DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.1118#0414
764
MINOAN CONTACT ON PONTIC SIDE
Indica-
tions of
Minoan
contact
with
Pontic
regions.
Two-
stalked
L. M. 1 6
motive
on vases
from Old
Samsoun
(Atnisos).
the actual originals of the handiwork of the ' Men of Keftiu ', but of the'
imitation by native craftsmen.
Indications of Minoan Contact with Pontic Region: Direct Ceramic.
Influence and a Graffito from Amisos (Samsoun):
It is true that in the case of certain animal ' rhytons', like those in the
shape of bull's heads adopted by the Minoan Cult, the ultimate source can
be traced back both on the Cretan and the Anatolian side to old Sumerian
prototypes.1 The large group of ' Cappadocian' theriomorphic vessels had
doubtless a very early inspiration from the lands farther East. But a class
of these that seems in a special way to connect itself with the old Hittite
Capital on the site of Boghaz-Keui (Pteria) and its maritime outlet at Eski
Samsoun (Amisos) on the Pontic side, stands in a direct relation to Minoan
models. It has been already noted that the 'sacral ivy leaf motive,
prominent in certain forms, bears clear evidence of a Minoan reaction.-
For this decorative motive—in which a purely geometrical conjunction of
two rows of running spirals is combined with a spray that reflected the
hieratic papyrus-wand of Egypt—had had, as we have seen, a long ante-
cedent history in Crete. There the exotic spray had transformed itself
betimes into a natural ivy leaf, with the double stalks imposed by its origin,
and often, within the leaf itself, the curved surviving outline cf the papyrus
tuft (Fig. 746, b-e). At times the naturalistic transformation is complete
and we see an ivy leaf on a single stalk.3
A typical example of the two-stalked ivy is given in Fig. 746, f, from an
' L. M. I 6 amphora'.4 When, then, this Minoan derivative form—otherwise
presenting the usual type of ' Cappadocian' polychromy5 with simple
geometrical motives—appears on a series of bulls' head 'rhytons' of the
1 For the prototypes of the Minoan tauri- coloured illustrations of this class of pottery,
form Class, see P. of M., ii, Pt. I, p. 259 seqq. based on the Louvre Collection, have now
"- See P. of M., ii, Pt. II, pp. 65S, 659 and been given by Mons. H. de Genouillac in his
Fig. 422. Ceramique Cappododenne. The Ashmolean
3 The ivy-leaf pattern also occurs on a sherd Museum has also lately obtained an excep-
belonging to some larger vessel from Chirishli tioually good group found some years back in
Tepe, S. of Boghaz-Keui (Sayce Coll.: Ashmo- a tomb at Old Samsoun (Amisos) (in Report
lean Museum : Evelyn White), see Fig. 747 b.
1 Kakovatosseries: op.cit.,^.4S5,Fig.291^.
5 For this ceramic class, which in its
later phase at least, might appropriately be
called Hittite, see Frankfort, Studies in Early
Pottery of the Near East, ii, p. 156 seqq., and
of the Visitors, 1933, p. 9 and PI. II)- M-
Genouillac, misled, no doubt, by the striking
resemblance both of the bull's head 'rhyton'
form and of the ivy spray decoration (though
there with single stalks) to late Italo-Greek
examples, had brought down the Cappadocian
cf. J. L.Myreson 'Cappadocian' Ware{Journ. group to the Hellenistic Age. (See P- of M-
R. Anthr. Inst., 1903), p. 304 seqq Fine ii, Pt. II, p. 658, note 4.)
MINOAN CONTACT ON PONTIC SIDE
Indica-
tions of
Minoan
contact
with
Pontic
regions.
Two-
stalked
L. M. 1 6
motive
on vases
from Old
Samsoun
(Atnisos).
the actual originals of the handiwork of the ' Men of Keftiu ', but of the'
imitation by native craftsmen.
Indications of Minoan Contact with Pontic Region: Direct Ceramic.
Influence and a Graffito from Amisos (Samsoun):
It is true that in the case of certain animal ' rhytons', like those in the
shape of bull's heads adopted by the Minoan Cult, the ultimate source can
be traced back both on the Cretan and the Anatolian side to old Sumerian
prototypes.1 The large group of ' Cappadocian' theriomorphic vessels had
doubtless a very early inspiration from the lands farther East. But a class
of these that seems in a special way to connect itself with the old Hittite
Capital on the site of Boghaz-Keui (Pteria) and its maritime outlet at Eski
Samsoun (Amisos) on the Pontic side, stands in a direct relation to Minoan
models. It has been already noted that the 'sacral ivy leaf motive,
prominent in certain forms, bears clear evidence of a Minoan reaction.-
For this decorative motive—in which a purely geometrical conjunction of
two rows of running spirals is combined with a spray that reflected the
hieratic papyrus-wand of Egypt—had had, as we have seen, a long ante-
cedent history in Crete. There the exotic spray had transformed itself
betimes into a natural ivy leaf, with the double stalks imposed by its origin,
and often, within the leaf itself, the curved surviving outline cf the papyrus
tuft (Fig. 746, b-e). At times the naturalistic transformation is complete
and we see an ivy leaf on a single stalk.3
A typical example of the two-stalked ivy is given in Fig. 746, f, from an
' L. M. I 6 amphora'.4 When, then, this Minoan derivative form—otherwise
presenting the usual type of ' Cappadocian' polychromy5 with simple
geometrical motives—appears on a series of bulls' head 'rhytons' of the
1 For the prototypes of the Minoan tauri- coloured illustrations of this class of pottery,
form Class, see P. of M., ii, Pt. I, p. 259 seqq. based on the Louvre Collection, have now
"- See P. of M., ii, Pt. II, pp. 65S, 659 and been given by Mons. H. de Genouillac in his
Fig. 422. Ceramique Cappododenne. The Ashmolean
3 The ivy-leaf pattern also occurs on a sherd Museum has also lately obtained an excep-
belonging to some larger vessel from Chirishli tioually good group found some years back in
Tepe, S. of Boghaz-Keui (Sayce Coll.: Ashmo- a tomb at Old Samsoun (Amisos) (in Report
lean Museum : Evelyn White), see Fig. 747 b.
1 Kakovatosseries: op.cit.,^.4S5,Fig.291^.
5 For this ceramic class, which in its
later phase at least, might appropriately be
called Hittite, see Frankfort, Studies in Early
Pottery of the Near East, ii, p. 156 seqq., and
of the Visitors, 1933, p. 9 and PI. II)- M-
Genouillac, misled, no doubt, by the striking
resemblance both of the bull's head 'rhyton'
form and of the ivy spray decoration (though
there with single stalks) to late Italo-Greek
examples, had brought down the Cappadocian
cf. J. L.Myreson 'Cappadocian' Ware{Journ. group to the Hellenistic Age. (See P- of M-
R. Anthr. Inst., 1903), p. 304 seqq Fine ii, Pt. II, p. 658, note 4.)