Evans, Arthur J.: The Palace of Minos: a comparative account of the successive stages of the early Cretan civilization as illustred by the discoveries at Knossos (Band 1): The Neolithic and Early and Middle Minoan Ages (London, 1921)

436

THE PALACE OF MINOS, ETC.

The engraving of the Sacred Double Axe on a block of the pillar here,
in addition to placing its actual base before it, has now received a new
and striking illustration.
^lllar „ In the Middle Minoan Palace, lately discovered by Dr. Hatzidakis at

Crypt of r . .

Early Malia, some 20 miles East of Candia on the same Northern Coast, an
at^Malia. analogous Pillar Crypt was brought to light with a pillar of the exceptional

Lmliu 1T1 mini 1T1 nihil .Ti 1 1 1 I 1 1 1 ,T,........51°

Fig. 313. Huge Ritual Double Axe from Sanctuary of Nirou Khani,

near knossos, 1-20 metre in diam.

dimensions of a metre on every side. Here, too, on one of the blocks, was
a Double Axe symbol, in this case deeply incised.1

In face of such striking analogies there can no longer be any hesitation
in accepting the view that the Double Axe signs on the pillars 2 of the two
basement chambers of the Palace have a direct relation to that form of
Minoan cult of which, at a later date, the scene on the Sarcophagus of Hagia
Triada affords such a graphic illustration.

1 KpyriKr/ 'E^^ept?, Oct. 5, 1919. Dr. had not been excavated.

Hatzidakis has kindly supplied me with a 2 The object in these cases seems to have

photograph of the pillar, of which two layers of been the consecration of the material. The

massive blocks are preserved. The Double incised signs themselves were doubtless often

Axe sign is on one of the lower of these, and covered with plaster. But the question of their

in the sharp character of its incision resembles actual visibility does not affect the religious

that of the Knossian pillars. The room itself intention.