DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.811#0407
PILLARED STYLOBATES WITH BENCHES 355
the coping slabs between the columns of the lowest flight of stairs had been
removed to make place for them.
In these precautionary works the fear of some fresh seismic catastrophe
makes itself clearly visible.
The anterior section of the ' Thalamos ' to which the staircase led formed
a verandah with a balustrade overlooking the little light-court on the East
side, and we may suppose that its inner section was provided with window
openings of the ordinary kind, from which, owing to the comparative lowness
of the walll on the East side of this little room, it would have had a view
of the hill-top opposite. The verandah itself at the same time would have
supplied passage-way to two small chambers on the South, answering to
the two below, which may well have served as bedrooms. The floor of an
inner compartment, opening into the interior section of the ' Thalamos', had
been partly preserved in situ2 answering to that of the bath-room below,
and doubtless serving the same purpose. (See Plan, Fig. 266, below.)
Of the ' Queen's Megaron' itself the most conspicuous feature was Pillared
supplied by the two lines of narrow pillars set, in the case of each series, on H °
a gypsum stylobate, one of which divided the two sections, while the other '»?"een's
flanked the interior space of the room, securing for it excellent lighting from ron'.
the light-area that bordered it on its Southern side. These pillars, as will
be seen from the Coloured Frontispiece, have been restored above with
stepped cornices which were such a favourite Minoan finish.
The doorway at the Northern end of this pillared stylobate opens into Bi-
a portico with two columns, one of which is partly visible in Fig. 246. The ^r"1'
adjoining wall of the light-area beyond shows a course of fine gypsum portico
blocks resting on a limestone plinth, and in turn supporting other large light-'
blocks of gritty limestone. The outer limestone blocks seem for some
considerable time to have been exposed—owing doubtless to the ruin of the
other side of the area—to the full fury of the South wind and, as already
noted,3 illustrate the same form of wind denudation visible in the cliffs of
the gorge above.
It was only owing to supplementary researches, interrupted by the Great
1 The wall, as built at the time of the Great squatters of the Period of Reoccupation who
Restoration, was only 70 centimetres thick, used it as a store for stirrup vases and other
which indicates that it was comparatively low. vessels of L. M. Ill b type, several of which
It has been assumed that it was the same were found intact in the positions in which
height as the balustrade of the opposite they had been placed,
verandah. 3 P. of M., ii, Pt. II, pp. 814, 815, and
2 The old floor of this space was in fact Fig. 533. See above, pp. 292, 293, and Figs,
re-used at a slightly higher level by later 191, 192.
A a 2
area.
the coping slabs between the columns of the lowest flight of stairs had been
removed to make place for them.
In these precautionary works the fear of some fresh seismic catastrophe
makes itself clearly visible.
The anterior section of the ' Thalamos ' to which the staircase led formed
a verandah with a balustrade overlooking the little light-court on the East
side, and we may suppose that its inner section was provided with window
openings of the ordinary kind, from which, owing to the comparative lowness
of the walll on the East side of this little room, it would have had a view
of the hill-top opposite. The verandah itself at the same time would have
supplied passage-way to two small chambers on the South, answering to
the two below, which may well have served as bedrooms. The floor of an
inner compartment, opening into the interior section of the ' Thalamos', had
been partly preserved in situ2 answering to that of the bath-room below,
and doubtless serving the same purpose. (See Plan, Fig. 266, below.)
Of the ' Queen's Megaron' itself the most conspicuous feature was Pillared
supplied by the two lines of narrow pillars set, in the case of each series, on H °
a gypsum stylobate, one of which divided the two sections, while the other '»?"een's
flanked the interior space of the room, securing for it excellent lighting from ron'.
the light-area that bordered it on its Southern side. These pillars, as will
be seen from the Coloured Frontispiece, have been restored above with
stepped cornices which were such a favourite Minoan finish.
The doorway at the Northern end of this pillared stylobate opens into Bi-
a portico with two columns, one of which is partly visible in Fig. 246. The ^r"1'
adjoining wall of the light-area beyond shows a course of fine gypsum portico
blocks resting on a limestone plinth, and in turn supporting other large light-'
blocks of gritty limestone. The outer limestone blocks seem for some
considerable time to have been exposed—owing doubtless to the ruin of the
other side of the area—to the full fury of the South wind and, as already
noted,3 illustrate the same form of wind denudation visible in the cliffs of
the gorge above.
It was only owing to supplementary researches, interrupted by the Great
1 The wall, as built at the time of the Great squatters of the Period of Reoccupation who
Restoration, was only 70 centimetres thick, used it as a store for stirrup vases and other
which indicates that it was comparatively low. vessels of L. M. Ill b type, several of which
It has been assumed that it was the same were found intact in the positions in which
height as the balustrade of the opposite they had been placed,
verandah. 3 P. of M., ii, Pt. II, pp. 814, 815, and
2 The old floor of this space was in fact Fig. 533. See above, pp. 292, 293, and Figs,
re-used at a slightly higher level by later 191, 192.
A a 2
area.