Pylos Combat Agate

[rads]

  This month's Archaeology magazine featured a story about the discovery in 2015 in Pylos, Greece  of a tomb known as the "Griffin Warrior".

So many artifacts were found that they concentrated on the gold artifacts and other high value items. They had set aside approximately 50 small lime encrusted items that were found near the body in the belief that they were not very important due to the size (1.4 inches). 

Once they started cleaning them they discovered what are being called the greatest pre-Greek art works ever found.  The smallest details in the Combat Agate are less than a half of a millimeter long. They were carved during a period of time that no magnification devices have ever been found.....suggesting the artist was nearsighted to work at this level. Most were drilled to wear on the wrist, the items were seals used in clay or wax to seal documents.

As someone who works with stone; it is incomprehensible to be able to carve an agate with such detail without modern tools......actually even with modern tools i would be stunned. 




en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Griffin_Warrior_Tomb

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pylos_Combat_Agate

[miket]

Jeez!!!
That's beautiful.
Truly amazing.

[mohs]

An amazing piece of carved image
On whatever the medium is

Studied a lot of Greek history
Certainly no expert

Yet I’ll have to remain a skeptic
That the piece is as advertised

Those images just don’t seem Greek
More of something off a MegaDeath album covers

Thanks for posting rads !

Ed

[rads]

It is thought to be Minoan or Mycenaean, or a combination of the two merging cultures. Many of the other agates are carved with Minoan bull images, they are not thought to be from the Grecian state period. 1450 BCE is the dating.

[Deleted]

Amazing. I haven't yet received my latest Archaeology - hope my subscription didn't expire!

[mohs]

checked out the Archeology Mag website

could be

amazing detail carved there

www.archaeology.org/slideshow/7911-greece-pylos-slideshow


that article was scholarly and informed!
I had never heard of the magazine

How that was carved then- is truly mind boggling

Archeology keep unearthing these anomalies
Throwing curves in what mankind as accomplished

All I can really say
Is those ancient knew their
rock!

[MsAli]

Such an amazing discovery

Wont lie I'm not a big fan of disturbing the graves

[gemfeller]

Those interested in the history and technology of glyptic work may find this article interesting: www.ganoksin.com/article/jewelry-gemstone-engraving-passage-time/

I too have been astounded at the incredible detail the ancients were able to create in hard stones, including ruby and sapphire as well as stones of lesser hardness like agate and jasper.

I know that sharp-eyed children have been used in fairly recent years to cut very tiny diamonds in India. The acuteness of eyesight diminishes in adulthood. That might be one plausible explanation for the incredible glyptic detail.

I did some research on this topic several years ago and learned that diamonds from India made their way to the Mediterranean region in Greek times and possibly earlier. I know diamond tools were used in early Roman gem carvings. Can't recall the source of the info, possibly Eric Bruton's wonderful book "Diamonds."

[fernwood]

Amazing.

[mohs]

from history I learned

All Cretan Are Liars ~ Epimendies (Cretan Philosopher)

but the sure are great rock glyph carvers
they knew their
Rock !

[greig]

I am trying to learn to cab and someone without access to modern tools carved something like that. Most people couldn't do that beautiful work if they had a laser. Wow!