DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.807#0212
THE PALACE OF MINOS, ETC.
Palaikastro are given in Fig. 134, a, b,1 are later on absorbed in the general
scheme of spiraliform decoration. The pedestalled cup (Fig. 134, c) from
the same site shows a more elaborate design than the early polychrome exam-
ple, Fig. 118 a, 7 above, from the pre-Palace deposit beneath the ' Vat Room '
floor, but, like the other specimens given in Fig. 134, it should still probably
be referred to the mature stage of the earlier M. M. I a class. As in the
case of the E. M. II ' mottled ' cups, Fig. 46, d, e, above, its base is hollowed
out like the kick of a bottle. With this are placed two polychrome vessels
from Vasiliki which have a special chronological value. One of these is
a cup, Fig. 134, d, with orange and white decoration on a dark ground, the
zigzagging pattern on the upper border of which presents a decided parallel-
ism with that which runs round the interior of the bowl of the Palaikastro
'fruit-stand' (Fig. 133, e). The other (e) shows vermilion and white patterns
on the black glaze, including repetitions of the swastika symbol, which is
frequent on contemporary pottery from this site. These two vessels are
from House B at Vasiliki which, as Mr. Seager has shown,2 belongs to an
earlier epoch than House A. Its ceramic contents are equated with those
of a series of M. M. I a deposits, including the most advanced types from the
' Vat Room ' at Knossos, the ' fruit stand ' (Fig. 133, e) and the Cups, 134, a, b, c,
from Palaikastro and the Gournes vessels (cf. Fig. 133,^), and what is of the
greatest consequence, the latest pottery from the smaller tholos at Platanos
which was associated with the Babylonian cylinder, dated above to
c. 2 i co b.c.
The jar with the flower chains on the other hand was found in
I louse A of Vasiliki the pottery of which defines the most advanced stage of
M. M. I b.
At Knossos, the foundation of the Great Palace, as we know it, supplies
the dividing line between the earlier and later phases of the M. M. I style.
As, however, in the Palace itself, the course of existence was continuous,
and the pavements remained at the same level till well on in M. M. II, and
in the West Quarter even to M. M. Ill, floor deposits representing pottery
of this later M. M. I class have not come to light there. For much we have
therefore to depend on the evidence of scattered sherds, but the floor of
a small house brought to light a metre and a half beneath the later West-
Court pavement '•' has clone much to supply the lacuna in certain lines.
; Dawkins, B. S. A., ix, p. 305, Fig. 4. 1, 2. p. 14. This chamber was immediately con-
2 Report of Excavations at Vasiliki (Penn. tiguous on its S. side to that containing the
Trans., vol. ii, Pt. 2), PI. XXXI, Figs. 1, 2, M. M. I a deposit shown in Fig. 122, p. 173
and p. 128. above. The pottery here found was at first
3 See Knossos, Report, 1904 (/y'.S.A., x) called ' M. M. II
Palaikastro are given in Fig. 134, a, b,1 are later on absorbed in the general
scheme of spiraliform decoration. The pedestalled cup (Fig. 134, c) from
the same site shows a more elaborate design than the early polychrome exam-
ple, Fig. 118 a, 7 above, from the pre-Palace deposit beneath the ' Vat Room '
floor, but, like the other specimens given in Fig. 134, it should still probably
be referred to the mature stage of the earlier M. M. I a class. As in the
case of the E. M. II ' mottled ' cups, Fig. 46, d, e, above, its base is hollowed
out like the kick of a bottle. With this are placed two polychrome vessels
from Vasiliki which have a special chronological value. One of these is
a cup, Fig. 134, d, with orange and white decoration on a dark ground, the
zigzagging pattern on the upper border of which presents a decided parallel-
ism with that which runs round the interior of the bowl of the Palaikastro
'fruit-stand' (Fig. 133, e). The other (e) shows vermilion and white patterns
on the black glaze, including repetitions of the swastika symbol, which is
frequent on contemporary pottery from this site. These two vessels are
from House B at Vasiliki which, as Mr. Seager has shown,2 belongs to an
earlier epoch than House A. Its ceramic contents are equated with those
of a series of M. M. I a deposits, including the most advanced types from the
' Vat Room ' at Knossos, the ' fruit stand ' (Fig. 133, e) and the Cups, 134, a, b, c,
from Palaikastro and the Gournes vessels (cf. Fig. 133,^), and what is of the
greatest consequence, the latest pottery from the smaller tholos at Platanos
which was associated with the Babylonian cylinder, dated above to
c. 2 i co b.c.
The jar with the flower chains on the other hand was found in
I louse A of Vasiliki the pottery of which defines the most advanced stage of
M. M. I b.
At Knossos, the foundation of the Great Palace, as we know it, supplies
the dividing line between the earlier and later phases of the M. M. I style.
As, however, in the Palace itself, the course of existence was continuous,
and the pavements remained at the same level till well on in M. M. II, and
in the West Quarter even to M. M. Ill, floor deposits representing pottery
of this later M. M. I class have not come to light there. For much we have
therefore to depend on the evidence of scattered sherds, but the floor of
a small house brought to light a metre and a half beneath the later West-
Court pavement '•' has clone much to supply the lacuna in certain lines.
; Dawkins, B. S. A., ix, p. 305, Fig. 4. 1, 2. p. 14. This chamber was immediately con-
2 Report of Excavations at Vasiliki (Penn. tiguous on its S. side to that containing the
Trans., vol. ii, Pt. 2), PI. XXXI, Figs. 1, 2, M. M. I a deposit shown in Fig. 122, p. 173
and p. 128. above. The pottery here found was at first
3 See Knossos, Report, 1904 (/y'.S.A., x) called ' M. M. II