AND CARL KNAPPETT (eds.

)
COLIN F. MACDONALD
BRITISH SCHOOL
AT ATHENS
INTERMEZZO
Intermediacy and Regeneration in
Middle Minoan III Palatial Crete
INTERMEZZO
INTERMEDIACY AND REGENERATION IN
MIDDLE MINOAN III PALATIAL CRETE

IN MIDDLE MINOAN III PALATIAL CRETE

INTERMEZZO: INTERMEDIACY AND REGENERATION
Edited by
Colin F. Macdonald and Carl Knappett

The Middle Minoan III period on Crete was initially identified and studied in detail at Knossos by Sir
Arthur Evans. Subsequent scholarly attention focused on the preceding Old Palace period and the apparent
floruit of the New Palaces at the beginning of the Late Bronze Age. In consequence one of the critical
transitions in Minoan culture has been virtually overlooked, giving rise to confused and ill-informed
judgements concerning developments in Crete and further afield.
With numerous innovations in art, architecture and material culture — notably an entirely new palace
at Galatas — the changes in Middle Minoan III are striking, and appear to herald a new political
organisation of the island, centred on Knossos. The papers in this volume, presented at the first colloquium
to be held in the Villa Ariadne at Knossos, now restore the period to its rightful position. The specialist
contributions cover most key sites where Middle Minoan III occupation has been identified. The aim
has been to rehabilitate Middle Minoan III as a dynamic period in Crete and also on Thera, in order to
provide a better understanding of socio-political change across the island and beyond in the latter part of
the Middle Bronze Age.

Edited by
Colin F. Macdonald and Carl Knappett
BRITISH
Cover illustration SCHOOL
AT
The palace and central court at Galatas from the south with a baetyl in the
ATHENS
foreground. Photograph by Iannis Papadakis, courtesy of the excavator, STUDIES
Giorgos Rethemiotakis. 21 BRITISH SCHOOL AT ATHENS STUDIES 21
 The British School at Athens

INTERMEZZO
INTERMEDIACY AND REGENERATION IN
MIDDLE MINOAN III PALATIAL CRETE
 INTERMEZZO
INTERMEDIACY AND REGENERATION IN
MIDDLE MINOAN III PALATIAL CRETE

Edited by
Colin F. Macdonald and Carl Knappett

BRITISH SCHOOL AT ATHENS

STUDIES 21
 Published and distributed by
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©The Council, the British School at Athens

Series Editor: Olga Krzyszkowska

First published in Great Britain 2013

ISBN 978-0-904887-67-9

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 Contents

List of abbreviations vii

List of figures ix
List of tables xiv
Abstracts/Perilhvyei~ xv
Preface xxi

Introduction 1
Colin F. Macdonald and Carl Knappett

Part I: Knossos and north-central Crete

1 Stratigraphy and ceramic typology in the Middle Minoan III palace at Knossos 9
Carl Knappett, Iro Mathioudaki and Colin F. Macdonald

2 Between Protopalatial houses and Neopalatial mansions: an ‘intermezzo’ southwest of the palace 21
at Knossos
Colin F. Macdonald

3 Middle Minoan III pottery from the town of Knossos: the Vlachakis Plot 31
Peter Warren

4 The end of an intermezzo at Knossos: ceramic wares, deposits, and architecture in a social context 37
Eleni Hatzaki

5 Middle Minoan III burial customs at Knossos: a pianissimo intermezzo? 47

Lucia Alberti

6 The Middle Minoan III funerary landscape at Knossos 57

Laura Preston

7 The Middle Minoan III building at Alonaki, Juktas 71

Alexandra Karetsou

8 The Middle Minoan III period at Galatas: pottery and historical implications 93
Giorgos Rethemiotakis and Kostis Christakis

Part II: South-central Crete

9 A new Middle Minoan IIIA ceremonial building and the so-called ‘New Era’ at Phaistos 107
Filippo Carinci and Vincenzo la Rosa

