267:
408:
420:
432:
448:
460:
31:
384:
220:
372:
113:
360:
396:
322:
is another famous find that has generated much discussion as to the origin of many pieces; the two gold cups are now usually thought to be Cretan in the case of one, and the other
Mycenaen, made to match. The 43 seals in the tomb include a variety of fine stones, and gold, and several have parallels
254:
in LM I has exotic hybrid monsters such as "Eagle Ladies", a pair of breasts with wings and either a bird's head or a helmet with no head. Another has male human legs, bird's wings and a horned goat's head, and a third large breasts, the wings of a butterfly, a human head with crown and animal legs.
231:
that seem to be early MM II, or around 1800 BC, over two thirds of the nearly 300 designs abstract patterns, some very simple, but others complicated and sophisticated. The sharp curving of bodies, typical of human bull-leaper figures, is often seen in animals in round images, though others are seen
108:
mostly made this type; here, as throughout the surviving seals, there are wide variations in the quality of the carving. Often seals are pierced, so they can be worn around the neck or wrist on a string. Probably many early examples were in wood, and have not survived. Ivory and soft stone were
302:
are of the large multi-figure type. Although scenes of combat and hunting predominate, all were found in the graves of women. It does not seem that seals were actually used for making impressions on the Greek mainland at this point, so these objects, usually thought to be of Minoan workmanship,
343:
in southwestern Greece. The grave contained more than 50 gold or hardstone seal-stones, with intricate carvings in Minoan style showing goddesses, altars, reeds, lions and bulls, some with bull-jumpers soaring over the bull's horns – all in Minoan style and probably made in Crete. The
83:
Minoan seals are of a small size, 'pocket-size', in the manner of a personal amulet. Many of the images are a similar size to a human fingernail, with a high proportion that of the nail of a little finger. They might be thought of as equivalent to the pocket-sized, 1 inch (3 cm)
298:, these objects (specifically those from Circle A) "raise in an acute form the related questions of how to distinguish mainland from Cretan work, and the significance of any distinction that may exist". The eight seals (three stone, five gold) found in Shaft
331:
believed that at this date "it was broadly speaking possible to classify the finer seals as being of Cretan, the more crudely engraved of mainland manufacture", but that "this criterion no longer applies after the mainland conquest of Crete c. 1450".
180:. Most early seals carry geometric patterns or plant-like designs. Birds and animals, both land and marine, generally appear rather earlier than human figures. Mythological and fantastic creatures such as the
109:
the main surviving materials for early seals, the body of which were quite often formed as animals or birds. From the Middle Minoan period fast rotary drills were used, enabling harder stones to be utilized.
95:
Minoan seals are the most common surviving type of Minoan art after pottery, with several thousand known, from EM II onwards, in addition to over a thousand impressions, few of which match surviving seals.
100:
are common in early periods, much less so later. Seals with different shapes and multiple faces are especially common, unusually so by comparison with later and neighbouring cultures: "
104:" ones have two faces, usually curving towards a thin circular edge, and there are many "prism" ones with three flat faces. A seal-carving workshop from MM I excavated at
407:
232:
in a natural profile. Some seals seem to show their dependence on images from frescos by having a "dado" of lines or ornament beneath the main image, typical of
243:
seals" appear, that are thought to have had a magical function. Often they are too deeply cut to be very effective in sealing, and may have been just carried as
247:. They are less often found outside Crete than other types. Their designs are typically bold and deeply cut, "executed in a brisk and time-saving technique".
1349:
419:
1334:
266:
212:; the example illustrated shows leapers and a bull. Other themes are varied, including for example: 'pottery and a plant'-(with 5 moon/planet crescents), '
431:
294:
that include many seals that are thought to be Minoan, certainly in terms of their tradition, and probably in terms of their place of manufacture. For
359:
797:
459:
1344:
160:, probably made in the Late Minoan, but found in a Mycenaean context. This is a common issue: Minoan art was exported around the
1196:
447:
223:
Impression of seal from Early Minoan III; designs like this are thought to represent buildings, probably rustic shrines.
255:
Though "no doubt the designs had some magical import", there seems also to be a strong element of whimsical fantasy.
1020:
790:
92:, which were sometimes imitated in Crete. However Minoan seals can be larger, with largest examples of many inches.
565:
17:
1298:
1293:
1221:
395:
1303:
1146:
770:
944:
335:
In 2015, an international team of archaeologists led by
University of Cincinnati researchers discovered the
1211:
995:
783:
383:
552:
888:
721:
708:
105:
73:
323:
in Cretan finds. The princely figure buried there seems to have worn them on his wrists, like a modern
1329:
371:
752:
1136:
1231:
287:
283:
1151:
1141:
1131:
258:
When metal, mostly as gold rings, was used, complex designs with many figures were possible.
