DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.807#0269
240
THE PALACE OF MINOS, ETC.
with crinkled rim (see Suppl. PI. Ill, a).1 In their naturalistic form and
ruddy hue these exactly resemble the thorns of a rose-bush. A tendency is
also now perceptible to place small reliefs of animate objects on the outer
Reliefs of margins of vessels. A curious instance of this is shown in the goblet, Fig-. 180,
chafers where a living- presentment of a cockchafer is set in each of the spaces
and between the three handles. This vessel, which has a dark glazed around.
Shells. . fc> & >
was found, together with the finest egg-shell ware in the ' Royal Pottery
Stores ', at Knossos. Sea shells also occasionally appear in a similar position
on vessels of this Period, such as the cockle and the Murex or Triton. It
will be seen that these marine reliefs were further developed in the
succeeding Period on clay, faience, and stone vases.
The But the crowning- revelation of the excellence attained by the Minoan
Ro al
Pottery potters and vase-painters by the middle of the present Period was
Stores. t]ie discovery of what may be fitly described as the Royal Pottery Stores
to the North-East of the Palace site at Knossos. The ceramic fabrics here
found, in their fine egg-shell-like texture, in their harmonious colouring and
its delicate combination with subdued relief, are hardly rivalled by the
potter s work in any time or country. It has been well said that for the
decorative feeling in colour effect one has to go to another technique belong-
ing to a much later time, that namely of old Venetian glass. From the
refined elegance of the contents of these store-rooms it can hardly be
doubted that the fabrics here found were destined for the table of the
Knossian Priest-Kings.
The relatively early place of these exquisite egg-shell fabrics in the
Strati- M. M. II series is thoroughly established by the stratigraphic evidence.2 In
graphic t^ area in which they were found, enclosed within early rubble walling, at
Evidence. J ' J &'
about 1-25 m. below the surface, there came to light, lying on their sides, plain
M. M. Ill jars, some showing drip ornament of a class well represented in the
N.E. Magazines belonging to that Period. Below this was a layer of wood-
ashes packed with painted sherds similar to the pottery found in the adjoining
Basement of the Loom Weights, and which, as will be shown below, belong to
the concluding M. M. II phase, (6). Beneath was a pale clayey stratum 20 cm.
thick with similar sherds, and underlying this again was another deposit of
wood ashes 45 cm. thick, the result of some earlier local conflagration, em-
bedded in which was the egg-shell ware in the shape of cups and bowls, and
1 For a coloured illustration of this see of the Stone Drain-heads.
Kfiossos, Report, 1903 {B. S. A., ix, p. 19, and 2 Cf. Knossos, Report, 1902, p. 118; but the
PI. II. 2). It was found, about 3.20 metres terminology there employed is necessarily
down, in the area immediately E. of the Room antiquated.
THE PALACE OF MINOS, ETC.
with crinkled rim (see Suppl. PI. Ill, a).1 In their naturalistic form and
ruddy hue these exactly resemble the thorns of a rose-bush. A tendency is
also now perceptible to place small reliefs of animate objects on the outer
Reliefs of margins of vessels. A curious instance of this is shown in the goblet, Fig-. 180,
chafers where a living- presentment of a cockchafer is set in each of the spaces
and between the three handles. This vessel, which has a dark glazed around.
Shells. . fc> & >
was found, together with the finest egg-shell ware in the ' Royal Pottery
Stores ', at Knossos. Sea shells also occasionally appear in a similar position
on vessels of this Period, such as the cockle and the Murex or Triton. It
will be seen that these marine reliefs were further developed in the
succeeding Period on clay, faience, and stone vases.
The But the crowning- revelation of the excellence attained by the Minoan
Ro al
Pottery potters and vase-painters by the middle of the present Period was
Stores. t]ie discovery of what may be fitly described as the Royal Pottery Stores
to the North-East of the Palace site at Knossos. The ceramic fabrics here
found, in their fine egg-shell-like texture, in their harmonious colouring and
its delicate combination with subdued relief, are hardly rivalled by the
potter s work in any time or country. It has been well said that for the
decorative feeling in colour effect one has to go to another technique belong-
ing to a much later time, that namely of old Venetian glass. From the
refined elegance of the contents of these store-rooms it can hardly be
doubted that the fabrics here found were destined for the table of the
Knossian Priest-Kings.
The relatively early place of these exquisite egg-shell fabrics in the
Strati- M. M. II series is thoroughly established by the stratigraphic evidence.2 In
graphic t^ area in which they were found, enclosed within early rubble walling, at
Evidence. J ' J &'
about 1-25 m. below the surface, there came to light, lying on their sides, plain
M. M. Ill jars, some showing drip ornament of a class well represented in the
N.E. Magazines belonging to that Period. Below this was a layer of wood-
ashes packed with painted sherds similar to the pottery found in the adjoining
Basement of the Loom Weights, and which, as will be shown below, belong to
the concluding M. M. II phase, (6). Beneath was a pale clayey stratum 20 cm.
thick with similar sherds, and underlying this again was another deposit of
wood ashes 45 cm. thick, the result of some earlier local conflagration, em-
bedded in which was the egg-shell ware in the shape of cups and bowls, and
1 For a coloured illustration of this see of the Stone Drain-heads.
Kfiossos, Report, 1903 {B. S. A., ix, p. 19, and 2 Cf. Knossos, Report, 1902, p. 118; but the
PI. II. 2). It was found, about 3.20 metres terminology there employed is necessarily
down, in the area immediately E. of the Room antiquated.