Academic literature on the topic 'Palace of Knossos (Knossos)'

This study concerns the central portion of the West wing at Knossos - Evans' Central Palace Sanctuary Area. The aim is to present a full account of the finds, and by their consideration, along with an appreciation of the architecture and stratigraphy, to assess the character and function of the area, in its several phases. The initial chapter largely sets the scene, outlining the course of events of the early excavations, and detailing the primary sources drawn upon here. In each of the following chapters, a separate group of material is presented - a chronological order is maintained in this. In the case of the final phase, the extant architecture is discussed separately from the finds - purely for ease of presentation. A full Catalogue of the Vat Room, Temple Repositories and Final phase funds is then presented; followed by some appendices. The plans, line drawings and plates are in the second volume. The earliest group (late First Palace - MM II essentially) is the Vat Room Deposit: vases and largely fragmentary objects of faience, shell and metals. Recovered from a pit below the gypsum floor, the nature of the finds can reasonably be associated with some cult/ritual activity, but of uncertain nature and position. The abundant material yielded by the Temple Repositories (MM lllb - ?LM la) was stowed away deliberately after some destruction: it includes vases, many faience items, bone and ivory, stone, metal and natural objects. Individually and taken together, their character is incontrovertibly to do with a shrine - the location again being uncertain. Much of the finer details of the architecture is ambiguous, though the overall succession of phases is established. The finds associated with the last are mundane - vases; but there is still some hint of ritual interest there. Thus, a thread of continuity may be observed - though the nature of the overall pattern remains debateable. More excavation will be required to proceed further.

On the basis of evidence contained in the excavation documents and revealed by a detailed examination of the archaeological remains of the Palace at Knossos, structures referable to three separate building phases can be recognised that date to the period after the conflagration of late LM III A date. The buildings of the first of these phases have floors that are paved with gypsum slabs and walls covered with painted plaster and might reasonably be taken to be ‘palatial’. It is considered that, in some cases, most notably in the West Wing of the palace, Evans mistakenly referred structures belonging to this phase to what he regarded as the ‘Last Palace’. Instead, the structures belong to the ‘palace’ that Palmer and Hallager considered was rebuilt after the destruction of LM IIIA date. Most probably the buildings of this constructional phase date to the earliest part of the LM III B period. Subsequently, the walls of the first phase were strengthened by structures of poor quality rubble masonry, rooms were partitioned, doors were blocked and earth floors were laid down in many parts of the palace site. It is possible that these works, many being of a remedial character, were a response to widespread damage to the buildings, possibly caused by an earthquake. Of an <i>ad hoc</i> nature, these works permitted a continuation of the administrative process at the palace. There is no evidence to suggest a change of regime. For the most part, the structures of this phase were removed in the course of the excavations and are known only from the excavation records and early photographs. A number of structures attributable to this phase were not recognised by the excavators but can be inferred from the evidence of burnmarks still visible on many walls. The fire that terminated this period of occupancy is of LM III B date. Afterwards, a number of rooms were constructed against the N Front of the palace but the excavators provided no evidence of their date.

Although remains at Knossos have been reported to some extent throughout its history, archaeological research into the Roman city has traditionally been overshadowed by the exploration of the well-known ‘Minoan’ Bronze Age palace and its immediate surroundings. The Knossos 2000 Project, jointly established by the University of Birmingham and the British School at Athens, has provided the opportunity for the systematic investigation of an area in close proximity to the Roman forum, incorporating the partial excavation of a number of substantial buildings, both public and private. The large quantities of pottery recovered from a range of stratified deposits have enabled this specific study, designed to complement existing works which are, on the whole, dedicated to earlier periods. The objectives from the outset were to provide the chronological framework for the Knossos 2000 excavations, to concentrate on an investigation of the latest Roman pottery (to-date poorly represented by excavations carried out in areas away from the main foci of Roman activity) and, where possible, to present an extension to the existing ceramic sequence in order to help facilitate a better understanding of Knossos and its economic history during the Roman and Early Byzantine periods.

The famous excavations of Sir Arthur Evans at Knossos produced vast quantities of ceramic material. This thesis presents a new analysis of the most important Knossian deposits assigned by Evans to the Middle Minoan IA (MM IA) phase in his system of classification of the Minoan Bronze Age. These deposits have never been systematically studied and are largely unpublished or inadequately published. The first, introductory chapter of the thesis is a short discussion of the previous studies and current definitions of Knossian MM IA pottery, of the sources of information, and of the problems involved in the study of Evans' material. Chapter 2 deals with the deposits located in the West Court, such as Houses A, B and C, etc. Chapter 3 deals with the deposits located in the area of the Palace, such as the Vat Room, the Upper East Well, etc.. Chapter 4 deals with the North Quarter of the City, a deposit from outside the area of the Palace. Chapters 2-4 present a detailed analysis of the pottery, based upon a re-examination of the relevant documentary sources (excavation notebooks etc.) and a first-hand knowledge of the ceramic material. Chapter 5 presents a typology of Knossian MM IA pottery and briefly discusses its production and decoration. The picture of Knossian MM IA pottery presented in this study is remarkably different from that of Evans. Chapter 6 discusses vases of foreign origin (and/or local imitations) found in Knossian MM IA deposits, Knossian MM IA vases Land/or local imitations) found outside the Knossos region, and the implications for relative chronology. Chapter 7 summarizes the main results obtained by this study. There is a Catalogue of the complete and restorable vases from the various deposits discussed in the text, and Appendix 1 lists various Knossian MM IA deposits, including those which could not be included in the present study.