DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.810#0435
8o6 PLAN OF COLUMNAR SHRINE ON LATER FA£ADE
shrine
its small
dimen-
sions.
chamber above, which had served as the actual shrine of the divinity, as
shown in the ' Temple Fresco' and other Minoan representations of
sanctuary buildings.
The careful measurements taken by Mr. Fyfe, as given in the Plan,
Fig. 526, allow sufficient room for a central structure of this kind between
the accurately delimited wings of the facade. From the space available,
however, we are bound to conclude that in this case there had only been
a single column in the central cell, thus differing from the bi-columnar
arrangement seen in the Miniature Fresco, but paralleled by that of the
small gold shrines from the Mycenae Shaft Graves and of certain signet-
rings and seal-impressions. What is abnormal, indeed, is the bi-columnar
arrangement of the wings, but this may well have been due to architectural
considerations connected with the general espacement of this section of the
Palace borders.
Restora- jn ^g restored drawing of the little shrine, yiven in Fie. 527, the
tion of . . & & to
columnar model supplied by the Miniature Fresco has been generally followed,1 and
the same colouring is here suggested. Naturally, the original may have
varied greatly in detail, but the reconstruction here adopted has at least an
illustrative value. The small proportions of the building, as shown in the
fresco, are clearly indicated by the comparative size of the seated figures
of ladies beside it which point to a height of about 9 feet, while the restored
elevation of the Cella, as here shown, is about 13 feet in accordance with the
proportions supplied by the actual remains. It is quite possible, however,
that on the wall-painting the size of the seated figures was somewhat
exaggerated. The fresco design cannot certainly be regarded as a nicely
measured architectural elevation, and some latitude is allowable in the pro-
portions given. The plan itself, as already noted, is variant in the two
cases, the central compartment having only, ex hypothesi, a single column,
while the wings have two in place of one.
The reconstructed Shrine is 16 feet 6 inches—about 5 metres—in width
—and the two wings are 9 feet (p.\ metres) in height, thus corresponding
with the depth of the central compartment. A comparison of the Plan,
Fig. 526, with the restored facade will give a good idea of the little shrine,
1 The entablature and coping differs here cella disproportionately. The suggested colour-
from that given by me in the R. I. B. A.
Journal, 1911, p. 294, and Fig. 3, where the
incorrect restoration of the fresco was followed.
In both cases I have omitted the chequer work
beneath the half-rosette band, so as not to raise
the height of the narrower, single-columned
ing of the background has been altered in order
to bring out the fact that the cella was more
closed in. In the fresco the background of the
cella is blue, that of the left wing Venetian red,
and that of the right wing yellow.
shrine
its small
dimen-
sions.
chamber above, which had served as the actual shrine of the divinity, as
shown in the ' Temple Fresco' and other Minoan representations of
sanctuary buildings.
The careful measurements taken by Mr. Fyfe, as given in the Plan,
Fig. 526, allow sufficient room for a central structure of this kind between
the accurately delimited wings of the facade. From the space available,
however, we are bound to conclude that in this case there had only been
a single column in the central cell, thus differing from the bi-columnar
arrangement seen in the Miniature Fresco, but paralleled by that of the
small gold shrines from the Mycenae Shaft Graves and of certain signet-
rings and seal-impressions. What is abnormal, indeed, is the bi-columnar
arrangement of the wings, but this may well have been due to architectural
considerations connected with the general espacement of this section of the
Palace borders.
Restora- jn ^g restored drawing of the little shrine, yiven in Fie. 527, the
tion of . . & & to
columnar model supplied by the Miniature Fresco has been generally followed,1 and
the same colouring is here suggested. Naturally, the original may have
varied greatly in detail, but the reconstruction here adopted has at least an
illustrative value. The small proportions of the building, as shown in the
fresco, are clearly indicated by the comparative size of the seated figures
of ladies beside it which point to a height of about 9 feet, while the restored
elevation of the Cella, as here shown, is about 13 feet in accordance with the
proportions supplied by the actual remains. It is quite possible, however,
that on the wall-painting the size of the seated figures was somewhat
exaggerated. The fresco design cannot certainly be regarded as a nicely
measured architectural elevation, and some latitude is allowable in the pro-
portions given. The plan itself, as already noted, is variant in the two
cases, the central compartment having only, ex hypothesi, a single column,
while the wings have two in place of one.
The reconstructed Shrine is 16 feet 6 inches—about 5 metres—in width
—and the two wings are 9 feet (p.\ metres) in height, thus corresponding
with the depth of the central compartment. A comparison of the Plan,
Fig. 526, with the restored facade will give a good idea of the little shrine,
1 The entablature and coping differs here cella disproportionately. The suggested colour-
from that given by me in the R. I. B. A.
Journal, 1911, p. 294, and Fig. 3, where the
incorrect restoration of the fresco was followed.
In both cases I have omitted the chequer work
beneath the half-rosette band, so as not to raise
the height of the narrower, single-columned
ing of the background has been altered in order
to bring out the fact that the cella was more
closed in. In the fresco the background of the
cella is blue, that of the left wing Venetian red,
and that of the right wing yellow.