Burrows, Ronald M.: The discoveries in Crete and their bearing on the history of ancient civilisation (London, 1907)

PREFACE

The present book is an attempt to meet a need
that has been widely felt during the last few
years, not only by classical scholars, but by the
general cultured public. Mr. Arthur Evans's
discoveries at Knossos made an impression on
the popular imagination when they were first
presented to the world six years ago, and the
impression was deepened by the wonderful ex-
hibition of Cretan art at Burlington House two
years later. Even at that time, however, the
accounts of the excavations that were accessible
to the public were as fragmentary as they were
fascinating. Since then the mass of new material
has been so great that it has taken Mr. Evans
all his time to publish the details as they came
out in the various learned Journals which had
a right to expect them. The promptness with
which the result of each year's work has appeared
is remarkable, and it has been out of the question
to expect from Mr. Evans a general survey of
the ground until the completion of the excava-
tions. These have now been going on for six
years, at Knossos and on other Cretan sites, and
are not nearly completed. It may still be years