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Some Unusual Mycenaean Terracottas from the Citadel House Area, 1954–69

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 September 2013

Angela Tamvaki
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Extract

The excavations in the Citadel House area have produced a large number of Mycenaean terracotta figurines mostly in very fragmentary condition belonging to well-recognized classes already admirably examined by Mrs. E. French. Since the pottery found during this excavation is still under study, and the exact contexts of these figurines have not therefore definitely been determined, full publication of this material at this stage would do no more than multiply the number without adding significant information or leading to new conclusions. It will in due course be useful for statistical purposes to publish an account of the frequency of certain types in certain periods, when the associated pottery has been completely studied.

Type
Research Article
Information
Annual of the British School at Athens , Volume 68 , November 1973 , pp. 207 - 265
Copyright
Copyright © The Council, British School at Athens 1973

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References

Acknowledgements. I should like to thank Lord William Taylour for giving me permission to publish the figurines described in this paper. I am very grateful to Mrs. Elizabeth French for continuous help and advice during the writing of this paper and for many suggestions and corrections, and to Dr. Hector W. Catling for much help and advice. Thanks are also due to the Ephor of the Argolid, Mrs. E. Protonotariou-Deilaki, and the staff of the Nauplia Museum for their assistance during the study of the material. The photographs were taken by Mrs. French. The drawings were made specially for the publication by Miss Daphne Hart; Miss Carol Irving typed the final draft of the paper.

1 For a plan of the Citadel House see Taylour, Lord William, ‘Mycenae 1968’ in Antiquity xliii (1969) 93 fig. 1Google Scholar; idem, ‘New Light on Mycenaean Religion’ in Antiquity xliv (1970) 271 fig, 1.

2 French, Elizabeth, ‘The Development of Mycenaean Terracotta Figurines’, BSA lxvi (1971) 101–87 pls. 13–29.Google Scholar

3 For an account and photographs of the large wheelmade female and snake figures, artt. citt. (n. 1) 91–7 pls. 9–13; 270–80 pls. 38–42.

4 The same order has been maintained in this catalogue. For general discussions about the various types of figurines the reader is referred to the several sections of Mrs. French's article, i.e.: II. The types of female figurines, pp. 108–50; III. Animal figurines, pp. 151–64; IV. Group figurines (including Miscellaneous), pp. 164–74. The article also includes a general bibliography on the subject (pp. 177–8), a Site Catalogue (pp. 178–84), a catalogue of museums (and collections p. 184), and a distribution chart (pp. 185–7).

5 French, art. cit. 111–12.

6 Ibid. 185–7.

7 French, art. cit. 120 fig. 4 (a, b).

8 Ibid. 122 fig. 7.

9 Ibid. 121–2.

10 Ibid. 123.

11 French, art. cit. 144, mentions the existence of a large Kourotrophos figurine, probably wheelmade, in Brussels. She also notes that none of the large wheelmade figures from Mycenae was a Kourotrophos (144 n. 94). However, one could compare the charming Kourotrophos from Mavrospilio in Crete, of which a good photograph is found in Zervos, Ch., L' art de la Crète néolithique et minoenne (Paris, 1956) pl. 461 fig. 768.Google Scholar

12 French, loc. cit. 142–4, 185–7.

13 French, art. cit. 171: a Type A throne from Ialysos had a cross-bar for the feet between the front legs of the throne. The shape of 20 is wrong for such a function. Neither French nor Mylonas (Mylonas, G. E., ‘Seated and Multiple Mycenaean Figurines’ in The Aegean and the Near East, Studies presented to H. Goldman (New York, 1956), 110 f.Google Scholar) mentions footstools for thrones of the kind suggested here. Nevertheless the finding of an elaborate variation of a type of furniture would not be inconsistent with the novel—and mainly unparalleled—character of the terracottas described here.

14 Rodenwaldt, G., Tiryns ii (1912) pl. 12.Google Scholar

15 Hirmer, Spyridon Marinatos-Max, Crete and Mycenae (London, 1960) pls. 29bGoogle Scholar, 30 (short sides of the sarcophagus with chariots).

16 French, art. cit. 147. The two heads are: Mycenae 50–219 (pl. 24a) and 52–203.

17 Ibid. 148. Also Casson, , Catalogue of the Acropolis Museum ii (1921) 345.Google Scholar

18 French, art. cit. In the site Catalogue (p. 179) the exact position of Ay. Triada is given. This find is also mentioned by Karo, ‘Mykenische Kultur’, RE Suppl. 586 ff. (esp. 600). It is regretted that there is no record of this interesting find in Nauplia.

19 Frödin and Persson, Asine (1938) fig. 206.

20 Nicolaou, K., ‘Mycenaean Terracotta Figurines in the Cyprus Museum’, in Op. Ath. v (1965) 49 no. 4 pl. 4Google Scholar. Also: V. Karageorghis, Mycenaean Art from Cyprus pl. 35.2.

