DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.811#0073
44 MINIATURE FRESCOES FROM SMALL SANCTUARY
Though
small di-
mensions.
Frescoes
set over
gypsum
dadoes
on line of
vision.
The structure itself was, as already remarked, of quite narrow dimen-
sions, about 4-70 metres (c. 15I feet) from N. to S. and 270 m. from E. to
W. These general proportions correspond very well with those of the little
Shrine that forms the centre of one of the Miniature scenes themselves, or of
the analogous structure that occupied a central position on the West facade
of the Court, which was about 5 metres (i6| feet) in breadth, In this case
the facade would have been on the East side, but the interior arrange-
ment must have been different if we are to interpret the nook at the North
end as a cella.
The Miniature Frescoes themselves were specially adapted for a little
sanctuary chamber of this kind. Some small but very beautiful fragments
of such, moreover, found in association with the 'Ivory Deposit' of the
Domestic Quarter on the East, were probably derived from an exiguous
shrine of the same kind.1 Such frescoes, owing to the minutiae of their
designs, were obviously intended to be placed close to the eye, and it is there-
fore difficult to suppose that they had been set above the upper borders of
the high gypsum dado slabs such as were usual in the Third Middle Minoan
Period, and the earlier phase at least of L. M. I.
The upper part of these slabs, according to the regular arrangement—
so well illustrated in the ' Domestic Quarter'—corresponded with the lower
line of horizontal beams forming a continuation of the lintel of the door-
ways. Like the doorways, the gypsum dado slabs were almost exactly two
metres in height, and fresco bands, as was shown for instance by fragments
found in position in the Bath Room by the ' Queen's Megaron', covered the
wooden band, and themselves rested on the upper borders of the dado slabs.
In the ' Caravanserai' the ' Partridge Frieze' had been set above this lintel
line,2 and in this case, though the subject was of the natural size, it has the
appearance of being somewhat ' skied'. On the other hand, in the ' House
of the Frescoes '3 the friezes of painted plaster with their rich details show
traces of a horizontal beam immediately above them, and they were probably
set below the lintel line, starting therefore, if we allow for a mean height of
about 70 or 80 cm.,4 from a line a metre above the floor level.5
1 See below pp. 208, 209, Figs. 142, 143.
2 P. of M., ii, Pt. I, p. 109 seqq., and see
p. 108, Fig. 49. The lintel line in this case
ran i-8o metres above the floor.
3 Ibid., Pt. II, p. 431 seqq.
4 The preserved height or vertical width of
the fresco representing the Sacred Grove and
Dance is 49 cm.: if we add to this some
additional width for the lower part of the
scene, as well as the lower border, the original
width would probably have been about 70 cm.
The maximum height of the ' Temple Fresco'
as preserved was only 42 cm., but the whole
of the front scene with the performance is
wanting.
' Ibid., p. 460. In the basement room of
Though
small di-
mensions.
Frescoes
set over
gypsum
dadoes
on line of
vision.
The structure itself was, as already remarked, of quite narrow dimen-
sions, about 4-70 metres (c. 15I feet) from N. to S. and 270 m. from E. to
W. These general proportions correspond very well with those of the little
Shrine that forms the centre of one of the Miniature scenes themselves, or of
the analogous structure that occupied a central position on the West facade
of the Court, which was about 5 metres (i6| feet) in breadth, In this case
the facade would have been on the East side, but the interior arrange-
ment must have been different if we are to interpret the nook at the North
end as a cella.
The Miniature Frescoes themselves were specially adapted for a little
sanctuary chamber of this kind. Some small but very beautiful fragments
of such, moreover, found in association with the 'Ivory Deposit' of the
Domestic Quarter on the East, were probably derived from an exiguous
shrine of the same kind.1 Such frescoes, owing to the minutiae of their
designs, were obviously intended to be placed close to the eye, and it is there-
fore difficult to suppose that they had been set above the upper borders of
the high gypsum dado slabs such as were usual in the Third Middle Minoan
Period, and the earlier phase at least of L. M. I.
The upper part of these slabs, according to the regular arrangement—
so well illustrated in the ' Domestic Quarter'—corresponded with the lower
line of horizontal beams forming a continuation of the lintel of the door-
ways. Like the doorways, the gypsum dado slabs were almost exactly two
metres in height, and fresco bands, as was shown for instance by fragments
found in position in the Bath Room by the ' Queen's Megaron', covered the
wooden band, and themselves rested on the upper borders of the dado slabs.
In the ' Caravanserai' the ' Partridge Frieze' had been set above this lintel
line,2 and in this case, though the subject was of the natural size, it has the
appearance of being somewhat ' skied'. On the other hand, in the ' House
of the Frescoes '3 the friezes of painted plaster with their rich details show
traces of a horizontal beam immediately above them, and they were probably
set below the lintel line, starting therefore, if we allow for a mean height of
about 70 or 80 cm.,4 from a line a metre above the floor level.5
1 See below pp. 208, 209, Figs. 142, 143.
2 P. of M., ii, Pt. I, p. 109 seqq., and see
p. 108, Fig. 49. The lintel line in this case
ran i-8o metres above the floor.
3 Ibid., Pt. II, p. 431 seqq.
4 The preserved height or vertical width of
the fresco representing the Sacred Grove and
Dance is 49 cm.: if we add to this some
additional width for the lower part of the
scene, as well as the lower border, the original
width would probably have been about 70 cm.
The maximum height of the ' Temple Fresco'
as preserved was only 42 cm., but the whole
of the front scene with the performance is
wanting.
' Ibid., p. 460. In the basement room of