DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.1117#0299
GOLDSMITHS AND SEAL-ENGRAVERS AS CARVERS
plaques from the Shaft Graves themselves. These decorative borders
betray once more the hand of a goldsmith or of a seal engraver, whose
services had been enlisted for work on the larger material. The marine
motives here seen may have been taken over from some small relief
on an imported stone vase and need not have been copied directly from
frescoes on the Palace walls. We seem to have here the work of a Minoan
lapidary working on the Mainland site.
On the stela, Fig. 190 l, also found above Grave V, the chariot is much
more imperfectly sketched than on Fig. 1S9, and the horse's tail seems to
be a compromise with a lion's. The blade of the sword held by the
charioteer is of an acute triangular form, resembling one with gold plated
studs found within the Grave itself. It still preserves a M. M. II type,
representing" indeed a development of one of the earlier M. M. II phase,
found in the smaller tholos of Hagia Triada. The form of the weapon held
by the man in front of the horse also seems to be Minoan.2
Here again the rude drawing of the figured subjects contrasts with the
comparatively neat work of the purely decorative parts of the designs—and
we may once more recognize the handiwork of a craftsman more accustomed
to goldsmith's work.
It suggests a jeweller whose chief interest lay in the ornamental side
of his productions. The contrast here visible recalls indeed that seen
in the case of the small relief on the gold plates of the two hexagonal
wooden caskets found in the Grave.3 On these the sides, showing finely em-
bossed linked spirals, are coupled with others with lions hunting stags, in
a crudely decorative style. None the less every characteristic feature, both
in the style and the design, is of pure Minoan origin. We see the typical
' flying gallop', the foliage and shoots of palms copied from Cretan models,
and a large bull's head inserted quite gratuitously in the background, just
Gold-
smiths as
stone
carvers.
Spirali-
form
patterns
on early
s/da
taken
from
Egypto-
Minoan
repertory
of Knos-
Kepousse
patterns
on
Mycenae
casket:
also
Minoan.
in discussing the decorative designs on this
s/e/a {Jahrbuch d. Arch. Inst, (xxx), 1915,
pp. 2S7, 2S8), regards them as due to natura-
listic Minoan influence acting on the old
geometric spiraliform motive of indigenous
(.Mainland) origin. In view of the early
sphragistic evidence now before us, however,
it is clear that these motives came over, ready-
made, from Minoan Crete.
'The design is in this case again traced
from Schliemann's original photograph. An
excellent photographic reproduction is given
by I-Caro, Schachtgrabcr, PI. V.
- See A. E., Shaft Graves, &c, p. 54. It
also answers to Schliemann's Mycenae, p. 279,
Fig, 442.
a Schuchhardt, Schliema/m's JLxcavations.
pp. 250-2, and Figs. 260-2: K. Mtiller,
Friihmykcnische Reliefs {Jahrb. d. k. d. Inst,
xxx), pp. 295-S. The caskets and their
repousse plates are now beautifully repro-
duced in Karo, Sckaehtgraher, Plates CXLIII,
CLXIV.
plaques from the Shaft Graves themselves. These decorative borders
betray once more the hand of a goldsmith or of a seal engraver, whose
services had been enlisted for work on the larger material. The marine
motives here seen may have been taken over from some small relief
on an imported stone vase and need not have been copied directly from
frescoes on the Palace walls. We seem to have here the work of a Minoan
lapidary working on the Mainland site.
On the stela, Fig. 190 l, also found above Grave V, the chariot is much
more imperfectly sketched than on Fig. 1S9, and the horse's tail seems to
be a compromise with a lion's. The blade of the sword held by the
charioteer is of an acute triangular form, resembling one with gold plated
studs found within the Grave itself. It still preserves a M. M. II type,
representing" indeed a development of one of the earlier M. M. II phase,
found in the smaller tholos of Hagia Triada. The form of the weapon held
by the man in front of the horse also seems to be Minoan.2
Here again the rude drawing of the figured subjects contrasts with the
comparatively neat work of the purely decorative parts of the designs—and
we may once more recognize the handiwork of a craftsman more accustomed
to goldsmith's work.
It suggests a jeweller whose chief interest lay in the ornamental side
of his productions. The contrast here visible recalls indeed that seen
in the case of the small relief on the gold plates of the two hexagonal
wooden caskets found in the Grave.3 On these the sides, showing finely em-
bossed linked spirals, are coupled with others with lions hunting stags, in
a crudely decorative style. None the less every characteristic feature, both
in the style and the design, is of pure Minoan origin. We see the typical
' flying gallop', the foliage and shoots of palms copied from Cretan models,
and a large bull's head inserted quite gratuitously in the background, just
Gold-
smiths as
stone
carvers.
Spirali-
form
patterns
on early
s/da
taken
from
Egypto-
Minoan
repertory
of Knos-
Kepousse
patterns
on
Mycenae
casket:
also
Minoan.
in discussing the decorative designs on this
s/e/a {Jahrbuch d. Arch. Inst, (xxx), 1915,
pp. 2S7, 2S8), regards them as due to natura-
listic Minoan influence acting on the old
geometric spiraliform motive of indigenous
(.Mainland) origin. In view of the early
sphragistic evidence now before us, however,
it is clear that these motives came over, ready-
made, from Minoan Crete.
'The design is in this case again traced
from Schliemann's original photograph. An
excellent photographic reproduction is given
by I-Caro, Schachtgrabcr, PI. V.
- See A. E., Shaft Graves, &c, p. 54. It
also answers to Schliemann's Mycenae, p. 279,
Fig, 442.
a Schuchhardt, Schliema/m's JLxcavations.
pp. 250-2, and Figs. 260-2: K. Mtiller,
Friihmykcnische Reliefs {Jahrb. d. k. d. Inst,
xxx), pp. 295-S. The caskets and their
repousse plates are now beautifully repro-
duced in Karo, Sckaehtgraher, Plates CXLIII,
CLXIV.