DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.807#0419
38o
THE PALACE OF MINOS, ETC.
Portico is shown in Fig. 276 opposite. From its terrace it made its way,
probably by a descending duct, to a lower level and thus across the inter-
vening space to a stone spout (formerly called the ' Oil Spout'), which here
projects from the M. M. Ill wall overlooking the little Court named after it
(see Fig. 263 above and Plan, Fig. 266).
Hence, doubtless by means of a small descending shaft or pipe and
a gullet below, the water found its way into a short continuation of the stone
conduit, the remains of which were brought out by me in 191 3 on the terrace
level below, and thus, through a rectangular basin, to a circular walled cavity
or blind-well. It is clear, however, that this blind-well would itself have
overflowed after heavy rains, and we must suppose, therefore, that there had
originally existed some channel by which" its surplus waters reached a prolon-
gation of the Eastern branch of the main drainage svstem described above.1
M. M. Ill This blind-well, which would thus have served as a kind of settling
BHnd-y in tank, was found choked with pottery representing the earlier and the con-
well, eluding phase of M. M. III. In the topmost layer and the entrance basin
were also found some L. M. I sherds. The well contained fragments of
' hole-mouthed ' vases of an interesting type imitating inlaid stone vessels,
and referred below to the penultimate phase of this Period, which were also
found associated with the debris of the N. Lustral Area and with the deposit
containing the alabaster lid inscribed with the name of the Hyksos Pharaoh,
Khyan. On the other hand, some of the painted sherds resembled types
found in the Magazine of the Lily Vases belonging to the closing epoch of
the present Period. This ceramic evidence is of special value in fixing
the date of the constructions to which the stone conduit beloneed that had
fed the blind-well. Many of the sherds found in the blind-well had doubt-
less been washed down by means of the descending ducts from the light
Court of the great East Hall, the existence of which, as we have seen, is
established by so many converging lines of evidence.
As noted above, the sherds found in the blind-well include not only
the ceramic phase of the early M. M. Ill class which would represent the
stage marked by the spiral fresco and reliefs, but also cover the concluding
phase to which the ' Medallion ' Pithoi tripod pots and other vessels of the
immediately overlying floor-levels belong. It looks then as if the M. M. Ill
East Hall including the light-court from which the conduit started had in
some restored form survived to the end of the present Period. As a matter
of fact the Magazines below it, though renovated now and provided with
gypsum paving and dadoes, continued still in use. Even when, at the close
1 See Plan, Fig. 171 a, facing p. 227.
THE PALACE OF MINOS, ETC.
Portico is shown in Fig. 276 opposite. From its terrace it made its way,
probably by a descending duct, to a lower level and thus across the inter-
vening space to a stone spout (formerly called the ' Oil Spout'), which here
projects from the M. M. Ill wall overlooking the little Court named after it
(see Fig. 263 above and Plan, Fig. 266).
Hence, doubtless by means of a small descending shaft or pipe and
a gullet below, the water found its way into a short continuation of the stone
conduit, the remains of which were brought out by me in 191 3 on the terrace
level below, and thus, through a rectangular basin, to a circular walled cavity
or blind-well. It is clear, however, that this blind-well would itself have
overflowed after heavy rains, and we must suppose, therefore, that there had
originally existed some channel by which" its surplus waters reached a prolon-
gation of the Eastern branch of the main drainage svstem described above.1
M. M. Ill This blind-well, which would thus have served as a kind of settling
BHnd-y in tank, was found choked with pottery representing the earlier and the con-
well, eluding phase of M. M. III. In the topmost layer and the entrance basin
were also found some L. M. I sherds. The well contained fragments of
' hole-mouthed ' vases of an interesting type imitating inlaid stone vessels,
and referred below to the penultimate phase of this Period, which were also
found associated with the debris of the N. Lustral Area and with the deposit
containing the alabaster lid inscribed with the name of the Hyksos Pharaoh,
Khyan. On the other hand, some of the painted sherds resembled types
found in the Magazine of the Lily Vases belonging to the closing epoch of
the present Period. This ceramic evidence is of special value in fixing
the date of the constructions to which the stone conduit beloneed that had
fed the blind-well. Many of the sherds found in the blind-well had doubt-
less been washed down by means of the descending ducts from the light
Court of the great East Hall, the existence of which, as we have seen, is
established by so many converging lines of evidence.
As noted above, the sherds found in the blind-well include not only
the ceramic phase of the early M. M. Ill class which would represent the
stage marked by the spiral fresco and reliefs, but also cover the concluding
phase to which the ' Medallion ' Pithoi tripod pots and other vessels of the
immediately overlying floor-levels belong. It looks then as if the M. M. Ill
East Hall including the light-court from which the conduit started had in
some restored form survived to the end of the present Period. As a matter
of fact the Magazines below it, though renovated now and provided with
gypsum paving and dadoes, continued still in use. Even when, at the close
1 See Plan, Fig. 171 a, facing p. 227.