DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.12762#0129
102
THE VAULTED TOMBS OF MESARA
the horizontally from the brim, or else horizontal lugs. Five have a small trough
cemetery spout. Two, 1884. and 1912, are deep cups with handle and spout. The
STONE OBJECTS different types appear in piate LIV.
One, 1867, in orange alabaster, is shown on Plate XII.
(1) Miscellaneous forms
Miscellaneous (l) 1886. A teapot-shaped jug (Plate LIV) without handle. Height
Forms .Q55 m^ diameter of mouth -06 m.1
(2) 1673 (Plate LIV). A small vessel rather like an egg-cup. It stands
on a small round foot and has a slightly projecting rim. Height -07 m.,
diameter of mouth -04 m.
(3) 1990 (Plate LIV). In form like the preceding, but lower and with
brim more outsplayed and broader foot, this little vessel is of unusual elegance
and fine polish.
(4) 1906 (Plate LIV). A vessel differing from the two preceding in having
two bands of fish-bone pattern and no foot. Height -035 m., diameter of
mouth -03 m.
(5) 1904 (a) (Plate XI). This is the smallest and most elegant of the
Platanos stone vessels. In shape it is a sphere of which the top has been sliced
off to form the mouth round which a rim projects. There are two minute lugs
pierced vertically. The decoration is in relief. On the base within a circle is
an eight-rayed star, while the belly is covered with continuous interlacing
triple spirals in two connected rows. The spiral pattern on this vase, each
spiral doubling back to form a connection with the next, is precisely that of
the well-known Cycladic stone pyxides of Melos and Amorgos.2 The vase was
found in sifting the earth inside Tholos B. Spiral ornament in Crete in the
Early Minoan period is found chiefly, as we shall see, on ivory seals.
(6) 1883 (Plate LIV). This is a square piece of blue marble with white
veins and has a shallow cavity. It looks like a half-finished vase. On the
inside of the cavity the grooves left by the revolving tool can be seen, and the
little knob at the centre. Height -04 m., breadth -08 m.
(m) White limestone vases
White Limestone About thirty vases of soft white limestone were found. Most of them are
Vases small cylindrical tumblers roughly and carelessly cut, or else of the mortar or
bird's nest shape without ornament. Two only I judge worthy of description,
viz. :—
(1) 1894 (Plate LIV). A vessel of a shape meant perhaps for a tortoise,
with a projection at one end representing the head. There is a horizontal
1 Cf. the finer example from Portf, No. 2086, 2 Tsountas and Manatt, op. at., pp. 259-260,
Plate xxxix a. figs. 133-134.
THE VAULTED TOMBS OF MESARA
the horizontally from the brim, or else horizontal lugs. Five have a small trough
cemetery spout. Two, 1884. and 1912, are deep cups with handle and spout. The
STONE OBJECTS different types appear in piate LIV.
One, 1867, in orange alabaster, is shown on Plate XII.
(1) Miscellaneous forms
Miscellaneous (l) 1886. A teapot-shaped jug (Plate LIV) without handle. Height
Forms .Q55 m^ diameter of mouth -06 m.1
(2) 1673 (Plate LIV). A small vessel rather like an egg-cup. It stands
on a small round foot and has a slightly projecting rim. Height -07 m.,
diameter of mouth -04 m.
(3) 1990 (Plate LIV). In form like the preceding, but lower and with
brim more outsplayed and broader foot, this little vessel is of unusual elegance
and fine polish.
(4) 1906 (Plate LIV). A vessel differing from the two preceding in having
two bands of fish-bone pattern and no foot. Height -035 m., diameter of
mouth -03 m.
(5) 1904 (a) (Plate XI). This is the smallest and most elegant of the
Platanos stone vessels. In shape it is a sphere of which the top has been sliced
off to form the mouth round which a rim projects. There are two minute lugs
pierced vertically. The decoration is in relief. On the base within a circle is
an eight-rayed star, while the belly is covered with continuous interlacing
triple spirals in two connected rows. The spiral pattern on this vase, each
spiral doubling back to form a connection with the next, is precisely that of
the well-known Cycladic stone pyxides of Melos and Amorgos.2 The vase was
found in sifting the earth inside Tholos B. Spiral ornament in Crete in the
Early Minoan period is found chiefly, as we shall see, on ivory seals.
(6) 1883 (Plate LIV). This is a square piece of blue marble with white
veins and has a shallow cavity. It looks like a half-finished vase. On the
inside of the cavity the grooves left by the revolving tool can be seen, and the
little knob at the centre. Height -04 m., breadth -08 m.
(m) White limestone vases
White Limestone About thirty vases of soft white limestone were found. Most of them are
Vases small cylindrical tumblers roughly and carelessly cut, or else of the mortar or
bird's nest shape without ornament. Two only I judge worthy of description,
viz. :—
(1) 1894 (Plate LIV). A vessel of a shape meant perhaps for a tortoise,
with a projection at one end representing the head. There is a horizontal
1 Cf. the finer example from Portf, No. 2086, 2 Tsountas and Manatt, op. at., pp. 259-260,
Plate xxxix a. figs. 133-134.