674 PAINTED PLASTER DECORATION OF WEST PORCH
elates from that post-seismic M. M. Ill b epoch that heralds the beginning'
of the First Late Minoan phase.
Its In spite of its slight recession behind the facade angle, the genesis
scale'.C1 of which is explained by the antecedent stages of the building, the Porch in
its renovated form must have presented a truly grandiose aspect as seen
from the West Court. A sketch showing the existing state of the remains
is given in Fig. 428 (cf., too, Suppl. PI. XXIII). The general effect of this
monumental structure, with the painted wall decoration dating from the
close of the Palace period, is well shown by the restored drawing of the late
Mr. F. G. Newton (Fig. 429). The width of the central column-base, of
gypsum, was about 1-35 metres, but there are indications that the actual dia-
meter of the base of the shaft was in this case abnormally less—namely, i-nm.
From a series of contemporary examples it has been possible to deduce
the conclusion that, at this epoch at any rate, the height of the Minoan
column, including capital and abacus, was as exactly as possible five times
the diameter of the base of the shaft.1 The height of the architrave of the
West Porch may therefore be estimated as 5-55 metres, or about 2o| feet,
above the pavement level.2 The breadth of the new Porch was just double
this—11-23 metres—with a depth of 6 metres, and it is noteworthy that the
original projecting plinth of the orthostatic wall to the left is broken away
from the point—2-20 m. South of the inner corner of the facade—where the
front line of the Porch would have intersected it.
Painted Plaster Decoration of West Porch.
Painted This was doubtless done in order to secure a broader field for the
dero'ra- fresco designs on the inner surface of the Porch on that side, which reached
tion of t0 t]ie pavement level. The remains of painted stucco decoration that
Porch. ■
1 Thus in the 'Hall of the Colonnades' diameter, pointing to about 41 cm. for the
where the height of the architraves above the base of the wooden shafts. The columns on
floor as preserved by the carbonized remains this reckoning were 2-05 m. high, thus exactly
was 3 metres, the base of the shafts, deducting corresponding with that of the architrave as
5 cm. from 65 cm. the diameter of the stone independently calculated. The height of the
bases, was as nearly as possible 60 cm. = -*-. upper floor surface, both in the Megaron and
Similar results were obtained in the Little the Pillar Room, were the same—3-05 metres.
Palace. An extraordinary close calculation ' It is not necessary to suppose that in all
is afforded by the Royal Villa. There the cases exceptionally large Minoan shafts like
height of the architrave in the Pillar Room, of this, which would have had a still larger
which the socket remains in the N. wall, is diameter at its upper extremity, were made
2-05 metres above the level of the floor of the of single trunks. Part of a shaft of com-
adjoining Megaron, and it is a fair presumption posite formation has been brought out by the
that the columns there were of the same French excavators on the Chrysolakkos site at
height. Their bases are about 46 cm. in Mallia.
elates from that post-seismic M. M. Ill b epoch that heralds the beginning'
of the First Late Minoan phase.
Its In spite of its slight recession behind the facade angle, the genesis
scale'.C1 of which is explained by the antecedent stages of the building, the Porch in
its renovated form must have presented a truly grandiose aspect as seen
from the West Court. A sketch showing the existing state of the remains
is given in Fig. 428 (cf., too, Suppl. PI. XXIII). The general effect of this
monumental structure, with the painted wall decoration dating from the
close of the Palace period, is well shown by the restored drawing of the late
Mr. F. G. Newton (Fig. 429). The width of the central column-base, of
gypsum, was about 1-35 metres, but there are indications that the actual dia-
meter of the base of the shaft was in this case abnormally less—namely, i-nm.
From a series of contemporary examples it has been possible to deduce
the conclusion that, at this epoch at any rate, the height of the Minoan
column, including capital and abacus, was as exactly as possible five times
the diameter of the base of the shaft.1 The height of the architrave of the
West Porch may therefore be estimated as 5-55 metres, or about 2o| feet,
above the pavement level.2 The breadth of the new Porch was just double
this—11-23 metres—with a depth of 6 metres, and it is noteworthy that the
original projecting plinth of the orthostatic wall to the left is broken away
from the point—2-20 m. South of the inner corner of the facade—where the
front line of the Porch would have intersected it.
Painted Plaster Decoration of West Porch.
Painted This was doubtless done in order to secure a broader field for the
dero'ra- fresco designs on the inner surface of the Porch on that side, which reached
tion of t0 t]ie pavement level. The remains of painted stucco decoration that
Porch. ■
1 Thus in the 'Hall of the Colonnades' diameter, pointing to about 41 cm. for the
where the height of the architraves above the base of the wooden shafts. The columns on
floor as preserved by the carbonized remains this reckoning were 2-05 m. high, thus exactly
was 3 metres, the base of the shafts, deducting corresponding with that of the architrave as
5 cm. from 65 cm. the diameter of the stone independently calculated. The height of the
bases, was as nearly as possible 60 cm. = -*-. upper floor surface, both in the Megaron and
Similar results were obtained in the Little the Pillar Room, were the same—3-05 metres.
Palace. An extraordinary close calculation ' It is not necessary to suppose that in all
is afforded by the Royal Villa. There the cases exceptionally large Minoan shafts like
height of the architrave in the Pillar Room, of this, which would have had a still larger
which the socket remains in the N. wall, is diameter at its upper extremity, were made
2-05 metres above the level of the floor of the of single trunks. Part of a shaft of com-
adjoining Megaron, and it is a fair presumption posite formation has been brought out by the
that the columns there were of the same French excavators on the Chrysolakkos site at
height. Their bases are about 46 cm. in Mallia.