NEWS
09/04/2023
Article about the Minoan Genius:
Μινωικοί Δαίμονες: Τελικά, τί γνωρίζουμε γι’ αυτούς; by Panagiotis Kousoulis - Christina Papadaki
in Θέματα Αρχαιολογίας 6.1 (2022)
Abstract (from the authors): Το άρθρο σχολιάζει τις δαιμονικές οντότητες ως εκδηλώσεις του άυλου - υπερφυσικού κόσμου των Μινωιτών. Υποστηρίζεται ότι οι οντότητες αυτές διαμορφώνονται, κατά βούληση, από τον ανθρώπινο νου και τους αντίστοιχους τελετουργικούς μηχανισμούς και είναι αδύνατο να τις κατανοήσουμε στο σύνολό τους. Εντελώς υποθετικά, οι «υπερβατικές» μορφές, που υπάρχουν σε όλους τους πολιτισμούς, από τη δημιουργία του κόσμου, ως μεσολαβητές μεταξύ του φυσικού και του υπερφυσικού κόσμου, θεωρείται ότι μπορούν να αποτρέψουν «αόρατους» εχθρούς που βλάπτουν και επηρεάζουν την ομαλή ροή της ανθρώπινης καθημερινότητας. Η συγκριτική εξέταση των κρητο-μυκηναϊκών φανταστικών όντων με παράλληλά τους από την Αίγυπτο και την Εγγύς Ανατολή καταδεικνύει ομοιότητες ως προς την ιδέα αυτή καθαυτή αλλά και διαφορές στις λεπτομέρειες που τελικά δίνουν άλλη υπόσταση στις μορφές κάθε πολιτισμικής ενότητας.
20/10/2022
New article about the seal from our HOME (Sissi, Crete):
The Sissi Genius Lentoid: A Lapis Lacedaemonius Seal from Final Palatial Crete, by Diana Wolf
in HESPERIA 91.3 (2022)
Abstract (from the author): A Final Palatial lapis lacedaemonius seal, here called the Sissi Genius Lentoid, was recovered during the 2018 excavation of the Court-Centered Building at Sissi, East Crete. The seal instantly drew attention because of its rare material and unique iconography that shows a Minoan genius flanked by the foreparts of two agrimia. An examination of the object within the context of Late Minoan II–III hard stone glyptic, particularly the lapis lacedaemonius seals, reveals ideological and sociopolitical links between Sissi and other Cretan sites, including neighboring Malia. The lentoid belongs to a group of seals that clearly formed prestige items used by sociopolitical elites who were exercising control over the surrounding land, possibly as delegates of the Knossos palace.
22/01/2022
Eleven new seals, a sealing and several clay objects from the Minoan palatial site of Sissi:
Chapter 11: The Seals, Sealings and other Clay Objects from the 2017-2019 Campaigns at Sissi, by Maria Anastasiadou
From the text: The excavation campaigns of 2017-2019 have brought to light more seals than those of 2007-2011 and 2016 together. As a consequence, we now have an overall number of 20 pieces from the site. This sudden rise in seal finds is probably not due to chance but related to the fact that work was concentrated on the CCB which was, as it seems, an area in which seals were intensely circulating not only during the time of its function but also after the structure was abandoned. It is ... possibly no chance that with the excavation of this structure our image of glyptic in Sissi has considerably changed. Hard-stone seals are now added to the repertoire, an addition that proves our previous perception of the Sissi glyptic as more ‘provincial’ than that of other east Cretan settlements false.
18/01/2022
New article on Cretan Hieroglyphic Seals:
Cretan Hieroglyphic Seals and Script: A View from the East, by Silvia Ferrara and Judith Weingarten
Abstract (from the authors): The focus of this paper is to present a new methodology that examines Cretan Hieroglyphic seals from both epigraphic and glyptic standpoints to be understood as parts of an integrated and multimodal system of communication. As our premise, we consider the newly published material from Myrtos-Pyrgos (Ferrara, Weingarten, Cadogan, 2016), and then compare and contrast local trends impacting the presence and use of inscribed seals from reasonably well provenanced Middle Minoan contexts in the East of the island. The goals are : 1) to throw light on the cultural significance of the administrative and symbolic functions played by Hieroglyphic seals and seal impressions ; and 2) to gain a synoptic appreciation of the emergence and use of this relatively short-lived writing system.
14/01/2022
Online lecture (see here) on 14/01/2022 (14:00 CET):
Artefacts, creativity, technology and skills in textile production in Bronze Age Greece, by Agata Ulanowska.
The lecture will also discuss issues of the relationship between Aegean seals and textiles!
12/01/2022
Online lecture on 12/01/2022 (see here) (16:30-18:00 CET):
Not Only Clothing. The Consumption of Textiles in Bronze Age Greece and New Evidence for Technical Textiles from Imprints on the Undersides of Clay Sealings, by Agata Ulanowska.
Note that you have to register online ahead before you can attend the lecture!
07/01/2022
Online lecture (see here) today (14:00 CET):
Aegean crafts: Materials, tools and the notion of skill, by Nikos Papadimitriou and Akis Goumas.
The lecture will also discuss the manufacture of Aegean seals!
25/10/2021
Hundreds of imprints of prehistoric textiles discovered on the back of Aegean sealings!
24/08/2021
Documentary on the Griffin Warrior Tomb to be aired in one week (30, 31/08/2021)!
06/08/2021
3D images of Aegean seals and impressed nodules from Agia Triada kept at the Museo Archeologico Firenze and Museo Pigorini Roma!
15/05/2021
Check out this excellent video where archaeologists and modern craftsmen working in ancient techniques reconstruct the Mycenaean technique of granulation (gold jewellery)! We also often find granulation on the hoops of signet rings that date to the Late Bronze Age (see here image 4, the small gold dots)!
12/05/2021
Not only for seal lovers, but definitely also for them as we will certainly see some masterpieces of Aegean glyptic here today: Michael Ventris Memorial Lecture: Tales from Nestor's Crypt: Pylos 2015-2020.
04/05/2021
Recordings on the Textiles and Seals Conference now available online!
11/03/2021
The Archaeological Museum of Heraklion transformed us to Minoan cats for the carnival!