DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4856#0014
8
(7th century B.C.) had human forelegs. It will be observed also that the sphinxes have
each a long tress floating away from the crown of the head, like the sphinxes on one of
the gold ornaments and one of the ivories from Enkomi, and like the ivory sphinx from
Spata in Attica. This same peculiarity has survived
on the pottery of Naucratis and the sarcophagus from
Clazomenas in the Museum, that is to say, down to
the early part of the 6th century B.C. But in these
other instances the sphinxes have all animal forelegs,
from which it may be inferred that those with human
forelegs on the painted vase (Fig. 14) represent a
stage of transition.
Professor Petrie (Illahun, Kahun and Gurob,
wv PI. 20, fig. 4) gives a blue glazed plate from
Obverse, two sphinxes. For Reverse, see Fig. 71, No. 927? - #
Gurob on which are two sphinxes couchant and
confronted, rudely drawn. On page 7 he remarks: " The sphinx bowl is very curious
in its style, as female sphinxes are very rare, the more so with wings." Since then a
German writer,1 commenting on this particular vase of Professor Petrie's, states that the
"winged sphinx is not found at all in Egypt," and argues that this type of sphinx is of
foreign, Syrian origin.
Even more curious than the sphinxes are the creatures on the other side of this
vase (see Fig. 71, No. 927). At first sight they seem to be two gryphons standing
confronted, the one yoked to a chariot, the other without a chariot, possibly from want
of space on the vase. But the heads of these creatures are not the heads of gryphons.
To all appearance they are the heads of cocks.2 But unique and curious as this
representation appears to be, we are for the moment more interested in the fact that in
the designs on both sides of the vase the outlines of the figures are accompanied by
white dotted lines. In the pottery of Mycenae this principle of decoration occurs on
several fragments, but specially on what is called the " warrior-vase."3 As is well
known, the same peculiarity of white dotted lines is found also on a vase from Caere,
signed by the potter Aristonothos, which, it is argued, cannot be older than the 7th
century B.C.4 The same method of dotted lines is to be seen again on a pinax from
Cameiros in the Museum, representing the combat of Menelaos and Hector over the
body of Euphorbos, with their names inscribed. That vase also is assigned to the
7th century B.C. Is it possible that the Mycenae and Enkomi vases are seven or
eight centuries older? At one time the "warrior-vase" of Mycenae was supposed to
be sufficiently accounted for by assuming that it was an accidental survival from some
later stratum of Mycenaean civilisation. But since then, the discovery at Mycenae
itself of a stele painted with figures of similar warriors has again raised the question
of the connection between the Mycenaean and the Aristonothos vases. The result has
been a remarkable divergence of opinion, even among those who defend systematically
the high antiquity of Mycenaean art.
1 Von Bissing, Jahrbuch, 1898, p. 43.
2 Perdrizet, Sur Vintroduction en Grece du Coq (Rev. Archiol. 1893, (xxi.) p. 157).
3 Furtwaengler and Loeschcke, Myken. Vasen, pis. 42-43.
4 Mon. dell' Inst. ix. pi. 4.
(7th century B.C.) had human forelegs. It will be observed also that the sphinxes have
each a long tress floating away from the crown of the head, like the sphinxes on one of
the gold ornaments and one of the ivories from Enkomi, and like the ivory sphinx from
Spata in Attica. This same peculiarity has survived
on the pottery of Naucratis and the sarcophagus from
Clazomenas in the Museum, that is to say, down to
the early part of the 6th century B.C. But in these
other instances the sphinxes have all animal forelegs,
from which it may be inferred that those with human
forelegs on the painted vase (Fig. 14) represent a
stage of transition.
Professor Petrie (Illahun, Kahun and Gurob,
wv PI. 20, fig. 4) gives a blue glazed plate from
Obverse, two sphinxes. For Reverse, see Fig. 71, No. 927? - #
Gurob on which are two sphinxes couchant and
confronted, rudely drawn. On page 7 he remarks: " The sphinx bowl is very curious
in its style, as female sphinxes are very rare, the more so with wings." Since then a
German writer,1 commenting on this particular vase of Professor Petrie's, states that the
"winged sphinx is not found at all in Egypt," and argues that this type of sphinx is of
foreign, Syrian origin.
Even more curious than the sphinxes are the creatures on the other side of this
vase (see Fig. 71, No. 927). At first sight they seem to be two gryphons standing
confronted, the one yoked to a chariot, the other without a chariot, possibly from want
of space on the vase. But the heads of these creatures are not the heads of gryphons.
To all appearance they are the heads of cocks.2 But unique and curious as this
representation appears to be, we are for the moment more interested in the fact that in
the designs on both sides of the vase the outlines of the figures are accompanied by
white dotted lines. In the pottery of Mycenae this principle of decoration occurs on
several fragments, but specially on what is called the " warrior-vase."3 As is well
known, the same peculiarity of white dotted lines is found also on a vase from Caere,
signed by the potter Aristonothos, which, it is argued, cannot be older than the 7th
century B.C.4 The same method of dotted lines is to be seen again on a pinax from
Cameiros in the Museum, representing the combat of Menelaos and Hector over the
body of Euphorbos, with their names inscribed. That vase also is assigned to the
7th century B.C. Is it possible that the Mycenae and Enkomi vases are seven or
eight centuries older? At one time the "warrior-vase" of Mycenae was supposed to
be sufficiently accounted for by assuming that it was an accidental survival from some
later stratum of Mycenaean civilisation. But since then, the discovery at Mycenae
itself of a stele painted with figures of similar warriors has again raised the question
of the connection between the Mycenaean and the Aristonothos vases. The result has
been a remarkable divergence of opinion, even among those who defend systematically
the high antiquity of Mycenaean art.
1 Von Bissing, Jahrbuch, 1898, p. 43.
2 Perdrizet, Sur Vintroduction en Grece du Coq (Rev. Archiol. 1893, (xxi.) p. 157).
3 Furtwaengler and Loeschcke, Myken. Vasen, pis. 42-43.
4 Mon. dell' Inst. ix. pi. 4.