DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.1118#0370
720 TABLETS RELATING TO SAFFRON
1 garden'
is demonstrated above.1 So, too, in / we see it following ^, the terminal of
female names, while, on the same tablet and in h, sign-groups appear ending
in A 7 a feminine termination.2 In d it is associated with the ' throne and
sceptre ', and in both b and g it is followed by a sign clearly representing an
enclosed plot—the ' acre' sign of Fig. 705 below, and no doubt answering
to a definite area. The ' saffron' sign itself in these cases presents an
unmistakable characteristic in its protruding and pendulous stigmas, from
which, with part of the stile, the precious dye was produced.
' Plot' or The'plot' or'garden area'here referred to is only accompanied by a single
:ipher. The flower itself, as seen on Fig. 704, e, is in one case succeeded by
numerals = 52. On h, the 'saffron' sign is followed by numbers = 43, 45, 45,
thus totalling 133. On the incomplete tablet, Fig. 704,/, we see numbers,
apparently amounting to 86, appended to it. These higher sums connected
with the plant evidently refer to some recognized measure of its commercial
product.
It is noteworthy that in several cases the saffron stands in immediate
relation to a sign which in its more regular form ^ must be identified with
a symbol—described above as the ' impaled triangle' of frequent occurrence
in the field of Late Minoan seal-types and clearly of religious import.
Here, as in other places where this sign appears, it is generally followed by
relatively high numbers. On Fig. 704, e, we see 402, on/where this sign
immediately succeeds the 'saffron', 302. It may be thought to represent
some sanctuary interest in the transactions.
That saffron culture should have played a prominent part in the
industry of Minoan Knossos3 is singularly appropriate to the special
ethnic and geographical relation in which it had stood to the Cilician Coast-
land. Crocus culture was indeed specially connected with the sacred
precincts of the Korykian Cave.'' It has been suggested with some
probability that the name kpokos itself, which, as the old Hebrew form
karkom shows, was of Eastern derivation, was derived from some inter-
mediate Anatolian form that gave its name to Korykos and its Cave."
In that case the intermediary source may well be sought in the language
of Minoan Crete. The Korykian Cave itself stands in the centre of a
1 See pp. 708, 709. '' Strabo, 1. xiv, C. 5, 5 ; lv <5 y &pi<mi
' See above, p. 714 and l?ig. 696. x-po/v-os ^verai . . . wapeoTrapraj. <3e kcu ra iSd(j>tj
3 For the Saffron in Minoan Art, see now, ra tfrepovra r^v k/wkov. Cf. Dioscorides i- 25.
especially, Prof. M. Mobius' PflamenbiUter der s V. Hehn, Kulttifpjtumen 6-y. (1S74 ed.
minoischcn Kvnst,<s*c. {Jahrb. dd.Arch.Inst., p. 224).
1933). P- 7 seqq.
1 garden'
is demonstrated above.1 So, too, in / we see it following ^, the terminal of
female names, while, on the same tablet and in h, sign-groups appear ending
in A 7 a feminine termination.2 In d it is associated with the ' throne and
sceptre ', and in both b and g it is followed by a sign clearly representing an
enclosed plot—the ' acre' sign of Fig. 705 below, and no doubt answering
to a definite area. The ' saffron' sign itself in these cases presents an
unmistakable characteristic in its protruding and pendulous stigmas, from
which, with part of the stile, the precious dye was produced.
' Plot' or The'plot' or'garden area'here referred to is only accompanied by a single
:ipher. The flower itself, as seen on Fig. 704, e, is in one case succeeded by
numerals = 52. On h, the 'saffron' sign is followed by numbers = 43, 45, 45,
thus totalling 133. On the incomplete tablet, Fig. 704,/, we see numbers,
apparently amounting to 86, appended to it. These higher sums connected
with the plant evidently refer to some recognized measure of its commercial
product.
It is noteworthy that in several cases the saffron stands in immediate
relation to a sign which in its more regular form ^ must be identified with
a symbol—described above as the ' impaled triangle' of frequent occurrence
in the field of Late Minoan seal-types and clearly of religious import.
Here, as in other places where this sign appears, it is generally followed by
relatively high numbers. On Fig. 704, e, we see 402, on/where this sign
immediately succeeds the 'saffron', 302. It may be thought to represent
some sanctuary interest in the transactions.
That saffron culture should have played a prominent part in the
industry of Minoan Knossos3 is singularly appropriate to the special
ethnic and geographical relation in which it had stood to the Cilician Coast-
land. Crocus culture was indeed specially connected with the sacred
precincts of the Korykian Cave.'' It has been suggested with some
probability that the name kpokos itself, which, as the old Hebrew form
karkom shows, was of Eastern derivation, was derived from some inter-
mediate Anatolian form that gave its name to Korykos and its Cave."
In that case the intermediary source may well be sought in the language
of Minoan Crete. The Korykian Cave itself stands in the centre of a
1 See pp. 708, 709. '' Strabo, 1. xiv, C. 5, 5 ; lv <5 y &pi<mi
' See above, p. 714 and l?ig. 696. x-po/v-os ^verai . . . wapeoTrapraj. <3e kcu ra iSd(j>tj
3 For the Saffron in Minoan Art, see now, ra tfrepovra r^v k/wkov. Cf. Dioscorides i- 25.
especially, Prof. M. Mobius' PflamenbiUter der s V. Hehn, Kulttifpjtumen 6-y. (1S74 ed.
minoischcn Kvnst,<s*c. {Jahrb. dd.Arch.Inst., p. 224).
1933). P- 7 seqq.