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)

346 NEWLY-DISCOVERED GOLD DOUBLE-AXE HEADS

Discovery of Hoard of Gold Double-Axe Heads in Sacred Cave, E. of

Knossos: Foliage of Sacred Tree as Decorative Element.

The triple group of sacred trees as represented by the sprays rising

from the ' Horns of Consecration' on the 'amphora' fragment, Fig. 289 c,

recalls conventional equivalents of olive-trees as seen on signet types of the

Fig. 290. Votive Gold Double-Axes from Cave Sanctuary, Arkalokhokio, S.E. of
Knossos (f). Width of a 8-45 cm. : Handle 9-5 Long. (Drawn by Miss M. Money Couti s.)

Hieroglyphic class.1 The association of these symbolic sprays, with the
Double-Axe Cult observable in the case of this fine 'Palace Style' Vase,
is not only traceable on another ' amphora' of the same series reproduced
in Fig. 291 below, but is also illustrated in a most direct manner by the
decorative elements of a gold Double-Axe blade of a miniature votive kind
(Fig. 290 a) forming part of a remarkable hoard discovered in the Cave
1 See below, Pt. II, pp. 717, 718 and Figs. 698-700.