164:
and beyond, and many finds in
Mycenaean and other contexts are thought to be either made in
1161:
336:
8:
1339:
806:
270:
A much-discussed gold signet ring from
Knossos, perhaps showing a goddess and worshippers
61:
192:
also appear. Figurative designs gradually become more complicated, to include dance and
1257:
1216:
1186:
964:
345:
213:
177:
153:
121:
176:
Some seals are carved on more than one face, as many as eight in one case. Some have
1201:
969:
825:
766:
149:
1324:
855:
39:
30:
1267:
1126:
850:
845:
233:
49:
112:
1171:
1066:
919:
898:
840:
830:
709:"UC team discovers rare warrior tomb filled with bronze age wealth and weapons"
324:
299:
85:
219:
1318:
1262:
1226:
1206:
1191:
1156:
1005:
758:
328:
295:
189:
97:
89:
80:. They were evidently used as a means of identifying documents and objects.
1288:
1176:
1091:
1071:
924:
914:
311:
209:
157:
145:
137:
129:
53:
136:. The subjects shown cover the full range of Minoan art. The so-called
1166:
1086:
1061:
745:
291:
279:
197:
133:
35:
1101:
1045:
974:
820:
468:
201:
161:
65:
775:
1076:
1025:
1000:
979:
553:"The Ring of Theseus", Unseen Museum, 12 January 2015 – 15 March 2015
365:
Early ivory "knob seal" with impression, the knob formed as a monkey.
68:, and have been found in quantity at specific sites, for example in
1252:
1247:
1181:
1106:
1096:
1010:
939:
883:
240:
228:
77:
1035:
1030:
1015:
954:
934:
929:
878:
275:
193:
181:
101:
69:
1040:
959:
949:
893:
319:
315:
251:
244:
205:
185:
141:
117:
168:
or by Cretan or Cretan-trained artists working outside Crete.
1081:
438:
340:
165:
57:
250:
What may be a regional style on large sealings from
261:
413:one of the carved faces of a prism seal in jasper
1316:
303:were apparently treated as jewellery for women.
227:In a large group of sealings from the palace at
765:, 1978, Penguin (Penguin/Yale History of Art),
339:, an undisturbed Bronze Age warrior's tomb at
1350:Archaeological discoveries in the Peloponnese
791:
1335:Cylinder and impression seals in archaeology
425:End view of the same "prism" seal in jasper
144:; it is gold, with a bull-leaping scene in
798:
784:
653:Hood, 221 (images from AMH), 223, quoted
265:
218:
111:
29:
805:
751:C.W.Ceram, translated from the German,
239:In MM III, from c. 1700 on a class of "
14:
1317:
755:, (Alfred A. Knopf, New York), c 1958.
290:are groups of elite burials with rich
132:; other seals are in gold, usually on
27:Artifacts from the Minoan civilization
779:
401:Fish and animal seals and impressions
171:
60:and other materials produced in the
1345:Archaeological discoveries in Crete
24:
1197:Minoan frescoes from Tell el-Dab'a
25:
1361:
607:The March of Archaeology, pg. 63.
570:University of Cincinnati Magazine
465:museum examples—impressions
348:is the most remarkable of these.
555:, National Archaeological Museum
458:
446:
430:
418:
406:
394:
382:
370:
358:
262:Significant archaeological finds
64:. They are an important part of
1299:Archaeological Museum of Chania
1294:Heraklion Archaeological Museum
1222:Papoura Hill Circular Structure
726:
715:
701:
692:
683:
674:
665:
656:
647:
638:
629:
620:
611:
600:
591:
582:
128:Later, some are extremely fine
1304:Archaeological Museum of Sitia
763:The Arts in Prehistoric Greece
558:
546:
537:
528:
519:
510:
501:
492:
483:
216:-goats', and a 'single bird'.
13:
1:
739:
56:and similar pieces in metal,
1212:Minoan Moulds of Palaikastro
437:Lentoid Late Minoan seal in
7:
10:
1366:
566:"Unearthing a masterpiece"
351:
1281:
1240:
1119:
1054:
988:
907:
871:
864:
813:
753:Richard and Clara Winston
749:The March of Archaeology,
722:Bronze Age warrior's tomb
698:Hood, 227-228, 228 quoted
644:Hood, 220-221, 220 quoted
156:is an exceptionally fine
1137:Hagia Triada Sarcophagus
476:
1232:Wall Paintings of Thera
1147:Snake goddess figurines
1152:La Parisienne (fresco)
453:Side view of same seal
271:
224:
125:
42:
1142:Horns of Consecration
1132:Akrotiri Boxer Fresco
441:: seal and impression
269:
222:
115:
33:
1162:Prince of the Lilies
1120:Art and Architecture
389:Drawing of last seal
337:Griffin Warrior Tomb
38:and its impression.
