Mycenæ: a narrative of researches and discoveries at Mycenæ and TirynsSchliemann, Heinrich
History
Mycenæ: a narrative of researches and discoveries at Mycenæ and Tiryns
Schliemann, Heinrich
Mycenae (Extinct city); Tiryns (Extinct city)
There was also found an ornament consisting of three double leaves
of gold, which are soldered together in the middle, representing a
magnificent star, ornamented all over with shield-like concentric circles
of _repoussé_ work. The primitive artist has not forgotten to ornament
the borders with small strokes, no doubt with the intention of making the
leaves still more conspicuous. There were found two other stars, each of
two double leaves of gold, which are soldered together in the middle,
and, as the perforation shows, were fastened by a pin on some other
object. The leaves of both stars are ornamented with a _repoussé_ work
of shield-like concentric circles, interspersed with pear-like designs;
the borders of the leaves are also ornamented with small strokes. In what
manner all these stars have been used as ornaments, it is difficult to
say.
I further found with the five bodies of this tomb two small rings (see
No. 367), which have an impressed ornamentation of small circles. There
were further found two small double-headed battle-axes, of thin gold
plate (No. 368). Of the handle of the one shown, only part remains;
that of the other is almost entirely gone. Double-headed battle-axes
of precisely the same form are seen on all the medals of the island of
Tenedos; we see them also on some of the gold ornaments from Mycenæ, on
a lentoid gem from the great Heræum, which will be passed in review in
the subsequent pages, and between the horns of the two small cow-heads
on gold-leaf found in this sepulchre.[322] Mr. Postolaccas calls my
attention to the passage in Plutarch:[323] "But the Tenedians have taken
the axe from the crabs, which are with them abundant about the so-called
Asterion, because it appears that the crabs alone have the figure of the
axe in their shell." The same friend reminds me, besides, that the double
battle-axe is the symbol of the Labrandian Jove, who was worshipped in
Labranda, and it is represented on the medals of the ancient kings of
Caria, as on those of Maussollus[324] (353 B.C.), Idrieus (344 B.C.),
Pixodarus (336 B.C.) and Othomtopatos (334 B.C.). I also find in
Plutarch[325] that the axe, πέλεκυς, was called in the Lydian
language λάβρυς.
[Sidenote: SYMBOL OF THE DOUBLE AXE.]
[Illustration: Nos. 367-370. Golden Ornaments. Sepulchre IV. Size 2:3.]
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