DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.807#0040
THE MINOAN AGE
15
The earliest evidence of a direct importation from the Oriental world is Dis-
supplied by a cylinder1 of the First Babylonian Dynasty found in a deposit j°a^eyio-°
belonging to the mature earlier phase la) of the First Middle Minoan Period. "ia.n ,
p &. . . Cylinder.
The inscribed clay tablets, which now appear, also attest an influence from
that side.
That throughout its course Minoan civilization continued to absorb Asiatic
Elements
elements from the Asiatic side is, on the face of it, probable enough. This in Minoan
process was, in fact, the continuation of an early drift and infiltration, going Culture-
back to the most primitive times, and to which probably the first acquaintance
with metals was due. The cult of the Double Axe was, as we have seen,
common to both areas, and there is a strong presumption that its original
home is to be sought in that direction. Votive axes of terra-cotta, both
double and single, were brought to light moreover during M. de Sarzec's ex-
cavations at the early Chaldaean site of Tello.2 The stone mace has the
same wide easterly range. We have even a hint that the favourite bull-
grappling sports of Minoan Crete, with their acrobatic features, had their
counterparts in Cappadocia as early as 2400 b. c.3 The Early Minoan ivory
seals in the shape of animals and the conoid types have also a wide Oriental
distribution, and the ' signet' form that survives into Middle Minoan times
show a parallelism with certain Hittite seals. A few Cretan hieroglyphs
also suggest Hittite comparisons.
Taking the data at our disposal as a whole there is little evidence Oriental
of direct relations with the Easternmost Mediterranean shores before the fluences
close of the Middle Minoan Age. The Early Babylonian cylinder may j^™nfest
indeed be regarded as an incipient symptom of such relations, and the Minoan
fashion of flounced costumes may have owed its first suggestion to models Age'
from that side. Early in Late Minoan times a regular commercial inter-
course was established with Cyprus and the neighbouring coastlands of
North Syria and Cilicia, which was the prelude to actual colonization,
eventually resulting in a distinct Cypro-Minoan School of Art. From the
1 See below, pp. 197-8, Fig. 146. having a structure on his back suggesting the
2 L. Heuzey, De'couvertes en Chaldie par seat or throne of a deity. ... In front of the
Ernest de Sarzec, 3me livraison, PI. 45, 5, 6. bull is the figure of a man who has fallen face on
3 A sealed clay envelope from Cappadocia the ground, feet in the air. He is falling on
(Pinches, Liverpool Annals of Archaeology and his left arm, the right being stretched out back-
Anthropology, i, p. 76 seqq., No. 23) bears the wards. Farther to the right is a man stand-
lrnpression of a cylinder in the indigenous style, ing on his head and with his hands on the
and dating, according to Professor Sayce, c. ground to support himself. The figures seem
2400 b.c, described as follows (p. 77): ' On to have been acrobatic in nature. See below,
the extreme right is a horned bull kneeling and p. 190.
15
The earliest evidence of a direct importation from the Oriental world is Dis-
supplied by a cylinder1 of the First Babylonian Dynasty found in a deposit j°a^eyio-°
belonging to the mature earlier phase la) of the First Middle Minoan Period. "ia.n ,
p &. . . Cylinder.
The inscribed clay tablets, which now appear, also attest an influence from
that side.
That throughout its course Minoan civilization continued to absorb Asiatic
Elements
elements from the Asiatic side is, on the face of it, probable enough. This in Minoan
process was, in fact, the continuation of an early drift and infiltration, going Culture-
back to the most primitive times, and to which probably the first acquaintance
with metals was due. The cult of the Double Axe was, as we have seen,
common to both areas, and there is a strong presumption that its original
home is to be sought in that direction. Votive axes of terra-cotta, both
double and single, were brought to light moreover during M. de Sarzec's ex-
cavations at the early Chaldaean site of Tello.2 The stone mace has the
same wide easterly range. We have even a hint that the favourite bull-
grappling sports of Minoan Crete, with their acrobatic features, had their
counterparts in Cappadocia as early as 2400 b. c.3 The Early Minoan ivory
seals in the shape of animals and the conoid types have also a wide Oriental
distribution, and the ' signet' form that survives into Middle Minoan times
show a parallelism with certain Hittite seals. A few Cretan hieroglyphs
also suggest Hittite comparisons.
Taking the data at our disposal as a whole there is little evidence Oriental
of direct relations with the Easternmost Mediterranean shores before the fluences
close of the Middle Minoan Age. The Early Babylonian cylinder may j^™nfest
indeed be regarded as an incipient symptom of such relations, and the Minoan
fashion of flounced costumes may have owed its first suggestion to models Age'
from that side. Early in Late Minoan times a regular commercial inter-
course was established with Cyprus and the neighbouring coastlands of
North Syria and Cilicia, which was the prelude to actual colonization,
eventually resulting in a distinct Cypro-Minoan School of Art. From the
1 See below, pp. 197-8, Fig. 146. having a structure on his back suggesting the
2 L. Heuzey, De'couvertes en Chaldie par seat or throne of a deity. ... In front of the
Ernest de Sarzec, 3me livraison, PI. 45, 5, 6. bull is the figure of a man who has fallen face on
3 A sealed clay envelope from Cappadocia the ground, feet in the air. He is falling on
(Pinches, Liverpool Annals of Archaeology and his left arm, the right being stretched out back-
Anthropology, i, p. 76 seqq., No. 23) bears the wards. Farther to the right is a man stand-
lrnpression of a cylinder in the indigenous style, ing on his head and with his hands on the
and dating, according to Professor Sayce, c. ground to support himself. The figures seem
2400 b.c, described as follows (p. 77): ' On to have been acrobatic in nature. See below,
the extreme right is a horned bull kneeling and p. 190.