149 



word 59 it appears that we are to read the first two signs as 

 "Chief Woman." 



Rosette. — (8) This is clearly the archetype of the later 

 8-pointed star-shaped sign. In two words, 28 and 31, it is 

 associated with a pictograph of an -uncovered head possessing 

 either a brand or mark on the cheek, or perhaps an ear-ring ; 

 a head similar to this is seen on the wall of the fortress men- 

 tioned above; in which case it probably typifies that of a slain 

 captive. Now in the "Handbook of the Cesnola Collection 

 of Antiquities from Cyprus" < 13 ) is figured the beardless head 

 of a male votary wearing a frontlet decorated with rosettes, 

 the figure being of the Assyrian period of the island. < 14 ) Are, 

 therefore, the uncovered head and rosette on the Disk asso- 

 ciated with the word for "votary" ? On the lid of the ivory 

 casket already referred to there are several 8-petalled rosettes. 

 The sign is probably a direct importation from Assyria. 



Boat. — (9) This may be compared with the models of 

 Cypriote boats figured in di Cesnola's work. 



Skin. — (12) This is something like the coverings placed 

 over the horses in the chariot illustrated on the casket. 



Glove. — (13) Some scholars have called this sign a cestus, 

 but I believe it to be a glove. I communicated this sug- 

 gestion to Professor W. J. Woodhouse, of Sydney University, 

 who subsequently informed me that the character probably 

 represented an archer's glove with a loose thumb, such as was 

 worn by Hittite warriors. A close examination of the sign 

 as shown in the photograph of the Disk at the end of "Scripta 

 Minoa," vol. i., will show that Professor Woodhouse's iden- 

 tification doubtless is correct, for the loose thumb is there 

 quite clearly depicted. The Later Cypriote sign, "Ke" (said 

 by Evans to be an outline picture of a hand), may have been 

 taken from this glove sign, for the "thumb" in the linear 

 character is shown at right angles to the "fingers," as if to 

 indicate that it was loose. The Assyrian for "hand" was 

 "KATU." It might be of interest to add that the old Persian 

 for glove was "KARBUL"; the latter word occurs in the 

 inscription of Darius the Great at Nakshi Rustam, where we 

 read of "Cimmerians who wear gloves on their hands." ( 15 ) 



(13) J. L. Myres, Metropolitan Museum of Art, N.Y., 1914, 

 p. 194. 



(14) Myres, op. cit., p. 193, mentions that rosette frontlets were 

 worn by Assyrian courtiers of the early seventh century B.C. Disks 

 in the form of rosettes were also a feature of Assyrian planet gods 

 in the same century. C.f. the "Relief of Molthai from the Age of 

 Sennacherib," son.pf Sargon II., who ruled from B.C. 705-682, 

 figured in "The Civilization of the East," Dr. Hommell (Temple 

 Primers, J. M. Dent & Co., 1900). 



(15) "Records of the Past," vol. v., pp. 151, 152. 



