DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.807#0470
430
THE PALACE OF MINOS, ETC.
' Sacral
Knot ' of
Ivory.
Minoan
' Tartan
chamber of a sanctuary character, such as in all cases seems to have been
superposed on the pillar crypts, lay an ivory object, the associations of which
throw a further interesting light on the cult with which we. are concerned.
This was in the form of a kind of knot with a loop above and two fringed
ends hanging down below (Fig. 308). It shows a diaper
pattern, and looks as if it were copied from some kind
of scarf. It is interesting to note that objects of similar
form in faience, which there is good reason to believe
belong to the Palace fabric of Knossos, were found in
the Fourth Shaft Grave, the early elements of which
belong to the Third Middle Minoan Period. Three pairs
of such 'Sacral Knots' were here brought to light, each of
them divided into two pieces, namely, the looped knot
and the fringed ends (Fig. 309). All the pieces had
perforations that had been used for nails, doubtless to
fasten them to a woodwork frame (see Fig. 309, d), and
the)* seem to have been connected with the Draught-board
found in the same grave, probably as an indication of its
sacral character.1 The loop of the knot was in these cases
bent forward, as shown from above in Fig. 309, d. The
ground colour is a greenish brown, decorated, as in the
case of the ivory example, with cross lines in a lighter
tone. A noteworthy feature of the fringe is the knotting
together of its threads into tassels with what in the
original may have been gold wire. Altogether these
are remark able reproductions of textile material.
The check pattern of these knots—here set diagonally
Fig. 308. 'Sacral
Knot ' of Ivory. S.E.
House. (§■).
itself
-is
very characteristic of primitive loom work. It is, indeed, a true tartan
design, the double or quadruple lines, in a lighter tone-—-here enclosing dark
suggestive of that of the Grahams or MacAlpines.
-being
green squares-
Otherwise the whole might be taken as a model of a fashionable scarf.
The significance of these knots—generally seen in pairs—in their con-
1 The photographs from which Fig. 309
was taken were kindly sent me by Dr. Karo,
for whom they were executed with Dr. Staes'
permission. Dr. Karo offers the suggestion
that they were connected with the faience
draught-board found in this Grave (see below,
p. 482), and the fact that the loop of which
the back is shown in Fig. 347, p. 484 below,
shows three indented lines like those on the
back of the faience medallions of the board
corroborates this view. Dr. Staes {Collection
Mycenienne, 2nd ed., p. 58) has suggested that
the knots formed part of the inlays of a wooden
coffin. Schliemann, Mycenae, p. 252, Fig. 235,
illustrates one of the knots, but describes it as
' Alabaster'.
THE PALACE OF MINOS, ETC.
' Sacral
Knot ' of
Ivory.
Minoan
' Tartan
chamber of a sanctuary character, such as in all cases seems to have been
superposed on the pillar crypts, lay an ivory object, the associations of which
throw a further interesting light on the cult with which we. are concerned.
This was in the form of a kind of knot with a loop above and two fringed
ends hanging down below (Fig. 308). It shows a diaper
pattern, and looks as if it were copied from some kind
of scarf. It is interesting to note that objects of similar
form in faience, which there is good reason to believe
belong to the Palace fabric of Knossos, were found in
the Fourth Shaft Grave, the early elements of which
belong to the Third Middle Minoan Period. Three pairs
of such 'Sacral Knots' were here brought to light, each of
them divided into two pieces, namely, the looped knot
and the fringed ends (Fig. 309). All the pieces had
perforations that had been used for nails, doubtless to
fasten them to a woodwork frame (see Fig. 309, d), and
the)* seem to have been connected with the Draught-board
found in the same grave, probably as an indication of its
sacral character.1 The loop of the knot was in these cases
bent forward, as shown from above in Fig. 309, d. The
ground colour is a greenish brown, decorated, as in the
case of the ivory example, with cross lines in a lighter
tone. A noteworthy feature of the fringe is the knotting
together of its threads into tassels with what in the
original may have been gold wire. Altogether these
are remark able reproductions of textile material.
The check pattern of these knots—here set diagonally
Fig. 308. 'Sacral
Knot ' of Ivory. S.E.
House. (§■).
itself
-is
very characteristic of primitive loom work. It is, indeed, a true tartan
design, the double or quadruple lines, in a lighter tone-—-here enclosing dark
suggestive of that of the Grahams or MacAlpines.
-being
green squares-
Otherwise the whole might be taken as a model of a fashionable scarf.
The significance of these knots—generally seen in pairs—in their con-
1 The photographs from which Fig. 309
was taken were kindly sent me by Dr. Karo,
for whom they were executed with Dr. Staes'
permission. Dr. Karo offers the suggestion
that they were connected with the faience
draught-board found in this Grave (see below,
p. 482), and the fact that the loop of which
the back is shown in Fig. 347, p. 484 below,
shows three indented lines like those on the
back of the faience medallions of the board
corroborates this view. Dr. Staes {Collection
Mycenienne, 2nd ed., p. 58) has suggested that
the knots formed part of the inlays of a wooden
coffin. Schliemann, Mycenae, p. 252, Fig. 235,
illustrates one of the knots, but describes it as
' Alabaster'.