DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.1117#0079
40
RITUAL SACRIFICE OF CORRIDA BULL
catch the youth who executes a somersault over the coursing bull's back.1
It is simply the traditional posture of the rustic clay images of the Goddess
in the primitive house sanctuaries of Crete such as that of Gournia__a
posture still adhered to by the
latest of all such Minoan images,
that namely seen within in the hut-
urn of the 'Spring Sanctuary' of
Knossos.2 It is as if the Goddess
with her raised palms both received
the adoration of her votaries and
gave back her benediction. The
little gold and ivory image, restored
. once more to the light of day, is that
J of a Goddess, always still a Mother,
but who, it may be in some more
celestial scene, herself had shared
the most risky turns of the sport. We have here, in fact, a record of some
such glittering vision as had comforted of old the strained eyes of her
followers in the moment of their direst need.
Fig. 23 Ritual Sacrifice of Bull of
Arena ; from Gold Bead-seal, Thisbe.
Sacrifice
of bull of
Corrida
on Thisbe
seal-type.
Priestly
Matador.
Ritual Sacrifice of Bull of Corrida.
That there was a certain ritual element in the bull-sports of the arena
may be gathered from a remarkable episode illustrated by one of the gold
bead-seals from Thisbe, here reproduced in Fig. 23.3 In this case, indeed,
we seem to have evidence of an actual sacrifice at the end of the Corrida.
In this unique representation a youthful personage appears behind the
bull, distinguished by a wreath round his head, above which is seen a beaded
bandeau that falls down on both sides behind his shoulders, and terminates
in two pendants in the form of stars that doubtless had a symbolic signifi-
cance. Round his left shoulder, as it appears in the original, hangs a
sword-strap, from the sheath appended to which he has drawn a short
sword or dagger and, advancing from the side, drives it into the beasts
neck between the cervical vertebrae. The bull itself, as if wearied with
continual coursing, is seen proceeding at a kind of broken trot, very different
from the flying gallop usual in these circus scenes.
In this Minoan matador we may venture to discern a priest of the
' P. ofif., iii, p. 213, Fig. M4.
2 lb. ii, Pt. I, p. 129, Fig. 65.
3 See, too. Hi., iii, pp. 225, 226, and Fig
160
(from a drawing), and my Ring of Nestor,
pp. 7, 8, and Fig. 6.
RITUAL SACRIFICE OF CORRIDA BULL
catch the youth who executes a somersault over the coursing bull's back.1
It is simply the traditional posture of the rustic clay images of the Goddess
in the primitive house sanctuaries of Crete such as that of Gournia__a
posture still adhered to by the
latest of all such Minoan images,
that namely seen within in the hut-
urn of the 'Spring Sanctuary' of
Knossos.2 It is as if the Goddess
with her raised palms both received
the adoration of her votaries and
gave back her benediction. The
little gold and ivory image, restored
. once more to the light of day, is that
J of a Goddess, always still a Mother,
but who, it may be in some more
celestial scene, herself had shared
the most risky turns of the sport. We have here, in fact, a record of some
such glittering vision as had comforted of old the strained eyes of her
followers in the moment of their direst need.
Fig. 23 Ritual Sacrifice of Bull of
Arena ; from Gold Bead-seal, Thisbe.
Sacrifice
of bull of
Corrida
on Thisbe
seal-type.
Priestly
Matador.
Ritual Sacrifice of Bull of Corrida.
That there was a certain ritual element in the bull-sports of the arena
may be gathered from a remarkable episode illustrated by one of the gold
bead-seals from Thisbe, here reproduced in Fig. 23.3 In this case, indeed,
we seem to have evidence of an actual sacrifice at the end of the Corrida.
In this unique representation a youthful personage appears behind the
bull, distinguished by a wreath round his head, above which is seen a beaded
bandeau that falls down on both sides behind his shoulders, and terminates
in two pendants in the form of stars that doubtless had a symbolic signifi-
cance. Round his left shoulder, as it appears in the original, hangs a
sword-strap, from the sheath appended to which he has drawn a short
sword or dagger and, advancing from the side, drives it into the beasts
neck between the cervical vertebrae. The bull itself, as if wearied with
continual coursing, is seen proceeding at a kind of broken trot, very different
from the flying gallop usual in these circus scenes.
In this Minoan matador we may venture to discern a priest of the
' P. ofif., iii, p. 213, Fig. M4.
2 lb. ii, Pt. I, p. 129, Fig. 65.
3 See, too. Hi., iii, pp. 225, 226, and Fig
160
(from a drawing), and my Ring of Nestor,
pp. 7, 8, and Fig. 6.