57'

. HORNED SHEEP ASSOCIATED WITH SACRAL

SYMBOLS

beside, apparently, a trough, and a swastika sign in the field above t h
in this case legitimately regarded as a religious symbol. This sacral'ind'
tion may be now supplemented by a sealing from the 'Archives Dep0 V

Fig. 544. Intaglio Types showing Horned Sheep associated with Sacred Symbols:

a, Sealing, Temple Repositories, Knossos ; b, Jasper Lentoid, Siteia; c, do. 'S.W.

Basement ' Deposit.

of the close of the Palace Period, Fie. 544, c, where a horned sheep is
grouped with a Cretan wild-goat between the shield and ' impaled-tnangle
Its sacral symbol.1 In this connexion it is interesting to observe that on the jasper
lentoid from Siteia in Eastern Crete,- Fig. 544, b, there is introduced
between two horned sheep in reversed positions a character representing
(with a spur attached) the common hrl sign of the Linear Class B, which is
itself derived, through preceding intermediary forms, from the hierognp1
representing a sacred Double Axe.3 Its religious significance is fame
confirmed by the recurrence of the rrl sign as a mark of dedication. A duec
votive connexion of the horned sheep with the Minoan Goddess, para e
that of the Cretan wild-goat, is well illustrated by the fine cornelian lentoi
from the Vapheio Tomb (Fig. 545) ' where the Goddess appears actua )
holding it up. Similar evidences of the special dedication of the agr
Cretan wild-goat are of constant recurrence. On two intaglios, inclee , ^
the same Vapheio deposit, the Goddess or a female ministrant hole5'

• Tsountas, 'J#. 'APX-. '^'/'iwangU
P. etC, vi, p. S43, Fig- 426. '4' w,iere

A. G., PI. II, p. 25, and Vol. 11, P^ ^ffenb,r
he rightly observes 'Die Frau es -j-jer

1 See below, p. 604.

2 In the Canclia Museum, St. Xanthudides,

Kp)]7LKal SckpaytSes, &C. : 'E<j>. 'Ap^., 1907,

PI. VII, 103, and p. 176.

8 For the intermediate links see J>. of M.,
i, p. 643, Fig. 477, No. 12.

eine Gottin und der Widder ihr a*
(= Aphrodite?)'.