DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.807#0438
398
THE PALACE OF MINOS, ETC.
The existence of the outer Gateway facing West explains this arrange-
ment. There are, in fact, visible in situ a series of gypsum blocks in the
interval between the above-mentioned Bastion and Tower, which seem
to mark the position of a double door-opening on this side, while another to
'Pro- the left of these may well belong to a guard-room within the bastion itself,
and°n flanking the entrance passage. It may be further assumed, as shown in the
Guard- Plan. Fig". 286, that there was a similar double entrance in a line with the
room. ° • r -n
Western face of these structures. We have here in fact a regular ' Propylon
with a covered passage between its inner and outer gates.
It is evident from the existence of dependencies of the Palace,
including the later ' Theatral Area some forty metres West of this outer
entrance, that the roadway on this side must have almost immediately taken
a Northerly turn, in the direction that is of the Harbour Town.
Extensive The main line of public access was thus guarded by a double barrier—
tion of' tne ' Propylon', and, at right angles to it, the inner North Gate of the Palace
Nr' ach ^*n§ opposite the sally port. It seems probable, moreover, that the whole
of the inner space to which the ' Propylon' gave access, between the inner gate-
way that barred the Northern Entrance Passage and the Pillar Crypt facing
it on the North, was securely fenced in. On every hand, indeed, we have
indications that the Northern approach to the Palace—the approach most
liable to a piratical raid—was strongly fortified. From the Bastions beside
the entrance passage downwards, most of the work in its existing state
seems to belong to the earlier part of the M. M. Ill Period.
Within the rectangular fortified space outside the Northern Entrance
and immediately facing the outer Gate, was a structure of another character.
Hall of Here were brought to light1 the base slabs, and in several cases the lower
El v
Pillars1 blocks of massive gypsum pillars, cut square,2 and evidently forming the
supports of a considerable covered area somewhat over 19-20 metres in
length. The pillars were eleven in number distributed in two rows, six in
front and five in the second line, where the coping of the wall of the ' sally
port' served as the sixth support. The line of pillars fronting the roadway
must have been open. Except on the South, the character of the walled
enclosure on the other sides remains conjectural. A view showing the exis-
ting remains oi eight of these Pillars and the monumental line of the Bastions,
dominating the Northern Entrance Passage beyond, is given in Fig. 287.
It is reasonable to suppose that this spacious Pillar Hall standing
just outside the Sea Gate at what seems to have been the converging point
1 Knossos, Report, 1902, pp. 5, 6. with slight variations. They were placed at
- The blocks of the pillars were 85 cm. x 85, intervals of 2-65 metres.
THE PALACE OF MINOS, ETC.
The existence of the outer Gateway facing West explains this arrange-
ment. There are, in fact, visible in situ a series of gypsum blocks in the
interval between the above-mentioned Bastion and Tower, which seem
to mark the position of a double door-opening on this side, while another to
'Pro- the left of these may well belong to a guard-room within the bastion itself,
and°n flanking the entrance passage. It may be further assumed, as shown in the
Guard- Plan. Fig". 286, that there was a similar double entrance in a line with the
room. ° • r -n
Western face of these structures. We have here in fact a regular ' Propylon
with a covered passage between its inner and outer gates.
It is evident from the existence of dependencies of the Palace,
including the later ' Theatral Area some forty metres West of this outer
entrance, that the roadway on this side must have almost immediately taken
a Northerly turn, in the direction that is of the Harbour Town.
Extensive The main line of public access was thus guarded by a double barrier—
tion of' tne ' Propylon', and, at right angles to it, the inner North Gate of the Palace
Nr' ach ^*n§ opposite the sally port. It seems probable, moreover, that the whole
of the inner space to which the ' Propylon' gave access, between the inner gate-
way that barred the Northern Entrance Passage and the Pillar Crypt facing
it on the North, was securely fenced in. On every hand, indeed, we have
indications that the Northern approach to the Palace—the approach most
liable to a piratical raid—was strongly fortified. From the Bastions beside
the entrance passage downwards, most of the work in its existing state
seems to belong to the earlier part of the M. M. Ill Period.
Within the rectangular fortified space outside the Northern Entrance
and immediately facing the outer Gate, was a structure of another character.
Hall of Here were brought to light1 the base slabs, and in several cases the lower
El v
Pillars1 blocks of massive gypsum pillars, cut square,2 and evidently forming the
supports of a considerable covered area somewhat over 19-20 metres in
length. The pillars were eleven in number distributed in two rows, six in
front and five in the second line, where the coping of the wall of the ' sally
port' served as the sixth support. The line of pillars fronting the roadway
must have been open. Except on the South, the character of the walled
enclosure on the other sides remains conjectural. A view showing the exis-
ting remains oi eight of these Pillars and the monumental line of the Bastions,
dominating the Northern Entrance Passage beyond, is given in Fig. 287.
It is reasonable to suppose that this spacious Pillar Hall standing
just outside the Sea Gate at what seems to have been the converging point
1 Knossos, Report, 1902, pp. 5, 6. with slight variations. They were placed at
- The blocks of the pillars were 85 cm. x 85, intervals of 2-65 metres.