DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.7519#0096
THE EARLY MINOAN PERIOD
61
tombs still in use,1 and in the case of a fertile area such as the
Messara the sites of villages change very little in the course
of ages. It is extremely probable that we should look for the
settlements under the modern villages, for that of the tomb
at Marathokephalo below Moroni, of Dhrakonais below
Phournopharango, of Khristos, Koutsokera, Salame and Agia
Eirene below Vasilike, where a chance cutting for a road has
already shown M.M.i sherds.
In East Crete the finds centre round the old ports of Palaik-
astro, Mokhlos, Pseira, Gournia and Zakros, with only two
inland sites, Vasilike and Agios Antonios, both of which are
within striking distance of the sea.
Again, it is the easterners who are the sailors pure and
simple, probably relying on the fertile Hierapetra Isthmus
and the few rich valleys running up from the East coast for
necessaries of life but mainly engaged in sea traffic. The
southerners, naturally enough, on entering the Messara plain,
were converted to an agricultural and pastoral life almost at
once—though still keeping open the old trade with Africa
through the port of Komo. The men of Central Crete are
consolidating themselves, taking what they can from their
more progressive neighbours but content to wait.
From the anthropological point of view we have at last
more to go on, though it must be added that some of the bodies
examined may belong to the succeeding periods. Skulls from
Agia Triada,2 Agia Eirene,3 Koumasa,4 Palaikastro,5 Platanos,6
Porti,7 and Zakros,8 have been measured, and all show a pro-
nounced dolichocephaly. This feature is so continuous
throughout the Minoan Period that we may take it that from
an anthropological point of view there is no evidence from
E.M.i to L.M.iii that any change of racial type took place.9
The architecture, both domestic and funerary, is much BM.u
better known than that of previous periods. The houses at
Vasilike are the best example of the one, the circular tombs in
the Messara of the other.
1 It is of interest to note that such M.M. settlements as have been
found near tombs are situated in one case (Koumasa) close to a tomb
where the M.M. deposit is very insignificant, and in the rest where it is
totally lacking. In any case, I believe the M.M. deposit to have been
votive and not funerary.
2 Sergi, Mem 1st Lomb., XXI, 252. 3 V.T.M., 126. 1 Ibid.
6 B.S.A., IX, 344. 6 V.T.M., loc. cit. ' Ibid.
8 B.S.A., VII, 150.
8 Mackenzie, B.S.A., XII, 230 ff. ; Evans, P. of M., 1, 8.
61
tombs still in use,1 and in the case of a fertile area such as the
Messara the sites of villages change very little in the course
of ages. It is extremely probable that we should look for the
settlements under the modern villages, for that of the tomb
at Marathokephalo below Moroni, of Dhrakonais below
Phournopharango, of Khristos, Koutsokera, Salame and Agia
Eirene below Vasilike, where a chance cutting for a road has
already shown M.M.i sherds.
In East Crete the finds centre round the old ports of Palaik-
astro, Mokhlos, Pseira, Gournia and Zakros, with only two
inland sites, Vasilike and Agios Antonios, both of which are
within striking distance of the sea.
Again, it is the easterners who are the sailors pure and
simple, probably relying on the fertile Hierapetra Isthmus
and the few rich valleys running up from the East coast for
necessaries of life but mainly engaged in sea traffic. The
southerners, naturally enough, on entering the Messara plain,
were converted to an agricultural and pastoral life almost at
once—though still keeping open the old trade with Africa
through the port of Komo. The men of Central Crete are
consolidating themselves, taking what they can from their
more progressive neighbours but content to wait.
From the anthropological point of view we have at last
more to go on, though it must be added that some of the bodies
examined may belong to the succeeding periods. Skulls from
Agia Triada,2 Agia Eirene,3 Koumasa,4 Palaikastro,5 Platanos,6
Porti,7 and Zakros,8 have been measured, and all show a pro-
nounced dolichocephaly. This feature is so continuous
throughout the Minoan Period that we may take it that from
an anthropological point of view there is no evidence from
E.M.i to L.M.iii that any change of racial type took place.9
The architecture, both domestic and funerary, is much BM.u
better known than that of previous periods. The houses at
Vasilike are the best example of the one, the circular tombs in
the Messara of the other.
1 It is of interest to note that such M.M. settlements as have been
found near tombs are situated in one case (Koumasa) close to a tomb
where the M.M. deposit is very insignificant, and in the rest where it is
totally lacking. In any case, I believe the M.M. deposit to have been
votive and not funerary.
2 Sergi, Mem 1st Lomb., XXI, 252. 3 V.T.M., 126. 1 Ibid.
6 B.S.A., IX, 344. 6 V.T.M., loc. cit. ' Ibid.
8 B.S.A., VII, 150.
8 Mackenzie, B.S.A., XII, 230 ff. ; Evans, P. of M., 1, 8.