An einer Stange hängende Gefässe. Nota su un motive sfragistico

Pietro Militello Creta Antica 14 (2013) [2014]: 123-132

Abstract

One of the motifs known in MM seals in Crete shows a series of circular objects linked by two or, sometimes, three strips to an elongated rectangular object. Since Evans’ analysis this motif has been interpreted as “vases hanging from a pole”, and as such described in CMS (an einer Stange hängende Gefässe). Nevertheless, some more different hypotheses have been proposed, according to which the motif should represent a series of potter’s wheels linked to a wall, seen from above (Branigan, Todaro), a raft (Basch), or a series of loom-weights hanging from the inferior bar of a loom (Burke). Our paper analyzes these seals from a strictly iconographical and iconological approach demonstrating how this motif can be split in many different themes, corresponding to different possible interpretation, according to only apparently secondary elements of the iconography (number of disks, presence or absence of strings, protruding objects etc). These elements were in fact fundamental, for the ancient viewer, in his/her interpretation of the different scenes.