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)

ALTAR BLOCK WITH CULT SYMBOLS

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relief. They rise from square bases. In the restored drawing, Fia 154 b
it is suggested that the axe and shaft, together with ' Horns of Consecra-
tion below, were covered with a creamy white wash, such as is often se-n

a b

Fig. 154. a, Small Limestone Altar with Religious Symbols, b, Restored Drawing (f).

on the Palace walls, while the background was painted red. The whole
height of the object was only 15 centimetres.

A square altar with ' Horns of Consecration ' above it appears among
the remains of the Miniature Terra-cotta Shrine of M. M. II date found in
the basement of the ' Loom Weights '. Another, on a larger scale, con-
structed of isodomic masonry, is shown on the steatite relief of the ' rhyton'
fragment from Knossos,1 with the Sacral Horns above its coping. Built
altars also reappear on signet-rings with religious types such as the remark-
able specimen illustrated below.-

1 P. ofM., i, p. 220, Fig. 166, a.

See below, § 115.