DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.1117#0015
PREFACE xiii
on the robes and altars of the Goddess, while on the painted borders of
vases it survives to the end of the Minoan civilization. At Mycenae, which
took it over, it composed the frieze—renewed from generation to genera-
tion—that encircled the hearth of the Royal Megaron. The full demon-
stration of its origin, hitherto undreamed of, is here given.
A fortunate conjunction of circumstances has further enabled me to
illustrate and describe in this Volume a series of comparative examples,
only lately come to light, of figurines of the Minoan Goddess herself. In
one of them, executed in limestone and exceeding in stature any existing
specimen, she appears as Snake Mother.1 A chryselephantine statuette,
since acquired by the Toronto Museum, in a dress consisting" of gold
plating, half masculine in cut, exhibits her in the very interesting character
of ' Lady of the Sports'.2 To these is added a new ivory figurine of her
boy consort with gold loin-clothing , and perhaps originally a biretta on his
shorn crown—a little masterpiece of sculpture, unrivalled of its kind either
in Egyptian or Mesopotamian Art.3
The illustration here evidently afforded of the ritual tonsure of ' child-
hood's ' locks by one preparing to enter on manhood's estate is of great
interest as supplying the explanation of certain affixes found at both Knossos
and Mycenae in the shape of plaited locks.'1 Highly suggestive, too, in this
connexion are the comparisons, here invoked,5 with the records of hair
offerings in the Carian Temple of Zeus Panamaros—himself a double of
Zeus Labrandeus, God of the Double Axe.
Such detailed evidence as to a Minoan place of Cult as was never
before obtained has been gained by the discovery South of the Palace, and
in close connexion with the Temple Tomb referred to below, of what there
is every reason to suppose was a high-priest's house containing his private
chapel. The Western section of this is very fully preserved. It was entered
between columnar balustrades, with an inner shrine where stood the in-
curved altar-blocks, flanked by pyramidal Double Axe stands, and in front,
the drain for sacrificial blood.0
Sculptured slabs with remains of spiraliform reliefs and of a triglyph
frieze with half-rosettes were brought out by the recent explorations on the
West side of the Palace. These remains, of which such near counterparts
' See p. 159, and Fig. 150. ' Pt. II, pp. 4S1, 482, and Figs. 404,-405.
5 See Frontispiece to Pt. I and p. 2S seqq. ' lb., pp. 47S, 479.'
3 See Pt. II, p. 470 seqq., and Fig. 394, &c. ' Pt. I, p. 205 seqq,.and Fig. 157.
on the robes and altars of the Goddess, while on the painted borders of
vases it survives to the end of the Minoan civilization. At Mycenae, which
took it over, it composed the frieze—renewed from generation to genera-
tion—that encircled the hearth of the Royal Megaron. The full demon-
stration of its origin, hitherto undreamed of, is here given.
A fortunate conjunction of circumstances has further enabled me to
illustrate and describe in this Volume a series of comparative examples,
only lately come to light, of figurines of the Minoan Goddess herself. In
one of them, executed in limestone and exceeding in stature any existing
specimen, she appears as Snake Mother.1 A chryselephantine statuette,
since acquired by the Toronto Museum, in a dress consisting" of gold
plating, half masculine in cut, exhibits her in the very interesting character
of ' Lady of the Sports'.2 To these is added a new ivory figurine of her
boy consort with gold loin-clothing , and perhaps originally a biretta on his
shorn crown—a little masterpiece of sculpture, unrivalled of its kind either
in Egyptian or Mesopotamian Art.3
The illustration here evidently afforded of the ritual tonsure of ' child-
hood's ' locks by one preparing to enter on manhood's estate is of great
interest as supplying the explanation of certain affixes found at both Knossos
and Mycenae in the shape of plaited locks.'1 Highly suggestive, too, in this
connexion are the comparisons, here invoked,5 with the records of hair
offerings in the Carian Temple of Zeus Panamaros—himself a double of
Zeus Labrandeus, God of the Double Axe.
Such detailed evidence as to a Minoan place of Cult as was never
before obtained has been gained by the discovery South of the Palace, and
in close connexion with the Temple Tomb referred to below, of what there
is every reason to suppose was a high-priest's house containing his private
chapel. The Western section of this is very fully preserved. It was entered
between columnar balustrades, with an inner shrine where stood the in-
curved altar-blocks, flanked by pyramidal Double Axe stands, and in front,
the drain for sacrificial blood.0
Sculptured slabs with remains of spiraliform reliefs and of a triglyph
frieze with half-rosettes were brought out by the recent explorations on the
West side of the Palace. These remains, of which such near counterparts
' See p. 159, and Fig. 150. ' Pt. II, pp. 4S1, 482, and Figs. 404,-405.
5 See Frontispiece to Pt. I and p. 2S seqq. ' lb., pp. 47S, 479.'
3 See Pt. II, p. 470 seqq., and Fig. 394, &c. ' Pt. I, p. 205 seqq,.and Fig. 157.