10 Evidence for Middle Minoan III occupation at Ayia Triada 123

Luca Girella

11 Architectural signposts: datable ashlar style at Middle Minoan III Kommos in south-central Crete 137
Joseph Shaw

12 Transitional Middle Minoan III–Late Minoan IA pottery at Kommos revisited 145

Philip P. Betancourt
vi CONTENTS

13 Exhuming an excavation: preliminary notes on the use of the Kamilari tholos tomb in 149
Middle Minoan III
Luca Girella

Part III: East Crete

14 Early Middle Minoan III: stratigraphical evidence vs stylistic analysis 161

Veit Stürmer

15 The Syme Sanctuary at the transition from the Protopalatial to the Early Neopalatial Periods: 169
the evidence of the pottery
Kostis Christakis

16 Where has Middle Minoan III gone? A lack at Myrtos–Pyrgos — and elsewhere? What does it mean? 179
Gerald Cadogan

17 Defining Middle Minoan IIIA and IIIB at Palaikastro 183

Carl Knappett and Tim Cunningham

18 Middle Minoan III: a ‘gap’ or a ‘missing link’ in the history of the Minoan site of Zakros? 197
Lefteris Platon and Eleni Gerontakou

Part IV: Wider perspectives

19 Middle Minoan III beyond Crete: the evidence from Thera 213
Irene Nikolakopoulou

20 Absolute Middle Minoan III — the bigger picture: early Neopalatial Crete’s relations with 221
the ancient Orient in the mid-second millennium BC
J. Alexander MacGillivray

Index 225
List of participants 227
 vii

Abbreviations

GENERAL
BA Bronze Age H Helladic
C Cycladic M Minoan
E/M/L Early / Middle / Late PG Protogeometric
FN Final Neolithic

D. diameter cm centimetre(s)
Ht height kg kilogramme(s)
HM Herakleion Museum SM Stratigraphical Museum (Knossos)
HMs Herakleion Museum seals ↑ height
m metre(s)

JOURNALS AND SERIES

AA Archäologischer Anzeiger
AAA Arcaiologikav anavlekta ex Aqhnwvn. Athens Annals of Archaeology
AD Arcaiologikovn Deltivon
AJA American Journal of Archaeology
Aegaeum Annales d’archéologie égéenne de l’Université de Liège
ASAtene Annuario della Scuola archeologica di Atene e delle Missioni italiane in Oriente
AthMitt Mitteilungen des Deutschen Archäologischen Instituts, Athenische Abteilung
AR Archaeological Reports
BAR–BS British Archaeological Reports — British Series
BAR–IS British Archaeological Reports — International Series
BCH Bulletin de correspondance hellénique
BICS Bulletin of the Institute of Classical Studies
BSA Annual of the British School at Athens
CMS Corpus der minoischen und mykenischen Siegel
Ergon To evrgon th~ En Aqhvnai~ Arcaiologikhv~ Etaireiva~
JAS Journal of Archaeological Science
JHS Journal of Hellenic Studies
JPR Journal of Prehistoric Religion
Kritiki Estia Krhtikhv Estiva
OJA Oxford Journal of Archaeology
PAE Praktikav th~ en Aqhvnai~ Arcaiologikhv~ Etaireiva~
PZ Praehistorische Zeitschrift
SIMA Studies in Mediterranean Archaeology
SMEA Studi micenei ed egeo-anatolici
SSAA Sheffield Studies in Aegean Archaeology

SHORT TITLES
ABAC P. M. Warren and V. Hankey, Aegean Bronze Age Chronology. Bristol 1989.
Archanes Y. Sakellarakis and E. Sakellarakis, Archanes. Minoan Crete in a New Light. Athens 1997.
Cretological 1 Pepragmevna tou A' Dieqnouv~ Krhtologikouv Sunedrivou, Hravkleion 22–28 Septembrivou 1961.
KChron 15–16 (1961–62).
Cretological 2 Pepragmevna tou B' Dieqnouv~ Krhtologikouv Sunedrivou, Caniav 11–17 Aprilivou. Athens 1968.
Cretological 3 Pepragmevna tou G' Dieqnouv~ Krhtologikouv Sunedrivou, Revqumnon 18–23 Septembrivou 1971.
Athens 1973.
viii ABBREVIATIONS

