DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.1021#0345
WRITING IN MYCENAEAN GREECE 293
" As a matter of comparatively minor importance, lie added that be had also
found a broken stone ' with writing' at the bottom of the earth layer. Natu-
rally, I lost no time in securing the stone, and found it to be a dark steatite frag-
ment, bearing part of an inscription clearly cut in characters about an inch high,
arranged in a single line, belonging to the same Mycenaean script as that of the
seal-stones and of a type representing the linearization of originally pictographic
characters. There are in all nine letters, with probably syllabic values, remain-
ing — apparently about half the original number — and two punctuations. At
the right extremity a smaller sign is placed above that in the line below.
Among the characters is observable an elongated form of the four-barred-gate
symbol (Piclographs, No. 24 —our 141 c), part of the S-like figure (No. 69 b),
and two fish-like signs (No. 34), which here occur together, just as on a ring-
stone (Pictograpks, Fig. 39) they follow one another, one at the end, and one
at the beginning of two lines. The other forms seem to be new. That we
have here to deal with a regular inscription no human being will doubt. The
fragment itself appears to form part of a kind of table of offerings of quad-
rangular form, and originally provided with four short legs and central stem,
while above are parts of two cup-shaped hollows with raised rims, of which
there had apparently been three when the table was complete. By a singular
coincidence I was able subsequently to obtain from a prehistoric site at Arvi,
on the south coast of Crete, where several steatite vessels of Mycenaean and
earlier dates had already been discovered, a parallel object of the same mate-
rial, in this case perfect, but presenting only one cup-shaped receptacle, and
without inscription.
" On securing this highly interesting relic I at onee arranged to continue the
excavation, in the hopes of finding the remaining portion ; but though we dug
down to the rock surface for some square metres round, nothing more of it
could be discovered. I was able, however, to ascertain the fact that, above
the level where the inscribed fragment lay, was an. apparently undisturbed
layer containing quantities of unbroken cups of Mycenaean date, and tending,
therefore, to show that the broken ' table of offerings' had reached the posi-
tion in which it was found—at a depth, namely, of two metres, and actually
resting on the stone floor of the cave — before the close of the Mycenaean
period. . . .
"It is natural to bring the steatite table, with its cup-shaped receptacle,
into relation with the ancient cult of which this cave was once the centre in
prehistoric times, if we may judge by the extensive deposits of figures of men
and animals, both in bronze and clay, as well as of votive double axes and weap-
ons. None of these remains belong to the classical period. The votive deposit,
indeed, seems to be purely prehistoric ; and one of the bronze male figures
found supplies a representation of Mycenaean clothing and method of wearing
the hair identical with that of the men on the Vaphio gold cups. It cannot be
doubted that the broken ' table of offerings' belongs to the same period as
the relics among which it was imbedded, and the inscribed characters must in
all probability be regarded as forming part of a Mycenaean dedication."
" As a matter of comparatively minor importance, lie added that be had also
found a broken stone ' with writing' at the bottom of the earth layer. Natu-
rally, I lost no time in securing the stone, and found it to be a dark steatite frag-
ment, bearing part of an inscription clearly cut in characters about an inch high,
arranged in a single line, belonging to the same Mycenaean script as that of the
seal-stones and of a type representing the linearization of originally pictographic
characters. There are in all nine letters, with probably syllabic values, remain-
ing — apparently about half the original number — and two punctuations. At
the right extremity a smaller sign is placed above that in the line below.
Among the characters is observable an elongated form of the four-barred-gate
symbol (Piclographs, No. 24 —our 141 c), part of the S-like figure (No. 69 b),
and two fish-like signs (No. 34), which here occur together, just as on a ring-
stone (Pictograpks, Fig. 39) they follow one another, one at the end, and one
at the beginning of two lines. The other forms seem to be new. That we
have here to deal with a regular inscription no human being will doubt. The
fragment itself appears to form part of a kind of table of offerings of quad-
rangular form, and originally provided with four short legs and central stem,
while above are parts of two cup-shaped hollows with raised rims, of which
there had apparently been three when the table was complete. By a singular
coincidence I was able subsequently to obtain from a prehistoric site at Arvi,
on the south coast of Crete, where several steatite vessels of Mycenaean and
earlier dates had already been discovered, a parallel object of the same mate-
rial, in this case perfect, but presenting only one cup-shaped receptacle, and
without inscription.
" On securing this highly interesting relic I at onee arranged to continue the
excavation, in the hopes of finding the remaining portion ; but though we dug
down to the rock surface for some square metres round, nothing more of it
could be discovered. I was able, however, to ascertain the fact that, above
the level where the inscribed fragment lay, was an. apparently undisturbed
layer containing quantities of unbroken cups of Mycenaean date, and tending,
therefore, to show that the broken ' table of offerings' had reached the posi-
tion in which it was found—at a depth, namely, of two metres, and actually
resting on the stone floor of the cave — before the close of the Mycenaean
period. . . .
"It is natural to bring the steatite table, with its cup-shaped receptacle,
into relation with the ancient cult of which this cave was once the centre in
prehistoric times, if we may judge by the extensive deposits of figures of men
and animals, both in bronze and clay, as well as of votive double axes and weap-
ons. None of these remains belong to the classical period. The votive deposit,
indeed, seems to be purely prehistoric ; and one of the bronze male figures
found supplies a representation of Mycenaean clothing and method of wearing
the hair identical with that of the men on the Vaphio gold cups. It cannot be
doubted that the broken ' table of offerings' belongs to the same period as
the relics among which it was imbedded, and the inscribed characters must in
all probability be regarded as forming part of a Mycenaean dedication."