DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.7476#0093
ELGIN SLABS FROM 'ATREUS' TOMB
77
as a base for elating this magnificent structure, the facade of which shows so
many close correspondences with the finest sculptured work of the M. M. Ill
Palace at Knossos, is peculiarly unfortunate, since the ceramic group to
which it belongs shows a complete divergence from the current style of
Late Minoan Crete.
But in any case this particular piece of evidence loses its force when it
is remembered that the threshold slabs under which it was found themselves
represent a wedge of poros material between its conglomerate side-blocks.
It is difficult to believe that an architect capable of such a structure was
unable to complete the threshold in the same material.1 It is clear, in fact,
that some of the small objects found within the 'Treasury' belonged to
a considerably earlier period than the sherd.
The Elgin Slabs with Bull-reliefs found near the Entrance to the ' Atreus '
Tomb, and their Relation to the Painted Stucco Frieze of the North
Entrance Porticoes at Knossos.
The architectural indebtedness of the facade of the ' Atreus' tomb, as
visible in its decorative reliefs, to the Middle Minoan Palace at Knossos is
curiously supplemented by the evidence afforded by the remains of two
sculptured slabs obtained by Lord Elgin from the entrance area of the
Tomb and now in the British Museum.2
1 Mr. Wace, in defending his thesis (/. H. S.,
1926, p. 111), says that 'the L. H. Ill pot-
sherds and other small objects ' were found
' under the threshold of the tomb under the
Southern big conglomerate block (not under
the central wedge of poros as Sir Arthur says)
which was still securely mortared up to the
other blocks with the original yellow clay.
This means that the objects thus enclosed
must have been in place when the tomb was
in use, and long before earth accumulated in
the dromos in later times, and partially ob-
structed the entrance.' I must apologize for
my somewhat inexact expression (/. H. S.,
1925, p. 264, and cf. p. 75) as to the position
of the sherd and other objects as being under
the threshold. Put, if the threshold was later
patched up, they may well have worked them-
selves in beneath the side-block. That the
vault was re-used at the very end of the My-
cenaean Age is a phenomenon characteristic
of a series of bee-hive tombs throughout the
Peloponnese. So, too, op. cit., p. in, Mr.
Wace says: 'The Tomb of Clytemnestra is
dated also by early L. H. Ill sherds found by
us under the walls of the tholos, and by an
unplundered grave found by Professor Tsountas
in the dromos.' Here one statement contra-
dicts the other. The early elements in
Tsountas's grave pit correspond in style and
fabric with those of a L. M. I b chamber tomb
at Mycenae. The inlaid ivory wing from the
same pit {B. S. A., p. 371, Fig. 81, a) certainly
seems to belong to the same good period, and
shows the ' notched plume' motive in a fine
style.
2 See Mr. F. N. Price's exhaustive study of
the evidence in B. M. Cat. ofSculpture (2nd ed.,
1929), pp. 16, 27. They were unquestionably
the two unlabelled slabs shipped in the Braakel
from Piraeus early in 1906, and had been ex-
cavated by Lord Elgin's agent, Mr. Vlasopuli,
in this area.
77
as a base for elating this magnificent structure, the facade of which shows so
many close correspondences with the finest sculptured work of the M. M. Ill
Palace at Knossos, is peculiarly unfortunate, since the ceramic group to
which it belongs shows a complete divergence from the current style of
Late Minoan Crete.
But in any case this particular piece of evidence loses its force when it
is remembered that the threshold slabs under which it was found themselves
represent a wedge of poros material between its conglomerate side-blocks.
It is difficult to believe that an architect capable of such a structure was
unable to complete the threshold in the same material.1 It is clear, in fact,
that some of the small objects found within the 'Treasury' belonged to
a considerably earlier period than the sherd.
The Elgin Slabs with Bull-reliefs found near the Entrance to the ' Atreus '
Tomb, and their Relation to the Painted Stucco Frieze of the North
Entrance Porticoes at Knossos.
The architectural indebtedness of the facade of the ' Atreus' tomb, as
visible in its decorative reliefs, to the Middle Minoan Palace at Knossos is
curiously supplemented by the evidence afforded by the remains of two
sculptured slabs obtained by Lord Elgin from the entrance area of the
Tomb and now in the British Museum.2
1 Mr. Wace, in defending his thesis (/. H. S.,
1926, p. 111), says that 'the L. H. Ill pot-
sherds and other small objects ' were found
' under the threshold of the tomb under the
Southern big conglomerate block (not under
the central wedge of poros as Sir Arthur says)
which was still securely mortared up to the
other blocks with the original yellow clay.
This means that the objects thus enclosed
must have been in place when the tomb was
in use, and long before earth accumulated in
the dromos in later times, and partially ob-
structed the entrance.' I must apologize for
my somewhat inexact expression (/. H. S.,
1925, p. 264, and cf. p. 75) as to the position
of the sherd and other objects as being under
the threshold. Put, if the threshold was later
patched up, they may well have worked them-
selves in beneath the side-block. That the
vault was re-used at the very end of the My-
cenaean Age is a phenomenon characteristic
of a series of bee-hive tombs throughout the
Peloponnese. So, too, op. cit., p. in, Mr.
Wace says: 'The Tomb of Clytemnestra is
dated also by early L. H. Ill sherds found by
us under the walls of the tholos, and by an
unplundered grave found by Professor Tsountas
in the dromos.' Here one statement contra-
dicts the other. The early elements in
Tsountas's grave pit correspond in style and
fabric with those of a L. M. I b chamber tomb
at Mycenae. The inlaid ivory wing from the
same pit {B. S. A., p. 371, Fig. 81, a) certainly
seems to belong to the same good period, and
shows the ' notched plume' motive in a fine
style.
2 See Mr. F. N. Price's exhaustive study of
the evidence in B. M. Cat. ofSculpture (2nd ed.,
1929), pp. 16, 27. They were unquestionably
the two unlabelled slabs shipped in the Braakel
from Piraeus early in 1906, and had been ex-
cavated by Lord Elgin's agent, Mr. Vlasopuli,
in this area.