Cretological 4 Pepragmevna tou D' Dieqnouv~ Krhtologikouv Sunedrivou, Hravkleion 29 Augouvstou–3

Septembrivou. Athens 1980.
Cretological 5 Pepragmevna tou E' Dieqnouv~ Krhtologikouv Sunedrivou, Hravkleion 25 Septembrivou–1
Oktwbrivou 1981. Herakleion 1985.
Cretological 6 Pepragmevna tou ST' Dieqnouv~ Krhtologikouv Sunedrivou, Caniav 24–31 Augouvstou 1986.
Chania 1990.
Cretological 7 Pepragmevna tou Z' Dieqnouv~ Krhtologikouv Sunedrivou, Revqumnon 26–30 Augouvstou 1991.
Rethymnon 1995.
Cretological 8 Pepragmevna H' Dieqnouv~ Krhtologikouv Sunedrivou, Hravkleion 9–14 Septembrivou 1996.
Herakleion 2000.
Cretological 9 Pepragmevna Q' Dieqnouv~ Krhtologikouv Sunedrivou, Elouvnta 1–6 Oktwbrivou 2001. Herakleion
2006.
Cretological 10 Pepragmevna I' Dieqnouv~ Krhtologikouv Sunedrivou, Caniav 1–8 Oktwbrivou 2006. Chania 2011.
Cretological 11 Pepragmevna K' Dieqnouv~ Krhtologikouv Sunedrivou, Revqumnon 21–27 Oktwbrivou 2011
(forthcoming).
Festòs CM I D. Levi, Festòs e la civiltà minoica, I. Rome 1976.
Festòs CM II.1 D. Levi, Festòs e la civiltà minoica, II, Fasc. 1. Rome 1981.
Festòs CM II.2 D. Levi and F. Carinci, Festòs e la civiltà minoica.II, Fasc. 2. Rome 1988.
Festòs PM I L. Pernier, Il Palazzo Minoico di Festòs, I. Rome 1935.
Festòs PM II L. Pernier and L. Banti, Il Palazzo di Festòs, II. Rome 1951.
Intermezzo C. Macdonald and C. Knappett (eds.), Intermezzo: Intermediacy and Regeneration in MM III
Palatial Crete. BSA Studies 21. London 2013.
Knossos MUM M. R. Popham, The Minoan Unexplored Mansion at Knossos. BSA Suppl. Vol. 17. London 1984.
Knossos POP J. A. MacGillivray, Knossos: Pottery Groups of the Old Palace Period. BSA Studies 5. London
1998.
Knossos Pottery I N. Momigliano (ed.), Knossos Pottery Handbook: Neolithic and Bronze Age (Minoan). BSA Studies
14. London 2007.
Kommos I.1 J. W. and M. C. Shaw (eds.), Kommos I, Part 1: The Kommos Region, Ecology and Minoan
Industries. Princeton 1995.
Kommos I.2 J. W. and M. C. Shaw (eds.), Kommos I, Part 2: The Minoan Hilltop and Hillside Houses. Princeton
1996.
Kommos II P. P. Betancourt, Kommos II. The Final Neolithic through Middle Minoan III Pottery. Princeton 1990.
Kommos III L. V. Watrous, Kommos III. The Late Bronze Age Pottery. Princeton 1992.
Kommos V J. W. and M. C. Shaw (eds.), Kommos, Vol. V. Princeton 2006.
Kommos Kiln J. W. Shaw, A. Van de Moortel, P. M. Day and V. Kilikoglou, 2001. A LM IA Ceramic Kiln in South-
Central Crete: Function and Pottery Production. Hesperia Suppl. 30. Princeton.
KPCS G. Cadogan, E. Hatzaki and A. Vasilakis (eds.), Knossos: Palace, City, State. BSA Studies 12.
London 2004.
Meletemata P. P. Betancourt, V. Karageorghis, R. Laffineur and W.-D. Niemeier (eds.), MELETEMATA. Studies
in Aegean Archaeology presented to Malcolm H. Wiener as he enters his 65th year. Aegaeum 20.
Liège and Austin 1999.
Mesohelladika A. Philippa-Touchais, G. Touchais, S. Voutsaki and J. Wright (eds.), Mesohelladika: la Grèce
continentale au Bronze Moyen. BCH Suppl. 52. Athens.
MH Pot & Sync F. Felten, W. Gauss and R. Smetana (eds.), Middle Helladic Pottery and Synchronisms. Vienna 2007.
Minoan Pottery P. P. Betancourt, The History of Minoan Pottery. Princeton 1985.
Minoan Villa R. Hägg (ed.), The Function of the ‘Minoan Villa’. Stockholm 1998.
Minotaur D. Evely, I. S. Lemos and S. Sherratt (eds.), Minotaur and Centaur: Studies in the Archaeology of
Crete and Euboea presented to Mervyn Popham. BAR–IS 638. Oxford 1996.
Monuments J. Driessen, I. Schoep and R. Laffineur (eds.), Monuments of Minos: Rethinking the Minoan
Palaces. Aegaeum 23. Liège and Austin 2002.
MSV P. Warren, Minoan Stone Vases. Cambridge 1969.
PK Wells J. A. MacGillivray, L. H. Sackett and J. M. Driessen, Palaikastro: Two Late Minoan Wells. BSA
Suppl. Vol. 43. London 2007.
PM I–IV A. J. Evans, The Palace of Minos at Knossos. London 1921–35.
TAW III D. A. Hardy and A. C. Renfrew (eds.), Thera and the Aegean World III. London 1990.
Troubled Island J. M. Driessen and C. F. Macdonald, The Troubled Island. Minoan Crete before and after the
Santorini Eruption. Aegaeum 17. Liège and Austin 1997.
 ix

