DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.807#0231
204
THE PALACE OF MINOS, ETC.
(a, b, c on Plan) were later abolished. The facade of the West Wing on
a section of the Central Court was slightly moved forward, and the whole
' Throne Room ' system is the work of the latest Palace epoch.
When we come to the ' Domestic Quarter' on the East slope of the
hill we shall see that, though its exterior wall-lines, the position of its Grand
Staircase, and its drainage system persisted, the M. M. II arrangement of its
interior seems to have been largely superseded.1
It would seem that the succession of narrow terraces, rendered necessary
by the steep slope of the hill on the East side, was soon found to be incom-
patible with the more grandiose ideas of the Minoan builders. They wanted
a broader platform for their constructions, and to secure this a great
rectangular Cutting was made into the Neolithic strata on this side. Within
this the lower halls of the Domestic Quarter and the deep basements
Great adjoining them to the North were now built. An original upper facade-line
Aslope.'1 °f gypsum, which abuts on the South light-area of the Queen's Megaron,
was cut short at that point by this excavation, and the whole of this upper
terrace-line was removed between that point and the S.E. angle of the base-
ment at present known as the ' Room of the Stone Drain-heads '. The con-
tinuation of the foundations of this old inner wall-line appears, however,
beneath the East wall of that room. Beyond this, again, the line took
a slight bend East, and at this point—by the N.E. Portico described
below—part of the original gypsum facade again emerges into view. An
early doorway communicating with the Portico is also visible.
There is every reason to believe that the supporting walls of the great
Cutting, together with the South wall of the South light-area of the Queen's
Megaron and the massive interior wall that follows the course of the lower
East-West Corridor, as well as its continuation North towards the ' Court of
the Stone Spout', belong to the early part of this epoch. The walling of the
South light-area of the Queen's Megaron, incised with large examples of
m.m.ii the 'branch' sign, supplies a typical specimen of contemporary light-area
asonry. masonry (Fig. 153).2 Between the courses is a clay bedding, about a centi-
Features metre thick, an early feature, and above is a flat parapet, which recurs
in Two in a similar terrace-wall E. of the Northern Entrance.
It will be seen that the great Cutting is divided into a broader section,
in which were laid out the principal halls of the ' Domestic Quarter', and
a narrower zone including a rectangular M. M. II structure with deep base-
ments, in which, as will be shown, most valuable relics of this Period were
1 M. M. II door-jambs, for instance, appear 2 The stepping back of the wall above
beneath the S. wall of the ' Lair '. ensures a better incidence of light.
Palaces.
THE PALACE OF MINOS, ETC.
(a, b, c on Plan) were later abolished. The facade of the West Wing on
a section of the Central Court was slightly moved forward, and the whole
' Throne Room ' system is the work of the latest Palace epoch.
When we come to the ' Domestic Quarter' on the East slope of the
hill we shall see that, though its exterior wall-lines, the position of its Grand
Staircase, and its drainage system persisted, the M. M. II arrangement of its
interior seems to have been largely superseded.1
It would seem that the succession of narrow terraces, rendered necessary
by the steep slope of the hill on the East side, was soon found to be incom-
patible with the more grandiose ideas of the Minoan builders. They wanted
a broader platform for their constructions, and to secure this a great
rectangular Cutting was made into the Neolithic strata on this side. Within
this the lower halls of the Domestic Quarter and the deep basements
Great adjoining them to the North were now built. An original upper facade-line
Aslope.'1 °f gypsum, which abuts on the South light-area of the Queen's Megaron,
was cut short at that point by this excavation, and the whole of this upper
terrace-line was removed between that point and the S.E. angle of the base-
ment at present known as the ' Room of the Stone Drain-heads '. The con-
tinuation of the foundations of this old inner wall-line appears, however,
beneath the East wall of that room. Beyond this, again, the line took
a slight bend East, and at this point—by the N.E. Portico described
below—part of the original gypsum facade again emerges into view. An
early doorway communicating with the Portico is also visible.
There is every reason to believe that the supporting walls of the great
Cutting, together with the South wall of the South light-area of the Queen's
Megaron and the massive interior wall that follows the course of the lower
East-West Corridor, as well as its continuation North towards the ' Court of
the Stone Spout', belong to the early part of this epoch. The walling of the
South light-area of the Queen's Megaron, incised with large examples of
m.m.ii the 'branch' sign, supplies a typical specimen of contemporary light-area
asonry. masonry (Fig. 153).2 Between the courses is a clay bedding, about a centi-
Features metre thick, an early feature, and above is a flat parapet, which recurs
in Two in a similar terrace-wall E. of the Northern Entrance.
It will be seen that the great Cutting is divided into a broader section,
in which were laid out the principal halls of the ' Domestic Quarter', and
a narrower zone including a rectangular M. M. II structure with deep base-
ments, in which, as will be shown, most valuable relics of this Period were
1 M. M. II door-jambs, for instance, appear 2 The stepping back of the wall above
beneath the S. wall of the ' Lair '. ensures a better incidence of light.
Palaces.