4i8

WINGLESS SPHINX: ANATOLIAN SOURCE



early attached to the monster, the name itself is undoubtedly Greek. 'Sphinx'

is, of course,
connected with
the verb o-<p[yya>
'to squeeze'and
may be inter-
preted as the
'constrictor' —
a daughter, it is
to be remem-
bered, accord-
ing to the indi-
genous tradi-
tion, of Echidna
the 'adder'.

May we not infer that already by the time of the Minoan Conquest of
'Minyan' Thebes—somewhere about 1500 B.C.—a Hellenic population was
settled in the neighbourhood, from whom the folklore concerning the local
monster of this name was taken over ?

The youthful prince who is seen attacking the monster on the intaglio
may himself very well represent the conquering Minoan element.

Fig. 282.

Oedipus slaying Sphinx in Rocky Glen on Gold Bead-
seal from Thisbe (f).

Wingless Type of Minoan Sphinx and its Anatolian Relations.

A special circumstance lends interest to the fact that the ivory fragments

among the ' Treasury' relics have thus made possible,

in Fig. 281, a restoration of a characteristic winged

Sphinx of the true Minoan breed. For, as will be

shown below, remains from another part of the same

deposit belong to a monster of quite different

parentage.
Wingless That a wingless form of Sphinx had reacted

M. M.Xi°in otl Minoan phantasy at a still earlier epoch is clear
signet. from some sphragistic evidence. A 'signet' seal FiG 2g3 wingless

of green jasper of M. M. II date (Fig. 283), found Sphinx in Green Jasper

near Arkhanes,— a considerable Minoan centre Signet Seal: Arkhanes,

. near Knossos.

inland of Knossos with traces of a Palace1—depicts

a seated Sphinx without wings but with a coiled side-lock and streaming

1 See P. ofM., ii, Pt. I, p. 61 seqq., and Suppl. PL XIV, a, b.