The Sac al Kno and I s Iconog aphic Use
Monika Ma ouško á
ABSTRACT
The sac al kno is one o he mos discussed symbols o Minoan a . This s udy ocuses on i s iconog aphic
use h oughou ime and ies o ind away o di e en ia e i om o he simila symbols. The i s examples
o  he symbol a e aced back o MM II while he las ones appea in LMIIIA. I occu s on a ious kinds o
ma e ial like i o y, aience and escoes, bu mainly on seals and sealings. In glyp ic i goes h ough ach on-
ological e olu ion which can be di ided in o ou s ages.
KEYWORDS
Sac al kno ; Minoan; a ; eligion; iconog aphy; glyp ic; i o y; aience.
Minoan a had a e y sophis ica ed iconog aphy wi h ahighly de eloped use o symbols. Some
o hem a e no iceable due o hei quan i y while o he s hanks o hei uniqueness, such as
he sac al kno which was named and s udied o he i s ime by A. E ans (PM I, 430–434).
None heless, e en oday i s ill seems o be p ema u e o in e p e i s meaning, since he su -
i ing ep esen a ions o he kno a e no ha nume ous and no much addi ional e idence
appea ed. Howe e , ap o ound con ex ual s udy migh help us o unde s and i mo e.
The aim o his a icle is o de ine he sac al kno as asymbol. In pa icula o speci y a
wha ime pe iods his symbol occu s, in wha scena ios and whe he i changes o e ime. So
a , Iha e collec ed 38 examples o he sac al kno depic ions which a e a es ed on di e en
kinds o ma e ial like escoes, i o y, o aience. Thei majo i y ep esen ed by app oxima ely
70% o all he collec ed examples comes, ne e heless, om he glyp ic and ha is why, i is
o high impo ance os udy hese examples ho oughly. On he o he hand, i migh be ali le
p oblema ic as he seals we e e y small and he quali y o  hei depic ions depended on he
chosen ma e ial as well as on he demands o he cus ome . Which is also why o he simila
symbols migh o en be mis aken o asac al kno . Fo his eason, Ishall s a by speci ying
wha componen s he symbol o he sac al kno should ha e, in o de o be able o di e en-
ia e i om o he symbols ha look alike. My second s ep will be odeno e i s use o e ime
esul ing in he ch onological e olu ion o he symbol in glyp ic.
RECOGNIZING THE SACRAL KNOT
Fi s ly, acco ding o he mos p ope ly made examples o he sac al kno , like hose ound in
he sha g a e in Mycenae (Fig. 1:a) (Schliemann 1878, 242; Fos e 1979, 140–141) o he i o y
one om Knossos (Fig.1:c) (PM I, 430; Ze os 1956, Fig. 527; Fos e 1979, 140), i is mo e han
clea ha i ep esen ed an objec made o ex ile. Secondly, e en hough we speak abou akno ,
he symbol was no speci ic in he way i was ied, bu a he in i s shape. This ac is e iden
by he compa ison o se e al di e en examples (Fig. 1). The aience kno s om Mycenae a e
ied by hemsel es, whe eas in he esco om Ni ou Chani (PM II, 284; Came on 1976, 437;
E ely 1999, 204) i is ied by an addi ional s ing and he binding o he i o y example om
STUDIA HERCYNIA XXII/2, 9–31
10 STUDIA HERCYNIA XXII/2
Knossos is only o namen al– in he shape o aci cle wi h awa y line in he middle. Mo eo e ,
all hese objec s come om he same e a, he New Palaces1 and he e o e, his ea u e canno
be conside ed o e lec ch onological de elopmen .
Fig. 1: Compa ison o di e en binding ypes o he sac al kno : a) Faience om Mycenae (a e
Fos e 1979, ig. 45); b) F esco om Ni ou Chani (a e PM II, ig. 168); c) I o y om Knossos
(a e Ze os 1956, ig. 527).
Thus, wha exac ly a e he speci ics o he shape o he sac al kno ha could be used o
he ecogni ion o his symbol? Fo his pu pose, Ichose one o he mos de ailed h ee-
-dimensional ep esen a ions o he kno , which is made o aience and was ound in he
sha g a e IV inMycenae (Schliemann 1878, 242; Fos e 1979, 140–141), and compa ed i o
one o he bes depic ions o he kno in Minoan glyp ic (Fig.2), which has su i ed up un il
oday on a ew sealings om Knossos (CMSII.8, 269, no. 127). Bo h o hese examples belong
o he Neopala ial e a.2
1. On he op o he objec he e is aloop which usually ends o incline owa ds one side. The
hole o he loop is no isible in some cases, especially in glyp ic.3 This ac leads J. C owley o
di e en ia e be ween wo ypes– hesca kno , which has a isible hole, and he cloak kno
wi hou one (C owley 2012, 232). F om my poin o iew, his di e ence is caused mos ly by
he a ying quali y o he depic ions which on op o ha belong o di e en ime pe iods as
Iam going o show la e .
