DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.1021#0327
WRITING IN MYCENAEAN GREECE
275
the fish (Evans' Fig. 33 a) may indicate a fisherman j the
harp (Evans' Fig. 33 a b) a musician ; and so on.
These stones must have had a long history. Most of
them date from the Mycenaean age, but their beginnings
undoubtedly go much farther back. In his long discussion
of their chronology, Mr. Evans concludes (p. 324) that
" the comparisons already accumulated sufficiently warrant
us in referring the most characteristic of the hieroglyphic
stones to the great days of Mycenaean art;" but, lie adds,
" there are distinct indications that the beginnings of the
picture-writing go back to a far more remote period of
Cretan story." Nevertheless it is still true that some of
these objects date only from the end of the Mycenaean
epoch, or are even of still more recent origin. The ques-
tion is involved in unwonted difficulties from the accidental
character of the finds: it is only regular excavation under
scientific control — noting every detail of stratum and asso-
ciation with other objects — that can afford fair data for
establishing a chronology.
Fig. 143 a-c. Gray Steatite, from Praesos (Evans, Fig:. 55)
However, we feel perfectly safe in the following general
conclusions: In Mycenaean times there existed in Crete a
system of writing, hieroglyphic in character. It
i 11 ■ - f V, , • T,n -i -, Conclusions
was partly syllabic, partly ideographic. W line it warranted
had something in common with the hieroglyphic
writing of Egypt, and still more with that of the Hittites, it
275
the fish (Evans' Fig. 33 a) may indicate a fisherman j the
harp (Evans' Fig. 33 a b) a musician ; and so on.
These stones must have had a long history. Most of
them date from the Mycenaean age, but their beginnings
undoubtedly go much farther back. In his long discussion
of their chronology, Mr. Evans concludes (p. 324) that
" the comparisons already accumulated sufficiently warrant
us in referring the most characteristic of the hieroglyphic
stones to the great days of Mycenaean art;" but, lie adds,
" there are distinct indications that the beginnings of the
picture-writing go back to a far more remote period of
Cretan story." Nevertheless it is still true that some of
these objects date only from the end of the Mycenaean
epoch, or are even of still more recent origin. The ques-
tion is involved in unwonted difficulties from the accidental
character of the finds: it is only regular excavation under
scientific control — noting every detail of stratum and asso-
ciation with other objects — that can afford fair data for
establishing a chronology.
Fig. 143 a-c. Gray Steatite, from Praesos (Evans, Fig:. 55)
However, we feel perfectly safe in the following general
conclusions: In Mycenaean times there existed in Crete a
system of writing, hieroglyphic in character. It
i 11 ■ - f V, , • T,n -i -, Conclusions
was partly syllabic, partly ideographic. W line it warranted
had something in common with the hieroglyphic
writing of Egypt, and still more with that of the Hittites, it