DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.7519#0251
216 THE ARCHAEOLOGY OF CRETE
and elsewhere. Unfortunately the stratigraphic evidence is
slight. In most cases all one can say is that these figures are
post-earthquake and from their vitality ought to be put in the
same class as the Agia Triadha Vases. It may be noticed that
such figures as the Fitzwilliam Goddess—the Toronto figure—
or even the Boston Goddess are not included. This is not
owing to any peculiar incredulity : indeed, I believe in the
first and the last, which are second only to the ivory leaper
described below ; but since a suspicion has been cast on them,
it seems better to omit them and concentrate on those actually
found in excavations or at least in circumstances which
guarantee their genuineness. They fall into three classes ;
female figures who may be goddesses, male votaries, and
athletic figures. Clay, bronze, stone, and ivory are the
materials used. The clay and the bronze may really be taken
together since the latter were obviously originally moulded in
clay or wax ; nor are they engraved after casting. The stone
and ivory figures are made in several pieces, an obvious
derivation from clay.
Very primitive examples in clay of the first class were found
in the shrines of Prinias and Gournia, and from a house at
Agia Triadha. They are shown with raised arms, almost
featureless faces, breasts roughly indicated and a cylindrical
skirt.1 In one case from Gournia a snake is twined round the
neck, and it is significant that in the same shrine were found
pipes of the type described above but with snakes shown coiling
round them.
The votaries are usually in bronze. They have the right
hand raised to the brow. The men are dressed in the ordinary
codpiece and short back flap, though on an example from the
Diktaian Cave at Psykhro and another in the British Museum
there is a long apron in front. In the latter case as in one from
Tylissos an elderly man is shown who has given up the tight
belt in favour of a free-spreading paunch. An interesting
figure supposed to be from near Phaistos and now in Leiden
shows both forearms raised in front of the chest and a petasos
on the head.2 Another figure, from the Harbour Town of
Knossos, has his hands clasped in front of him away from his
chest and a tall conical hat.3 They range in size from 25 cm.
to 10 (Plate XXXIX, 2).
1 P. of M., IV, 160. Gournia, 47. These, however, are attributed
to L.M.ni by Marinatos, see below.
"-Jahrbuch, XXX, 65 ft. P. of M., Ill, 461. 3 Ibid., II, 235.
and elsewhere. Unfortunately the stratigraphic evidence is
slight. In most cases all one can say is that these figures are
post-earthquake and from their vitality ought to be put in the
same class as the Agia Triadha Vases. It may be noticed that
such figures as the Fitzwilliam Goddess—the Toronto figure—
or even the Boston Goddess are not included. This is not
owing to any peculiar incredulity : indeed, I believe in the
first and the last, which are second only to the ivory leaper
described below ; but since a suspicion has been cast on them,
it seems better to omit them and concentrate on those actually
found in excavations or at least in circumstances which
guarantee their genuineness. They fall into three classes ;
female figures who may be goddesses, male votaries, and
athletic figures. Clay, bronze, stone, and ivory are the
materials used. The clay and the bronze may really be taken
together since the latter were obviously originally moulded in
clay or wax ; nor are they engraved after casting. The stone
and ivory figures are made in several pieces, an obvious
derivation from clay.
Very primitive examples in clay of the first class were found
in the shrines of Prinias and Gournia, and from a house at
Agia Triadha. They are shown with raised arms, almost
featureless faces, breasts roughly indicated and a cylindrical
skirt.1 In one case from Gournia a snake is twined round the
neck, and it is significant that in the same shrine were found
pipes of the type described above but with snakes shown coiling
round them.
The votaries are usually in bronze. They have the right
hand raised to the brow. The men are dressed in the ordinary
codpiece and short back flap, though on an example from the
Diktaian Cave at Psykhro and another in the British Museum
there is a long apron in front. In the latter case as in one from
Tylissos an elderly man is shown who has given up the tight
belt in favour of a free-spreading paunch. An interesting
figure supposed to be from near Phaistos and now in Leiden
shows both forearms raised in front of the chest and a petasos
on the head.2 Another figure, from the Harbour Town of
Knossos, has his hands clasped in front of him away from his
chest and a tall conical hat.3 They range in size from 25 cm.
to 10 (Plate XXXIX, 2).
1 P. of M., IV, 160. Gournia, 47. These, however, are attributed
to L.M.ni by Marinatos, see below.
"-Jahrbuch, XXX, 65 ft. P. of M., Ill, 461. 3 Ibid., II, 235.