HISTORY ETHNOGRAPHY NATURE WINE-MAKING SITE MAP
Selected and rare materials, excerpts and observations from ancient, medieval and contemporary authors, travelers and researchers about Cyprus.
 
 
 
 
 
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SALAMIS

SALAMIS IN THE ISLAND OF CYPRUS.
BY ALEXANDER PALMA DI CESNOLÀ, F.S.A.,
page 70

25. Full-length human figure, sacred tree, disk Θ, and ox-head, with five cushions, and other emblems. 1 inch long. Steatite. (See Plate xiii, fig. 18.)
26. Of this cylinder, Professor Sayce relates:—The sacred tree here stands between two worshippers, behind whom is an ox-head above a pedestal or altar. The three-barred line merely denotes where the scene depicted begins. [S.] 7-8ths inch long. Steatite. (See Plate xiii, fig. 19.)
27. Of this Prof. Sayce considers the subject to be:—A sacred tree, with two circles of the sun on either side, and two adoring figures, between whom is a dirk, or rather an instrument like the Egyptian hieroglyphic sam, which means "to unite". No. 28 has a similar design. [S.] 5-8ths inch long. Steatite. (See Plate xiii, fig. 20.)
28. The symbol sam (see No. 27), between two worshippers with uplifted hands; the sacred tree, and disk. 5-8ths inch long. Steatite. (See Plate xiii, fig. 21.)
29. The same dirk-like instrument held by one of two men, who is seated with a serpent in front, while the other stands with an ox-head and a symbol like the egg-pouch of the skate at the side. This symbol appears in No. 120 as a sun, with four beams or wings at the corners. I fancy it is a degenerated form of the winged solar disk. It is found on many of the products of Cypriote art.1 It is also found on No. 21, together with the sun-circle, the stag or gazelle, and the serpent; and on No. 24, along with the sun-circle, the ox-head, and the sacred tree. In No. 23 its place is taken by a very curious symbol, which looks like two spiral shells. Here we have the ox-head, sun-circle, crescent-moon, and sacred tree, with the fruit hanging down on either side. (See also No. 25.) In No. 72 the sun-circle appears alone among the branches on either side of the sacred tree in front of which is a seated figure. In another the place of the sacred tree is occupied by a human figure, with a canopy above, resembling the bar drawn over the human head in the Hittite inscriptions, while the serpent and ox-head are at the side (see also No. 42). The serpent appears along with the gazelle in No. 38, and with a seated figure holding the spear-like instrument in No. 34 and No. 33. In No. 31 we have the same seated figure and instrument; behind is the sacred tree in the form of a palm-branch; below and in front are the serpent and an altar (?) (see No. 30).2 The dirk-like instrument may be an oar. [S.] 3-4ths inch long. Steatite. (See Plate xiii, fig. 22.)

1 See General di Cesnola's Cyprus, xxxii, 13, 15, 21; xxxiii, 27, 30.
2 For the serpent and sacred tree in archaic Babylonian art, see George Smith's Chaldean Genesis, p. 91.

30. This closely resembles No. 29. In that cylinder, we have a seated figure holding a dirk or sam, snake, sistrum, full-length figure, ox-head, and star or cross. In this, the order is modified only by the figure at full-length holding a second dirk or sam, instead of the sistrum. 3-4ths inch long. Steatite.
31. This may be compared with No. 29. Seated figure before a symbol called 'by Professor Sayce the Egyptian sam, a snake, branch, full-length figure, ox-head, and other emblems. 3-4ths inch long. Steatite. (See Plate xiii, fig. 23.)
32. Emblems and figures already described, but differently arranged. 7-8ths inch. Schist. (See Plate xiii, fig. 24.)
33. A seated figure, sam, two wavy lines, a full-length figure, and ox-head. 3-4ths inch long. Steatite. (See Plate xiii, fig. 25.)
34. Human figure seated on a chair, and holding a paddle or vase in form of the Egyptian hieroglyphic sam, or "union"; in the field, a snake or a wavy line, Egyptian en; palm-branch, and other symbols. Professor Sayce considers this to be Phœnico-Egyptian, or perhaps Egyptian, with Egyptian hieroglyphics. [S.] Rude work. 7-8ths inch long. Steatite. (See Plate xiii, fig. 26.)
35. An interesting intaglio with three compartments, which gives the history of the chase, capture, and sacrifice of the gazelle. In the first compartment are two men, a gazelle, and a spear, which denotes chase in the open country; in the second, one of the men seizes the gazelle by the horn; in the third, he offers the animal to Zeus (?), who is seated on a throne with the dirk or oar in his hand. [S.] 1 inch long. Steatite. (See Plate xiii, fig. 27.)

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