DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.811#0233
i9o LATE SURVIVAL OF RELIEFS IN SITU, N. OF PALACE
It has been already noted that such characteristic features as the varying
hues of the olive leaves already occur on M. M. II b polychrome ware, and
to this must be added the similar rendering of the budding flower as
well as the asterisk-like appearance of those intended to be shown full blown
(Fig. 110).'
Rela-
tively
late date
ofstratum
with bull
reliefs.
Part of
reliefs
seen in
position
by
Greeks.
The
olive-tree
reliefs at
two ex-
tremities.
Parallel
survival
of North-
West
Portico.
Late Preservation in situ of Bull-grappling Reliefs of N. Entrance
Passage.
We have seen2 that the painted stucco fragments of bull-grappling
scenes brought to light along the West side of the Northern Entrance
Passage at Knossos had been deposited on an old surface-level roughly
following—at a depth of about a metre and a half—the slope of the hill-
side as it existed before the excavation (see Section opp. p. 171, Fig. 114). At
the same time the archaeological horizon that marked these deposits was
itself from 50 centimetres to 1-50 metres above a well-defined L. M. Ill
surface-level belonging to the Reoccupation Period of the building.
This stratigraphic evidence, as given above, may be thought to be
conclusive as showing that the relief fragments had found their way to the
level on which they lay at a date when the early Greek settlement, imme-
diately North of this, was already in existence.
On the L. M. Ill surface, averaging a depth of about a metre below
this—though remains of a gypsum chest with tablets of Class B (L. M. II)
had been precipitated on to it, apparently from some upper floor—no single
piece of the painted stucco frieze was discovered. Up to the time to which
the later surface-level belonged we may assume that it was still largely
intact. The fragments there found, indeed, represented only a fractional
part of the whole composition, of which they were for a great extent the
disjecta membra, thrown aside out of their context. It is noteworthy, how-
ever, that, in contrast to this general dislocation, the two large fragments of
olive-trees, found respectively by the two ends of the Portico, presented
part of the outer border-lines of two panels as well as of their upper margins.
From this it appears, not only that they stood in a close relation to their
original position on the back wall, but that in all probability some part of
the roof of the gallery was still in position.
From the organic connexion of this structure with those of the area
immediately West, we may even infer that remains of the adjoining North-
West Portico and Entrance still rose above the ground-level—the unblocked
1 See, too, P. of M,, i, p. 263, and Fig. 194, g, from which Fig. 112 is reproduced.
2 See above, p. 171 seqq.
It has been already noted that such characteristic features as the varying
hues of the olive leaves already occur on M. M. II b polychrome ware, and
to this must be added the similar rendering of the budding flower as
well as the asterisk-like appearance of those intended to be shown full blown
(Fig. 110).'
Rela-
tively
late date
ofstratum
with bull
reliefs.
Part of
reliefs
seen in
position
by
Greeks.
The
olive-tree
reliefs at
two ex-
tremities.
Parallel
survival
of North-
West
Portico.
Late Preservation in situ of Bull-grappling Reliefs of N. Entrance
Passage.
We have seen2 that the painted stucco fragments of bull-grappling
scenes brought to light along the West side of the Northern Entrance
Passage at Knossos had been deposited on an old surface-level roughly
following—at a depth of about a metre and a half—the slope of the hill-
side as it existed before the excavation (see Section opp. p. 171, Fig. 114). At
the same time the archaeological horizon that marked these deposits was
itself from 50 centimetres to 1-50 metres above a well-defined L. M. Ill
surface-level belonging to the Reoccupation Period of the building.
This stratigraphic evidence, as given above, may be thought to be
conclusive as showing that the relief fragments had found their way to the
level on which they lay at a date when the early Greek settlement, imme-
diately North of this, was already in existence.
On the L. M. Ill surface, averaging a depth of about a metre below
this—though remains of a gypsum chest with tablets of Class B (L. M. II)
had been precipitated on to it, apparently from some upper floor—no single
piece of the painted stucco frieze was discovered. Up to the time to which
the later surface-level belonged we may assume that it was still largely
intact. The fragments there found, indeed, represented only a fractional
part of the whole composition, of which they were for a great extent the
disjecta membra, thrown aside out of their context. It is noteworthy, how-
ever, that, in contrast to this general dislocation, the two large fragments of
olive-trees, found respectively by the two ends of the Portico, presented
part of the outer border-lines of two panels as well as of their upper margins.
From this it appears, not only that they stood in a close relation to their
original position on the back wall, but that in all probability some part of
the roof of the gallery was still in position.
From the organic connexion of this structure with those of the area
immediately West, we may even infer that remains of the adjoining North-
West Portico and Entrance still rose above the ground-level—the unblocked
1 See, too, P. of M,, i, p. 263, and Fig. 194, g, from which Fig. 112 is reproduced.
2 See above, p. 171 seqq.