No. 28. A Vase of Black and Yellow Ware. (6 M.) Size 4:5, about.
No. 29. A Terra-Cotta Vase. The bands yellow and reddish, the lines black. (1·15 M.) Actual size.
MYCENEAN PAINTED VASES.
As there are almost as many varieties of painted ornamentation as there are vases, and as in most instances this ornamentation is most complicated and has never been found before, it would be a vain attempt on my part to describe it, and I therefore simply refer to the engravings.[180] But generally speaking, I may remark that the decoration with spiral lines prevails; that fragments like the so-called Attic vases with geometrical patterns are numerous; that flowers, branches, and leaves occasionally occur; and that bands of wedge-shaped signs, resembling fish-spines, are frequent, as well as zigzag lines and circular bands. The cross with the marks of four nails may often be seen; as well as the 卍, which is usually also represented with four points indicating the four nails, thus
. These signs cannot but represent the suastika, formed by two pieces of wood, which were laid across and fixed with four nails, and in the joint of which the holy fire was produced by friction by a third piece of wood.[181] But both the cross and the 卍 occur for the most part only on the vases with geometrical patterns.