Evans, Arthur J.: The Palace of Minos: a comparative account of the successive stages of the early Cretan civilization as illustred by the discoveries at Knossos (Band 1): The Neolithic and Early and Middle Minoan Ages (London, 1921)

M. M. Ill: THE DOMESTIC QUARTER

according to the original plan, the Queen's Megaron was not so entirely shut Original
off on its Eastern border from the Peristyle Court which ex hypbthesi oSen's°
formed the Southern approach to the Hall of the Double Axes. Both the Megaron
Walls of the E. light-well of this Megaron, which are of fine limestone
masonry, end in two distinct antae, and the wall that at present blocks the
interval between these is of later construction.1 A test excavation made by
me in 1913 in the N.E. corner of the light-well brought out, at a depth of
45 centimetres beneath the surface of the cement floor, and separated by an
interval of about 30 cm. from the base of the later wall, the broad founda-
tions 2 of an earlier structural barrier running roughly along the same line. It
seems clear that this earlier barrier had openings on the adjoining Peristyle
Court. Thus, according to the original disposition of this suite, complete
privacy was only attained on the upper story.

From the Queen's Megaron a back passage, known from a large L. M. I Back-
jar found at its entrance as the ' Corridor of the Painted Pithos ', led to what andSage
seems to have been the Service Ouarter. At the point where it makes Service
a short turn to the North parts of a painted stucco dado with a spiral frieze
were found still attached to the wall like similar remains in the adjoining
bath-room. Entrance was thus obtained to a room containing in its South-
West corner an oblong plaster dais which may have served as a couch. Room of

Plaster

Within the massive block of masonry that formed the South wall of this Couch.
Chamber ran down twro shafts connected with the roof drainage, and at the
same time served two small latrines on the upper floor. As has already
been pointed out the construction of this block, with its massive timber,
framing separate piers of masonry, corresponds with that of a large part of
the Domestic Quarter and is clearly of the same M. M. Ill a date. It
stands, moreover, in an organic relation with the remarkable latrine illustrated
above,3 and which must also unquestionably be attributed to the same epoch.
This is clearly the period of the Palace history in which the sanitary arrange-
ments reached their highest development.

On the Eastern side of the Room of the Plaster Couch was a square

1 The tests made in 1913 brought out full depth for doorways. The foundations
L. M. I sherds beneath this wall. Remains of stopped about 20 cm. short of the E. border of
the ' Dolphin Fresco' were found on either the later wall-line. Below them, at a depth of
side of this wall, but not beneath it. 95 cm. from the surface of the later cement

2 These foundations were broader than the floor of the light-well was early ' Kalderim
later wall {c. 1-40 m. as compared with 70 cm ) paving with M. M. II pottery above it.

and imply that the line of the structures above 3 See p. 228, and Plan and Section, Fig. 172,
them was the same thickness as the older and compare Knossos, Report, 1902, p. 65, and
walls of the Megaron (V. 1-20 m.), allowing a Fig. 32.