scovered by Mr. Seager at Mokhlos, though wrought
out of beautiful native materials, betray, according to Dr. Evans,
the strong influence of protodynastic Egyptian models. Coming down a
little farther, to Early Minoan III., there is evidence of Egyptian
influence in the fact that the ivory seals of this period seem
to derive their motives from the so-called 'button-seals' of the
Sixth Egyptian Dynasty. Mr. H. R. Hall believes that the derivation
was the other way about. 'It would seem very probable that this
decidedly foreign decoration motive was adopted by the Egyptians
from the AEgeans about the end of the Old Kingdom (=Early Minoan
III.), so that the Egyptian seal designs are copied from those of
the Cretan seal-stones, rather than the reverse. Egyptian designs
were very ancient, and had the spiral been Egyptian, we should
have found it in the art of the Old Kingdom. It was a foreign
importation, and its place of origin is evident.'[*] Whether in
this case the Minoan borrowed from the Egyptian or the Egyptian
from the Minoan is, however, immaterial; either way the fact of
intercourse is established.

[Footnote *: Proceedings of the Society of Biblical Archaeology,
vol. xxxi., part v., p. 222.]

We may assume, then, that, in all probability, there was intercourse
of some kind between Crete and Egypt as early as the time of the First
Egyptian Dynasty, and that by the time of the Sixth Dynasty, which
marks the close of the great period of the Old Kingdom in Egypt--the
period of the Pyramid Builders (Third to Sixth Dynasty)--intercourse
was common. In fact, it may be said that, from the origin of both
peoples, the likelihood is that they were in contact. It is possible
enough that both the Nilotic and the Minoan civilization sprang from
a common stock, and that the Neolithic Cretans and the Neolithic
Egyptians were alike members of the same widespread Mediterranean
race.

[Illustration XIX: IVORY FIGURES AND HEADS FROM KNOSSOS (_p_. 76)

From 'Annual of the British School of Athens,' by permission]

How was the connection between Crete and Egypt maintained at this
extremely early period? Professor Petrie believes that it was by
the natural and direct sea-route across the Mediterranean. The
representations of vessels painted on pre-dynastic Egyptian ware
show that the Neolithic Egyptians were familiar, to some extent,
with the building and the use of ships, and Professor Petrie supposes
that galleys such as those