CONNEXIONS: LIBYAN AND EGYPTIAN FACTORS 33

It is even possible that the mantled attire of women such as is seen Sug-
among the pre-dynastic ivories of Hierakonpolis had a lasting" influence on fl„encec
the Cretan women's dress. The natural effect of such a thick wrap, as Minoan

female
shown in Fig. 14, a 1, a 2, is that it rests in a cope-like fashion behind the neck, costume

and this feature is very clearly brought out in the Minoan female costume

(Fig. 14, d) suggested by the designs on E. M. Ill seal-stones.1 In the

case of the Hierakonpolis figure there was clearly some kind of skirt beneath

it, which in the figurine from a tholos tomb of Kumasa (Fig. 14, c) bulges out

considerably. In a figurine from Petsofa, as restored in Fig. 14, b, we see

the skirt and apron beneath the lower border of what seems to be a cloak

of this kind. For convenience the Minoan woman fastened the cloak round

the waist with a cord, sometimes ending in tassels, and

seems to have made slits or even short sleeves for the

arms, but it is difficult to avoid the conclusion that

the Middle Minoan type of women's costume as seen at

Petsofa.2 and on an M. M. II signet (Fig. 15 3) is an

offshoot of the same stock.4 It has been suggested

above that the later, flounced type of Minoan skirts may

have been inspired by Syrian fashions.6

As a pendant to this early Nilotic tradition in the

Minoan female attire, it may be pointed out that a most

distinctive feature in the arrangement of the Minoan men's hair, as we

know it from the latter part of the Middle Minoan Age onwards, was

certainly influenced by Libyan models. This is the side-lock falling down

from in front of the ear over the breast or through the arm-pit, of which

characteristic illustrations are given in Fig. 1(>, e-hS' In Fig. 16, a—d, are

Fig. 15. Minoan
Female Costume on
M.M. II Signet.

1 Cf. P. o/M., i, p. 124, Fig. 93 a, b i, c i.

2 P. of.M., i, p. 152, Fig. 111, a. From Pro-
fessor R. M. Dawkins's reconstitution {B. S. A.,
ix, PI. VIII).

3 P. o/M., i, p. 277, Fig. 207, k.

4 Professor J. L. Myres, B. S.A., ix, pp. 367-
70 and p. 382 seqq., saw in the Petsofa cos-
tume a separate bodice and skirt, and the
termination of the decorative stripes at the
girdle might suggest this conclusion. In P.
o/M., i, p. 153, I accepted this view. But the
chain of connexions given above is almost de-
cisive in its significance. On the signet(Fig. 15),
moreover, the mantle is clearly represented

II.

with an opening in front. Other Petsofa
figures unquestionably show that a bottle-
shaped skirt was worn below the waist, the
upper part of the body being left bare.

6 P. o/M., i, p. 197.

6 Fig. 16. a. Kneeling Libyan, Beyr-el-VValy
(Bates, op. cit., p. 134, Fig. 43, by the kindness
of L. Roeder). b. Tomb of Rameses II, Thebes
(Bates, op. cit., p. 130, Fig. 35). c. Captive
Meshwesh; Lepsius, Denkmaler, &fc, iii,
209; Bates, op. cit, p. 125, Fig. 24 (XXth
Dyn. Medinet Habu). d. Borchardt, Ne-user-
re, Fig. 29 ; Bates, op. cit., p. 129, Fig. 22.
Vth Dyn.

D