DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.1118#0255
signet-
rings.
IMPRESSIONS OF GOLD SIGNETS 607
al' oold beads. Although it is often difficult to ascertain the original
1 aoe of the field, it is clear that at this time lentoid bead-seals were over-
whelmingly predominant, some of them, as will be seen from Fig. 597 b, e,
nd its fellow, Fig. 602, p. 615, below, and h, of Fig. 597 A, being of abnormal
dimensions. What has been above described as the 'lentoid' class of
designs is here constantly illustrated.
Impressions of Gold Signets and others with Religious Motives.
Not to speak of the clay ' matrix', which must have been used as a Impres-
sions of
substitute for an actual signet,1 it is clear from the shape of the field and gold
the character of the engraving that a fair proportion of these clay impres-
sions were produced by the bezels of the typical Late Minoan class of gold
sionet-rings. Many of these—such as Fig. 597 a, e,j, and probably h—as
usual depict religious subjects, but in Fig. 597 15, m, the ' prize' bull of
Fio-. 532, p. 564 above, and the milking scene of Fig. 534, p. 564, we seem to
have instances of signet-rings the theme of which was purely bucolic.
As might have been expected, the religious subjects naturally attach Religious
themselves to the Central Palace cult, of which so complete an illustration su Jecs'
was afforded by the signet impressions found within the wing of the little
Shrine off the Central Court, here once more reproduced in Fig. 597 a, e.
Good reasons have already been given for believing that the rocky peak,
on which the Goddess stands with her lion guardians was, in fact, the
summit ridge of Mount Juktas, such a prominent feature of the landscape
from the Court itself. The male worshipper, here magnified to twice the
proportions of the Goddess, might, indeed, be supposed to include in his
act of devotion the mountain peak and distant shrine—a whole beatific
vision—besides the actual divinity itself. On a smaller scale—perhaps as
the youthful God—he reappears on another large sealing (C. 2, Fig. 596,
p. 602), where the richly-robed female figure before him must certainly be
identified as the Goddess. On the fragment/, the raised arm of a similar Illustm-
adorant is seen above the left wing of the typical Minoan pillar shrine, central
recalling that the plan of which is still traceable on the inner Palace facade.2 Pal;>ce
c\ t ■ 1 ' clllt:
Un a, 6, again, female adorants, in procession, repeat the same gesture. Goddess
A whole series of partially broken sealings supplies slightly variant °" pei "
versions (e.g. a and c) of the Goddess raising her arms to the chins of her
guardian lions. On h, she is replaced, in a similar attitude, by a figure in
whom we may recognize her youthful consort or offspring. On another
1 See pp. 396 and 595, above. " See P. of 31., ii, Pt. II, p. 804 seqq.
rings.
IMPRESSIONS OF GOLD SIGNETS 607
al' oold beads. Although it is often difficult to ascertain the original
1 aoe of the field, it is clear that at this time lentoid bead-seals were over-
whelmingly predominant, some of them, as will be seen from Fig. 597 b, e,
nd its fellow, Fig. 602, p. 615, below, and h, of Fig. 597 A, being of abnormal
dimensions. What has been above described as the 'lentoid' class of
designs is here constantly illustrated.
Impressions of Gold Signets and others with Religious Motives.
Not to speak of the clay ' matrix', which must have been used as a Impres-
sions of
substitute for an actual signet,1 it is clear from the shape of the field and gold
the character of the engraving that a fair proportion of these clay impres-
sions were produced by the bezels of the typical Late Minoan class of gold
sionet-rings. Many of these—such as Fig. 597 a, e,j, and probably h—as
usual depict religious subjects, but in Fig. 597 15, m, the ' prize' bull of
Fio-. 532, p. 564 above, and the milking scene of Fig. 534, p. 564, we seem to
have instances of signet-rings the theme of which was purely bucolic.
As might have been expected, the religious subjects naturally attach Religious
themselves to the Central Palace cult, of which so complete an illustration su Jecs'
was afforded by the signet impressions found within the wing of the little
Shrine off the Central Court, here once more reproduced in Fig. 597 a, e.
Good reasons have already been given for believing that the rocky peak,
on which the Goddess stands with her lion guardians was, in fact, the
summit ridge of Mount Juktas, such a prominent feature of the landscape
from the Court itself. The male worshipper, here magnified to twice the
proportions of the Goddess, might, indeed, be supposed to include in his
act of devotion the mountain peak and distant shrine—a whole beatific
vision—besides the actual divinity itself. On a smaller scale—perhaps as
the youthful God—he reappears on another large sealing (C. 2, Fig. 596,
p. 602), where the richly-robed female figure before him must certainly be
identified as the Goddess. On the fragment/, the raised arm of a similar Illustm-
adorant is seen above the left wing of the typical Minoan pillar shrine, central
recalling that the plan of which is still traceable on the inner Palace facade.2 Pal;>ce
c\ t ■ 1 ' clllt:
Un a, 6, again, female adorants, in procession, repeat the same gesture. Goddess
A whole series of partially broken sealings supplies slightly variant °" pei "
versions (e.g. a and c) of the Goddess raising her arms to the chins of her
guardian lions. On h, she is replaced, in a similar attitude, by a figure in
whom we may recognize her youthful consort or offspring. On another
1 See pp. 396 and 595, above. " See P. of 31., ii, Pt. II, p. 804 seqq.