807:Minoan civilization
62:Minoan civilization
1268:Arkalochori script
1258:Cretan hieroglyphs
1217:Minoan Bull-leaper
1187:Knossos board game
346:Pylos Combat Agate
318:(or Vapheio) near
272:
225:
178:Minoan hieroglyphs
154:Pylos Combat Agate
126:
122:Cretan hieroglyphs
43:
1330:Hardstone carving
1312:
1311:
1202:Malia altar stone
1115:
1114:
826:Minoan chronology
172:Subjects depicted
16:(Redirected from
1357:
869:
868:
856:Peak sanctuaries
800:
793:
786:
777:
776:
733:
730:
724:
719:
713:
712:
705:
699:
696:
690:
687:
681:
678:
672:
669:
663:
660:
654:
651:
645:
642:
636:
633:
627:
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604:
598:
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541:
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514:
508:
505:
499:
496:
490:
487:
462:
450:
434:
422:
410:
398:
386:
377:Boar-hunting gem
374:
362:
54:carved gemstones
50:impression seals
40:Ashmolean Museum
21:
18:Minoan sealstone
1365:
1364:
1360:
1359:
1358:
1356:
1355:
1354:
1315:
1314:
1313:
1308:
1277:
1236:
1127:Aegina Treasure
1111:
1050:
984:
903:
860:
851:Minoan eruption
846:Minoan religion
809:
804:
742:
737:
736:
731:
727:
720:
716:
707:
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702:
697:
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688:
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426:
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414:
411:
402:
399:
390:
387:
378:
375:
366:
363:
354:
264:
234:Minoan painting
174:
86:scaraboid seals
52:in the form of
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
1363:
1353:
1352:
1347:
1342:
1337:
1332:
1327:
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1238:
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1235:
1234:
1229:
1224:
1219:
1214:
1209:
1204:
1199:
1194:
1189:
1184:
1179:
1174:
1172:Harvester Vase
1169:
1164:
1159:
1154:
1149:
1144:
1139:
1134:
1129:
1123:
1121:
1117:
1116:
1113:
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1099:
1094:
1089:
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1048:
1043:
1038:
1033:
1028:
1023:
1018:
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986:
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977:
972:
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962:
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947:
942:
937:
932:
927:
922:
917:
911:
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905:
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902:
901:
896:
891:
886:
881:
875:
873:
866:
862:
861:
859:
858:
853:
848:
843:
841:Minoan palaces
838:
833:
831:Minoan pottery
828:
823:
817:
815:
811:
810:
803:
802:
795:
788:
780:
774:
773:
759:Hood, Sinclair
756:
741:
738:
735:
734:
725:
714:
700:
691:
682:
673:
664:
655:
646:
637:
628:
619:
617:Hood, 217, 221
610:
599:
590:
581:
557:
545:
536:
527:
518:
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500:
491:
481:
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464:
457:
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436:
429:
427:
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417:
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412:
405:
403:
400:
393:
391:
388:
381:
379:
376:
369:
367:
364:
357:
353:
350:
325:charm bracelet
300:Grave Circle A
263:
260:
173:
170:
98:Cylinder seals
26:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1362:
1351:
1348:
1346:
1343:
1341:
1338:
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1328:
1326:
1323:
1322:
1320:
1305:
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1300:
1297:
1295:
1292:
1290:
1287:
1286:
1284:
1280:
1274:
1271:
1269:
1266:
1264:
1263:Phaistos disc
1261:
1259:
1256:
1254:
1251:
1249:
1246:
1245:
1243:
1239:
1233:
1230:
1228:
1227:Vasiliki ware
1225:
1223:
1220:
1218:
1215:
1213:
1210:
1208:
1207:Malia Pendant
1205:
1203:
1200:
1198:
1195:
1193:
1192:Minoan Genius
1190:
1188:
1185:
1183:
1180:
1178:
1175:
1173:
1170:
1168:
1165:
1163:
1160:
1158:
1157:Lustral basin
1155:
1153:
1150:
1148:
1145:
1143:
1140:
1138:
1135:
1133:
1130:
1128:
1125:
1124:
1122:
1118:
