More From the Minoans...

After yesterday's medieval interlude, it's back to the Bronze Age.

I've been doing my homework.  I find it difficult to cope with the terminology, Neo-Palatial, Proto-Palatial, Early Minoan, Late Minoan, etc.  I have to think in terms of Early Bronze Age, Middlle Bronze Age and Late Bronze Age, because that's what I'm used to.  Using Parker Pearson's subdivisions in Bronze Age Britain as a basis, I've concluded that Early Minoan/Pre-Palatial and Mid-Minoan/Proto-Palatial ('Old Palace') is the equivalent of our Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age transitional period, while Late Minoan/Neo-Palatial approximates to the Middle Bronze Age. This is good - it's what I'd more or less concluded from my dealings with the material culture.  The palace destruction and the arrival of the Myceneans then corresponds to our Late Bronze Age. 

Unfortunately, I'm sure the situation's far more subtle in reality.

Anyway, this post is intended to be a general guide to the layout of Knossos, and the rest of the Minoan palaces, since they appear to follow a similar plan.  If I was really feeling diligent, I'd trace the site plan and post a copy of it, but  I'm sorry, that's just too much like hard work.  Inking up a drawing of a faience priestess/ snake goddess is one thing, footering about with the blooming plan's a different matter entirely!!

I'll try and describe it instead.  The palace complex covers 22000 square metres and had 1500 rooms (imagine doing a standing building survey of that one!  Wow!!).  It's roughly rectangular on plan, with ranges of buildings to north, south, east and west, arranged around a central courtyard.  There's a second courtyard located west of the west range, immediately next to the palace buildings.  The complex is accessed by entrances to the west, south, east and north, with established routes laid out on the western approach in particular, which appears to be of particular significance, with the path skirting large pits - 'Koulouras' -  filled with discarded broken vessels (ah, good old structured deposition!), and entrance to the actual palace complex achieved via a gatehouse. 

Here's a view of the western courtyard at Knossos.  The basal course of masonry blocks is huge - check out the human figure at the left hand side for scale:-

Did they do their fabled bull-leaping here? I'm sorry to disappoint you, but probably not...

The lower levels in the West Range appear to be composed largely of storage areas or magazines.  The storage jars or pithoi will be given a blog post (or two!) in their own right, because I really love them to bits!

Here's a view of the West Magazines, seen from the level above.  The holes may have functioned as a kind of drainage system:-

 

There are magazines in the East Range, too, and there's evidence that various craft activities such as potting, metalworking, etc. was carried out on the site. 

Here's some pithoi lurking in the imaginatively named 'Magazine of the Pithoi With The Medallions':-
 

There seems to be some debate as to what these palaces actually represent.  Several authorities argue that the term 'palace' may not be an appropriate one.  Instead, these sites should be viewed more like monasteries.  They clearly perform a religious role, they are places where large quantities of produce are stored and perhaps redistributed, and they are sites where highly skilled craftsmen are active.  They are a centre of bureaucracy, but although they are in possession of some necessary home comforts (i.e. drains) they don't seem to function particularly well as domestic spaces. 

And they are not defensive.  Yes, the ruins suggest that they have thick walls (a good sign of a defensive structure in my neck of the woods) but this, apparently, is so they were strong enough to support two or three upper storeys made largely from timber.

A lot has been written about the way in which these vast, complex spaces were organised and used.  The rooms have been named and labelled:  'Shrine of the Double Axes', 'The Queen's Bathroom', the 'Court of the Distaff'.  But the meaning of these rooms, and their layout relative to one another still remains unclear to me.  These palace complexes are, undoubtedly, 'labyrinthine' in our sense of the word.  And, since 'Labyrinth' literally means 'Place of the Double Axe', they're labyrinthine in the Minoan sense, too.

Here's the famous alabaster throne of 'King Minos'.  Griffins adorn the walls, and it has been observed by many that the throne itself is probably more suited for use by a woman.  The 'lustral basin' before it is believed to be associated with ritual cleansing or anointing.  Again, please bear in mind that this part of the palace has been heavily restored:-

 

 

Strange, isn't it?  It looks like the room's previous incumbants have only just left, and yet the so-called Minoans remain as vague, mysterious and downright tantalising as ever.  No wonder the Ladies in Blue look so smug...

Once again, the information in this post is derived from Knossos: The Minoan Civilisation by Sosso Logiadou-Palatanos (Athens).

