DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.811#0461
4o8 ALPHABETIC SIGNS ON BONE FISH AND SEGMENTS
Inlayers'
signary.
Accom-
panied
by vary-
ing
numbers.
Seg-
ments of
bracelets
with
similar
marks
and
numbers.
advanced linear scripts of Crete, though not more than eight out of the
twenty-five forms show any real correspondence. A group of earlier linear
signs that appear in connexion with the hieroglyphic script affords a some-
what greater proportional series of resemblances, including No. 10 of the
Table (Fig. 269), which presents a somewhat distinctive ' single-axe ' type.
Similar marks occur on faience inlays,1 but much more sparsely, in some
cases—like those found in the ' Room of the Throne ' at Knossos—accom-
panied, as here, by marks of numeration.2
The natural inference is that we have here elements of a signary
belonging to a Minoan inlayers' guild. The vesica piscis form representing
a segment of a circle is indeed of frequent occurrence among the corre-
sponding inlays in vitreous paste, and this form of inlay, in this material,
occurred in the present deposit.
What, however, is extremely difficult to understand is why in the case
of not more than three dozen whole or fragmentary specimens of these fish-
shaped objects no less than twenty-five different marks should appear,
coupled with a great variety of numbers on different pieces ? The + sign
for instance is followed by II, III, III II, III III, and Mil Mil, the highest being
Hill INI, as if the numbers stopped before the decimal.
It seems probable that in each case the sign was followed by numbers
up to nine, and, as there were twenty-five different signs, and probably
more, the total number of variations must have amounted to at least 225.3
Perhaps the most puzzling feature is the fact that, side by side with
bone ' fish ', there occurred remains of a series of segments—seemingly cut
out of bracelets of bone or ivory—presenting similar signs and numbers
(Fig. 271). A whole specimen of such, uninscribed, was found in the ' Store
Room' deposit, and the original ornamental use of the objects as rings was in
this case clear from the knobs along their exterior surface.4 These in any case
were not inlays. Neither were they the marks of a bracelet maker since, as
is clearly shown from one of the group, the sign that there appears was partly
incised on the cut surface of the segment.
What then was the meaning of this elaborate use of signs and numbers ?
1 E. g. L. Pernier, Palazzo di Phaestos
(Mon. Ant., xii), pp. 95, 96, Fig. 30.
2 A. E., Report, Knossos, 1900 (U.S.A., vi),
pp. 41, 42. In this case the signs were
followed by groups of dots. On the faience
inlays from Tell-el-Jehudijeh, where signs
much resembling the Knossian occur (cf. loc.
at.), there were no marks of numeration.
Such, however, sometimes occur on Egyptian
inlays.
s There is no evidence as to whether any
were duplicated.
4 Remains of gold foil adhered to the outer
surface of some of the segments.
Inlayers'
signary.
Accom-
panied
by vary-
ing
numbers.
Seg-
ments of
bracelets
with
similar
marks
and
numbers.
advanced linear scripts of Crete, though not more than eight out of the
twenty-five forms show any real correspondence. A group of earlier linear
signs that appear in connexion with the hieroglyphic script affords a some-
what greater proportional series of resemblances, including No. 10 of the
Table (Fig. 269), which presents a somewhat distinctive ' single-axe ' type.
Similar marks occur on faience inlays,1 but much more sparsely, in some
cases—like those found in the ' Room of the Throne ' at Knossos—accom-
panied, as here, by marks of numeration.2
The natural inference is that we have here elements of a signary
belonging to a Minoan inlayers' guild. The vesica piscis form representing
a segment of a circle is indeed of frequent occurrence among the corre-
sponding inlays in vitreous paste, and this form of inlay, in this material,
occurred in the present deposit.
What, however, is extremely difficult to understand is why in the case
of not more than three dozen whole or fragmentary specimens of these fish-
shaped objects no less than twenty-five different marks should appear,
coupled with a great variety of numbers on different pieces ? The + sign
for instance is followed by II, III, III II, III III, and Mil Mil, the highest being
Hill INI, as if the numbers stopped before the decimal.
It seems probable that in each case the sign was followed by numbers
up to nine, and, as there were twenty-five different signs, and probably
more, the total number of variations must have amounted to at least 225.3
Perhaps the most puzzling feature is the fact that, side by side with
bone ' fish ', there occurred remains of a series of segments—seemingly cut
out of bracelets of bone or ivory—presenting similar signs and numbers
(Fig. 271). A whole specimen of such, uninscribed, was found in the ' Store
Room' deposit, and the original ornamental use of the objects as rings was in
this case clear from the knobs along their exterior surface.4 These in any case
were not inlays. Neither were they the marks of a bracelet maker since, as
is clearly shown from one of the group, the sign that there appears was partly
incised on the cut surface of the segment.
What then was the meaning of this elaborate use of signs and numbers ?
1 E. g. L. Pernier, Palazzo di Phaestos
(Mon. Ant., xii), pp. 95, 96, Fig. 30.
2 A. E., Report, Knossos, 1900 (U.S.A., vi),
pp. 41, 42. In this case the signs were
followed by groups of dots. On the faience
inlays from Tell-el-Jehudijeh, where signs
much resembling the Knossian occur (cf. loc.
at.), there were no marks of numeration.
Such, however, sometimes occur on Egyptian
inlays.
s There is no evidence as to whether any
were duplicated.
4 Remains of gold foil adhered to the outer
surface of some of the segments.