rosettes and spirals of the friezes, and even such
purely architectural features as columns and triglyphs. This is the essence of the great
J Palace Style ' of Knossos.
There can be little doubt that we must ascribe to this Second Late Minoan Mass of
Period, that is, to the concluding age of the Remodelled Palace at Knossos, ^chives
the great bulk of the clay records there discovered presenting the script of Class B. L. M. II.
It may even be said that in these documents we find a' graphic expression of the
same tendencies that produced the contemporary ' Palace Style' of art. The Bureau-
regular rules applied to the variation of certain signs betray the hand of official Methods.
scribes and grammarians. The bureaucratic methods of control here visible are
themselves the outcome of a long inheritance of dynastic organization. In some of
the inscriptions we may recognize a real ' Court hand'—the result of a Palace School
■of Calligraphy.
A detailed analysis of these inscriptions and of comparative examples illustrating Great
the different types of character of which this ' signary' is composed, must be reserved f„^"of
for the succeeding Volume of this work. It may be said here that the whole Writing,
physiognomy of this linear script attests a very considerable advance in the Art of
Writing. The characters themselves have a European aspect. They are of upright
habit and of a simple and definite outline, which throws into sharp relief the cumbrous
.and obscure cuneiform system of Babylonia. Although not so cursive in form as
the Hieratic or Demotic types of Egyptian writing, there is here a much more limited
selection of types. It would seem that the characters stood for syllables or even Syllabic
letters, though they could in most cases be also used as words. Many are obviously signs? °
compounds, and certain allied groups of signs show a regular systematic variation
may have been the result of a dynastic revolution which also, perhaps, left its traces in
the widespread catastrophe that brought to a close the Middle Minoan Period of the
Palace. There was no real ethnic break, and the general continuity of the Minoan
culture remained unaffected.
It underwent, indeed, from this time onwards a new development, which attained Charac-
its most characteristic shape in the Second Late Minoan Period, best illustrated by ^second
the latest remains of the Remodelled Palace at Knossos. This period, though its Late
artistic productions were still at a very high level, is characterized by a greater period?
mannerism than is visible in the works of the preceding age—the great age of Zakro
and Hagia Triada. Some of its manifestations, such as the miniature wall-paintings
showing the Court ladies with their puffed sleeves and elaborate coiffure, may even be
•described as rococo. The long traditions of Palace life moreover had generated a style Architec-
of art that can best be described as architectonic. The free, natural designs of the l*^
native lily or the saffron, of argonaut-shells or seaweed-covered rocks that we find on Style'.
the clay or faience vessels of the two preceding periods, were now being systematized
into mere patterns, or giving place altogether to elements of a more artificial origin.
There was a general striving after decorative unity, and the motives found on such
movable furniture as the painted jars reproduce the stylized clumps of Nile plants
seen on the walls, the alternating rosettes and spirals of the friezes, and even such
purely architectural features as columns and triglyphs. This is the essence of the great
J Palace Style ' of Knossos.
There can be little doubt that we must ascribe to this Second Late Minoan Mass of
Period, that is, to the concluding age of the Remodelled Palace at Knossos, ^chives
the great bulk of the clay records there discovered presenting the script of Class B. L. M. II.
It may even be said that in these documents we find a' graphic expression of the
same tendencies that produced the contemporary ' Palace Style' of art. The Bureau-
regular rules applied to the variation of certain signs betray the hand of official Methods.
scribes and grammarians. The bureaucratic methods of control here visible are
themselves the outcome of a long inheritance of dynastic organization. In some of
the inscriptions we may recognize a real ' Court hand'—the result of a Palace School
■of Calligraphy.
A detailed analysis of these inscriptions and of comparative examples illustrating Great
the different types of character of which this ' signary' is composed, must be reserved f„^"of
for the succeeding Volume of this work. It may be said here that the whole Writing,
physiognomy of this linear script attests a very considerable advance in the Art of
Writing. The characters themselves have a European aspect. They are of upright
habit and of a simple and definite outline, which throws into sharp relief the cumbrous
.and obscure cuneiform system of Babylonia. Although not so cursive in form as
the Hieratic or Demotic types of Egyptian writing, there is here a much more limited
selection of types. It would seem that the characters stood for syllables or even Syllabic
letters, though they could in most cases be also used as words. Many are obviously signs? °
compounds, and certain allied groups of signs show a regular systematic variation