More From the Minoans...

After yesterday's medieval interlude, it's back to the Bronze Age.

I've been doing my homework.  I find it difficult to cope with the terminology, Neo-Palatial, Proto-Palatial, Early Minoan, Late Minoan, etc.  I have to think in terms of Early Bronze Age, Middlle Bronze Age and Late Bronze Age, because that's what I'm used to.  Using Parker Pearson's subdivisions in Bronze Age Britain as a basis, I've concluded that Early Minoan/Pre-Palatial and Mid-Minoan/Proto-Palatial ('Old Palace') is the equivalent of our Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age transitional period, while Late Minoan/Neo-Palatial approximates to the Middle Bronze Age. This is good - it's what I'd more or less concluded from my dealings with the material culture.  The palace destruction and the arrival of the Myceneans then corresponds to our Late Bronze Age. 

Unfortunately, I'm sure the situation's far more subtle in reality.

Anyway, this post is intended to be a general guide to the layout of Knossos, and the rest of the Minoan palaces, since they appear to follow a similar plan.  If I was really feeling diligent, I'd trace the site plan and post a copy of it, but  I'm sorry, that's just too much like hard work.  Inking up a drawing of a faience priestess/ snake goddess is one thing, footering about with the blooming plan's a different matter entirely!!

I'll try and describe it instead.  The palace complex covers 22000 square metres and had 1500 rooms (imagine doing a standing building survey of that one!  Wow!!).  It's roughly rectangular on plan, with ranges of buildings to north, south, east and west, arranged around a central courtyard.  There's a second courtyard located west of the west range, immediately next to the palace buildings.  The complex is accessed by entrances to the west, south, east and north, with established routes laid out on the western approach in particular, which appears to be of particular significance, with the path skirting large pits - 'Koulouras' -  filled with discarded broken vessels (ah, good old structured deposition!), and entrance to the actual palace complex achieved via a gatehouse. 

Here's a view of the western courtyard at Knossos.  The basal course of masonry blocks is huge - check out the human figure at the left hand side for scale:-

Did they do their fabled bull-leaping here? I'm sorry to disappoint you, but probably not...

The lower levels in the West Range appear to be composed largely of storage areas or magazines.  The storage jars or pithoi will be given a blog post (or two!) in their own right, because I really love them to bits!

Here's a view of the West Magazines, seen from the level above.  The holes may have functioned as a kind of drainage system:-

 

There are magazines in the East Range, too, and there's evidence that various craft activities such as potting, metalworking, etc. was carried out on the site. 

Here's some pithoi lurking in the imaginatively named 'Magazine of the Pithoi With The Medallions':-
 

There seems to be some debate as to what these palaces actually represent.  Several authorities argue that the term 'palace' may not be an appropriate one.  Instead, these sites should be viewed more like monasteries.  They clearly perform a religious role, they are places where large quantities of produce are stored and perhaps redistributed, and they are sites where highly skilled craftsmen are active.  They are a centre of bureaucracy, but although they are in possession of some necessary home comforts (i.e. drains) they don't seem to function particularly well as domestic spaces. 

And they are not defensive.  Yes, the ruins suggest that they have thick walls (a good sign of a defensive structure in my neck of the woods) but this, apparently, is so they were strong enough to support two or three upper storeys made largely from timber.

A lot has been written about the way in which these vast, complex spaces were organised and used.  The rooms have been named and labelled:  'Shrine of the Double Axes', 'The Queen's Bathroom', the 'Court of the Distaff'.  But the meaning of these rooms, and their layout relative to one another still remains unclear to me.  These palace complexes are, undoubtedly, 'labyrinthine' in our sense of the word.  And, since 'Labyrinth' literally means 'Place of the Double Axe', they're labyrinthine in the Minoan sense, too.

Here's the famous alabaster throne of 'King Minos'.  Griffins adorn the walls, and it has been observed by many that the throne itself is probably more suited for use by a woman.  The 'lustral basin' before it is believed to be associated with ritual cleansing or anointing.  Again, please bear in mind that this part of the palace has been heavily restored:-

 

 

Strange, isn't it?  It looks like the room's previous incumbants have only just left, and yet the so-called Minoans remain as vague, mysterious and downright tantalising as ever.  No wonder the Ladies in Blue look so smug...

Once again, the information in this post is derived from Knossos: The Minoan Civilisation by Sosso Logiadou-Palatanos (Athens).