1 Fo da ing o kno s om Mycenae see e.g. Fos e 1979, 140–141; Fo da ing o he Ni ou Chani kno
see e.g. Came on 1976, 437. Fo da ing o he Knossos kno see e.g. Ze os 1956, ig. 527.
2 Fo da ing o he sealing see CMSII.8, 836, no. 127.
3 E.g. CMS VS1B, no. 142; CMS VI, no. 336; CMS XIII, no. 033.
11MONIKA MATOUŠKOVÁ
2. Unde nea h he loop he e is he kno i sel ep esen ing he na owes spo o he symbol,
which migh ha e been ied in a ious ways, as was a gued abo e.
3. The shape con inues wi h wo loose ends o aclo h wi h one s ip usually placed in on
o he o he and in some cases, i e en co e s he back one en i ely.4 Addi ionally, apa e n o
a ex ile is o en indica ed e en in glyp ic.
4. These s ips o clo h usually end wi h inges. On seals his componen migh be depic ed
by wo pa allel lines o by one hicke line a he end o he ex ile,5 al hough some imes i
migh be omi ed comple ely.6
Fig. 2: Fou cha ac e is ic pa s o he sac al kno : a) Faience kno om Mycenae (a e Fos e
1979, ig. 45); b) D awing o akno om sealing ound in Knossos (modi ied a e CMSII.8, no.
127 1).
Fu he mo e, he e is he ques ion o size. The kno placed on he shoulde s o La Pa isienne
(Fig. 12:i), a esco om Knossos, mos likely ep esen s he o iginal size o he objec made
o  ex ile. None heless, he kno s on he sealing om Knossos a e depic ed bigge han he
igu e -o -eigh shields ha su ound hem (Fig. 7:a), e en hough in o he depic ions hese
shields co e he human behind hem om he cal es up o he chin.7 Howe e , he sign is
also a es ed se e al imes accompanying abull, whe e i is ce ainly o small dimensions
compa ed o he animal (Figs.11:e, g; 12:b, d).8 Based on hese obse a ions, he size o he
kno was mos p obably no an issue o i s symbolic use.
In asimila manne we migh conclude ha he ex u e o he clo h used o he kno
was unimpo an as well, since a ious kinds o pa e ns a e a es ed on di e en examples
(Ba be 1992, 319, 328). The aience kno s om Mycenae (Fig.6:a) and he i o y one om
4 Showing only one s ip o clo h e.g. in CMS VS1B, no. 142; CMS VII, no. 125; CMSXIII, no. 032–033.
5 Fo wo pa allel lines see e.g. CMS I, no. 054; CMS XII, no. 268. Fo one hicke line see e.g. CMS VI,
no. 364.
6 E.g. CMSII.6, no. 004; CMS VI, no. 336.
7 E.g. CMS I, no. 011 o CMSII.8, no 276.
8 E.g. CMS VS1B, no. 142; CMSXII, no.268; CMS XIII, nos. 032–033.
12 STUDIA HERCYNIA XXII/2
Knossos (Fig.6:c) a e bo h plaid ( a an -like), bu he Ni ou Chani esco kno has ahe ing
bone pa e n (Fig.7:d), LaPa isienne wea s ablue kno wi h black and ed s ipes (Fig.12:i)
and aMycenaean esco example has ado ed pa e n wi h zigzags a i s ends (Fig.12:k).
In conclusion, he only ea u e ha emains signi ican o he ecogni ion o he sac al
kno is he speci ic shape o he symbol wi h aben loop in i s uppe pa and ab oadened
s ip o clo h in he lowe one.
