Honouring the Dead in the Peloponnese - University of Nottingham

Archaic funerary and votive jewellery
Geometric period, with incisions on the fixing plate, representing fish
flanked by geometric motifs (FIG. 4), as well as a triangular bead made of
blue glass and decorated with white concentric circles on each corner. 8
FIG. 3. Drepanon. Late Geometric
jewellery from the funerary pithos 2.
FIG. 4. Kalyvia, Elis. Late
Geometric jewellery from
funerary pithoi.
A pair of earrings, today in the Stathatos Collection (Στ304) dates to the
third quarter of the 7 th century BC and was found at Argos. Its place in the
evolution of the jewellery of this category is seminal: each earring is formed
by a cone, whose upper part is covered by a circular metal sheet, on which
stands a potnia theron (FIG. 5). The cone is formed by six vertical rows of
globules, whose size decreases towards the bottom. The potnia theron, this
demonic, dominating figure of nature with her protective attributes, is shown
here dressed in a peplos whose belt has incised decoration on the front and
the back. She wears a wreath and her long hair follows the daedalic style. Upon
her shoulders rest the front paws of two lions rising on a circular pedestal and
turning their heads outwards. The features on the faces of the goddess and the
lions are summarily rendered. 9 This type of earring is often compared with the
object appearing in the Homeric verses under the name «τρίίγληνα
μορόόεντα», (Il. 15, 183) mainly because of the attachment to the number three
and a visual comparison of the globules to the fruit of berries. However, the
8
ArchaiologikonDeltion 47 (1992) Β1, 112–13 pl. 36
9
Amandry 1953, 29 s. n. 43/44, pl. 10; Higgins 1980, 103, n. 4; Despini 1996, n. 69, 226, fig. 69. Cf.
ArchaiologikonDeltion 24 (1969) Bl, 119 pl. 108 a; ArchaiologikonDeltion 24 (1969) Bl, 119 pl. 108 a.
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