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

as rare. Only two Cretan hoards contained a series of metalworking utensils, and both
came from Mochlos (House C.3’s metal merchant and northeast corner collections). 615
The repertoire of tools (nine double axes, seven broad chisels, and eight knives)
from the Mochlos merchant hoard represents types that were commonly selected in other
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Minoan caches.
At least two of these implement types (but particularly double axes)
appear time and again in Cretan hoards. Chisels, though recurrent in Minoan caches, are
neither as prevalent nor as diverse as in mainland contexts. Utilitarian objects like knives
occur in Cretan hoards but not with the same regularity as on the mainland. The
coexistence of double axes, chisels and knives in Minoan assemblages reflects a tool
grouping that becomes a standardized set by the Mycenaean period. The array of adze
variations (e.g. single adzes, socketed adzes, double adzes, ax-adzes, adze-hammers) and
the occasional smith tool in Minoan hoards corresponds to some Cypriot caches.
Tools in Greek mainland hoards (Fig. 5.2): The proportion of implements in
mainland hoards is slightly less than that in Cretan caches. The mainland assemblages,
however, are larger and incorporate a wider range of tools than the Minoan hoards.
Agricultural, metallurgical, utilitarian, and carpentry/masonry tools constitute mainland
assemblages, with each functional category occurring in differing ratios from hoard to
hoard. The carpentry/masonry and utilitarian examples are more plentiful than the
agricultural or metallurgical ones, and the wood- and stone-working tools are the only
category with notable variation. The restricted nature of the agricultural tool types on the
mainland (chiefly sickles except for a few plowshares) contrasts with the diversity and
615
Whetstones were also found in two of the Knossos hoards, but these are not certain metallurgical
implements.
616
Soles 2008, 148-151.
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