21 Mylonas, G. E., ‘A Mycenaean Figurine at the University of Illinois’, AJA xli (1937) 237 ff. figs. 1–5.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

22 Unpainted figurines: French, art. cit. 136, mentions some unpainted female figurines of the late Psi Type (Group B). The polos head described here could have belonged to such a figurine. The date of unpainted examples seems generally late.

23 French, art. cit. 150, lists the examples of this small group (examples on pl. 23f.) Of these, 52–205 is two solid joined feet painted orange; 54–157 shows two legs with irregular linear decoration. NM 1218 shows legs and one foot with painted decoration of bands, and NM 1262 is a foot unpainted beneath, but roughly painted on top. Other possible fragmentary examples come from Eutresis, Ay. Theodoroi, and Zygouries.

24 It seems certain, however, that this leg and foot could not belong to a female figurine, since all known examples are wearing long dresses. A small painted male figurine of this kind would be unique. The rather elaborate decoration of this piece compares roughly with that of the model boot from Voula (Marinatos-Hirmer, , Crete and Mycenae 177 pl. 236Google Scholar).

25 This date conforms well with that of the idols and snakes (see n. 3 above).

26 In this case I mean the charming, benevolent painted idols, not the tall, ugly ones. See Antiquity xliii pl. 13c; xliv pl. 43a, b.

27 Ibid. pl. 43b; Mylonas, G., Ergon 1962, 97 fig. 116.Google Scholar Both these figures had raised arms.

28 French, art. cit., does not mention any examples of Hollow Proto-Phi figurines. The general features of the figurine described here make the attribution to this type large plausible. Since the Proto-Phi was developed and used during L.H. IIIA and the figurine described here came from a general L.H. IIIB context, the chronological implications may be interesting. Notice also the existence of one extremely large and elaborate example from Tomb 101 at Mycenae (NM 4690), French, ibid. pl. 15d, which probably had a wheelmade base.

29 See note on contexts, p. 208. This need not be the date of the figurine, since the L.H. IIIB 1 period gave homogeneous groups from below floors, as well as much material throughout and above the building debris.

30 French, art. cit. 158 pl. 25e: three L.H. II animals, one with dewlap and irregular dots, one with dappled spots, and one with rosettes and dots.

31 French, art. cit. 160 pl. 24b.

32 Ibid.

33 French, loc. cit., and pls. 27a, 28a.

34 Ibid.

35 Compare particularly Mycenae 39–47 and 39–54, ibid., and pl. 24b.

36 Three examples from Mycenae: French art. cit. 160–1, fig. 13. pl. 27b.

37 Ibid. fig. 12.

38 Ibid, and pls. 24b, 26b.

39 Examples of seated dogs: one figurine from Schliemann's excavations at Mycenae (NM 1204) has incised eyes and nostrils and two holes on the neck for suspension. It is quite similar to the one described here in fabric and decoration. Mycenae 39–512 is also a seated dog (French, doctoral thesis 197, fig. 32: 3); this example also has a neck pierced for suspension, a ladder pattern on the back, and incised nose and eyes.

40 French, art. cit. 164–5.

41 Niels Breitenstein, Catalogue of Terracottas, Cypriote, Greek, Etrusco-Italian and Roman (National Museum, Copenhagen) 11 no. 101 pl. 10.

42 Schliemann, Mycenae (1878) pls. G, K.

43 Mycenae NM 1263 and 53–197 = French, art. cit. 163 pl. 27a. New York example: Metr. Mus. Bull. xix. 2 (1960) 60.

44 Nicholls, R. V., ‘Greek Votive Statuettes and Religious Continuity, c. 1200–700 B.c.’, in Auckland Classical Studies Presented to E. M. Blaiklock (Auckland and Oxford, 1970) 1–37.Google Scholar

45 For a good general discussion about chariots see French, doctoral thesis 211 ff.

46 Nuoffer, Oscar, Der Rennwagen im Altertum i. 1–86 pls. 1–8.Google Scholar

47 H. B. Walters, Catalogue of the Greek and Etruscan Vases in the British Museum i. 2: Cypriote, Italian and Etruscan Pottery 66 fig. 3 (C 340) and 69 fig. 116 (C 352).

48 For chariots in the Linear B tablets: Ventris, M.-Chadwick, J., Documents in Mycenaean Greek (Cambridge, 1959) 361 ff.Google Scholar (fig. 25, p. 362); Palmer, L. R., The interpretation of Mycenaean Greek Texts (Oxford, 1963) 314 ff.Google Scholar (The Knossos S series).

49 e.g. from Vari, Attica, in Athens: Winter, ‘Die Typen der figürlichen Terrakotten’ i. 2, 6b. From Nauplia: Athens, 3493 PAE 1892, 53. Both in von Mercklin, E., Der Rennwagen in Griechenland (Leipzig, 1909) 13.Google Scholar Another example in Nicosia.

50 Seep. 233 fig. 15.

51 Examples of chariot horses with elaborate decorative patterns are known from elsewhere. This particular ornament in added white occurs once more: NM 1342 (French, doctoral thesis 217, fig. 55. 8).

