DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.1118#0159
ELONGATED OVAL' CLASS OF GOLD BEAD-SEALS
5L3
It has been suggested in a former Section of this Work that the pugilistic
bouts illustrated by impressions—apparently of signet-rings of the early
class—were later adapted by the Mainland Art to episodes of heroic warfare
such as were later recorded in Greek epic.1 But warlike scenes were'not Warlike
altogether wanting on Cretan intaglios of the transitional M. M. III-L. M.I a J£tm-
nhase. On two seal impressions from Hagia Triada, one of which (a) seems k"»'vn on
i _ » ' Crctjin
to have been produced by a signet of this early class, episodes of actual signets.
combat are certainly depicted (Fig. 456).2 A bowman in the act of aiming
an arrow, apparently of the same martial class, occurs on another con-
temporary seal impression from the same site.3 Later on, in the last palatial
Ao-e of Knossos, military types are often represented.
The prevailing character of these signet-rings was, however, throughout
religious, and, indeed, our knowledge of Minoan Cult is largely due to the
illustrations they supply. These objects—which to the last retained in
many cases in their narrow hoop
their original function of pen-
dant bead-seals rather than of
finger-rings—stood, as we have
seen, in a peculiar personal
relation to their owners, a
relation that extended beyond
the grave.
The Gold Bead-seals of ' Elon-
gated Amygdaloid ' Type
from the Thisbe Tomb.
Amongst all the gold bead-
seals the most interesting are
those that must actually be taken
to reproduce heroic scenes, or
even records of historic episodes
of more recent date. Where,
as in the case of gold flat
cylinders from the Fourth
Mycenae Shaft Grave,4 and of
other intaglio types, a warrior
Gold
bead-
seals of
'elonga-
ted ' type
from
Thisbe
Treasure.
Fig. 4.
the Sphin:
Head-seal:
Minoan Versions of Oedipus slaying
x (a) and (b) his Father Laios on Gold
s of 'Elongated Oval' Class, Thisise.
1 P. ofM., i, p. 691 seqq.
"- First illustrated by Doro Levi, Lc Creluk
H Haghia Triada {Ann. del/a r. Sam/a di
Atcnc, x, 1929), p. 57, Figs. r3o, 131.
;; lb., p. 56, Fig. 128.
* See P. of M., iii, p. 125, Fig. 78.
5L3
It has been suggested in a former Section of this Work that the pugilistic
bouts illustrated by impressions—apparently of signet-rings of the early
class—were later adapted by the Mainland Art to episodes of heroic warfare
such as were later recorded in Greek epic.1 But warlike scenes were'not Warlike
altogether wanting on Cretan intaglios of the transitional M. M. III-L. M.I a J£tm-
nhase. On two seal impressions from Hagia Triada, one of which (a) seems k"»'vn on
i _ » ' Crctjin
to have been produced by a signet of this early class, episodes of actual signets.
combat are certainly depicted (Fig. 456).2 A bowman in the act of aiming
an arrow, apparently of the same martial class, occurs on another con-
temporary seal impression from the same site.3 Later on, in the last palatial
Ao-e of Knossos, military types are often represented.
The prevailing character of these signet-rings was, however, throughout
religious, and, indeed, our knowledge of Minoan Cult is largely due to the
illustrations they supply. These objects—which to the last retained in
many cases in their narrow hoop
their original function of pen-
dant bead-seals rather than of
finger-rings—stood, as we have
seen, in a peculiar personal
relation to their owners, a
relation that extended beyond
the grave.
The Gold Bead-seals of ' Elon-
gated Amygdaloid ' Type
from the Thisbe Tomb.
Amongst all the gold bead-
seals the most interesting are
those that must actually be taken
to reproduce heroic scenes, or
even records of historic episodes
of more recent date. Where,
as in the case of gold flat
cylinders from the Fourth
Mycenae Shaft Grave,4 and of
other intaglio types, a warrior
Gold
bead-
seals of
'elonga-
ted ' type
from
Thisbe
Treasure.
Fig. 4.
the Sphin:
Head-seal:
Minoan Versions of Oedipus slaying
x (a) and (b) his Father Laios on Gold
s of 'Elongated Oval' Class, Thisise.
1 P. ofM., i, p. 691 seqq.
"- First illustrated by Doro Levi, Lc Creluk
H Haghia Triada {Ann. del/a r. Sam/a di
Atcnc, x, 1929), p. 57, Figs. r3o, 131.
;; lb., p. 56, Fig. 128.
* See P. of M., iii, p. 125, Fig. 78.