DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.807#0189
M.M. I: PEAK SANCTUARY: 'THE TOMB OF ZEUS' 163
in the great cave at Psychro (here identified with the Diktaion Antron of
Lyktian tradition) is of Middle Minoan date, as unquestionably some of the
pottery,1 though a much larger proportion is Late Minoan.
Of well-defined M. M. I date was much of the pottery deposited Kamares.
in the Cave of Kamares 2 which opens, some 6,000 feet up, on the Southern
steep of Ida, above Phaestos. Here in fact was found the series of Votive
vases that first brought into notice the polychrome class of Minoan Kamares.
ware and thus gave it the name, till lately in general use, of ' Kamares
pottery'. The greater knowledge now acquired, however, of the varying 'Kamares'
phases of this polychrome style and the proofs of its co-existence with other I otter:>-
ceramic types bearing monochrome designs, have made it increasingly
difficult to employ the term ' Kamares ' with sufficient precision.
The Cave of Kamares, which overlooks the Akropolis of Phaestos, was Sacred
evidently the sacred cave of its inhabitants. That of Knossos itself is Knotsos:
probably to be sought on the limestone plateau of Skoteino, about three Skoteino:
hours' journey East of the Palace site and approached by an upland route, posing
This cavern, which is on a far vaster scale than the others mentioned and scale>
gives the whole locality the appropriate name of ' the Dark', yawns beneath
the brink of a rugged hollow of the plateau. The rock face above
and around the cavern mouth is deeply stained through natural agencies
with bands and patches of black and orange red, curiously suggestive of
Middle Minoan polychromy. Within, it opens into a spacious vault
with broken stalagmitic columns, recalling on a colossal scale a ruined
temple. Galleries wind above and descend to depths beyond, and the torch-
written inscriptions that they bear show that the cave was visited by early
Venetian travellers as one of the marvels of Crete. The peasants of the Minoan
neighbouring village of the same name have reported the discovery here at g^tum
different times of bronze figures, doubtless of the usual votive class, nor m
1 1 • r t 5 Skoteino
was the usual Cretan legend wanting of a ' golden boy with diamond eyes .3 cave.
In the course of a very summary exploration, rendered difficult by the
masses of debris and great blocks fallen from above, it was possible to
establish the fact that the cave contains an abundance of Middle Minoan
sherds, going back to the beginning of the Palace Period. The general
character of the remains, in fact, as at Kamares, was earlier,'than that of
Psychro. Its thorough excavation, in any case a considerable undertaking,
might throw new light on the early votive cult of Knossos.
1 Op. at., p. 101, Fig. 27. in 1913 by the British School at Athens, under
2 The exploration of this cave was completed Mr. Dawkins's direction.
0 Xpu<xo7raiSaKi /xe Sia/xdvTiva fxana.
M 2
in the great cave at Psychro (here identified with the Diktaion Antron of
Lyktian tradition) is of Middle Minoan date, as unquestionably some of the
pottery,1 though a much larger proportion is Late Minoan.
Of well-defined M. M. I date was much of the pottery deposited Kamares.
in the Cave of Kamares 2 which opens, some 6,000 feet up, on the Southern
steep of Ida, above Phaestos. Here in fact was found the series of Votive
vases that first brought into notice the polychrome class of Minoan Kamares.
ware and thus gave it the name, till lately in general use, of ' Kamares
pottery'. The greater knowledge now acquired, however, of the varying 'Kamares'
phases of this polychrome style and the proofs of its co-existence with other I otter:>-
ceramic types bearing monochrome designs, have made it increasingly
difficult to employ the term ' Kamares ' with sufficient precision.
The Cave of Kamares, which overlooks the Akropolis of Phaestos, was Sacred
evidently the sacred cave of its inhabitants. That of Knossos itself is Knotsos:
probably to be sought on the limestone plateau of Skoteino, about three Skoteino:
hours' journey East of the Palace site and approached by an upland route, posing
This cavern, which is on a far vaster scale than the others mentioned and scale>
gives the whole locality the appropriate name of ' the Dark', yawns beneath
the brink of a rugged hollow of the plateau. The rock face above
and around the cavern mouth is deeply stained through natural agencies
with bands and patches of black and orange red, curiously suggestive of
Middle Minoan polychromy. Within, it opens into a spacious vault
with broken stalagmitic columns, recalling on a colossal scale a ruined
temple. Galleries wind above and descend to depths beyond, and the torch-
written inscriptions that they bear show that the cave was visited by early
Venetian travellers as one of the marvels of Crete. The peasants of the Minoan
neighbouring village of the same name have reported the discovery here at g^tum
different times of bronze figures, doubtless of the usual votive class, nor m
1 1 • r t 5 Skoteino
was the usual Cretan legend wanting of a ' golden boy with diamond eyes .3 cave.
In the course of a very summary exploration, rendered difficult by the
masses of debris and great blocks fallen from above, it was possible to
establish the fact that the cave contains an abundance of Middle Minoan
sherds, going back to the beginning of the Palace Period. The general
character of the remains, in fact, as at Kamares, was earlier,'than that of
Psychro. Its thorough excavation, in any case a considerable undertaking,
might throw new light on the early votive cult of Knossos.
1 Op. at., p. 101, Fig. 27. in 1913 by the British School at Athens, under
2 The exploration of this cave was completed Mr. Dawkins's direction.
0 Xpu<xo7raiSaKi /xe Sia/xdvTiva fxana.
M 2