DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.7525#0154
The Prehistoric Tombs of Knossos.
535
the grave, and some of the other smaller objects that were brought to light on or
near the floor of the chamber, had been originally contained in the sepulchral cist
is probable enough. On the other hand it is clear that the larger vessels found
outside, such as the great painted jars in the Late Palace style, could never
have been placed in the cist itself. We have here therefore indications of an
arrangement analogous to that found in Tomb No. 36 of the cemetery, in which
the bronze vessels and other objects were placed above the covering slabs, while
the gold-mounted sword and jewelry lay below, beside, or on the body. The
large chamber-tomb No. 14 also presents obvious points of comparison. Not only
did it contain a similar portable hearth, but there seems to have been in this case
a double disposition of the pecuhum of the dead recalling that of the Royal Tomb.
There are reasons for supposing that the personal ornaments and other precious
objects which had all been abstracted were originally contained either in the
small sepulchral cist visible in the floor or in a portable funereal chest. The
household utensils, however, which though in this case of bronze, had been left
untouched, stood beside the hearth on the floor of the chamber.
Of the wealth in jewelry and other objects of precious metals once contained
by the Royal Tomb we have little more than an indication in the gold hairpin,
silver vases, and lapis lazuli beads and pendants. It is evident that on more than
one occasion it was thoroughly ransacked for such objects, and even the bronze
vessels, which may be supposed to have outnumbered those of painted clay, had
disappeared from the floor of the funereal chamber. It is on the whole surprising
that it should have been possible to obtain a record of so much, though the final
results were only obtained by the careful piecing together of fragments dis-
tributed throughout the whole of the vast mass of debris extracted from the tomb,
and the further sifting of the surface earth of a large part of the neighbouring
field for fragments thrown out in the course of the previous quarrying. The
porphyry boAvl in particular, though unquestionably of Minoan workmanship,
is worthy both in fabric and material to be set beside the most exquisite vases
in hard stone found in the tombs of early Egyptian kings. The fine series of
alabaster vases includes many imported Egyptian vessels, and the painted vases
afford new and splendid illustrations of the Palace style of Knossos.
VOL. LTX.
535
the grave, and some of the other smaller objects that were brought to light on or
near the floor of the chamber, had been originally contained in the sepulchral cist
is probable enough. On the other hand it is clear that the larger vessels found
outside, such as the great painted jars in the Late Palace style, could never
have been placed in the cist itself. We have here therefore indications of an
arrangement analogous to that found in Tomb No. 36 of the cemetery, in which
the bronze vessels and other objects were placed above the covering slabs, while
the gold-mounted sword and jewelry lay below, beside, or on the body. The
large chamber-tomb No. 14 also presents obvious points of comparison. Not only
did it contain a similar portable hearth, but there seems to have been in this case
a double disposition of the pecuhum of the dead recalling that of the Royal Tomb.
There are reasons for supposing that the personal ornaments and other precious
objects which had all been abstracted were originally contained either in the
small sepulchral cist visible in the floor or in a portable funereal chest. The
household utensils, however, which though in this case of bronze, had been left
untouched, stood beside the hearth on the floor of the chamber.
Of the wealth in jewelry and other objects of precious metals once contained
by the Royal Tomb we have little more than an indication in the gold hairpin,
silver vases, and lapis lazuli beads and pendants. It is evident that on more than
one occasion it was thoroughly ransacked for such objects, and even the bronze
vessels, which may be supposed to have outnumbered those of painted clay, had
disappeared from the floor of the funereal chamber. It is on the whole surprising
that it should have been possible to obtain a record of so much, though the final
results were only obtained by the careful piecing together of fragments dis-
tributed throughout the whole of the vast mass of debris extracted from the tomb,
and the further sifting of the surface earth of a large part of the neighbouring
field for fragments thrown out in the course of the previous quarrying. The
porphyry boAvl in particular, though unquestionably of Minoan workmanship,
is worthy both in fabric and material to be set beside the most exquisite vases
in hard stone found in the tombs of early Egyptian kings. The fine series of
alabaster vases includes many imported Egyptian vessels, and the painted vases
afford new and splendid illustrations of the Palace style of Knossos.
VOL. LTX.