DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.810#0055
432
THE HOUSE OF THE FRESCOES'
Explora-
tion of
' House
of the
Frescoes'
Within
zone of
Greek
and
Roman
occupa-
tion.
These earlier remains, as was shown by results of the excavations of 1926,
referred to above,1 extended over the Western part of this area, and revealed
a compact section of the early Town going back to the very beginning of the
Middle Minoan Age. On this side, unfortunately, the traces of the later
constructions had been mostly removed by the building activities of the
Greek and Greco-Roman Age.
In the area East of this, however, more nearly approaching the West
Court, this later stratum was better preserved. The excavations of 1923
here brought to light parts of the lower walls of four or five small private
dwellings, and one of these, presenting remains of massive walling on its
Western border, was singled out by me for special investigation.
The first results were hardly encouraging, since, immediately within
the inner line of this wall, treasure-hunters—encouraged, we may suppose,
by some finds of metal objects in the upper level—had grubbed right down
below the house floors. But, whatever booty in the way of metal objects
they may have hit upon, they had missed the greatest treasure that the
house was ever likely to have contained—the stacked remains, namely, of
the painted plaster wall-decoration that has given it its name.
The initial discouragement was not allowed to divert the course of
excavation from this particular area, and the original hopes inspired by
the remains proved to be more than justified. The complete plan of
a house was here brought out, small, indeed, but which, from the remains
of varied and artistic wall-paintings found literally stacked within it, throws
a singular lisrht on the culture of even the citizens of moderate means in
the Minoan City at the opening of the New Era.
That the ' House of the Frescoes' should have contained such important
remains is the more surprising when it is borne ill mind that its extreme
dimensions were no more than 17 metres by about iif, and the depth at
which the basement floor-levels lay was only about three and a half metres
beneath the surface of the ground. Moreover, the whole of the area in which
it lies had been much disturbed and built over in the days of the Greek and
Roman city. The Greco-Roman level went down to within three-quarters
of a metre of the Minoan pavements. Geometric Greek sherds occurred
below this, where parts of the Western and Northern walls had been pulled
away. In two places the fabric had been cut into by wells of the Classical
period,2 and others were found near the outer borders of the house.
1 See p. 366 seqq. which had missed the walls came to light
2 One had cut into the border of the in exploring the S.E. corner of the small room
Westernmost section : another of good masonry in 1926.
THE HOUSE OF THE FRESCOES'
Explora-
tion of
' House
of the
Frescoes'
Within
zone of
Greek
and
Roman
occupa-
tion.
These earlier remains, as was shown by results of the excavations of 1926,
referred to above,1 extended over the Western part of this area, and revealed
a compact section of the early Town going back to the very beginning of the
Middle Minoan Age. On this side, unfortunately, the traces of the later
constructions had been mostly removed by the building activities of the
Greek and Greco-Roman Age.
In the area East of this, however, more nearly approaching the West
Court, this later stratum was better preserved. The excavations of 1923
here brought to light parts of the lower walls of four or five small private
dwellings, and one of these, presenting remains of massive walling on its
Western border, was singled out by me for special investigation.
The first results were hardly encouraging, since, immediately within
the inner line of this wall, treasure-hunters—encouraged, we may suppose,
by some finds of metal objects in the upper level—had grubbed right down
below the house floors. But, whatever booty in the way of metal objects
they may have hit upon, they had missed the greatest treasure that the
house was ever likely to have contained—the stacked remains, namely, of
the painted plaster wall-decoration that has given it its name.
The initial discouragement was not allowed to divert the course of
excavation from this particular area, and the original hopes inspired by
the remains proved to be more than justified. The complete plan of
a house was here brought out, small, indeed, but which, from the remains
of varied and artistic wall-paintings found literally stacked within it, throws
a singular lisrht on the culture of even the citizens of moderate means in
the Minoan City at the opening of the New Era.
That the ' House of the Frescoes' should have contained such important
remains is the more surprising when it is borne ill mind that its extreme
dimensions were no more than 17 metres by about iif, and the depth at
which the basement floor-levels lay was only about three and a half metres
beneath the surface of the ground. Moreover, the whole of the area in which
it lies had been much disturbed and built over in the days of the Greek and
Roman city. The Greco-Roman level went down to within three-quarters
of a metre of the Minoan pavements. Geometric Greek sherds occurred
below this, where parts of the Western and Northern walls had been pulled
away. In two places the fabric had been cut into by wells of the Classical
period,2 and others were found near the outer borders of the house.
1 See p. 366 seqq. which had missed the walls came to light
2 One had cut into the border of the in exploring the S.E. corner of the small room
Westernmost section : another of good masonry in 1926.