Middle and Late Bronze Age Metal Tools from the Aegean, Eastern ...

3. Saws with a straight blade top and a straight cutting edge. The width of these
blades changes minimally over the length of the implement (Plate 4.46-47;
there are 14 examples in the catalogue).
4. Band saws. Often much smaller than other types, especially in terms of the
blade width (Plates 4.48-50; there are 26 examples in the catalogue).
5. Double-edged saws. Small saws with two serrated cutting edges (Plate 4.51;
there are 4 examples in the catalogue).
6. Miscellaneous or unknown: 4 saws have a miscellaneous shape, and there are
an additional 27 examples in the catalogue whose type/shape is unknown.
Simply shaped Type 1 saws are common to each region but particularly on
Cyprus. A regional origin for the form, however, is difficult to ascertain. Types 2 and 3
are large saws and conspicuously Cretan. They constitute the impressive, often well-
preserved, saws for which the Minoans were renowned. Both saw forms regularly have a
dentate cutting edge, but there are toothless examples as well. Easily recognizable, the
saws periodically appear in regions besides Crete. Examples of Type 2 came to light at
Akrotiri (LBA I), 484 the Euboean Andronianoi hoard (LH II‒LH IIIA1; Plate 4.45), 485
and maybe Troy (level II-V, thus possibly from the MBA). 486 An impressive Type 3
Minoan saw was found far from Crete at Boğazköy-Hattusha (Plate 4.47). 487
On the other
hand, Cypriot saws bear little resemblance to Minoan versions. The absence of Minoan-
type saws on Cyprus is surprising given the Cypriot similarities with other Minoan tools.
Band saws (Type 4) or fragments thereof are well represented in the dataset and
the form characterizes the mainland examples. Although most are fragmentary and small,
two substantial band saws come from a chamber tomb at Evangelistria, Nauplion (LH
484 Doumas 1997, 161 plate 87d, 88a-b.
485 Paschalidis 2007. Athens National Museum #10797.
486 Branigan 1974, 168 entry 710; Deshayes 1960, entry 2881.
487 Boehmer 1979, 33 plate XLII, 77/146-K/20, #3420D; Neve 1989.
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