DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.1021#0353
300 THE MYCENAEAN AGE
ers the clouds and rives them with the thunderbolt, that
they may water the earth; and Earth herself, with her
trees, flowers, and fruits. This indeed takes no account of
the lions' heads; but these may symbolize sources and
streams, the only elements wanting to round out our world
picture.
An interpretation somewhat similar has been offered by
Milchhofer.1 He sees in the main group the mother of
the gods, Rhea Cybele, encompassed by her nymphs; in
the two-edged axe the symbol of Zeus, her son; in the
armed figure a representative of the Curetes or Cory ban tes,
who dance attendance on her, clashing spear on shield;
and in the animal-heads the symbol of the lion, which was
sacred to the Phrygian mountain goddess. A third inter-
pretation is offered by Furtwangler,2 who sees in the signet
Aphrodite Ourania h x^noi attended by her nymphs or
adorants. Others — for example, Mayer3 — refuse to rec-
ognize in the design any religious significance whatever,
and hold that it simply represents a princess with her atten-
dants in her garden, the armed figure being only a soldier
on guard in the background.
Leaving the great signet with its diverging interpreta-
tions, we pass on to another class of monuments — among
Monster them a bit of wall-painting from Mycenae, repro-
figures duced in Fig. 156; a large number of engraved
gems; and a bronze vessel from Cyprus. The designs on
all these represent monsters with heads of lions, horses, or
asses, but in human attitudes and actions. In the fresco
(Fig. 156) the painter has rudely sketched three ass-headed
creatures with long manes hanging down their backs,
1 Anfange der Kunst, p. 136. Cf. Arch. Ztg., 1883, p. 249.
2 Mykeniscke Vasen, p. 79.
;! Jakrb. des deutschert Arch. Inst., 1892, p. 191.
ers the clouds and rives them with the thunderbolt, that
they may water the earth; and Earth herself, with her
trees, flowers, and fruits. This indeed takes no account of
the lions' heads; but these may symbolize sources and
streams, the only elements wanting to round out our world
picture.
An interpretation somewhat similar has been offered by
Milchhofer.1 He sees in the main group the mother of
the gods, Rhea Cybele, encompassed by her nymphs; in
the two-edged axe the symbol of Zeus, her son; in the
armed figure a representative of the Curetes or Cory ban tes,
who dance attendance on her, clashing spear on shield;
and in the animal-heads the symbol of the lion, which was
sacred to the Phrygian mountain goddess. A third inter-
pretation is offered by Furtwangler,2 who sees in the signet
Aphrodite Ourania h x^noi attended by her nymphs or
adorants. Others — for example, Mayer3 — refuse to rec-
ognize in the design any religious significance whatever,
and hold that it simply represents a princess with her atten-
dants in her garden, the armed figure being only a soldier
on guard in the background.
Leaving the great signet with its diverging interpreta-
tions, we pass on to another class of monuments — among
Monster them a bit of wall-painting from Mycenae, repro-
figures duced in Fig. 156; a large number of engraved
gems; and a bronze vessel from Cyprus. The designs on
all these represent monsters with heads of lions, horses, or
asses, but in human attitudes and actions. In the fresco
(Fig. 156) the painter has rudely sketched three ass-headed
creatures with long manes hanging down their backs,
1 Anfange der Kunst, p. 136. Cf. Arch. Ztg., 1883, p. 249.
2 Mykeniscke Vasen, p. 79.
;! Jakrb. des deutschert Arch. Inst., 1892, p. 191.