Unnumbered pageScan 75 of 77
B.Stamp Seals
Stamp seals appeared in Cyprus at the end of the Bronze age, probably introduced by the Mycenaeans as will be demonstrated elsewhere [handwritten: 1]. The domed shape of these Cypriote stamps which have an oval base and perforation through the narrow side and are usually of black or dark grey steatite, however, is distinctive of Cyprus and not precisely paralleled elsewhere. [handwritten: 2] It may have originated on the Island in imitation of a fetish such as the ovoid object found in the Temenos at Ajia Irini. [handwritten: 3] A few of these stamp seals were carved by the same men who also made cylinder seals but in the majority a new spirit makes itself felt, they are either very carefully done showing a naturalism in motif and execution not seen earlier, or they are very crude but still have motifs for which few/parallels can be found among cylinder seal designs.
No. 10 is an example of the first type, the archer [handwritten: xx] of that seal so closely resembles the one [handwritten: xxxx] on No. 9, that [handwritten: t] stamp seal and cylinder surely derive from the same workshop. With considerable recervations No. 11 may also be considered as a stamp which seems to be related in general to some of the cylinder seals designs, although no specific example can be cited and the hatching of certain parts of the body suggests a later date than that of the bulk of the cylinder seals. [handwritten: a seal of grey paste] Such hatching is found in even more characteristic manner in No. 12 [handwritten: /which shows birds in which the feathers] plumage is indicated by hatching in different directions, are found in the designs of birds on Late Mycenean vases, [handwritten: indicating that there was a closer relation between the workers in the different crafts at the end of the Bronze Age.]
No. 12 was found together with No. 13 which is of the same material and could have been made at the same time and by the same man. Here the hatching which appears on the neck and foreparts of the animal is more irregular than in the foregoing seal and appears like a naturalistic rendering of the long hair of a mountain sheep or goat.
65 figures hard to readstruck struck outadded written in above” jug ditto, and what it repeatsword reading not certain