DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.807#0094
68
THE PALACE OF MINOS, ETC.
quarters of Minoan civilization, that this new connexion becomes most
perceptible.
Know-^ Copper was known at this Period. A fragment, apparently of a small
Copper in knife of this metal, occurred in an E. M. I vase,1 and the somewhat stylized
E.M. r.
b
•' Chalco-
lithic'
Phase.
Steatite
Seals and
Whorls
with Rude
Picto-
graphs.
Fig. 37. Three-Sided Steatite Seal, Kalochorio, Crete (f c).
form of some of the triangular daggers of the E. M. II Period (see below,
Fig. 70) points to the anterior existence of simpler types of this weapon.
Otherwise, as is abundantly shown by the Sub-Neolithic strata at Knossos,
there was a considerable survival of the use of stone implements, notably
small ' celts' and obsidian knives. The culture, as
already said, is ' Chalcolithic '.
As to many classes of objects, the existence of
which may be eventually traced back to this Period,
such as ornaments of gold or silver, the evidence is
still defective. It is clear that certain very primi-
tive types of seals with rude linear pictographs and
signs must be assigned to the First Early Minoan
Period, if only for the reason that more developed types
of the same class are associated with remains of the
succeeding epoch. The seals in question are mostly in the form of cones
or conoids and irregular three-sided ' bead-seals ' of large calibre, associated
with pictographs of the rudest linear class. Their material is the native
steatite (Fig. 37).2 We here see the first elementary stages of the graphic
art that was eventually to lead to the highly developed systems of Minoan
writing.
It is a noteworthy fact that on some of these early seal-stones convoluted
and monstrous forms begin to appear which attest the influence of a class of
types very frequent on a series of cylinder- and prism-seals of black steatite
1 See above, p. 57, Fig. 16, d. from Kalochorio, east of Candia (Scripta Minoar
2 Fig. 37 is a rude three-sided seal of steatite i, p. 116, Fig. 48).
Fig. 38a. Steatite
Whorl, Hagios Onu-
phrios (f).
THE PALACE OF MINOS, ETC.
quarters of Minoan civilization, that this new connexion becomes most
perceptible.
Know-^ Copper was known at this Period. A fragment, apparently of a small
Copper in knife of this metal, occurred in an E. M. I vase,1 and the somewhat stylized
E.M. r.
b
•' Chalco-
lithic'
Phase.
Steatite
Seals and
Whorls
with Rude
Picto-
graphs.
Fig. 37. Three-Sided Steatite Seal, Kalochorio, Crete (f c).
form of some of the triangular daggers of the E. M. II Period (see below,
Fig. 70) points to the anterior existence of simpler types of this weapon.
Otherwise, as is abundantly shown by the Sub-Neolithic strata at Knossos,
there was a considerable survival of the use of stone implements, notably
small ' celts' and obsidian knives. The culture, as
already said, is ' Chalcolithic '.
As to many classes of objects, the existence of
which may be eventually traced back to this Period,
such as ornaments of gold or silver, the evidence is
still defective. It is clear that certain very primi-
tive types of seals with rude linear pictographs and
signs must be assigned to the First Early Minoan
Period, if only for the reason that more developed types
of the same class are associated with remains of the
succeeding epoch. The seals in question are mostly in the form of cones
or conoids and irregular three-sided ' bead-seals ' of large calibre, associated
with pictographs of the rudest linear class. Their material is the native
steatite (Fig. 37).2 We here see the first elementary stages of the graphic
art that was eventually to lead to the highly developed systems of Minoan
writing.
It is a noteworthy fact that on some of these early seal-stones convoluted
and monstrous forms begin to appear which attest the influence of a class of
types very frequent on a series of cylinder- and prism-seals of black steatite
1 See above, p. 57, Fig. 16, d. from Kalochorio, east of Candia (Scripta Minoar
2 Fig. 37 is a rude three-sided seal of steatite i, p. 116, Fig. 48).
Fig. 38a. Steatite
Whorl, Hagios Onu-
phrios (f).