DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.1118#0197
CRETE THE SOURCE : NO MAINLAND ANTECEDENT
549
Crete, the Source of the Mainland Seal-types: Their Wholesale Introduction.
The history of the wounded lion type repeats that of the lion seizing wounded
a bull. Both, though ultimately supplying a design for Greek artists, and ""eadap-
nnt without their reaction on the East Mediterranean shores, go back to ted from
^ Gri rl icst
Minoan masterpieces evolved step by step from humbler origins on the Cretan
primitive soil of Crete. Both, moreover, found their source in more primi- vers,on-
tive versions in which indigenous animals such as, in the hunting scenesj
the native greyhound and, for quarries, the Cretan wild-goat, the fallow
deer or the youngling of the herd of wild cattle played their part long
before their place was taken by the exotic lion.
It was only at this later stage, indeed, when the scheme had been fully
evolved and adapted, that it makes its appearance in Mainland Greece.
This latter phenomenon is itself only in keeping with the negative
result deducible from the whole mass of seal-stones and signets brought to
lio'ht in that area. Although such objects being of durable materials and of Absence
a class suitable for heirlooms might in certain cases considerably antedate °ist"c l"'
the more recent relics in the deposits where they were found, the out- M.M.H-
1 v III mo-
standing evidences of this are very rare. With hardly any exception the tiveson
most ancient specimens of such intaglios of Mainland provenance are not
earlier than the beginning of the First Late Minoan Period.1 Like the
gold ' flat-cylinder' seal from the Third Mycenae Shaft Grave, Fig. 507
above, they illustrate in fact the fully developed Minoan glyptic style. No
examples, indeed, exist from this area of that most perfect phase of the
Art which ranges from forms of purely natural inspiration to the fancy
free creations of the Zakro sealings.
In other words, as in all other branches of Art, the whole previous
history of the seal-engravers' craft as known in Mycenaean Greece, must be
sought in its original Island home. An antecedent stage for it on the Main-
land side is entirely wanting, the whole craft itself being represented by
a banded agate ring-stone, formerly in the That it was made for a Carthaginian is highly
de Montigny Collection (CoU. tk Mbntigny, probable, and the question arises whether the
PI. II, 162), which shows the same somewhat survival of the type itself is not to be sought
oblong outline. Furtwangler (A.G., PI. XV, on that side.
58, and Text, p. 72) has compared the work ' One or two survivals or offshoots of a threes
of this with that of the gems shown on his sided M. M. Ill type of bead-seals exist of
lates XXI, XXII ' Italian ring-stones in the later fabric, e.g. Furtwangler, A. G., PI. iii,
severe style fitting on to that of the Etruscan iS, 19 (Peloponnese); Tsouutas, '.E<£. 'Apx-
scarabs'. In PI. LXVI, 2 and Vol. ii, p. 305 1SS9, Pi. X, 5, 6 (Vapheio).
he has illustrated and described my specimen.
0 0 2
549
Crete, the Source of the Mainland Seal-types: Their Wholesale Introduction.
The history of the wounded lion type repeats that of the lion seizing wounded
a bull. Both, though ultimately supplying a design for Greek artists, and ""eadap-
nnt without their reaction on the East Mediterranean shores, go back to ted from
^ Gri rl icst
Minoan masterpieces evolved step by step from humbler origins on the Cretan
primitive soil of Crete. Both, moreover, found their source in more primi- vers,on-
tive versions in which indigenous animals such as, in the hunting scenesj
the native greyhound and, for quarries, the Cretan wild-goat, the fallow
deer or the youngling of the herd of wild cattle played their part long
before their place was taken by the exotic lion.
It was only at this later stage, indeed, when the scheme had been fully
evolved and adapted, that it makes its appearance in Mainland Greece.
This latter phenomenon is itself only in keeping with the negative
result deducible from the whole mass of seal-stones and signets brought to
lio'ht in that area. Although such objects being of durable materials and of Absence
a class suitable for heirlooms might in certain cases considerably antedate °ist"c l"'
the more recent relics in the deposits where they were found, the out- M.M.H-
1 v III mo-
standing evidences of this are very rare. With hardly any exception the tiveson
most ancient specimens of such intaglios of Mainland provenance are not
earlier than the beginning of the First Late Minoan Period.1 Like the
gold ' flat-cylinder' seal from the Third Mycenae Shaft Grave, Fig. 507
above, they illustrate in fact the fully developed Minoan glyptic style. No
examples, indeed, exist from this area of that most perfect phase of the
Art which ranges from forms of purely natural inspiration to the fancy
free creations of the Zakro sealings.
In other words, as in all other branches of Art, the whole previous
history of the seal-engravers' craft as known in Mycenaean Greece, must be
sought in its original Island home. An antecedent stage for it on the Main-
land side is entirely wanting, the whole craft itself being represented by
a banded agate ring-stone, formerly in the That it was made for a Carthaginian is highly
de Montigny Collection (CoU. tk Mbntigny, probable, and the question arises whether the
PI. II, 162), which shows the same somewhat survival of the type itself is not to be sought
oblong outline. Furtwangler (A.G., PI. XV, on that side.
58, and Text, p. 72) has compared the work ' One or two survivals or offshoots of a threes
of this with that of the gems shown on his sided M. M. Ill type of bead-seals exist of
lates XXI, XXII ' Italian ring-stones in the later fabric, e.g. Furtwangler, A. G., PI. iii,
severe style fitting on to that of the Etruscan iS, 19 (Peloponnese); Tsouutas, '.E<£. 'Apx-
scarabs'. In PI. LXVI, 2 and Vol. ii, p. 305 1SS9, Pi. X, 5, 6 (Vapheio).
he has illustrated and described my specimen.
0 0 2