DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.807#0427
M. M. Ill: NORTH QUARTER AND ENTRANCE 387
course of this is shown by the parallel lines of walling on the Plan, Fig. 152, and
it clearly found its outlet in an earlier predecessor of the Late Minoan postern
gate on this side. It ran immediately within the preserved section of the
gypsum South facade of the ' North-East Insula' (see above p. 364, Fig. 264).
Like this ' N.E. Insula' that borders it on the East, the Northern Destruc-
Quarter seems to have suffered greatly from the vicinity of the Greek and to°Later
Roman town and modern village. It is clear that most of the better lime- Builders-
stone masonry of this part of the slope was used as a quarry by later builders.
This Northern Quarter, as we shall see, seems to have been flanked by
a stately Corridor, but there is no evidence that important buildings of the
present Period existed within its area. Its rubbish heaps contained masses Probably
of plain clay cups and sherds of the latest M. M. Ill class, and the character j"^' '
of the buildings here found also points to its occupation at this time by Work-
7 - . . men's
workmen or slaves. The finer relics found in this area seem rather to have Quarter.
belonged to the beginning of the Late Minoan Age. A black steatite sio.ns of
tripod, once gold plated, and associated with an abundance of gold foil, that improved
Con-
came to light on the borders of the North-East Magazines here situated— ditions in
L ]YI I
themselves containing poor M. M. Ill b pottery—belonged to an overlying
stratum with ceramic remains of a better class, characteristic of the early part
of L. M. I. Similar L. M. I a pottery, including a pithos, was also found
above the floor in the region of the neighbouring North-East Hall, and its Dis-
occurrence here has a special chronological value since, from the same level T\*U of
above the Corridor immediately East of this little Hall (see Fig. 281), there Draught-
board.
was brought out the inlaid Ivory Draught-board—the most magnificent relic
discovered in the whole course of the excavation.
This precious object lay, with the greater part of its framework bent
indeed, but practically intact, somewhat irregularly disposed on an earth
layer, accompanied by fallen fragments of stone, a few centimetres above the Fallen
paving of a gangway, which, owing to its discovery, has been known as upper
the 1 Corridor of the Draught-board'. There is every reason to believe that Floor-
it had fallen from an upper floor. It may, therefore, well have formed part Pro.bably
^ . Heir-
of the belongings of some annexe of the Great East Hall of the Palace, as it loomfrom
• • • M M III
existed at the beginning of the Late Minoan Age. On the other hand there
are reasons for supposing that the Draught-board itself belonged to the latest
M.M. Ill phase. It is certainly in accordance with the law of probability that
this object stood in some kind of relation to the ivory draughtsmen brought
to light on the North border of the Loom-Weight Area.1 Even if we are hardly
1 See above, p. 302 and pp. 477, 478> below.
course of this is shown by the parallel lines of walling on the Plan, Fig. 152, and
it clearly found its outlet in an earlier predecessor of the Late Minoan postern
gate on this side. It ran immediately within the preserved section of the
gypsum South facade of the ' North-East Insula' (see above p. 364, Fig. 264).
Like this ' N.E. Insula' that borders it on the East, the Northern Destruc-
Quarter seems to have suffered greatly from the vicinity of the Greek and to°Later
Roman town and modern village. It is clear that most of the better lime- Builders-
stone masonry of this part of the slope was used as a quarry by later builders.
This Northern Quarter, as we shall see, seems to have been flanked by
a stately Corridor, but there is no evidence that important buildings of the
present Period existed within its area. Its rubbish heaps contained masses Probably
of plain clay cups and sherds of the latest M. M. Ill class, and the character j"^' '
of the buildings here found also points to its occupation at this time by Work-
7 - . . men's
workmen or slaves. The finer relics found in this area seem rather to have Quarter.
belonged to the beginning of the Late Minoan Age. A black steatite sio.ns of
tripod, once gold plated, and associated with an abundance of gold foil, that improved
Con-
came to light on the borders of the North-East Magazines here situated— ditions in
L ]YI I
themselves containing poor M. M. Ill b pottery—belonged to an overlying
stratum with ceramic remains of a better class, characteristic of the early part
of L. M. I. Similar L. M. I a pottery, including a pithos, was also found
above the floor in the region of the neighbouring North-East Hall, and its Dis-
occurrence here has a special chronological value since, from the same level T\*U of
above the Corridor immediately East of this little Hall (see Fig. 281), there Draught-
board.
was brought out the inlaid Ivory Draught-board—the most magnificent relic
discovered in the whole course of the excavation.
This precious object lay, with the greater part of its framework bent
indeed, but practically intact, somewhat irregularly disposed on an earth
layer, accompanied by fallen fragments of stone, a few centimetres above the Fallen
paving of a gangway, which, owing to its discovery, has been known as upper
the 1 Corridor of the Draught-board'. There is every reason to believe that Floor-
it had fallen from an upper floor. It may, therefore, well have formed part Pro.bably
^ . Heir-
of the belongings of some annexe of the Great East Hall of the Palace, as it loomfrom
• • • M M III
existed at the beginning of the Late Minoan Age. On the other hand there
are reasons for supposing that the Draught-board itself belonged to the latest
M.M. Ill phase. It is certainly in accordance with the law of probability that
this object stood in some kind of relation to the ivory draughtsmen brought
to light on the North border of the Loom-Weight Area.1 Even if we are hardly
1 See above, p. 302 and pp. 477, 478> below.