Celebrating Scholarship and Creativity Day (2018-)

Document Type

Paper

Publication Date

5-1-2025

Disciplines

Art and Design | Arts and Humanities

Advisor

Katia Rassia

Abstract

The sacral knot, a term first coined by Sir Arthur Evans, is an iconic symbol in Minoan iconography, but there is surprisingly little information about it. Various interpretations have been suggested regarding the meaning of this knot, the most popular and well-known being a religious function.There is no doubt that the so-called "sacral knot” had an important meaning in Bronze Age Greece, with a number of depictions showing the knot alongside other significant symbols, such as bulls, figure-of-eight shields, and lions. However, the knot also appears to function as a symbol on its own. This analysis draws from a compilation of forty-one examples of sacral knots from the archaeological record of various materials and forms and attempts to decipher both the meaning behind the knot and any potential influences, such as those from Egypt and West Asia.

Download

Share

COinS