Evans, Arthur J.: The Palace of Minos: a comparative account of the successive stages of the early Cretan civilization as illustred by the discoveries at Knossos (Band 4,1): Emergence of outer western enceinte, with new illustrations, artistic and religious, of the Middle Minoan Phase (London, 1935)

INCURVED ALTAR BLOCK 209

with gypsum jambs at its Southern end opening on to a paved passage and
running from East to West. By means of this, private access would have
been secured to the inner Sanctum for the household priest or other mini-
strants. At the opposite or Northern end of the adylon, however, the
approach was open so that sacrificial animals, such as goats or rams, might
have been the more easily brought in from the corridor beyond.

Minoan Altar Block and Double Axe Base.
Connected with this reserved compartment was a curious block, which Altarwith

incurved
sides.

Fig. 160. at Limestone Altar; i>, Gypsum Stand for Double Axe (Piet de Jong).

though actually found outside the central inner opening, had had, as its flat
back shows, its original place close against the back wall. This block is at
once recognizable as representing a special class of Minoan altar (Fig. 160, a).
It is of gypsum, a good deal weathered, so that the profile of the cornice
that runs round the front and two sides has lost something of its clear
definition. The front and two sides curve in, but the back is flat, and, as
noted, had evidently been set against the back wall.

The height of the altar was 34 centimetres, and its square ' coping' was
44 x 44 cm. At its narrowest point its diameter was 29 cm.

From the analogy supplied by the altar with the reliefs of the sacred
objects described above, it seems likely that this, too, had originally
been embellished with painted decoration. The walls of the adylou itself,

iv. p