DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.808#0063
'THE RING OF NESTOR,' ETC. 61
though its existence seems very probable. On the other hand, evidence of
the belief in the weighing of souls recurs among Zoroastrians, Brahmins
and Buddhists, and St. Gabriel takes St. Michael's place throughout the
Mahometan world. The Archangel weighing the souls of the departed is a
familiar subject in the wall-paintings and stained glass windows of mediaeval
churches.61
The equation in Minoan eyes of butterflies with human souls, of which
we have now such full evidence, gives great significance to their appearance
in the funereal scales found in the Mycenae tomb. It looks indeed as if,
according to the Minoan and Mycenaean belief, the soul had been weighed in
butterfly form previous to re-incarnation through the divine power. It is
possible even that the thin plate cut out in butterfly form, and with no per-
forations for attachment to the dress or other materials, which was found by
Schliemann in the grave containing the scales may have been intended to
have been placed in the balance as a representation of the soul itself. The
embossed figure of butterflies on the plates of the scales are themselves
sufficiently expressive of the funereal function that they were supposed
to serve.
In the case of the ' Ring of Nestor ' the fact that the two butterflies that
flutter above the head of the seated figure stand in immediate relation to
the pair of chrysalises is in each case a very manifest allusion to the emergence
of a soul to new life. It has thus a special significance in view of other
evidence illustrating the functions of the Minoan Goddess as Lady of the
Under-world. It is not only that her chthonic aspect is constantly illustrated
by her snake attributes, but there is actual evidence of her guardianship of
the abode of the dead. The Tomb of the Double-Axes at Knossos—the most
interesting of all Minoan sepulchres—was, in fact, at the same time a Shrine
of the Goddess.52 The rock-hewn cell, in which enough remains were found
to mark the last resting-place of a departed warrior, was itself carefully cut
in the outline of a double-axe, and there were also sufficient indications that
the ledged recess at the head of the grave had been fitted with the usual
51 Mr. T. G. Waller, who has discussed lives on in folk-lore and custom. At an
this subject in connexion with the wall- Athens Carnival I actually witnessed a
paintings of St. Mary, Guildford, in Archaeo- popular play called the ' Miser's Doom '
logia (xlix., 1885, p. 208 seqq.), quotes (described and illustrated by Prof. Myres,
(p. 210) a passage in the Dialogues of Journ. Anthr. Inst., 1896, p. 102 seqq.),
St. Gregory the Great (c. 604 a.d.) in which where the guilty soul in the shape of a
he says, ' the good and the bad angels china doll was weighed down by a devil
come and the merits and demerits of the in the opposite scale. The idea also
man are weighed.' He cites the weighing survives in English folklore. At Long
of the actions of men by Mithra and Compton in Warwickshire a man, in
Bashne-rast on the narrow bridge that describing to me the black arts of a deceased
separates earth and heaven as described fellow-villager, added, ' I should like to
in the Zendavesta, and Brahmin and Bud- have had a good weigh of him agin the
dhist parallels. The subject of one of the church Bible.' In the balance of good and
finest mediaeval wall-paintings in England evil the ' church Bible' thus takes the place
in South Leigh Church, Oxon, is St. of the Egyptian ' feather of Truth.'
Michael weighing a soul, while a devil tries 52 See A. E., Tomb of the Double-Axes, etc.
to pull down the opposite balance. It is (Quariteh, 1914, and Arckaeologia, lxv.),
also the central theme of the fine west p. 33 seqq.
window of Fairford Church. The idea
though its existence seems very probable. On the other hand, evidence of
the belief in the weighing of souls recurs among Zoroastrians, Brahmins
and Buddhists, and St. Gabriel takes St. Michael's place throughout the
Mahometan world. The Archangel weighing the souls of the departed is a
familiar subject in the wall-paintings and stained glass windows of mediaeval
churches.61
The equation in Minoan eyes of butterflies with human souls, of which
we have now such full evidence, gives great significance to their appearance
in the funereal scales found in the Mycenae tomb. It looks indeed as if,
according to the Minoan and Mycenaean belief, the soul had been weighed in
butterfly form previous to re-incarnation through the divine power. It is
possible even that the thin plate cut out in butterfly form, and with no per-
forations for attachment to the dress or other materials, which was found by
Schliemann in the grave containing the scales may have been intended to
have been placed in the balance as a representation of the soul itself. The
embossed figure of butterflies on the plates of the scales are themselves
sufficiently expressive of the funereal function that they were supposed
to serve.
In the case of the ' Ring of Nestor ' the fact that the two butterflies that
flutter above the head of the seated figure stand in immediate relation to
the pair of chrysalises is in each case a very manifest allusion to the emergence
of a soul to new life. It has thus a special significance in view of other
evidence illustrating the functions of the Minoan Goddess as Lady of the
Under-world. It is not only that her chthonic aspect is constantly illustrated
by her snake attributes, but there is actual evidence of her guardianship of
the abode of the dead. The Tomb of the Double-Axes at Knossos—the most
interesting of all Minoan sepulchres—was, in fact, at the same time a Shrine
of the Goddess.52 The rock-hewn cell, in which enough remains were found
to mark the last resting-place of a departed warrior, was itself carefully cut
in the outline of a double-axe, and there were also sufficient indications that
the ledged recess at the head of the grave had been fitted with the usual
51 Mr. T. G. Waller, who has discussed lives on in folk-lore and custom. At an
this subject in connexion with the wall- Athens Carnival I actually witnessed a
paintings of St. Mary, Guildford, in Archaeo- popular play called the ' Miser's Doom '
logia (xlix., 1885, p. 208 seqq.), quotes (described and illustrated by Prof. Myres,
(p. 210) a passage in the Dialogues of Journ. Anthr. Inst., 1896, p. 102 seqq.),
St. Gregory the Great (c. 604 a.d.) in which where the guilty soul in the shape of a
he says, ' the good and the bad angels china doll was weighed down by a devil
come and the merits and demerits of the in the opposite scale. The idea also
man are weighed.' He cites the weighing survives in English folklore. At Long
of the actions of men by Mithra and Compton in Warwickshire a man, in
Bashne-rast on the narrow bridge that describing to me the black arts of a deceased
separates earth and heaven as described fellow-villager, added, ' I should like to
in the Zendavesta, and Brahmin and Bud- have had a good weigh of him agin the
dhist parallels. The subject of one of the church Bible.' In the balance of good and
finest mediaeval wall-paintings in England evil the ' church Bible' thus takes the place
in South Leigh Church, Oxon, is St. of the Egyptian ' feather of Truth.'
Michael weighing a soul, while a devil tries 52 See A. E., Tomb of the Double-Axes, etc.
to pull down the opposite balance. It is (Quariteh, 1914, and Arckaeologia, lxv.),
also the central theme of the fine west p. 33 seqq.
window of Fairford Church. The idea