DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.807#0605
M. M. Ill: THE PALACE POTTERY STORES 561
These ' bird vases ' were from their particular shape well adapted for the
safe carriage of liquid contents, and may have held some welcome offerings
to the Priest-Kings in the shape of Melian wine. The volcanic soil of the
island is in fact specially favourable to the cultivation
of the vine, which may have begun here relatively early.
To-day the wine of Melos, like that of Santorin, has
a special renown for its potency in the Aegean world.
One remarkable feature of these vessels was that they
presented a series of signs incised, after baking, on the
handles. Specimens of these are given in Fig. 408, and
it will be seen that they may be practically regarded as
excerpted from the Minoan signary of Class A,1 though
with some slight differentiations. It would appear,
therefore, that they were the marks of Minoan donors,
nor is this circumstance surprising in view of other
evidence of the existence at this time in, Melos of Cretan
merchants and craftsmen.2 Two Minoan characters,
indeed, also belonging to Class A, and representing a per-
sonal name that recurs in Crete, were found engraved on
the base of a vessel of Melian fabric found at Phylakopi.3
As will be shown below, a sherd from the neighbouring"
Cycladic island of Thera (Santorin) also presents signs of
this class.
The occurrence in the case of these handles of single
characters only makes it unlikely that the)' represented per-
Fig. 408 Inscribed sonal names. It appears, however, that single characters
Signs on Melian , , , , . , . , , . , , .
Pots compared in both advanced linearized scripts had an ideographic
with Specimens of as well as a syllabic or alphabetic value. Single signs were
q^^na LlNEAR also found cut on the handles and shoulders of con-
temporary jugs of indigenous Minoan fabric, fragments of
which were found in a large rubbish heap to the South East of the site.
These included two simple forms T and h , but were also of special interest
as showing a double-axe sign and its linearized derivative.4
Incised
Signs on
Handles
of Melian
Vases.
Their
Minoan
Aspect.
Single
Signs on
Knossian
M. M. Ill
Vessels.
Mackenzie to the beginning of theThird Middle
Cycladic Period.
1 The triangle sign is found in the Hiero-
glyphic Signary and in the Late Mycenaean
Signary, as illustrated by the stirrup vase from
Orchomenos(see ScriptaMinoa, i, p. 5 7, Figs. 31,
i oo
32). It also occurs on an early signet with
characteristic signs of the Linear Class A.
2 See above, p. 542.
3 Scripta Minoa, i, p. 35, Fig. 16. See below
P- 637.
4 See Table, Fig. 477 below.
These ' bird vases ' were from their particular shape well adapted for the
safe carriage of liquid contents, and may have held some welcome offerings
to the Priest-Kings in the shape of Melian wine. The volcanic soil of the
island is in fact specially favourable to the cultivation
of the vine, which may have begun here relatively early.
To-day the wine of Melos, like that of Santorin, has
a special renown for its potency in the Aegean world.
One remarkable feature of these vessels was that they
presented a series of signs incised, after baking, on the
handles. Specimens of these are given in Fig. 408, and
it will be seen that they may be practically regarded as
excerpted from the Minoan signary of Class A,1 though
with some slight differentiations. It would appear,
therefore, that they were the marks of Minoan donors,
nor is this circumstance surprising in view of other
evidence of the existence at this time in, Melos of Cretan
merchants and craftsmen.2 Two Minoan characters,
indeed, also belonging to Class A, and representing a per-
sonal name that recurs in Crete, were found engraved on
the base of a vessel of Melian fabric found at Phylakopi.3
As will be shown below, a sherd from the neighbouring"
Cycladic island of Thera (Santorin) also presents signs of
this class.
The occurrence in the case of these handles of single
characters only makes it unlikely that the)' represented per-
Fig. 408 Inscribed sonal names. It appears, however, that single characters
Signs on Melian , , , , . , . , , . , , .
Pots compared in both advanced linearized scripts had an ideographic
with Specimens of as well as a syllabic or alphabetic value. Single signs were
q^^na LlNEAR also found cut on the handles and shoulders of con-
temporary jugs of indigenous Minoan fabric, fragments of
which were found in a large rubbish heap to the South East of the site.
These included two simple forms T and h , but were also of special interest
as showing a double-axe sign and its linearized derivative.4
Incised
Signs on
Handles
of Melian
Vases.
Their
Minoan
Aspect.
Single
Signs on
Knossian
M. M. Ill
Vessels.
Mackenzie to the beginning of theThird Middle
Cycladic Period.
1 The triangle sign is found in the Hiero-
glyphic Signary and in the Late Mycenaean
Signary, as illustrated by the stirrup vase from
Orchomenos(see ScriptaMinoa, i, p. 5 7, Figs. 31,
i oo
32). It also occurs on an early signet with
characteristic signs of the Linear Class A.
2 See above, p. 542.
3 Scripta Minoa, i, p. 35, Fig. 16. See below
P- 637.
4 See Table, Fig. 477 below.