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)

5i6 THE PALACE OF MINOS, ETC

is to be noted that this symbol in the somewhat elongated form here seen
is a regular character of the Linear Scripts both a and b at Knossos. In its
earlier phase this sign shows equal limbs. In the script it possessed not only
a (presumably) phonetic value, but could be used by itself as an ideograph.
It is found, in its equal-limbed form, among Cypro-Minoan characters,1 and
in the Cypriote Syllabary has the equivalence of lo. The equal-limbed

Fig. 376. Marble Cross from W. Repository.

type also occurs on a faience inlay from Knossos 2 (Fig. 375), and a small gold
cross of similar form was found in the Third Shaft Grave at Mycenae.3 In the
case, however, of such small inlays, as of certain painted stucco patterns,
the natural evolution of the cross as an element in various decorative
designs, often of textile origin, must be always borne in mind.

The occurrence of the cruciform stellar sign as a symbol of the Great

1 Scripta Minoa, i, p. 70, Fig. 39, Table III. a pale ground.

2 The inner cross is of a purplish brown on 3 Schliemann, Mycenae, p. 194, Fig. 294.