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.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:319384 |
| Date | January 1990 |
| Creators | Panagiotaki, Marina |
| Publisher | University College London (University of London) |
| Source Sets | Ethos UK |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
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