DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.811#0071
42 PHYLAKOPI FRESCO WITH EMBROIDERED SWALLOWS
back to back. A restored drawing of the whole design is given in Fig. 26.1
Though the birds—which are of miniature scale—are on a somewhat larger
scale, it will be seen that their symmetrical, antithetic position answers to that
assigned to the sphinxes and griffins on the present fragments. It will be
observed, moreover, that they show the ' notched plume' ornament on their
wings under its earlier, well-formed aspect.2 This feature—seen on the bone
arrow-plumes from the Temple Repositories at Knossos, as already noted—
has specially religious associations, and not only appears on the wings of the
sacred monsters, but forms a recognized ornament on the skirts of the
Minoan Goddess and her votaries.3
Minia- On the whole it does not seem unreasonable to suppose that the robe
coration to wmcn the present group of painted stucco fragments belonged, with its richly
perhaps embroidered bands, on which the miniature sphinxes and griffins repeat
of God- themselves in confronted groups, actually belongs to a figure of the Goddess
dess. herself, perhaps in company, as she often appears, with a companion or
double. This finds an analogy with the lower borders of the skirt of the
facing figure recognized as that of the Goddess in the Procession Fresco,
where, though in that case the designs are simply decorative, they are
exceptionally rich in ornament. It may be fittingly described as a ' holy robe'.
The style of this large-scale work, the details of which link it on to the
miniatures, fully corroborates the conclusions as to their relatively early date.
Close comparisons have been established above between it and the group of
paintings executed by a Minoan artist at the command of some Melian Prince
to adorn the walls of the pillar sanctuary of his residence. But these
Phylakopi frescoes in some respects present the finest characteristics of the
earlier phase of M. M. Ill and it is impossible to bring down the date of
this Knossian work later than at most the concluding phase of that Period.
The Small Sanctuary Structure containing the 'Miniature ' Frescoes.
Com- Apart from what seems to have been a little nook at its Northern end,
the small Sanctuary Chamber, to which the ' Spiral Ceiling' and the purely
' Miniature' frescoes belonged, occupied one of the most important vantage
points in the whole building. Its smaller, Southern wall faced the Central
Court while that on its Eastern side looked down on the upper section of
the Northern Entrance Passage and thus on to the paved ramp that gave
the most public access to the interior of the Palace.
1 Executed for me by Monsieur E. Giltieron, blade of King Aahmes (1587-1562 B.C.) this
fils, who first recognized this feature. Minoan feature already appears in a secondary
2 See on this P. of M., i, p. 547 seqq. and shape (ibid., p. 551, Fig. 402).
Figs. 399, 400, 401. On the griffin of the axe- 3 Ibid., pp. 549, 550.
manding
corner
position
of shrine.
back to back. A restored drawing of the whole design is given in Fig. 26.1
Though the birds—which are of miniature scale—are on a somewhat larger
scale, it will be seen that their symmetrical, antithetic position answers to that
assigned to the sphinxes and griffins on the present fragments. It will be
observed, moreover, that they show the ' notched plume' ornament on their
wings under its earlier, well-formed aspect.2 This feature—seen on the bone
arrow-plumes from the Temple Repositories at Knossos, as already noted—
has specially religious associations, and not only appears on the wings of the
sacred monsters, but forms a recognized ornament on the skirts of the
Minoan Goddess and her votaries.3
Minia- On the whole it does not seem unreasonable to suppose that the robe
coration to wmcn the present group of painted stucco fragments belonged, with its richly
perhaps embroidered bands, on which the miniature sphinxes and griffins repeat
of God- themselves in confronted groups, actually belongs to a figure of the Goddess
dess. herself, perhaps in company, as she often appears, with a companion or
double. This finds an analogy with the lower borders of the skirt of the
facing figure recognized as that of the Goddess in the Procession Fresco,
where, though in that case the designs are simply decorative, they are
exceptionally rich in ornament. It may be fittingly described as a ' holy robe'.
The style of this large-scale work, the details of which link it on to the
miniatures, fully corroborates the conclusions as to their relatively early date.
Close comparisons have been established above between it and the group of
paintings executed by a Minoan artist at the command of some Melian Prince
to adorn the walls of the pillar sanctuary of his residence. But these
Phylakopi frescoes in some respects present the finest characteristics of the
earlier phase of M. M. Ill and it is impossible to bring down the date of
this Knossian work later than at most the concluding phase of that Period.
The Small Sanctuary Structure containing the 'Miniature ' Frescoes.
Com- Apart from what seems to have been a little nook at its Northern end,
the small Sanctuary Chamber, to which the ' Spiral Ceiling' and the purely
' Miniature' frescoes belonged, occupied one of the most important vantage
points in the whole building. Its smaller, Southern wall faced the Central
Court while that on its Eastern side looked down on the upper section of
the Northern Entrance Passage and thus on to the paved ramp that gave
the most public access to the interior of the Palace.
1 Executed for me by Monsieur E. Giltieron, blade of King Aahmes (1587-1562 B.C.) this
fils, who first recognized this feature. Minoan feature already appears in a secondary
2 See on this P. of M., i, p. 547 seqq. and shape (ibid., p. 551, Fig. 402).
Figs. 399, 400, 401. On the griffin of the axe- 3 Ibid., pp. 549, 550.
manding
corner
position
of shrine.