RULING OUT MISINTERPRETATIONS
Based on he ou speci ic pa s o he sac al kno desc ibed and shown abo e (Fig. 2) Icould
now uleou some depic ions ha a e o en mis aken o his symbol. These misin e p e a-
ions mos equen ly happen in glyp ic mainly due o i s small scale. They o en also depic
objec s ha we e o iginally made o ex ile o simila ma e ial.9
The i s p oblema ic g oup usually depic s aclo h ca ied by ahuman igu e, who migh
also hold adouble axe (Fig. 3:a–c).10 In hese scenes, we may no ice ha he objec is qui e
simila o he loose end o he sac al kno , howe e he loop, which ep esen s he i s signi -
ican pa o he symbol, is en i ely missing. The e o e, hese objec s canno be in e p e ed as
sac al kno s and i is mos likely ha hey ep esen some kind o emale clo hing ha could
ha e been ca ied in ace emonial p ocession (C owley 2012, 233–234; Jones 2015, 107–108,
221). The signi icance o ace emonial obe has al eady been discussed by A. E ans, who sup-
po ed his claims wi h he inds o o i e aience d esses (PM I, 506, ig. 364). Fu he mo e,
such p ocessions migh be connec ed o a i ual clo hing o ahigh p ies ess, which could ha e
coincided wi h he use o asac al kno as apa o ad ess (Ma ina os 1993, 143–145; Lenuzza
2012, 258–261). These scenes migh be ela ed o he sac al kno , bu hey do no ep esen i
and consequen ly canno be used o he pu poses o his s udy.
Simila ly, a esco agmen om Pylos p obably also belongs o his g oup o misin e -
p e a ions (Fig.3:d). I cap u es pa o aso -called Minoan genius ca ying aclo h, which
is some imes in e p e ed as he sac al kno (Gill 1970, 404; Bolo i 2016, 506), al hough i is
mo e simila o he depic ions whe e human igu es ca y a lounced ski and adouble axe. As
he e is no u he e idence o his being akno i also should no be conside ed in his pape .
The second g oup o mos common misin e p e a ions p obably also depic s an objec
which could ha e been wo n e en hough i did no ha e o be made o ex ile. This objec
was named by A.E ans as he i ual cui ass (PM I, 681–682)11 and i s bes ep esen a ion was
ca ed o he Ha es e ase om Ayia T iada (Fig. 3:e) ha was ound in he same con ex
as se e al sealings wi h adepic ion o amale wea ing he same cui ass (Fig.3: ) (Schoep
2017, 90–91). In hese examples i is clea ha i is acui ass ha is depic ed, whe eas in o he
cases he co ec in e p e a ion is mo e complica ed. On ano he sealing om Ayia T iada
(Fig.3:g), he e is ascene o men holding qui e ala ge objec ha esembles acui ass ha is
o be pu on someone a he han asac al kno .12 Asimila scene was eng a ed on aseal om
Malia inwhich he objec in ques ion is clea ly missing he loop and he e o e ep esen s
ei he acui ass o aski (Fig. 3:h).13 Ve y simila i ems a e also known om wo aga e seals
9 Discussed also in PM I, 434–435.
10 Iden i ied as sac al kno s e.g. in CMSII.3, 11, no. 008; CMSII.7, 11, no. 007.
11 I is u he discussed e.g. by Jones 2015, 266–269.
12 In e p e ed as asac al kno in CMSII.6, 14, no. 007.
13 In e p e ed as a obe o asac al kno in CMSII.3, 179, no. 145.
13MONIKA MATOUŠKOVÁ
Fig. 3: a) Seal, Knossos, s ea i e, LM I–LM II (a e CMSII.3, no. 008 1); b)Sealing, LM I(a e CMS
VS3, no.394 1); c)Sealing, Ka o Zak os, LM I(a e CMSII.7, no.007 1); d)F esco o Minoan Geni‑
us, Pylos, LH IIIB (a e Gill 1970, ill. 1); e)D awing o he elie om Ha es e ase, s ea i e
hy on, Ayia T iada, LM I(a e Ma ina os 1993, ig. 8); )Sealing, Ayia T iada, LM I(a e
CMSII.6, no. 011 1); g)Sealing, Ayia T iada, LM I(a e CMSII.6, no. 007 1); h)Seal, Malia, s ea i‑
e, LM I(a e CMSII.3, no. 145 1); i) Seal, A gos, aga e, LM I–LM II (a e CMS XI, no. 259 1); j) Seal,
A gos, aga e, LM II (a e CMS I, no. 205 1); k) Seal, Ma oulas, sla e, LM I(a e CMS VS3, no.331
1). Images i)–c), )–k) cou esy o he CMS Heidelbe g.

