File:Greek athletic sports and festivals (1910) (14767923994).jpg

Identifier: greekathleticspo00gard (find matches)
Title: Greek athletic sports and festivals
Year: 1910 (1910s)
Authors: Gardiner, E. Norman (Edward Norman), 1864-1930
Subjects: Athletics Sports Olympics Fasts and feasts
Publisher: London : Macmillan and Co.
Contributing Library: Harold B. Lee Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Brigham Young University

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Text Appearing Before Image:
¹De re equestri , viii. 10
² Tetrcdogia, ii. 4. An example of the pointed javelin occurs in Fig. 150.
Vide infra, p.p. 358. ⁴Lucian, Anacharsis, 32.
⁵Jüthner, l.c., Figs. 34, 35, 36. Jüthner proves conclusively that the objects
represented on the Panaetius kylix and elsewhere (Fig. 17) are not compasses,
but amenta misdrawn.

340 GREEK ATHLETIC SPORTS AND FESTIVALS CHAP.

putting the amentum behind the centre of gravity, it is
possible to increase the distance thrown, but at a sacrifice of
accuracy. Hence the athlete fastened it to suit his taste
shortly before use. On the British Museum hydria shown
in Fig. 88 a youth is seated on the ground in the act of
attaching the amentum. On a red-figured kylix at Würzburg
(Fig. 91) we see a youth winding the amentum round the
shaft, while he holds the other end tight with his foot. Some
of the ways in which the amentum was fastened can be seen
in the accompanying illustration. The clearest example is that
from the Alexander Mosaic in Naples (Fig. 92 e). In every case
it is only the actual loop which is left free.
The amentum was no invention of the gymnasium but was


Text Appearing After Image:
Fig. 91.-R.-f. kylix. Würzburg, 432.

adopted by the gymnasium from war and the chase. Whether
it was used in Homeric times we cannot say. The principle of
the sling was certainly known to the Homeric shepherd, and
besides the long-shadowing spear of the chieftain, there was a
lighter and shorter weapon (alyavaj) which like the bow was
used for hunting, and by the common soldiery in war and in
sport. The warrior vase from Mycenae¹ shows two types of
spear, a long spear clenched firmly in the hand, and a short
spear raised almost at arms length behind the head, the hand
being pointed as if the fingers were extended as they are in
holding the amentum.
From the sixth century onwards the amentum was used for
throwing the javelin in war, in hunting, and in the chase. It
is frequently represented on early black-figured vases. Its use
is admirably shown on the interior of a Chalcidian kylix in

¹Schliemann-Schuchardt (Eng. Trans.), Figs. 284, 285.

XVI THE JAVELIN—THE AMENTUM 341

the British Museum, where a fully armed warrior with his
fingers inserted in the thong, prepares to throw a javelin with
a sort of underhand throw, a throw in which certain savages
to-day are said to be extraordinarily skilful (Fig. 93)

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