• Inscribed offering table



Inscribed offering table
Inscribed offering table
Inscribed offering table
Inscribed offering table

Writing in Ancient Crete ➔ Inscribed offering table

Λ3557
Stone (Steatite)
Mended from two fragments. One corner is not preserved.
Height: 1.9 cm. Length of side: 4.2 and 4.3 cm.
Juktas
Psili Korfi
Late Bronze Age. Neopalatial period, Middle Minoan ΙΙΙ - Late Minoan I period.:
1700 - 1450 BC:
Gallery:
VII
Case:
67
Exhibition thematic unit:
Late Bronze Age - Neopalatial period (1700-1450 BC). Minoan religion - Domestic and open-air cult
Open-air Sanctuaries. The Peak Sanctuaries
Description
Miniature rectangular vessel known as an offering table, made of dark green steatite. In the upper surface it has a shallow depression and holes in the corners, while the base is smaller with hollow sides. The sides of the vessel bear a row of relief tongue-shaped cavities. It is extremely finely made. On the four sides of the body and the base of the vessel are incised 31 signs in Linear A script. The inscription is a “libation formula”, variants of which found on different ritual objects, particularly stone offering tables. These inscriptions probably had a religious significance and ritual use. The fragments of the tiny offering table were found on the step of the open-air altar of the sanctuary. Stone offering tables in various sizes were among the most common votives at the Juktas peak sanctuary. Of approximately 260 such vessels, at least 13 bear Linear A inscriptions.
Bibliography:
Karetsou, Α. "Ιερόν Κορυφής Γιούχτα." Πρακτικά της εν Αθήναις Αρχαιολογικής Εταιρείας (1974): 228-239. Karetsou, Α. "Δύο Νέες Επιγραφές Γραμμικής Γραφής Α από το Ιερό Κορυφής Γιούχτα." In Ειλαπίνη. Τιμητικός για τον Καθηγητή Νικόλαο Πλάτωνα. Vol. I. Heraklion, 1987, 85-91. Karetsou, A., L. Godart, J.-P. Olivier. "Inscriptions en Lin?aire A du Sanctuaire de Sommet Minoen du Mont Iouktas." Kadmos XXIV.2 (1985): 89-147, pl. I.
Author:
E. S.


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