Minoan seal-stones

A gem-grade seal-stone and its impression.

Minoan seal-stones are gemstones, or near-gem-quality stones produced in the Minoan civilization. They were found in quantity at specific sites, for example the Citadel of Mycenae.

Minoan seal-stones are of a small size, 'pocket-size', in the manner of a personal amulet. They might be thought of as equivalent to the pocket-sized, 1 inch (3 cm) scaraboid seals of Ancient Egypt. However Minoan seals can be larger, with largest examples of many inches.

Topics of the seal-stones

The topics of the seal-stones centers on the Minoan civilization, with animals, dance, goddesses, etc. One common iconographic art theme in Minoan art, especially frescoes, was bull-leaping; the example seal-stone shows leapers and a bull. Other themes are varied, including for example: 'pottery and a plant'-(with 5 moon/planet crescents), 'confronted-goats', and a 'single bird'.^[1]

References

1. ^ The March of Archaeology, pg. 63.

• Ceram, C.W. The March of Archaeology, C.W.Ceram, translated from the German, Richard and Clara Winston, (Alfred A. Knopf, New York), c 1958.

• 

  5 Seals—impressions:
  'Lion taking animal?'
  "horse"
  ?
  '5 circles & ?'
  ??

• 

  museum examples—impressions
  (stamp seals also shown)

This article relating to archaeology in the Near East is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.v · Categories: Hardstone carving Cylinder and impression seals in archaeology Minoan culture Near East archaeology stubs Wikimedia Foundation. 2010. Игры ⚽ Нужен реферат? Cretan derby Crete Spiny Mouse Look at other dictionaries: Minoan civilization — Map of Minoan Crete History of Greece …   Wikipedia Minoan religion — Snake Goddess or a priestess performing a ritual The religion of the Bronze Age Minoan civilization was a type of polytheism within the larger group of religions of the Ancient Near East. As a prehistoric religion, interpretation of possible cult …   Wikipedia Aegean civilizations — The Bronze Age civilizations that arose and flourished с 3000–1000 BC in the region bordering the Aegean Sea. They included Crete, the Cyclades, the Greek mainland south from Thessaly, including the Peloponnese, and Macedonia, Thrace, and western …   Universalium Western sculpture — ▪ art Introduction       three dimensional artistic forms produced in what is now Europe and later in non European areas dominated by European culture (such as North America) from the Metal Ages (Europe, history of) to the present.       Like… …   Universalium Heraklion Archaeological Museum — The Heraklion Archaeological Museum is one the great museums of Greece and the best in the world regarding the Minoan art as it contains the most notable and complete collection of artifacts of the Minoan civilization of Crete. The museum began… …   Wikipedia Armeni (archaeological site) — Armeni is the archaeological site of an ancient Minoan cemetery on Crete.GeographyThe cemetery is eight kilometers south of the modern town of Rethymnon.ArchaeologyArmeni has been under excavation since 1969 by Yiannis Tzedakis. Over 200 chamber… …   Wikipedia Phylaki — is a modern village and the archaeological site of an ancient Minoan cemetery on Crete.ArchaeologyThe site, discovered in 1981, is a Late Minoan IIIA tholos tomb. At least 100 burials were made here.Artefacts found included a gold necklace,… …   Wikipedia Arthur Evans — Infobox Scientist name = Arthur Evans box width = image width =150px caption =Bronze statue of Sir Arthur Evans at Palace of Knossos birth date = July 8 1851 birth place = Nash Mills death date = July 11 1941 death place = Boars Hill residence =… …   Wikipedia Temple of Aphaea — Archaeological site name = Temple of Aphaia name local = Ναος Αφαιας caption skyline = Temple of Aphaia from the northeast. country = Greece region = Saronic Gulf elevation = 160 controlling city = Aegina then Athens peak period = Archaic to… …   Wikipedia jewelry — /jooh euhl ree/, n. 1. articles of gold, silver, precious stones, etc., for personal adornment. 2. any ornaments for personal adornment, as necklaces or cuff links, including those of base metals, glass, plastic, or the like. Also, esp. Brit.,… …   Universalium 18+ © Academic, 2000-2024 Contact us: Technical Support, Advertising Dictionaries export, created on PHP, Joomla, Drupal, WordPress, MODx. Mark and share Search through all dictionaries Translate… Search Internet Share the article and excerpts Direct link … Do a right-click on the link above and select “Copy Link”