Evans, Arthur J.: The Palace of Minos: a comparative account of the successive stages of the early Cretan civilization as illustred by the discoveries at Knossos (Index) (London, 1936)

SEAL-STONES

[i 66]

SEAL-STONES

Seal-stones, M.M. la, b {emit.)

coil motive engraved below resembling
foliate coils in field of ivory cylinder,
Tholos B,Platanos, iv. 665 (Fig. 654a, b);
correspondence of weight, 12-25 grammes
with Egyptian gold unit, ib.

Twelfth Dynasty amethyst scarab from Dik-
taean Cave (Psychro), engraved with
Minoan hieroglyphic group of Class A—
the first known example of Minoan seal-
engraving on a crystalline stone, I. 199
(Fig. 147)

Minoan imitations of Egyptian scarabs in
ivory and soft stone from M.M. I deposit,
Platanos, I. 199, 200; imitative scarab
with figure of Hippopotamus Goddess
(Ta-Urt), from same deposit, I. 200 (Fig.
148), iv. 439 (Fig. 363)

black steatite 'button seal' showing canopied
waz or sacred papyrus stem taken from
12th Dyn. scarab type, 1. 200, 201
(Fig. 150 e) (cf. Fig. 150 b); other imita-
tive scarab types, ib.

ivory hemicylinder (Nilotic seal form, 6th to
nth Dynasty) with M.M. la sherds,
Knossos: huntsman and bride and hunt-
ing scene, 1. 197 (Fig. 145), iv. 523 (Fig.
469); flounced dress of the woman due to
influence of Oriental fashions, I. 197;
example of analogous flounced dress
supplied by Ishtar figure on Babylonian
cylinder of Hammurabi's time (c. 2110
B.C.) found in a M.M. I relation in
Tholos B, Platanos, 1. 198 (Fig. 146)

thick fiat-sided ivory disks, engraved above
and below, of ivory, and soft stone,
found in M.M. la association,1 iv. 489

tabloid ivory bead-seal with slightly rounded
faces from Knossos, with coil and leaf
ornament, attributed to M.M. la, ill.
21 (Fig. 11 a, b, c); similar, less rounded,
from Tholos A and B, Platanos: M .M. la,
or E.M. Ill, iv. 499 (Fig. 438); regarded
as prototype of 'flat cylinder class, ib.
M.M. I la (and largely b):

hard stones (as agate, cornelian, chalcedony,
rock-crystal, amethyst, and jasper), now
in general use by engravers, 1.273, iv-487

Seal-stones, M.M. lla (and largely b) (cont.)

fields now largely occupied by signs and
groups of Hieroglyphic Class B, I. 273
seqq.

Forms of seal connected with this advanced
Hieroglyphic script: lentoids, I. 194;
type with two circular bossed faces and
square-cut circumference—'flat-sided
disks, 1. 275 (cf. Fig. 204 a, b), iv. 488,
489 (cf. Fig. 418 a, b); type with con-
voluted back, 1. 274, 275 (Fig. 204 e);
three-sided 'prisms' of elongated form,
1. 276, 277 (Fig. 207 a); four-sided do.,
1. 276, 277 (Fig. 207 c, h); 'signet' type,
1. 274-7 (Fig. 204 h, i, k,l,m; Fig. 207 b,
c), 11. 200 (Fig. no a, o); iv. 488 (Fig.
4170,4); silver signet with Hieroglyphic
inscription from E. Crete, iv. 448; Hittite
comparisons suggested for signet type,
ib.

four-sided prism, cornelian, from Central
Crete, presenting facing head with long
side tresses (suggested by Ishtar types),
and winged symbol, I. 276, 277 (Fig.
207 c)

three-sided prism, cornelian, Lasithi; royal seal
with seated cat badge, flanked by sign-
group that recurs on seal impressions
from the Hieroglyphic Deposit at
Knossos, presenting the portrait of a
Minoan Prince, I. 277 (Fig. 207 a), and
see 11. 203, 204 (Fig. 115 a, b). Of the
finest execution, accompanied by decora-
tive motives associated with M.M. lla,
polychrome vases, see 1. 246 (Fig. 186 a)

-------chalcedony, E. Crete, illustrating

decorator's template by itself and as
used for insertion of conventional
palmette (Egyptian 'tree' sign), 11. 203
(Fig. 112 b, c); use of template illus-
trated, 11. 203 (Fig. 113 a, b); ceiling
pattern reconstructed, 11. 204 (Fig. 114)

abnormal lentoid bead of yellow steatite from
Gortyna with intaglio pattern of M.M.
lla, polychrome type, IV. 489 (Fig. 4I9Z
and inset); red filling visible in design
showing that it was worn for ornament
and not as seal, ib.

e.g. Platanos.

In description of Figure (iv., p. 489), read 'M.M. II' for 'L.M. II'. A. E.