Archæological Discovery in Crete

Abstract

A DISCOVERY in Crete, of which the intrinsic interest is enhanced by the recent publication of the concluding volumes of Sir Arthur Evans's “Palace of Minos”, in which he deals with the Minoan script, is announced from Athens. A dispatch from the correspondent of The Times, which appears in the issue of June 28, states that Dr. Marinatos, director of the museum at Candia, has announced that among antiquities discovered in the Arkalokori district is a copper double axe on which is a three line inscription in characters not previously known in the Minoan civilisation, but bearing some resemblance to those on the famous Phaistos disc. The antiquities with which this inscribed axe was found are dated at about the sixteenth century before Christ, a period at which the Minoan culture was at its zenith. The discovery is otherwise remarkable in that it includes swords of exceptionally large size, which are said to be greater in number than any other single find of swords ever made in prehistoric Europe. Associated with them were some hundreds of copper axes, a number of silver axes and twenty-seven gold double axes with golden shafts. The claim that the newly discovered script is itself unknown, but bears a resemblance to characters known from the Phaistos inscription, constitutes the chief interest of the find; though it has other points which will intrigue archaeologists. In the circumstances, its full publication should be delayed as little as possible, even though this should entail postponement of full discussion.