Evans, Arthur J.: The Palace of Minos: a comparative account of the successive stages of the early Cretan civilization as illustred by the discoveries at Knossos (Band 4,1): Emergence of outer western enceinte, with new illustrations, artistic and religious, of the Middle Minoan Phase (London, 1935)

CONVENTIONALIZED SHELL MOTIVES

of this eclecticism is afforded by what must certainly be regarded as a com-
pound shell-type that appears on vases representing the polychrome style
of the early part of M. M. II a, Figs. S3-86.

On the low spouted vase (Fig. 80, a)' from the Kamares Cave we see

a series of four objects clearly repre-
senting whorl-shells so far as the main
part of their composition goes, sur-
rounded with a white border, inter-
mittently fringed.2 The corrugation
of the surface and the indication of
successive whorls is given by means
of small prickles, a survival of the
' barbotine' technique, and which led
Professor Dawkins to recognize a Murex shell. The lower part of the shell,
however, where the mouth should be, is quite irreconcilable with an uni-

Fig. 78. M. M. Ill Pot (Phaestos)
showing ' Half Ivy-leaf ' linked with
Coils: Derivative Shell Pattern.

Fig. 79. a, //, c Clay Vessels from New Mexico showing decoration derived
from Shells, a shows Cone-shells with prominent Whorls.

valve structure. The border here curves forward in two rounded promi-
nences, suggestive of the twin bosses or umbos of single valved molluscs
like the common cockle. Not only are bivalve and univalve elements thus
combined, but a further feature appears at the apex of the design in the

Excavated by Professor R. M. Dawkins " It was, doubtless, owing to these spiky

from the Kamares Cave and restored and projections and the ' corrugations' of the

illustrated by him, B. S. A., xix, PI. IX above, whorls that Professor Dawkins (»/. at., p. 20)

Sec, too, P. of .<!/., i, Coloured Plate I, d. recognized Murex shells.
IV. !