14 STUDIA HERCYNIA XXII/2
om A gos (Fig. 3:i–j).14 Compa ed o he sac al kno , hese objec s ha e hei uppe pa s
illed wi h apa e n -like s uc u e, he loose s ips o clo h a e clea ly missing, and he inges
seem o be doubled one unde he o he (which could also be mean as wo objec s behind each
o he ). Thus, i is possible ha i migh ep esen alocal a ian o he cui ass (o some kind
o  emale obe), bu ce ainly no asac al kno . Mo eo e , e y simila i ems a e ca ed o an
i o y plaque om Palaikas o ha ca ies also adepic ion o akno combined wi h adouble
axe (Fig.8). The e is also one ques ionable piece on aseal om Ma oulas ha is un o una ely
damaged in i s cen al pa (Fig.3:k). As such, i is no clea whe he he symbol has i s uppe
pa en i ely illed up by apa e n, in ha case i would esemble much mo e acui ass han
akno . On he o he hand, i is accompanied by wo igu e -o -eigh shields, a ea u e ha is
common o LM Idepic ions o he sac al kno as will be shown la e . Ei he way, as i is no
clea o which symbol he example belongs, i canno be used in his s udy.
To sum up, he sac al kno o en ge s mixed up wi h simila objec s like aski ca ied o
ce emonial pu poses o wi h a i ual cui ass ha could ha e been u ilized o some es i al
ac i i y. Inbo h cases, hese objec s could ha e gained asac ed s a us and become symbols
as well.
THE USE OF THE SACRAL KNOT IN DIFFERENT TIME PERIODS
Now, s epping o he second pa o his s udy, Iam going o p esen examples o he sac al
kno belonging o ou ime pe iods o he Minoan e a. Subsequen ly, Iam going o desc ibe
he e olu ion o he symbol as i can be seen om glyp ic.
PROTOPALATIAL ERA (MM IB–MM II)
The oldes ep esen a ion o he sac al kno comes om Tholos A om Ayia T iada and is made
o s one (Fig.4:a) (Alexiou 1967, 6). Only he lowe pa o he kno measu ing app oxima ely
5 cm has su i ed un il oday (Ze os 1956, 204, ig. 251). I is da ed acco ding o he use o he
holos which was be ween EMII and MMII (Alexiou 1967, 6; Caloi 2015, 257). E en hough
mo e accu a e da ing is no a ailable, he omb p o ides a e minus an e quem o MMII. In
i s ied a ea he e is a isible hole by which he objec could ha e been a ached o ano he
cons uc ion mos likely made o pe ishable ma e ials as i did no su i e.
This s one example a es s ha he symbol mus ha e exis ed a leas in he P o opala ial e a
and as such, i is possible ha o he examples belonging o his pe iod could be ound as well.
When looking h ough he Middle Minoan glyp ic, one symbol s ands ou as he bes adep
o he sac al kno . I s mos de ailed example can be ound on as ea i e seal om Mochlos
(Fig.4:b). All ou cha ac e is ic pa s o he symbol (Fig. 2) can be ecognized e en hough
hedepic ion is mo e schema ic. The e is a isible loop inclining owa ds one side, which is
insinua ed he e by aspi al. Thena owes spo migh ep esen he kno ed a ea om which
hangs heloose s ip o clo h whe e e en apa e n o ex ile is indica ed. Thedi ision o he
clo h in o egis e s wi h adiagonally o e ically ha ched inne space is also common o
la e glyp ic examples o he kno .
15
Finally, he en i e symbol ends wi h inges a  he bo om.
14 In e p e ed as sac al kno s in CMS XI, 268, no. 259; C owley 2012, 232, ig. 69. On he con a y, CMS
XI, no. 259 was in e p e ed as a i ual cui ass in Nilsson 1950, 163.
15 E.g. CMSII.8, no. 127; CMS VS1B, no. 142; CMS VII, no. 125; CMS XIII, no. 032.
15MONIKA MATOUŠKOVÁ
Fig. 4: a) Lowe pa o asac al kno , made o s one, Ayia T iada, MM II (a e Ze os 1956, ig. 251);
b–h) Seals, s ea i e, MM II: b) Mochlos (a e CMSII.2, no. 250a 3); c) Unknown p o enance (a ‑
e CMS IX, no. 018b 3); d) Malia (a e CMSII.2, 172b 2); e) Unknown p o enance (a e CMS IX,
no. 015c 1); ) Unknown p o enance (a e CMS IX, no. 021c 1); g) Unknown p o enance (a e
CMS IX, no. D002b 1); h) Unknown p o enance (a e MET, no. 26.31.110). Images om b) o g)
a e cou esy o he CMS Heidelbe g.
