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H. J. Kantor - Plant Ornament in the Ancient Near East, Chapter XX: The Transmission to Greece Fig. XX.89 Fig. XX.90 hydria, the work of the socalled Mesogeia painter, bears a continuous band formed by adjacent units equivalent to Fig. XX.91, except for the addition of down-curving palmettetipped tendrils. This design is very important since it serves as a link between Fig. XX.91, with which it is contemporary and which shows comparatively pronounced oriental affinities, and the design on the Nessos amphora (Fig. XX.60), which belongs to the succeeding Black and White style of Middle Protoattic. There the motive of the Vlasto Hydria 110 reappears, but reduced to an interlacing pattern of completely abstract, spiraliform type, which, despite its altered appearance may ultimately have a connection with oriental motives. Fig. XX.91 THE DOUBLE VOLUTE The fine early orientalizing pithos from Knossos which has already provided us with two instructive South-flower trees (Fig. XX.70), provides the earliest known example 110 BSA, XXXV (1934/5), Pl. XLIV. Revised: August 11, 1999 Copyright © 1999 Oriental Institute, University of Chicago http://www-oi.uchicago.edu/OI/DEPT/RA/HJK/HJKXX.pdf 834
H. J. Kantor - Plant Ornament in the Ancient Near East, Chapter XX: The Transmission to Greece of a Greek pattern clearly derived from the double volute motive, which made a sudden appearance in the orient on gold ornaments from LC III contexts in Cyprus (Figs. XVI.89 and XVI.90) and from Palestine, and - in connection with other elements - on a Megiddo ivory (Fig. XVI.101). We have seen that the genesis of this motive is still shrouded in mystery, but that it is related to other patterns formed of c’s, and applications of the motive. Therefore we have placed the Greek double volutes among the motives probably possessed of a north Syrian ancestry, despite the present rarity of examples from that area. Fig. XX.93 Fig. XX.94 Kunze, the only scholar to devote considerable attention to this type of design, has pointed out that, in addition to the oriental series, double spirals were used on late geometric vessels (Figs. XX.93 and 94). These are distinguished from the double volutes which appear on a shield from Palaikastro (Fig. XX.64), on a Rhodian relief amphora (Fig. XX. 23) and on a flask from Vroulia (Fig. XX.95) by the absence of lobes filling the corners between the curving ends. As soon as these features appear, the double volutes become reminiscent of oriental patterns. It could be argued that this is merely an accidental convergence since Geometric c- curves were used by the Greeks (Figs. XX.93, 94) and since the addition of lobes filling angles between the ends of curling scrolls was a typical Greek procedure. Fortunately we now have early Greek examples Fig. XX.95 displaying the binding of the two volutes together, a feature that can be Revised: August 11, 1999 Copyright © 1999 Oriental Institute, University of Chicago http://www-oi.uchicago.edu/OI/DEPT/RA/HJK/HJKXX.pdf 835
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