DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.8755#0054
Knossos Excavations, 1903
43
and her votaries would also point to a shrine only slightly larger than that
of the Double Axes discovered in 1902.
In the latter case the cult objects and vessels of offering were placed
on a flooring of rounded pebbles. In the small domestic shrine found in
the South-East House we see waterworn sherds substituted for these. In
the present case it looks as if the altar-base and floor of the Palace shrine
to which the relics found in the present Repository belonged had been
paved with more beautiful materials, though here, too, of aqueous
origin. In addition to the objects already described, there were found an
abundance of sea-shells which had been artificially streaked and banded
with brilliant colours, the colouring, however, having been executed in a
tasteful manner following natural lines (see Fig. 29). The colours used
are vermilion and a more crimson red, orange, green, brown, and black.
There is a strong presumption that the shrine had been paved with these
bright tinted shells.
The shells, bushels of which were taken out, were the ordinary sea-
shells of the neighbouring coast, cockles predominating. The following
is a list of the varieties found 1:—
Doliuni galea
Trochus lineatus
Cardium edule
Pectunculus glycimeris
Spondylus gaedcropus
Venus verrucosa
Venus multilamellata (?)
Mactra stultorum
Tellina (worn)
T?tbe of Serpulid worm and piece of an Echinid.
There were, as has been shown, two distinct strata in the Repository,
the fatty layer containing the objects of art and cult, 32 centimetres in
thickness, and above this the stratum no metre thick, in which the clay
vases were packed. It is probable, therefore, that they were placed here
at a time subsequent to the deposition of the other remains.
This first opened Cist (the East Cist of the plan, Figs. 22, 23) was
1 The names have been kindly supplied me by I'rof. W. F, R, Weldon, F.R.S., from some
specimens submitted to him. The worn state of the valves in the case of one or two examples
made it difficult to attach the specific name.
43
and her votaries would also point to a shrine only slightly larger than that
of the Double Axes discovered in 1902.
In the latter case the cult objects and vessels of offering were placed
on a flooring of rounded pebbles. In the small domestic shrine found in
the South-East House we see waterworn sherds substituted for these. In
the present case it looks as if the altar-base and floor of the Palace shrine
to which the relics found in the present Repository belonged had been
paved with more beautiful materials, though here, too, of aqueous
origin. In addition to the objects already described, there were found an
abundance of sea-shells which had been artificially streaked and banded
with brilliant colours, the colouring, however, having been executed in a
tasteful manner following natural lines (see Fig. 29). The colours used
are vermilion and a more crimson red, orange, green, brown, and black.
There is a strong presumption that the shrine had been paved with these
bright tinted shells.
The shells, bushels of which were taken out, were the ordinary sea-
shells of the neighbouring coast, cockles predominating. The following
is a list of the varieties found 1:—
Doliuni galea
Trochus lineatus
Cardium edule
Pectunculus glycimeris
Spondylus gaedcropus
Venus verrucosa
Venus multilamellata (?)
Mactra stultorum
Tellina (worn)
T?tbe of Serpulid worm and piece of an Echinid.
There were, as has been shown, two distinct strata in the Repository,
the fatty layer containing the objects of art and cult, 32 centimetres in
thickness, and above this the stratum no metre thick, in which the clay
vases were packed. It is probable, therefore, that they were placed here
at a time subsequent to the deposition of the other remains.
This first opened Cist (the East Cist of the plan, Figs. 22, 23) was
1 The names have been kindly supplied me by I'rof. W. F, R, Weldon, F.R.S., from some
specimens submitted to him. The worn state of the valves in the case of one or two examples
made it difficult to attach the specific name.