52 Jones, F. in The Aegean and the Near East 122–5 Pl. 16 nos. 5–6.Google Scholar

53 Nicolaou, K., Op. Ath. v (1965) 51 pl. 6.Google Scholar Also V. Karageorghis, Mycenaean Art from Cyprus pl. 36.1 (CM A32).

54 French, art. cit. 166–7.

55 Bed from Thera, : AAA iv (1971) 65 fig. 12.Google Scholar

56 French, art. cit. 172–3 pl. 28.

57 Ibid. 173.

58 See note on contexts, p. 208.

59 French, art. cit. 173 pls. 14b, 28c. Figurine of breadmaker: Blegen, C. W., Ann. xxiv–xxvi (1946/1948) 13.Google Scholar

60 Merrillees, R. S., The Cypriot Bronze Age Pottery Found in Egypt, Studies in Mediterranean Archaeology xviii (Lund, 1968) 187–9Google Scholar, pl. 37 (1. Enkomi, Clay model ship. 2. Clay model ships from Maroni, Zarukas Site A, Tomb I (left) and Tomb 7 (right)).

61 Walters, H.B., British Museum: Catalogue of the Terracottas in the Department of Greek and Roman Antiquities (1903) 6Google Scholar, A 50.

62 Blegen, C. W., Prosymna (1937) 255–6.Google Scholar

63 French, art. cit. 174–5.

64 See p. 207 n. 3. Also the wheelmade and large female figurines in this paper, pp. 217–220.

65 A normal Phi figurine, as yet unpublished, and some smaller examples were found with the big idols.

66 For individual studies of animals or groups in various combinations see Sakellariou, A., Μυκηναϊκὴ σφραγιδογλυφία (Athens, 1966) 4–16, 49–57Google Scholar (she discusses the frequency of certain animals and other subjects). For illustrations: A. Sakellariou, CMS i passim.

67 For good illustrations of the Grave Stelai: Marinatos-Hirmer, op. cit. (n. 15) pls. 146–7.

68 Loc. cit. (n. 66).

69 Lang, Mabel L., The Palace of Nestor at Pylos in Western Messenia, ii (Princeton 1969) 110–18CrossRefGoogle Scholar pls. 53–7, 134, F, P.

70 Karageorghis, V., Mycenaean Art from Cyprus 45 pl. 42.1Google Scholar (Evreti Tomb 8 nos. 7, 26).

71 Marinatos-Hirmer, op. cit. (n. 15) pls. 35–7.

72 Frescoes, gold rings, seals, etc., are thought to be connected with court art.

73 For recent discussions, Mylonas, G. E., ‘The Lion in Mycenaean Times’ in AAA iii (1970) 421–5Google Scholar; Boardman, J., Greek Gems and Finger Rings (London, 1970) 58–9.Google Scholar

74 Nilsson, M. P., The Minoan-Mycenaean Religion and its Survival in Greek Religion (2nd edn., Lund, 1950) 330 f.Google Scholar (Bird epiphanies of the gods).

75 G. Karo, Die Schachtgräber von Mykenai pl. 28.26–8.

76 Loc. cit. (n. 66) 79–80 pls. 27. 125, 126 A.

77 Tzedakis, Y., “Μινωϊκὀς” in AAA iii (1970) 111–12 figs. 1–2.Google Scholar

78 Catling, H. W., Cypriot Bronzework in the Mycenaean World (Oxford, 1964) 207–8 pls. 35Google Scholar (London), 36a (Berlin).

79 Karo, G., ‘Schatz von Tiryns’ in AM lv (1930) 130–1Google Scholar, pl. 34; also a bronze tripod stand with birds, 131–2 pl. 33, fig. 4.

80 V. Karageorghis, op. cit. (n. 53) 13–14 pl. 4.

81 e.g. the female figure on the gold rings from Tiryns: CMS i. 202–3 no. 179.

82 Chariot scenes are rare on seals and rings and extremely rare on frescoes. They seem associated with royal or court habits; e.g. CMS i. 26–7 no. 15 (Hunt from chariot).

83 The earlier finds of sarcophagi from Tanagra, now dispersed in museums and collections outside Greece, were published by Vermeule, E. T. in JHS lxxxv (1965), 123 ff.CrossRefGoogle Scholar For the splendid new larnakes from the Greek excavations in the Mycenaean cemetery of Tanagra see Marinatos, S., AAA iii (1970) 61–2Google Scholar figs. 1–2; Spyropoulos, Th., AAA iii (1970) 184–97Google Scholar; id., Ergon (1969) 5–11 Ergon (1970) 13–20; Ergon (1971) 11–21, where fig. 3 is one of the curious bird figurines. The site of Tanagra has also produced a considerable number of Mycenaean figurines (unpublished). Among these are about a dozen Type A thrones with elaborate decorative patterns, one of which also had a throned figure. Other figurines include a painted boat and a couple of birds. Some strange bird figurines probably crowned some of the larnax covers. Female figurines of standard types were also found of both early and late date. One of them showed strong Minoan influence, confirming the Minoan origin of these figurines. Some animal figurines of usual types were also found.