S 117- Epilogue: Part I. The Royal Signet-ring.
Discovery of the Royal Signet-ring; Beaded gold hoop resembling that of
• Riw' of Nestor' ; Parallel arrangement of designs—three successive scenes ;
• The Riu«' of Minos'; Subject, the migration of Goddess to new abode over-
seas • Sacred Tree feature of both Sanctuaries ; Goddess steering vessel across
arm of sea ; Prow in shape of hippocamp; Parallel scenes of departure
overseas; Nude female minislraut of first shrine—remarkable pose and
action : Reticulated convention of sea-waves; Goddess reposing on these in
Palace Sealing ; The Miuoan prototype of Plagia Pelagia.
Discovery of' Ring' of Minos'.
South of the Palace, about a kilometre from the ' Caravanserai' on Discovery
the line of the Great South Road, where the hills on the West side draw signet-
nearer the course of the old Kairatos stream, there opens, just above the ""»■
modern highway, a small rock-girt glen. Here, quite recently, a boy, bringing
up his father's midday meal, noticed a bright object on the tilled earth
beside a vine, which turned out to be a massive gold signet-ring.1 Hearing
of the find, it was possible for me, somewhat later, not only to examine the
object, but to obtain, thanks to Monsieur Gillieron's skill, an exact replica
and enlarged drawings of the ring and its intaglio design (see Fig. 917,
and cf. Plate, opp. p. 949).
The ring was of solid gold, weighing c. 27 grammes, and with a beaded I!e,a,d,od
» & > & & / o gold i,00p
hoop corresponding in every detail with that of the ' Ring of Nestor from identical
Old Pylos (Kakovatos), described in the Third Volume of this Work.2 "R*gof
From the comparative representations (Fig. 915, a and is) it will be seen Nestor'.
that, apart from the intaglios, both rings are practically identical from
the point of view of manufacture. The hoop of each shows a similar
section, with four small circlets of granulation and larger globules round
lhe ring was purchased from the finder's an oblique manner, is to ' lay up treasure' for
father by a local priest, unfortunately of un- the next World according to Minoan example
balanced mind, and no exact account of its as practised by the original priestly and royal
whereabouts is at present obtainable. His owner of the ring.
favourite answer to inquirers was that he had ! P. 145 seqq., and cf. A. E., The Ring of
given it to his wife, who had buried it and Nestor, &'c.,J.JZ. S., xlv, and separately, Mac-
forgotten where ! In any case it was worth millans, 1925.
' twenty million drachmas '. This, indeed, in
IV** , n
Discovery of the Royal Signet-ring; Beaded gold hoop resembling that of
• Riw' of Nestor' ; Parallel arrangement of designs—three successive scenes ;
• The Riu«' of Minos'; Subject, the migration of Goddess to new abode over-
seas • Sacred Tree feature of both Sanctuaries ; Goddess steering vessel across
arm of sea ; Prow in shape of hippocamp; Parallel scenes of departure
overseas; Nude female minislraut of first shrine—remarkable pose and
action : Reticulated convention of sea-waves; Goddess reposing on these in
Palace Sealing ; The Miuoan prototype of Plagia Pelagia.
Discovery of' Ring' of Minos'.
South of the Palace, about a kilometre from the ' Caravanserai' on Discovery
the line of the Great South Road, where the hills on the West side draw signet-
nearer the course of the old Kairatos stream, there opens, just above the ""»■
modern highway, a small rock-girt glen. Here, quite recently, a boy, bringing
up his father's midday meal, noticed a bright object on the tilled earth
beside a vine, which turned out to be a massive gold signet-ring.1 Hearing
of the find, it was possible for me, somewhat later, not only to examine the
object, but to obtain, thanks to Monsieur Gillieron's skill, an exact replica
and enlarged drawings of the ring and its intaglio design (see Fig. 917,
and cf. Plate, opp. p. 949).
The ring was of solid gold, weighing c. 27 grammes, and with a beaded I!e,a,d,od
» & > & & / o gold i,00p
hoop corresponding in every detail with that of the ' Ring of Nestor from identical
Old Pylos (Kakovatos), described in the Third Volume of this Work.2 "R*gof
From the comparative representations (Fig. 915, a and is) it will be seen Nestor'.
that, apart from the intaglios, both rings are practically identical from
the point of view of manufacture. The hoop of each shows a similar
section, with four small circlets of granulation and larger globules round
lhe ring was purchased from the finder's an oblique manner, is to ' lay up treasure' for
father by a local priest, unfortunately of un- the next World according to Minoan example
balanced mind, and no exact account of its as practised by the original priestly and royal
whereabouts is at present obtainable. His owner of the ring.
favourite answer to inquirers was that he had ! P. 145 seqq., and cf. A. E., The Ring of
given it to his wife, who had buried it and Nestor, &'c.,J.JZ. S., xlv, and separately, Mac-
forgotten where ! In any case it was worth millans, 1925.
' twenty million drachmas '. This, indeed, in
IV** , n