DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.7525#0139
526
The Prehistoric Tombs of Knossos.
II.—The Royal Tomb of Isopata.
§ 1. Discovery and Excavation of the Tomb.
The range of hills on the eastern slope of which the cemetery of Zafer
Papoura came to light, and of which the Palace hill itself is a southern spar,
extends northwards for about two miles beyond this point. Its further
promontory in this direction is surmounted by a narrow flat, locally known as
Vrct 'crcoiraTa, or, in its fuller Romaic form, ei9 tol icramaTa rov 'Aytov Nt/coXaou.
On the northernmost edge of this plateau, overlooking the sea about one and
a half mile distant, and the walls of Candia, as the crow flies not much further
away, was a pit from which for the last twenty years the peasant owner of the
soil had been in the habit of quarrying large worked blocks. The existence of
this pit and the possibility that some ruined tomb was to be sought here had been
known to us for some time, but it was only during the campaign of 1904 that Ave
were able to extend our investigations on that side.
Visiting the spot with Dr. Mackenzie, I found in the lower part of the pit
some well-cut limestone blocks with one face splayed downwards, a characteristic
feature of buildings constructed on the principle of the Cyclopean or horizontal
arch. In view of this suggestive discovery recourse was at once had to
exploratory excavation, which made clear the fact that we had to deal with a
considerable monument of Minoan date. We were prepared to find a circular
tomb of the bee-hive class, but it soon became apparent that the principal part
of the present structure was a large quadrangular chamber.
Unfortunately it was not only ruined, but the greater part of the upper
masonry had been carried off for building purposes. Inquiries among the
peasants elicited the fact that the small church of Hagios Nikolaos on the opposite
hill to the west had been largely built of materials obtained from this convenient
quarry, the blocks being cut smaller for the purpose. The owner, it appeared,
in the course of this clearance work had found a number of skulls and some
painted pots, which he had taken to his house. House and vases alike, however,
had been destroyed during the recent revolution, and though this handy quarry
had helped the owner to rebuild his house the pottery was irrecoverable. It
The Prehistoric Tombs of Knossos.
II.—The Royal Tomb of Isopata.
§ 1. Discovery and Excavation of the Tomb.
The range of hills on the eastern slope of which the cemetery of Zafer
Papoura came to light, and of which the Palace hill itself is a southern spar,
extends northwards for about two miles beyond this point. Its further
promontory in this direction is surmounted by a narrow flat, locally known as
Vrct 'crcoiraTa, or, in its fuller Romaic form, ei9 tol icramaTa rov 'Aytov Nt/coXaou.
On the northernmost edge of this plateau, overlooking the sea about one and
a half mile distant, and the walls of Candia, as the crow flies not much further
away, was a pit from which for the last twenty years the peasant owner of the
soil had been in the habit of quarrying large worked blocks. The existence of
this pit and the possibility that some ruined tomb was to be sought here had been
known to us for some time, but it was only during the campaign of 1904 that Ave
were able to extend our investigations on that side.
Visiting the spot with Dr. Mackenzie, I found in the lower part of the pit
some well-cut limestone blocks with one face splayed downwards, a characteristic
feature of buildings constructed on the principle of the Cyclopean or horizontal
arch. In view of this suggestive discovery recourse was at once had to
exploratory excavation, which made clear the fact that we had to deal with a
considerable monument of Minoan date. We were prepared to find a circular
tomb of the bee-hive class, but it soon became apparent that the principal part
of the present structure was a large quadrangular chamber.
Unfortunately it was not only ruined, but the greater part of the upper
masonry had been carried off for building purposes. Inquiries among the
peasants elicited the fact that the small church of Hagios Nikolaos on the opposite
hill to the west had been largely built of materials obtained from this convenient
quarry, the blocks being cut smaller for the purpose. The owner, it appeared,
in the course of this clearance work had found a number of skulls and some
painted pots, which he had taken to his house. House and vases alike, however,
had been destroyed during the recent revolution, and though this handy quarry
had helped the owner to rebuild his house the pottery was irrecoverable. It