Chapter 2 - THE FACETED STONES WITH PICTOGRAPHIC AND LINEAR SYMBOLS.
As forming a group by themselves it has been found convenient to reserve the detailed examination of the facetted stones presenting pictographic symbols for a separate section, and at the same time to place with them the prism-shaped seals of the same type with more linear characters.
Another form of bead-seal and two examples of lentoid gems with pictographic groups are also added.
The facetted stones themselves are of three principal types, all of them
perforated along their major axis.
I.—Three-sided or prism-shaped (Fig. 20 a and b). This type is divided
into two varieties—one elongated (a) the other more globular.
20G.—(2 diarns.).
20b.—(2 diams.).
IV.—With one side, the upper part being ornamented with a engraved convoluted relief (Fig 21).
21.--(2 diams.).
This form may perhaps be regarded as a later development of an earlier type of Cretan bead, the upper part of which is carved into the shape of two Nerita shells lying end to end with a common whorl, a specimen of which was found in the Phaestos deposit above referred to.
The other stones, which are of ordinary Mycenaean forms including the lentoid type, are grouped with the above as Class V. The figures are taken from casts, so that, assuming that the originals were seals, this gives the right direction of the symbols. In some cases however it is not easy to decide which way up the impression should be shown, and the order in which the sides are arranged is for the most part arbitrary. When one side presents a single type of an evidently ideographic character it has been given the first place, and at times a boustrophędon arrangement seems to be traceable. In Fig. 23 for instance, the first side seems to run from right to left, the second from left to right, and the third again from right to left. The drawings were executed by Mr. F. Anderson with the guidance of magnified photographs from casts, and the stones are in all cases enlarged to two diameters. Effects due to the technique of the early gem-engraver's art, such as the constant tendency to develop globular excrescences, must be mentally deducted from the pictographs. Unless otherwise indicated, the stones or their impressions were obtained in Crete by the writer.
p.21
Class I.
Three-Sided on Prism-Shaped.
21c.
21b.
21a.
21.
A. (21).--Brown steatite. Crete. Uncertain locality.
22a.
22b. (The fetus Dionysis inside the thigh of Zeus,
identified by Claire Watson, 2003)
22c.
22.
B. (22).--Green Jasper. Province of Siteia. Crete.
23a.
23b.
23c.
C. (23).--White cornelian. Eastern Crete.
24a.
24b.
24c.
D. (24).--White cornelian. Eastern Crete.
25c.
25b.
25a.
E. (25).--Crete. (Berlin Museum)
p.23
26c.
26b.
26a.
F. (26).--Red cornelian. Crete. Province of Siteia.
27c.
27b.
27a.
G. (27).--Brown steatite. Crete. Uncertain locality.
Sides b and c contain what appear to be pruely decorative designs.
28c.
28b.
28a.
28.
H. (28).--Steatite. Crete. Uncertain locality.
p.24
29a.
29b.
29c.
I. (29).--White steatite. Praesos.
30a.
30b.
30c.
J. (30).--Grey steatite. Knosos. (From a sketch.)
p.25
31c.
31b.
31a.
31.
K. (31).--This stone belongs to the more globular type, Class I.b. Crete. (Berlin Museum.)
32d.
32c.
32b.
32a.
32.
A. (32).--Red cornelian. Crete (Ashmolean Museum; Mr. Greville Chester; wrongly labelled as 'from Sparta,' see. p. 136).
p.26
33a.
33b.
33c.
33d.
33.
B. (33).--Crete. Province of Siteia. (Polytechnion, Athens.)
p.27
34a.
34b.
34c.
34d.
34.
C. (34).--Crete. (Berlin Museum.)
35a.
35b.
35c.
35d.
35.
D. (35).--Green jasper. Crete. Palaekastro, near site of Itanos.
36a.
36b.
36c.
36d.
35.
E. (36).--Steatite. Province of Siteia. (Polytechnion, Athens.) Sides a and c contain decorative designs.
Class III.
Four-Sided Stones with Two Larger Faces.
37a.
37b.
37.
A. (37).--Green steatite. Central Crete This stone properly belongs to an earlier class.
Class IV.
Stones with a Single Face: The Upper Part Convoluted.
38.
A. (38).--White carnelian. Eastern Crete.
p.30
39.
A. (39).--From impression taken by Professor Sayce at Athens. This form of gem was in use for the basils of rings in Mycennaean times.
40.
B. (40).--Brown steatite. Knosos. This and the following are ordinary types of perforated lentoid bead but of very early fabric.
41.
C. (41).--Black steatite. Messara district.
