DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.809#0339
Propitia-
tory
sacrifice
and cere-
monial
filling in.
Shock
experi-
enced at
time of
Excava-
tion.
§ 46. Knossos and Candia Earthquake Centres : the Reaction of
Seismic Conditions on Minoan Cult.
Propitiatory ritual and Ceremonial filling in of' House of the Sacrifice' ;
Knossos and Candia great Earthqtiake Centres; Long Succession of
Historic Earthquakes; Venetian Dukes Account of great Earthquake
of IJ08; Earthquake at Candia of 1856; Its Course from Malta to
Rhodes; Average of two seriotis Earthquakes to a Century; Earthquake
of Jiine 26, 1926—Personal experiences; Destructive Effects in Town
and Villages; Damage to Museum; Course and Epicentre similar to
Earthquake of 18j6; Ida a barrier; Knossos more liable to Earthquakes
than Phaestos ; Importance of seismic factor in its history ; Chief breaks in
continuity ascribed to this Cause; Political Effects of Earthquakes ; Impulse
towards emigration; Probable Connexion with Chthonic aspects of Minoan
Ctdt; Sunken Luslral Basins and Pillar Crypts ; Pillar Cult of Goddess as
the ' Stablisher' ; Sacrifice of Bulls ; Arrangements for sacrificial offerings
in Pillar Crypt of' Royal Villa'; The ' Earth-shaker ' as a Bull in popular
belief
If, on the one hand, the huge blocks hurled from the Palace Avails that
overwhelmed one of the small adjacent houses described in the last Section
must be attributed to an earthquake shock of considerable violence, the
tripod altars and horns of urus bulls found in a chamber of the other may be
reasonably accepted as evidence of some kind of propitiatory sacrifice. The
filling in of both dwellings bears thus an expiatory character and the possibility
suggests itself that one or more bodies of human victims stricken down
by the catastrophe may, at least in the latter case, have been previously
removed. One can even imagine that the Minoan priest who carried out
the sacrificial function had uttered a solemn warning against those who
should undo his ceremonial work.
In the case of the ' House of the Sacrifice' it is certain that the task of
clearance was not accomplished without a token of the Earth-shaker's
displeasure. Just as it was completed, at 12.15 p.m. on April 20, 1922,
a short sharp shock, sufficient to throw one of my men backwards, accom-
panied by a deep rumbling sound, was experienced on the site, and through-
out the entire region.1 Although in this case no real damage was done, it
1 The shock was noted at the Athens
Observatory at 12 hrs. 22 rn. 50 s., and its epi-
centre fixed at a distance of 280 kilometres
between Santorin and Crete, but rather nearer
tory
sacrifice
and cere-
monial
filling in.
Shock
experi-
enced at
time of
Excava-
tion.
§ 46. Knossos and Candia Earthquake Centres : the Reaction of
Seismic Conditions on Minoan Cult.
Propitiatory ritual and Ceremonial filling in of' House of the Sacrifice' ;
Knossos and Candia great Earthqtiake Centres; Long Succession of
Historic Earthquakes; Venetian Dukes Account of great Earthquake
of IJ08; Earthquake at Candia of 1856; Its Course from Malta to
Rhodes; Average of two seriotis Earthquakes to a Century; Earthquake
of Jiine 26, 1926—Personal experiences; Destructive Effects in Town
and Villages; Damage to Museum; Course and Epicentre similar to
Earthquake of 18j6; Ida a barrier; Knossos more liable to Earthquakes
than Phaestos ; Importance of seismic factor in its history ; Chief breaks in
continuity ascribed to this Cause; Political Effects of Earthquakes ; Impulse
towards emigration; Probable Connexion with Chthonic aspects of Minoan
Ctdt; Sunken Luslral Basins and Pillar Crypts ; Pillar Cult of Goddess as
the ' Stablisher' ; Sacrifice of Bulls ; Arrangements for sacrificial offerings
in Pillar Crypt of' Royal Villa'; The ' Earth-shaker ' as a Bull in popular
belief
If, on the one hand, the huge blocks hurled from the Palace Avails that
overwhelmed one of the small adjacent houses described in the last Section
must be attributed to an earthquake shock of considerable violence, the
tripod altars and horns of urus bulls found in a chamber of the other may be
reasonably accepted as evidence of some kind of propitiatory sacrifice. The
filling in of both dwellings bears thus an expiatory character and the possibility
suggests itself that one or more bodies of human victims stricken down
by the catastrophe may, at least in the latter case, have been previously
removed. One can even imagine that the Minoan priest who carried out
the sacrificial function had uttered a solemn warning against those who
should undo his ceremonial work.
In the case of the ' House of the Sacrifice' it is certain that the task of
clearance was not accomplished without a token of the Earth-shaker's
displeasure. Just as it was completed, at 12.15 p.m. on April 20, 1922,
a short sharp shock, sufficient to throw one of my men backwards, accom-
panied by a deep rumbling sound, was experienced on the site, and through-
out the entire region.1 Although in this case no real damage was done, it
1 The shock was noted at the Athens
Observatory at 12 hrs. 22 rn. 50 s., and its epi-
centre fixed at a distance of 280 kilometres
between Santorin and Crete, but rather nearer