Leszczynski - Late Minoan, Creature, Covered, Gems
Introduction
We have here, a collection of lentoid, gems and seals engraved by Minoan craftsmen. The subject matter inspiring the art are animals. The collection, spans the Late Minoan IA thru the Late Minoan IIIA periods (Neer 19). And ranges in years from 1600 BCE to 1300 BCE. Lentoid describes the objects, simply because of their shape, that of a lens (Lentoid). Materials used by the artists in this collection, include Jasper, Agate, Carnelian and Marble. All objects on display are from The Met and are classified as Gems, by the institution.
The subject matter chosen by Minoan, craftsmen to cover the gems, was only limited by their imagination. The Met's collection of Minoan, gems are engraved with a myriad of figures, animals, designs and the list goes on! However, in this collection we focus on gems adorned with animals. We lead off with a marble lentoid, engraved with a marine animal, popular among Minoan artists, the octopus. The octopus is indigenous to the Mediterranean Sea, where we find the island of Crete and where the Minoan civilization once flourished (Neer 19).
Marble Lentoid
The medium used by the artist is marble and the period is Late Minoan II-IIIA. The head/body is center top and three tentacles can be seen on either side, extending out from the head/body. The Octopus, was engraved into the marble between the years 1450-1375 B.C. The object was in the collection of Richard Berry Seager until 1925 and was left to The Met by Richard Berry Seager in 1926 (Marble Lentoid).
Agate Lentoid Seal
The medium used by the artist is agate. It is from the Late Minoan IIIA period. This agate lentoid was used as a Seal. The animals engraved into the agate are two, rampaging, goats. The goats are divided by a column, the artist has placed between them. The goats in the agate were likely chosen for a personal reason, by the unknown person who commissioned the seal. The Provenance of this object is the Rogers Fund, 1907. The seal was created sometime between the years 1400-1300 B.C (Agate Lentoid Seal).
Jasper Lentoid
The medium of this object is Jasper. This Jasper Lentoid is engraved with two Bulls lying down with their heads raised. The artist has engraved a double axe head between the horns of both bulls. Linear B signs are engraved between the bulls themselves. The period for this object is Late Minoan IB-II. This object was acquired through the Rogers Fund in1923. This work of art was created sometime between 1500-1400 B.C (Jasper Lentoid)
Carnelian Lentoid Seal
The medium of this seal is carnelian. The period for the object is Late Minoan I-II. This carnelian lentoid is engraved with a wounded lion. The lion’s head can be seen in the top, right of the lentoid. The lion is on its side with the pointed end of an arrow buried deep in the creatures back. The quill, end of the arrow, is at the “11:00” position of the lentoid. The object was in the collection of Richard B. Seager until 1925. Richard B. Seager, left the object to The Met, in 1926. This was engraved sometime between the years 1600-1400 B.C (Carnelian Lentoid Seal).
Agate Lentoid
The medium for this object is agate. The period is the Late Minoan II. The agate lentoid was engraved with a griffin. A griffin is a mythical, animal with the head and wings of a bird and the body of a lion (Neer 34). There are three legs at the bottom, half of the lentoid. The wings are at the top, left. Triangles are engraved from the middle, left, to the top. The artist, possibly was trying to simulate flight, with the triangles representing the sun, in the background. The Agate lentoid was in the collection of Edward Perry Warren, at Lewes House, until 1914. This object was purchased by exchange in 1914. The Agate Lentoid with griffin, dates back to 1450-1400B.C (Agate Lentoid).
Works Cited
“Agate Lentoid | Minoan | Late Minoan II | The Met.” The Metropolitan Museum of Art, I.e. The Met Museum,www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/248876?sortBy=Relevance&%3Bwhere =Aegean%2BIslands&%3Bft=Agate%2B%2Blentoid&%3Boffset=0&%3Brpp=20&%3Bpos=1.
“Agate Lentoid Seal | Minoan | Late Minoan IIIA | The Met.” The Metropolitan Museum of Art, I.e. The MetMuseum,www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/247999?sortBy=Relevance&%3Bwher e=Aegean%2BIslands&%3Bft=Agate%2B%2Blentoid%2Bseal&%3Boffset=0&%3Brpp=20&%3Bpo s=1.
“Carnelian Lentoid Seal | Minoan | Late Minoan I-II | The Met.” The Metropolitan Museum of Art, I.e. TheMetMuseum,www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/252228?sortBy=Relevance&%3B where=Aegean%2BIslands&%3Bft=carnelian%2Blentoid%2Bseal&%3Boffset=0&%3Brpp=20&%3 Bpos=1.
“Lentoid.” Dictionary.com, Dictionary.com, www.dictionary.com/browse/lentoid?s=t.
“Jasper Lentoid | Minoan | Late Minoan IB–II | The Met.” The Metropolitan Museum of Art, I.e. The Met Museum,www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/251371?sortBy=Relevance&%3Bwhere=A egean%2BIslands&%3Bft=Jasper%2Blentoid&%3Boffset=0&%3Brpp=20&%3Bpos=1.
“Marble Lentoid | Minoan | Late Minoan II–IIIA | The Met.” The Metropolitan Museum of Art, I.e. The MetMuseum,www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/252190?sortBy=Relevance&%3Bwher e=Aegean%2BIslands&%3Bft=marble%2Blentoid&%3Boffset=0&%3Brpp=20&%3Bpos=1.
Neer, Richard T. “1 Crete and the Cyclades to the Late Bronze Age.” Greek Art and Archaeology: a New History, c. 2500-c. 150 BCE, Thames & Hudson, 2012, p. 19-34.
