Nos. 367-370. Golden Ornaments. Sepulchre IV. Size 2:3.
SYMBOL OF THE DOUBLE AXE. Professor A. Rhousopoulos writes to me on this subject:
"I suppose the double-edged axe on the coins of
"Tenedos to be a sacrificial or a warlike symbol. I believe
"this from analogy with other coins of a superior class.
"There was a proverb in ancient Greece, Τενέδιος πέλεκυς,
"'Tenedian axe,' for those who resolve questions in a
"harsh or in a rather short way. The Tenedian Apollo
"held in his hand the double axe, namely, that which is
"represented on the coins of Tenedos; but the interpretation
"of this symbol in antiquity was twofold. Some
"regarded it as the symbol of Tennes, others (and so
"Aristotle) maintained that a certain king of Tenedos
"made a law, that he who surprised an adulterer and adulteress
"had to kill both with an axe. Now, it happened
"that his own son was surprised as an adulterer, and the
"father decreed that the boy should be punished according
"to the common law. In consequence of this event, the
"double axe was put on the medals of Tenedos, in memory
"of the prince's tragic fate." However, as to the signification
of this symbol in the remote antiquity to which the
Mycenean tombs belong, I do not venture to express an
opinion.
The magnificent golden object (No. 369) resembles very much the usual ornaments for fastening the greaves round the thigh, just above the knee; but it cannot have served as such, the gold plate being by far too thick for that purpose; besides, this ornament is perfectly straight, and has evidently never been bent. It must, therefore, be something else. As we see the object before us, it resembles a man such as children draw; the ring above the head may represent a crown. The splendid ornament in repoussé work on the body we have seen, though less beautiful, in the border of the sepulchral stêlé (No. 24).[326] The legs show, between two narrow borders, rows of small signs resembling the letter koppa, which we see on all the Corinthian medals.
There were further found three golden objects, of which I represent one under No. 370. I do not venture to give an explanation of them; they cannot have served as brooches, the pin at the foot being too short and fragile for that use. All three have a border all round, and in the middle a rosette formed by points.
FUNERAL FORK.
There were further found the two objects of copper here represented. For what purpose the first (No. 371) may have been used, it is difficult to say; it has a quadrangular hole, which cannot, however, have served to put in a handle, because the copper-plate is not thick enough. The second object is a large fork, with three curved prongs, and a tube into which the wooden handle was stuck; this fork has evidently served to rake the fire of the funeral piles.
Nos. 371, 372. Objects of Copper. Sepulchre IV. Size 1:3, about.
There were also found in this tomb the objects shown in the following cut. Nos. 373 and 374 are of bone and have the same shape. Both have on one side a carved ornamentation of spirals, a border, and two or three concentric circles, and two perforations; in the centre there seems to have been a knob, which is broken off. On the reverse side, in the border, are three protruding cones in the form of feet. I represent in the engraving the upper end of one of these objects, and the reverse side of the other. The use of them would be almost impossible to explain had I not found similar ones, but of terra-cotta, and with four feet of conical shape, in Troy, and one of them still in situ, as a lid on the mouth of a large can or jar. The two perforations served to fasten the lid with a string to the jars.[327] Four such vase-lids of bone were found in this tomb.
