Knossos. A Middle Minoan III Building in Bougadha Methochi

Giorgos Rethemiotakis & Peter M. Warren

City: London

Year: 2014

Publisher: British School at Athens

Series: British School at Athens Studies 23

Description: Hardback, 133 p., 23 b/w figures, 11 tables, 33 b/w plates, 30x21,2 cm

Abstract

From at least 1700 BC, and for several centuries thereafter, a city of substantial houses flanked the palace of Knossos in north-central Crete. Those immediately adjacent to it, like the Royal Villa or the South House, excavated by Sir Arthur Evans, are well known, as are the Little Palace and Unexplored Mansion to the north-west. In fact the whole lower western hill-slope (Bougadha Metochi, the modern village) was terraced with fine, ashlar masonry buildings, served by well-engineered paved roads. The present volume publishes part of one such building, excavated by the Greek Archaeological Service. The pottery within it – as always at Knossos astonishing in quantity and excellent in quality – is particularly important for the first stage of these large buildings, Middle Minoan IIIA (Early and Late), the 17th century BC. One piece also throws light on bull sacrifice at Knossos. Another object, a stone weight, confirms the close relationship of the Minoan, Theran and West Syrian systems of mensuration. A later pottery deposit adds to evidence of wide destruction at Knossos at the final moment of independent Minoan civilisation, Late Minoan IB c. 1440 BC. The history of the building is also set within that of the wider Cretan and southern Aegean regions during the Bronze Age.

Contents

List of abbreviations [ix]
List of figures [x]
List of plates [xi]
List of tables [xiii]
Preface [xv]

1. Introduction [1]

2. The Vlachakis Plot [3]

3. The pottery [13]

Introduction [13]
Recording procedures [13]
Typology [13]
Presentation [13]
Trench A and Baulk II [15]
Trench D and Baulk V [46]
Baulk VI [57]

4. Material other than pottery [59]

5. Discussion [67]

The Vlachakis Plot material [67]
The wider context [78]
Correlations of the Vlachakis Plot material [84]
Events history [86]
From function to society [87]

Appendix A: Concordance [91]

Bibliography [93]
Index [97]