16 STUDIA HERCYNIA XXII/2
Ano he six examples o his symbol can be iden i ied so a (Fig.4:c–h)16 and oge he
wi h he seal om Mochlos hey all belong o he Malia S ea i e G oup.17 E en hough hey
a e no asde ailed as he one om Mochlos, i is clea ha i s ill depic s he same symbol
ending wi h inges.
These examples a e usually asc ibed o an o namen al (bu also o desc ip i e and pic-
og aphic) kind o depic ion which is in e p e ed as apapy us lowe (Anas asiadou 2011,
254–255, 516, n. 95; 545, n. 197; 588, n.345; 645, n. 539; 647, n. 546; 650, n. 555–556). This in e -
p e a ion would i qui e well i i we e no o heMochlos exempla whose ex u e is mo e
adequa e o he pa e n o a ex ile han o apapy us blossom. Mo eo e , as was shown abo e,
he ac ual kno ed pa o he symbol was no as impo an as he shape o  he symbol i sel ,
which is why i was no necessa y o depic he binding. Hence, i is o my belie ha a leas
hese se en men ioned examples o MMII seals ep esen he sac al kno .
In wo cases he kno symbol is used singula ly as amain design o awhole seal ace
(Fig. 4:b–c). In ano he h ee examples hey occu oge he wi h asecond symbol (Fig.4:d, ,
g). In wo o  hese cases hey a e depic ed nex o a wig which can be iden i ied as aC e an
hie oglyphic sign CHIC025 (Goda – Oli ie 1996, 19) ( he hi d sealing on Fig. 4:d is dam-
aged so ha heo he symbol canno be ecognized). The o he sides o hep isms a e no
insc ibed, howe e mos o he Malia s ea i e g oup seals usually bea an insc ip ion only on
one ace wi h jus wo o h ee signs (Anas asiadou 2011, 67).18 Consequen ly, i is possible
ha he symbol could ha e had ahie oglyphic meaning aswellaspic og aphic (which migh
bea some in o ma ion abou he owne ),19 al hough i s o namen al alue canno be uled ou ,
especially due o he examples ha a e ashioned in a a he o namen al manne (Fig.4:e,h).
20
The bigges con usion may occu wi h simila spi al shapes wi hou inged endings ha
a e also anked wi hin he papy us lowe ca ego y.21 I is plausible ha hey could ha e de-
i ed om he abo e -men ioned ype wi h inges, al hough he e is no p oo o ha and o
cou se, no e e y spi al can be iden i ied as he sac al kno (despi e he ac ha in some cases
i would i he in e p e a ion pe ec ly) no e en as apapy us lowe . None heless, some ill-
ing mo i s a e also iden i ied aspapy us plan s and hey uly co espond o he way papy us
blossoms we e cus oma ily pain ed in b onze age C e e.22 They di e en ia e om he kno
ype bysmalle , sho e and s aigh e incisions ins ead o la ge inges, plus he spi al is
usually missing. Though, Imus admi ha in some cases i is e y ha d o dis inguish be ween
he kno and his pa icula illing mo i , especially i i complemen s adoubled o namen al
spi al.23 O he simila designs a e he e y common pe aloid loop mo i s, which di e en ia e
om he kno by a ingeless ounded bo om.24 The las symbol wi h ananalogous look is
16 Seal CMS IV, no. 127b migh also ep esen akno , e en hough i s inges a e poo ly execu ed.
17 Included in Malia S ea i e G oup in Anas asiadou 2011, 516, n. 95; 545, n. 197; 588, n. 345; 645, n. 539;
647, n. 546; 650, n. 555–556.
18 CMS XII, no. 090 (Fig. 4:h) is he only one -sided seal, all he o he s a e h ee -sided (Fig. 4:b–g).
19 Pic og aphic designs a e discussed in E ans 1909, 133–144; Anas asiadou 2011, 66, 70.
20 Fo he di e ence be ween o namen al, pic og aphic, and insc ip ion ca ego y see Anas asiadou
2011, 66.
21 E.g. CMSII.2, no. 87c; CMS III, no. 222a; CMS V, no. 25a. Iden i ied as papy us lowe s in Anas asi-
adou 2011, 527, n. 135; 568, n. 277; 487–488, n. 3.
22 E.g. CMSII.2, no. 78c. Iden i ied as papy us lowe angle supplemen s in Anas asiadou 2011, 522,
n. 115.
23 E.g. CMSII.2, no. 78b. Iden i ied as papy us lowe cu e supplemen s in Anas asiadou 2011, 521,
n. 115.
