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)
The head of this tall standing woman is covered with a sort of turban,
which strikingly resembles the turbans now worn in India, with the
difference that here the turban runs out into a point, from which a long
ornament hangs down on the back. A further difference is that from the
forepart of the turban there projects a sort of mask, on which the two
eyes and the nose are well represented, but here this mask is lifted,
and we see the woman's eyes from below it; a third difference between
this and an Indian turban is that from its right side, on the left of
the spectator, hangs down a band which must also represent an ornament;
a fourth difference is the strange ornament which we see just above the
forehead, and which must be a sort of diadem. The features of this woman
are certainly masculine and her hair is cut short, but the artist wished
her sex to be distinctly understood and gave her two large protruding
breasts. Just above her breasts we see two horizontal bands, which may
be intended to represent necklaces; but we ought not to leave unnoticed
the long band which hangs from her right shoulder. Her lower dress seems
also to be in the shape of enormously wide pantaloons, and from the loins
downward we see on the dress of each leg five large curved parallel
bands, which can have no other object than to represent the splendour
and costliness of her attire: these bands become more curved the lower
they are, and the lowest is exactly in the form of a crescent. Below the
extremity of the pantaloons we see that the woman wears drawers, which
are fastened with clasps. Above the forepart of this woman's turban is
again represented an ornament, the nature of which cannot be discerned.
Just below her outstretched right arm we see another small female figure,
probably a child, holding in each of its extended hands an object, the
nature of which we are unable to discern, and which it seems to offer
to the seated woman. The child's head is covered with a turban, and a
long tress of hair, or some ornament, is hanging down its back. It wears
a necklace, and its dress is divided by horizontal parallel bands into
three or four compartments. The features of the child are very expressive.
Just above the extended hand of the tall standing woman we see two double
axes on one handle, exactly like those on the Tenedian medals and those
between the horns of the cows (Nos. 329, 330), but richly ornamented. The
second double axe is seen projecting on both sides from behind the first
one. The handle of these axes, which runs out into a sharp point, is
artistically made.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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