DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.809#0144
BATH FDR FOOT-WASHING 119
basin were very finely compacted of ashlar masonry, its bottom slabs, seven
in number, were of gypsum.
The water system connected with the bath for supply, overflow, and Elabor-
wastewas most elaborate. Above the steps leading down to it from the South, system
and descending beneath their upper edge, were three elongated limestone oih!iih-
blocks channelled for the passage of water. These seem to have been partly
relaid at a somewhat higher level towards the close of the last Late Minoan
Period 1 when the bath itself was changed into a simple tank. It is probable,
however, that they continued to maintain their original direction, pointing
above to the source whence the main conduit already described was derived.
The Northernmost of these sections of the stone duct descends beneath
the first step; and at this point its channel is made to curve down in
a manner recalling the parabolic curves so skilfully devised to control the
velocity of the descending water alongside of flights of steps, as noted in
structures of the Palace belonging to the early part of the Late Minoan Age.2
In this case, however, at least in the form in which these remains have been
preserved to us, this curving stone duct brought the water to a terra-cotta
pipe, the lower course of which has disappeared, but which headed for the
South border of the bath. Here we may suppose was a small distributing
basin (now restored), since in addition to the inlet into the bath itself, a very Supply
small groove had been cut in the blocks below the slabbing of the seats to ^lUring
conduct the water along the West side of the basin to an outlet visible just trough,
right of the entrance. This had evidently served to fill a drinking trough
for beasts (see restored view, Fig. 55).
In the N.W. corner of the basin, very accurately cut so as to be traversed
immediately above by the last described duct, was the overflow channel of the
bath embedded in the masonry and crossing the angle of the wall diagonally.
A projecting slab with the continuation of its channel shows that it must
have been in communication with a drain running in a N.W. direction across
1 Dr. Mackenzie notes that fragments of the original pavement level of the Court, which
L. M. Ill b pottery occurred beneath the is 14 cm. lower than the surface of the adjoin-
blocks of the water channel, including the ing block of the conduit in its raised position,
foot of a one-handled ' champagne' cup of 2 This system was first observed at the East
a type characteristic of that epoch. He Bastion {Knossos, Report, 1902, pp. 112-15,
observes that, owing to this raising of the Figs. 67, 68, 69), and is also a feature of the
surface, blocks had been inserted in the neigh- Eastern flight of the ' Theatral Area', and of
bouring doorway of the pavilion to prevent the step-way that runs up outside the South
flooding. The lowest block of the left anta border of the Domestic Quarter (see Vol. iii).
of this entrance, which is of gypsum, rests on This latter step-way runs in part over a filled-in
a good limestone slab apparently representing chamber of M. M. Ill b date.
basin were very finely compacted of ashlar masonry, its bottom slabs, seven
in number, were of gypsum.
The water system connected with the bath for supply, overflow, and Elabor-
wastewas most elaborate. Above the steps leading down to it from the South, system
and descending beneath their upper edge, were three elongated limestone oih!iih-
blocks channelled for the passage of water. These seem to have been partly
relaid at a somewhat higher level towards the close of the last Late Minoan
Period 1 when the bath itself was changed into a simple tank. It is probable,
however, that they continued to maintain their original direction, pointing
above to the source whence the main conduit already described was derived.
The Northernmost of these sections of the stone duct descends beneath
the first step; and at this point its channel is made to curve down in
a manner recalling the parabolic curves so skilfully devised to control the
velocity of the descending water alongside of flights of steps, as noted in
structures of the Palace belonging to the early part of the Late Minoan Age.2
In this case, however, at least in the form in which these remains have been
preserved to us, this curving stone duct brought the water to a terra-cotta
pipe, the lower course of which has disappeared, but which headed for the
South border of the bath. Here we may suppose was a small distributing
basin (now restored), since in addition to the inlet into the bath itself, a very Supply
small groove had been cut in the blocks below the slabbing of the seats to ^lUring
conduct the water along the West side of the basin to an outlet visible just trough,
right of the entrance. This had evidently served to fill a drinking trough
for beasts (see restored view, Fig. 55).
In the N.W. corner of the basin, very accurately cut so as to be traversed
immediately above by the last described duct, was the overflow channel of the
bath embedded in the masonry and crossing the angle of the wall diagonally.
A projecting slab with the continuation of its channel shows that it must
have been in communication with a drain running in a N.W. direction across
1 Dr. Mackenzie notes that fragments of the original pavement level of the Court, which
L. M. Ill b pottery occurred beneath the is 14 cm. lower than the surface of the adjoin-
blocks of the water channel, including the ing block of the conduit in its raised position,
foot of a one-handled ' champagne' cup of 2 This system was first observed at the East
a type characteristic of that epoch. He Bastion {Knossos, Report, 1902, pp. 112-15,
observes that, owing to this raising of the Figs. 67, 68, 69), and is also a feature of the
surface, blocks had been inserted in the neigh- Eastern flight of the ' Theatral Area', and of
bouring doorway of the pavilion to prevent the step-way that runs up outside the South
flooding. The lowest block of the left anta border of the Domestic Quarter (see Vol. iii).
of this entrance, which is of gypsum, rests on This latter step-way runs in part over a filled-in
a good limestone slab apparently representing chamber of M. M. Ill b date.