DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.7519#0357
THE ARCHAEOLOGY OF CRETE
Before the close of the eighth century when the Geometric
Period comes to an end a class of polychrome vases makes its
appearance. These betray such strong orientalizing influences
that they will be more conveniently dealt with in the succeeding
section. They are best treated as transitional between the two
periods.
The tools and weapons of iron show no advance. From the
examples found at Kavousi and Vrokastro it would be impos-
sible to assign them either to the Protogeometric or to the
Geometric Age. A curious survival found in the tholos on the
Papoura in Lasithi was a double axe of purely Minoan shape
but of iron. The fibulae, which still occur in both bronze and
iron, are now frequently of the beaded type with a large flat
plate to catch the pin. This plate, however, is never decorated
as elsewhere in the Aegean.
The best of the figures come from Vrokastro. The heads
seem to have been mounted on tubular stands with no trace of
a body. The eyes are more prominent than in Protogeometric
times, but only one example shows any real advance (PI. XLI,
4). In this case the modelling is careful throughout and the
parted lips and half-closed eyes give an extremely lifelike
appearance.1 The animal figurines are often hard to distin-
guish from those of the previous period. Paint, however, is
common both to represent bridles and for a mere pattern to
decorate the manes of horses.
Many of the votive figurines of bronze found in the Diktaian
Cave are to be dated to this period.2 Both male and female
figures appear. The former show the continuation of the L.M.
tradition in the left hand raised to the brow, and in some cases
the kilt is of Minoan shape. The latter have a bell-skirt
and their hands clasped over their breasts. The animals are
mainly oxen, though a ram occurs drawing a chariot in com-
pany with an ox. The nearest parallels are from Olympia.3
The art of writing is still a dead one. The seal stones are
comparatively few, or rather perhaps one should say that com-
paratively few have been published. Three good examples
exist in the British Museum. All are of green steatite, a soft,
easily cut stone, and are engraved with spirited if rude pictures
1 Vrokastro, 101, 112.
2 Miss Lamb, Greek and Roman Bronzes, 35, suggests that some
of the human figures with disproportionately long bodies may be
attributed to the Protogeometric Period.
3 Olympia, IV, 28 ff.
Before the close of the eighth century when the Geometric
Period comes to an end a class of polychrome vases makes its
appearance. These betray such strong orientalizing influences
that they will be more conveniently dealt with in the succeeding
section. They are best treated as transitional between the two
periods.
The tools and weapons of iron show no advance. From the
examples found at Kavousi and Vrokastro it would be impos-
sible to assign them either to the Protogeometric or to the
Geometric Age. A curious survival found in the tholos on the
Papoura in Lasithi was a double axe of purely Minoan shape
but of iron. The fibulae, which still occur in both bronze and
iron, are now frequently of the beaded type with a large flat
plate to catch the pin. This plate, however, is never decorated
as elsewhere in the Aegean.
The best of the figures come from Vrokastro. The heads
seem to have been mounted on tubular stands with no trace of
a body. The eyes are more prominent than in Protogeometric
times, but only one example shows any real advance (PI. XLI,
4). In this case the modelling is careful throughout and the
parted lips and half-closed eyes give an extremely lifelike
appearance.1 The animal figurines are often hard to distin-
guish from those of the previous period. Paint, however, is
common both to represent bridles and for a mere pattern to
decorate the manes of horses.
Many of the votive figurines of bronze found in the Diktaian
Cave are to be dated to this period.2 Both male and female
figures appear. The former show the continuation of the L.M.
tradition in the left hand raised to the brow, and in some cases
the kilt is of Minoan shape. The latter have a bell-skirt
and their hands clasped over their breasts. The animals are
mainly oxen, though a ram occurs drawing a chariot in com-
pany with an ox. The nearest parallels are from Olympia.3
The art of writing is still a dead one. The seal stones are
comparatively few, or rather perhaps one should say that com-
paratively few have been published. Three good examples
exist in the British Museum. All are of green steatite, a soft,
easily cut stone, and are engraved with spirited if rude pictures
1 Vrokastro, 101, 112.
2 Miss Lamb, Greek and Roman Bronzes, 35, suggests that some
of the human figures with disproportionately long bodies may be
attributed to the Protogeometric Period.
3 Olympia, IV, 28 ff.