DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.807#0564
522
THE PALACE OF MINOS, ETC.
Fish
Frescoes
of
Phyla-
kopi and
Knossos.
analogous to those exhibiting the animal groups. A group of these with
two flying fish in the centre had been tentatively put together in Fig. 379,
the argonauts in the round being here placed with the other objects. The
ramifying border seems to represent some kind of coralline or other
zoophytic growth.
Sea pieces like the above at once suggest striking parallels with two
Minoan wall-paintings—the flying-fish panel of Phylakopi 1 and the dolphin
fresco found in the Queen's Megaron at Knossos, described below.2 A
contemporary parallel to the reliefs of marine objects in faience is moreover
afforded by some interesting, though as yet unpublished, ceramic remains
of this Period. Isolated reliefs of whorl shells or cockles have been found
Fig. 381. Fragment of Side of Clay Basin with Triton Shell in Relief (§).
on vase fragments, some of them showing the dark black glaze of M. M. II
tradition. The most striking comparison, however, is supplied by a series
of moulded pieces in terra-cotta, which seem to have formed part of
a large marine piece found in the circular walled ' rubbish pit' of the West
Court in company with heaps of characteristic M. M. Ill sherds. On these
appear pectens, tritons, or, perhaps, purple shells, limpets and barnacles
on a rock-like surface, and small crabs of singularly natural appearance
(Fig. 380). Indeed, when the first fragments came to light it was hard to
believe that one had not to do with fossil shells and Crustacea resembling
those of our Coralline Crag- ! It seems clear that the moulds for some
of these reliefs were formed on the natural objects themselves. Traces
appeared of white painted decoration.3
1 See below, p. 541, Fig. 393. 3 Some parallel reliefs representing rock-work
2 See below, p. 542. Fig. 394, showed traces of both white and blue.
THE PALACE OF MINOS, ETC.
Fish
Frescoes
of
Phyla-
kopi and
Knossos.
analogous to those exhibiting the animal groups. A group of these with
two flying fish in the centre had been tentatively put together in Fig. 379,
the argonauts in the round being here placed with the other objects. The
ramifying border seems to represent some kind of coralline or other
zoophytic growth.
Sea pieces like the above at once suggest striking parallels with two
Minoan wall-paintings—the flying-fish panel of Phylakopi 1 and the dolphin
fresco found in the Queen's Megaron at Knossos, described below.2 A
contemporary parallel to the reliefs of marine objects in faience is moreover
afforded by some interesting, though as yet unpublished, ceramic remains
of this Period. Isolated reliefs of whorl shells or cockles have been found
Fig. 381. Fragment of Side of Clay Basin with Triton Shell in Relief (§).
on vase fragments, some of them showing the dark black glaze of M. M. II
tradition. The most striking comparison, however, is supplied by a series
of moulded pieces in terra-cotta, which seem to have formed part of
a large marine piece found in the circular walled ' rubbish pit' of the West
Court in company with heaps of characteristic M. M. Ill sherds. On these
appear pectens, tritons, or, perhaps, purple shells, limpets and barnacles
on a rock-like surface, and small crabs of singularly natural appearance
(Fig. 380). Indeed, when the first fragments came to light it was hard to
believe that one had not to do with fossil shells and Crustacea resembling
those of our Coralline Crag- ! It seems clear that the moulds for some
of these reliefs were formed on the natural objects themselves. Traces
appeared of white painted decoration.3
1 See below, p. 541, Fig. 393. 3 Some parallel reliefs representing rock-work
2 See below, p. 542. Fig. 394, showed traces of both white and blue.