24 E.g. CMSII.5, no. 209–212.
17MONIKA MATOUŠKOVÁ
aspi al -like hie oglyphic sign ha can be dis inguished by an apex added o i s spi al and ye
again i has no inges.25
The iden i ica ion o he se en MMII kno s (Fig. 4:b–h) migh be u he suppo ed by
he esemblance wi h an unda ed sealing ound in Knossos (Fig.5).26 This exempla shows
wo symme ic sac al kno s su ounding apalm ee o a wig.27 The shapes o  he kno s a e
e y simila o he MMII examples, hough i seems o be mo e e ol ed– mo e ealis ic as he
spi al is subs i u ed by awholeci cle and as an addi ional s ing o ying he kno is insinu-
a ed. I s b oadened ending is ho izon ally ha ched simila ly o Fig.4:h. Based on hese ac s,
i is possible ha his sealing could ep esen an in e media y be ween he P o opala ial and
Neopala ial examples o he sac al kno .28
Fig. 5: Sealing, Knossos, LB? (a e CMSII.8,
no. 126 1, by cou esy o he CMS Heidelbe g).
As aconclusion, a leas he se en MM II examples wi h inged endings (Fig. 4:b–h) could be
iewed as sac al kno s, especially hanks o he de ailed specimen om Mochlos wi h ha ched
ex u e ha esembles a ex ile pa e n (Fig. 4:b).
25 E.g. CMS VI, no. 027a. I s hie oglyphic meaning and possible conno a ion wi h aLuwian sign o
a oo is discussed by Woudhuizen 2016, 95, 114, n. 246. In he case o CMS IX, no. D002b (he e lis ed
as Fig. 4:g), Iam con inced ha he apex is caused by la e damage o he seal, no by an o iginal
in en ion.
26 In e p e ed as sac al kno s e.g. in CMSII.8, 268, no. 126. I seems ha i was imp essed by aseal
made o some so s one.
27 A wig is also a es ed on wo o heP o opala ial examples CMS IX, nos. 021c, D002b (Fig. 4: –g).
28 As will be u he a gued, i is cus oma y in he Neopala ial e a ha he sac al kno ep esen s he
main ea u e (o one o he main ea u es) o he seal ace, con a y o he la e pe iods whe e i
bea s only an addi ional unc ion. This consequen ly suppo s he da ing o he CMSII.8, no.126
(Fig. 5) o he Neopala ial e a (possibly MMIII). Howe e , la e da ing o LMII–LMIIIA canno be
comple ely uled ou .
24 STUDIA HERCYNIA XXII/2
Fig. 11: LB II: a) Seal, Mycenae, aga e (a e CMS I, no. 054 1); b) Seal, Mycenae, luo i e (a e CMS I,
no. 112 1); c) Signe ing, Mycenae, gold (a e CMS VI, no. 364 1); d) Seal (a e CMS VII, no. 125 1);
e) Seal, An hia, lapis lacedaemonius (a e CMS VS1B, no. 142 1); ) Signe ing, A chanes, gold
(a e CMS VI, no. 336 1); g) Seal, jaspe (a e CMS XIII, no. 032 1); h) Sealing, Knossos (a e
CMSII.8, no. 398 1); i) Sealing, Knossos, LB II? (a e CMSII.8, no. 422 1). Images om a) o i) a e
cou esy o he CMS Heidelbe g.
END OF THE FINAL PALATIAL ERA (LM II–LM IIIA)
The las epoch o he Minoan Pala ial e a b ings an amoun o seals wi h bulls (and on one
seal wi h lions) accompanied bysac al kno s al hough hei quali y declines (Fig. 12:a–h).
Thesymbol is in some cases only ha dly ecognisable as i de eloped some simple hyb id shapes
(Figs.12:e–h). Howe e , i is appa en ha we a e s ill dealing wi h he same symbol since i
occu s in he same con ex as in LM II and some imes i is e en accompanied by a igu e -o -eigh
shield (Fig. 12:d, g–h). Fu he mo e, i is possible ha some o he elabo a e signe ings o  he
Neopala ial e a we e s ill in use un il LMIIIA. This heo y is upheld by a ing ound in TholosIII
in A chanes al eady discussed abo e (Fig. 7:b). I was deposi ed he e in ag a e o ahigh -s a us
lady in LM IIIA, e en hough i s ylis ically belongs o LM I(Rehak 1998, 236).

25MONIKA MATOUŠKOVÁ
Fig. 12: LB II–LB IIIA1: a) Seal, Mycenae?, aga e (a e CMS VI, no. 313 1); b) Seal, sla e (a e CMS XII,
no. 268 1); c) Seal, Glyka Ne a, aga e (a e CMS VS3, no. 094 1); d) Seal, ca nelian (a e CMS XIII,
no. 033 1); e) Seal, ca nelian (a e CMS X, no. 142 1); ) Seal, Chania, c ys al (a e CMS VS3, no.
