Of Musicians and Weavers: Multivalent Symbols in the Monkey Frieze from Xeste 3, Akrotiri

Summary

This is an abstract from the "SAA 2025: Individual Abstracts" session, at the 90th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

A reanalysis of the monkey frieze in Xeste 3 suggests deciphers several enigmatic symbols and suggests room function.

In the image’s center, two monkeys face-off, each wielding an object overhead. The monkey on the right holds a sword. The one on the left holds what has been interpreted as a scabbard. Two additional monkeys are on either side. One cradles a lyre-like instrument, which has influenced interpretation of these monkeys as entertainers, but claims that the scene reflects a ritual duel or ceremonial weapons dance, or a cultural relationship between weapons, music, and rituals, particularly female ones, lack supporting evidence and misinterpret monkey symbols in Egyptian iconography.

I propose this is a weaving scene where the dueling monkeys grip a spindle and weaving sword, and a third monkey embraces a frame loom. Frame looms are used to weave stretchy fabrics like caps and hairnets, as depicted by women in a nearby fresco. Additionally, this is a narrative scene. Weaving scenes of opposing figures wielding weaving tools likely reflect the myth of the weaving contest between Athena and Arachne. Finally, the visual similarity of looms and lyres was intentionally used to create multivalent images of weaving, music and dancing.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 90th Annual Meeting, Denver, CO (2025)   •
• SAA 2025: Individual Abstracts

Keywords

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 51372