1108:
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1103:
1100:
1098:
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1083:
1080:
1078:
1075:
1073:
1070:
1068:
1065:
1063:
1060:
1059:
1057:
1053:
1047:
1044:
1042:
1039:
1037:
1034:
1032:
1029:
1027:
1024:
1022:
1019:
1017:
1014:
1012:
1009:
1007:
1006:Chryssolakkos
1004:
1002:
999:
997:
994:
993:
991:
987:
981:
978:
976:
973:
971:
968:
966:
963:
961:
958:
956:
953:
951:
948:
946:
943:
941:
938:
936:
933:
931:
928:
926:
923:
921:
918:
916:
913:
912:
910:
906:
900:
897:
895:
892:
890:
887:
885:
882:
880:
877:
876:
874:
870:
867:
863:
857:
854:
852:
849:
847:
844:
842:
839:
837:
834:
832:
829:
827:
824:
822:
819:
818:
816:
812:
808:
801:
796:
794:
789:
787:
782:
781:
778:
772:
768:
764:
760:
757:
754:
750:
747:
744:
743:
729:
723:
718:
710:
704:
695:
686:
680:Hood, 225-226
677:
668:
659:
650:
641:
632:
626:Hood, 216-217
623:
614:
608:
603:
594:
585:
571:
567:
561:
554:
549:
543:Hood, 218-219
540:
534:Hood, 209-215
531:
525:Hood, 209-212
522:
516:Hood, 215-216
513:
507:Hood, 210-212
504:
495:
486:
482:
470:
461:
456:
449:
444:
440:
433:
428:
421:
416:
409:
404:
397:
392:
385:
380:
373:
368:
361:
356:
355:
349:
347:
342:
338:
333:
330:
329:Sinclair Hood
326:
321:
317:
313:
309:
304:
301:
297:
296:Sinclair Hood
293:
289:
285:
281:
277:
268:
259:
256:
253:
248:
246:
242:
237:
235:
230:
221:
217:
215:
211:
207:
204:, especially
203:
199:
196:. One common
195:
191:
190:Minoan Genius
187:
183:
179:
169:
167:
163:
159:
155:
151:
147:
143:
140:was found in
139:
135:
131:
130:engraved gems
123:
119:
114:
110:
107:
103:
99:
93:
91:
90:Ancient Egypt
87:
81:
79:
75:
71:
67:
63:
59:
55:
51:
47:
41:
37:
32:
19:
1289:Arthur Evans
1273:Minoan seals
1272:
1177:Kamares ware
1092:Mount Juktas
1072:Psychro Cave
915:Hagia Triada
836:Minoan seals
835:
762:
748:
728:
717:
703:
694:
685:
676:
667:
658:
649:
640:
631:
622:
613:
606:
602:
593:
584:
573:. Retrieved
569:
560:
548:
539:
530:
521:
512:
503:
494:
485:
334:
312:beehive tomb
307:
305:
273:
257:
249:
238:
226:
210:bull-leaping
198:iconographic
175:
158:engraved gem
148:on the flat
138:Theseus Ring
134:signet rings
127:
94:
82:
46:Minoan seals
45:
44:
1167:Stirrup jar
1062:Arkalochori
1055:Sanctuaries
1021:Nea Roumata
965:Monastiraki
925:Palaikastro
908:Settlements
746:Ceram, C.W.
471:also shown)
469:stamp seals
292:grave goods
280:shaft grave
36:signet ring
1340:Minoan art
1319:Categories
1102:Traostalos
1046:Yerokambos
975:Vathypetro
821:Minoan art
771:0140561420
740:References
575:2017-11-07
241:talismanic
214:confronted
202:Minoan art
162:Aegean Sea
66:Minoan art
1077:Atsipades
1026:Odigitria
1001:Apesokari
980:Zominthos
732:Hood, 212
689:Hood, 226
671:Hood, 226
662:Hood, 223
635:Hood, 219
597:Hood, 217
588:Hood, 216
498:Hood, 209
489:Hood, 216
200:motif in
194:goddesses
124:, 1800 BC
1282:See also
1253:Linear B
1248:Linear A
1182:Kouloura
1107:Vrysinas
1097:Petsofas
1011:Kamilari
970:Vasiliki
940:Troullos
884:Phaistos
282:circles
229:Phaistos
206:frescoes
146:intaglio
78:Phaistos
1325:Amulets
1241:Writing
1067:Kamares
1036:Phylaki
1031:Phourni
1016:Koumasa
955:Amnisos
945:Trypiti
935:Gournia
930:Kydonia
899:Galatas
879:Knossos
872:Palaces
352:Gallery
276:Mycenae
245:amulets
182:griffin
152:. The
120:, with
102:lentoid
70:Knossos
34:A gold
1041:Stylos
996:Armeni
960:Petras
950:Lakkos
920:Kommos
894:Zakros
814:Topics
769:
320:Sparta
316:Vaphio
308:tholos
278:, the
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118:jasper
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1082:Karfi
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439:agate
341:Pylos
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166:Crete
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74:Malia
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1321::
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184:,
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799:e
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711:.
578:.
467:(
288:B
284:A
20:)
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