115 1); g) Sealing, Knossos (a e CMSII.8, no. 466 1); h) Seal, Mycenae, c ys al (a e CMS I, no.
075 1); i) La Pa isienne, Knossos (a e Ze os 1956, pl. VI); j) F agmen o he Second Pa isienne,
Knossos (a e Came on 1964, pl. B, ig. 2); k) Recons uc ion o a esco om Mycenae (a e
Lenuzza 2012, pl. LIX, c). Images a)–h) cou esy o he CMS Heidelbe g.
26 STUDIA HERCYNIA XXII/2
In spi e o he decline in glyp ic, wo LM IIIA examples o akno being wo n su i ed on
escoes. The i s o hem belongs o La Pa isienne om he Camp S ool F esco in Knossos
(Fig.12:i). The lady is o ala ge scale han he majo i y o he o he igu es and i seems she
is one o he ew women p esen in his banque ing scene (PM IV, 385; Came on 1976, 344,
ig.21; Imme wah 1990, 95; Chapin 2010, 230). Ano he woman e y simila o LaPa isienne
was disco e ed on adi e en agmen o he esco, i s ecognized by N.Pla on and la e
s udied by M.Came on (Fig.12:j) (Came on 1964, 43, ig. 4). This piece shows aslee e simila
o he one o he p ope Pa isienne and e en he inged ending o he sac al kno is isible.
Ap ominen ole o La Pa isienne is e iden and he p ies ly s a us is e y p obable (Ma ina-
os 1993, 56; Lenuzza 2012, 258). The second example om his pe iod is known om a esco
agmen ound in Mycenae. Acco ding o some econs uc ions i could ha e belonged o
ano he piece depic ing awoman’shead wi h ac own (Fig.12:k) (Rodenwald 1921, 50, Abb.
26; Wace– Lamb– Holland 1923, 166; Kon o li -Papadopoulou 1996, 65; Lenuzza2012, 257).
RESULTS: THE SACRAL KNOT AND ITS EVOLUTION WITH ASPECIAL REGARD
TO GLYPTIC
A e ca e ul conside a ion, Iiden i ied 38 secu e depic ions o he sac al kno 44 and so ed
hem in o he ou ime pe iods ha hey belong o (Fig. 13). As is e iden om he cha , he
glyp ic played ap ominen ole in mos o he pe iods and he e o e he majo i y o he ex-
amples a e a es ed on seals o sealings (28 i ems in o al, wo o which a e no da ed). Tha is
why Ibelie e ha hee olu ion o hesymbol in glyp ic is impo an especially o he be e
ecogni ion o he sign belonging o di e en pe iods.
The i s glyp ic examples o he sac al kno can be aced back o he P o opala ial e a
(MMII) and he las ones da e o he end o Final Pala ial pe iod (LM IIIA). The e olu ion o he
symbol can be di ided in o ou phases (Fig. 14), h ee o which eac o he poli ical changes
and he las one co esponds o he decline o Minoan palaces.
1. Du ing he P o opala ial e a (MM II) he symbol occu s in schema ic shapes, whe e he
loop is alluded o by aspi al and he whole shape is ended by inges.
2. To he Neopala ial e a (MM III–LM I) belong he mos ealis ic examples o he symbol.
They we e ca ed in me al ings accompanied by igu e -o -eigh shields. The kno also occu s
a leas in one i ual scene wi h omphalos and i is plausible ha i was depic ed as being wo n
by high -s a us ladies as well.
3. A e he all o he second palaces, he Mycenaean in luence s a s o occu in Final Pa-
la ial (LM II) glyp ic. The symbol is no as de ailed as in he p e ious pe iod and he opening
in he loop is usually missing. I occu s mos ly on semi -p ecious s ones accompanying lions
and bulls, and he connec ion wi h a igu e -o -eigh shield con inues.
4. A he end o he Final Pala ial e a (LM II–LM IIIA) he depic ions ge mo e schema ic
and much less de ailed. Consequen ly, some hyb id shapes s a o occu . The lowe pa o
he kno is usually s ill ecognizable, whe eas he loop can ge de o med. The symbol occu s
p ima ily wi h bulls and migh be accompanied again by a igu e -o -eigh shield.
