18S0.] H. Rivett-Carnac— Om Clay Discs called " Spindle Wli .rh." 131 



fineness o£ the terra cotta and by their better workmanship. The decora- 

 tions on these very ancient articles are, however, generally much simpler 

 than those met with above a depth of 10 meters (33 feet) and are mostly 

 confined to the representation of the sun with its rays, or with stars be- 

 tween the latter, or of the sun in the centre of a simple cross, or in the 

 middle of four or five double or treble rising suns. At a depth of 6 meters 

 (20 feet) we again fonnd a round Terra Cotta in the form of a volcano, 

 upon which are engraved three antelopes in the circle round the sun, 



" At a depth of from 5 to 8 meters (16^ to 26 feet) a number of 

 terra cotta balls were found, the surface of each being divided into eight 

 fields ; these contain a great many small suns and stars, either enclosed by 

 circles or standing alone. Most of the balls, however, are without divisions 



I and covered with stars ; upon some I find the swastica and the tree of life, 

 which, as already said, upon a terra cotta ball found at a depth of 26 feet, 

 had stars between its branches." (Schliemann's Troy, p. 187.) 



The above extract embraces not only the so-called spindle whorls, but 



j mentions the volcano-shaped " whorls" of type C found at Sankisa and 



! type D brought away by me from the same place. The discs were found 

 by Dr. Schliemann of terra cotta, of marble and of crystal. So at Sankisa 

 did we find clay, marble and crystal discs. 



A comparison of the Plates aj^pended to Dr. Schliemann's volume with 

 the sj^ecimens submitted by me and the sketches which accompany this 

 paper will, I think, shew that there is at least some resemblance between 

 the remains found at Hissarlik and those at Sankisa. 



On nearly all these discs will be seen what are constantly referred to 

 as the spokes of the wheel or the rays of the sun. I have placed side by 



! side with my sketches a copy of the whorl engraved by Dr. Schliemann at 

 page 137. It might fairly be taken to be a representation of the whorl 

 given in Plate XIV, Sketch 10 appended to this paper. 



Then my collection is unfortunately in no way large or complete. 



I When at Sankisa, I had little idea of the significance of these remains or their 

 resemblance to well known types, and I only purchased a few of them in 

 the manner that I collect everything that seems to be unusual or strange. 

 Further search may possibly bring out even more remarkable points. 

 The few specimens that I have succeeded in obtaining bear, however, a 

 resemblance, not only in shape, but also in ornamentation, to those figured 

 by Dv. Schliemann, sufficient to render the subject interesting. The broad 

 arrow of my Sketch No. 5 and the Mystic Rose or sign of Saturn, or the 

 numeral four of my Sketch No. 6, are all to be traced among Dr. Sclilio- 

 mann's specimens ; and tlien again on the balls some similarity .in ornamen- 

 tation is to be traced. 



It would perhaps hai'dly be right to attach much importance to the 

 11 