44 Fig. 4:a–h; Fig. 5; Fig. 6:a–c; Fig. 7:a–d; Fig. 10:a, c–d; Fig. 11:a–i; Fig. 12: a–i, k.
27MONIKA MATOUŠKOVÁ
Fig. 14: De elopmen o he sac al kno o e ime (based on examples p esen ed in his pape ).
CONCLUSIONS
The use o he sac al kno is a es ed since he P o opala ial e a un il he e y end o Minoan
palaces in LM IIIA. The s one example om Ayia T iada da ed app oxima ely o MM II (Fig.4:a)
p o es ha he symbol mus ha e exis ed a leas in he epoch o he Fi s palaces. I s glyp ic
ep esen an s belonging o his pe iod we e discussed in his pape as well (Figs. 4:b–h). I
also a es s ha he sac al kno is ap ope Minoan symbol ha only la e sp eads o o he
a eas o Minoan in luence. The apid g ow h o he kno p oduc ion du ing he Neopala ial
Fig. 13: De elopmen o he use o he sac al kno wi hin ou ch onological pe iods, based on 36
da ed examples.
28 STUDIA HERCYNIA XXII/2
pe iod is s iking (Fig.13). I occu s onluxu y objec s om aience o i o y (Figs. 6:a–c),
some o which we e e en dis ibu ed o su ounding a eas ou side he island. Besides his,
i appea s on h ee me al ings ( wo o which a e p ese ed only as seal imp essions), wice
accompanied by a igu e -o -eigh shield (Figs.7:a–b) and once in a i ual scene (Fig.10:a). In
subsequen phases i suddenly eme ged on semi -p ecious s ones accompanying emblema ic
animals (Figs. 11, 12:a–h), especially lions and bulls, and he connec ion wi h he igu e -o -
-eigh shield is s ill de ec able. Howe e , he quali y o he depic ions slowly declines owa ds
he end. Plus, i no mo e occu s on luxu y objec s wi h an excep ion o wo escoes depic ing
high -s a us ladies wea ing he kno behind hei shoulde s (Figs. 12:i–k).
In any case, i is appa en ha he symbol was i s in oduced in he Minoan P o opala ial
e a. La e , in he Neopala ial pe iod i seems ha i was in ended only o he eli e, as i is
a es ed on luxu ious objec s. Whe eas in he Final Pala ial e a and la e i appea s p ima ily
on seals and sealings and i was ca ed mos ly on semi -p ecious s ones, which sugges s ha
i was mo e widesp ead in glyp ic and hus no ese ed solely o he highes anks o soci-
e y. F om he iconog aphic poin o iew, i is impo an o men ion ha in LM Iglyp ic he
kno is p esen ed la ge and i holds ap ominen ole o he whole image, e en hough i is
accompanied by ano he symbol o when i occu s in a i ual scene. On he con a y, in glyp ic
o LM II and he beginning o LM IIIA i has amino o addi ional unc ion as i is depic ed
small compa ed o he la ge animals ha i accompanies.
Ne e heless, he e a e s ill alo o ques ions conce ning he sac al kno , like i s possible
analogies wi h some Egyp ian and Nea Eas e n symbols, which a e, howe e , a beyond he
scope o his a icle.
45
The e o e, u he s udies a e equi ed ega ding he sac al kno as well
as he o he symbols wi h which i occu s.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Iam e y g a e ul o Pe e Pa úk o aking his ime o discuss his a icle wi h me ho oughly.
Ialso hank F i z Blakolme , Be nice Jones, and Judi h Weinga en o hei use ul commen s.
The majo i y o he images p esen ed he e we e ep oduced wi h he kind pe mission o he
CMS Heidelbe g. The wo k was suppo ed by he g an SVV-2018-260483, ealized a he
Cha les Uni e si y, Facul y o A s.
45 Fo Egyp ian and Nea Eas e n analogies see e.g. PM I, 343; Alexiou 1967, 1–2; Ma ina os 2010,
122–123.
29MONIKA MATOUŠKOVÁ
ABBREVIATIONS
CMS = Co pus de minoischen und mykenischen Siegel. Be lin.
PM I–IV = E ans, A.J. 1921–1936: The Palace o Minos a Knossos. London.
MET =TheMe opoli an Museum o A .Online:
<h p://www.me museum.o g/a /collec ion/sea ch/252062.h ml> (accessed 31/01/2019).
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Monika Ma ouško á
Ins i u e o Classical A chaeology
Facul y o A s, Cha les Uni e si y
Cele ná 20, CZ-11000 P ague 1
monika.m.ma ousko [email protected]