List of figures

Map of Crete and the southern Aegean indicating principal sites discussed in the texts. facing p. 1.

1.1 Detail of the schematic plan of part of the East Slope of the palace at Knossos (adapted from 10
PM II, Plan B).
1.2 Olive Press Room: shapes (HC = handleless cups). 12
1.3 Room of Stone Pier, Box 1229: shapes (HC = handleless cups). 13
1.4 Room of Stone Pier, Box 1230: shapes (HC = handleless cups). 13
1.5 Pit East of the School Room: shapes (HC = handleless cups). 13
1.6 Handleless cups: typology. 14
1.7 Olive Press Room: handleless cups, types. 15
1.8 Pit East of the School Room: handleless cups, types. 15
1.9 Room of Stone Pier, Box 1229: handleless cups, types. 16
1.10 Room of Stone Pier, Box 1230: handleless cups, types. 16
1.11 Olive Press Room: wares. 17
1.12 Olive Press Room: dark-on-light motifs. 17
1.13 Olive Press Room: white-on-dark motifs. 17
1.14 Pit East of the School Room: dark-on-light motifs. 17

2.1 Plan of the Southwest Houses including S.V and S.VII, and part of S.V. The location of 22
MM IIIA deposits in S.V 4.1 and .2 and in S.VII 4 are shown.
2.2 Pottery from the lower level of S.V 4.2. 23
2.3 Pottery from the upper level of S.V 4.2. 24
2.4 Pottery from S.V 4.1 stratified beneath LM I. 25
2.5 View from the E of the test under a LM II schist slab floor in S.VII 4. 26
2.6 Pottery from the MM IIIA levels in S.VII 4. 27

3.1 Knossos. Location of Vlachakis Plot. 32

3.2 Vlachakis Plot excavation plan (G. Rethemiotakis). 33
3.3 Pottery from Trench A levels 5–7 and Baulk II levels 5–7 (drawings E. Warren and S. Grice). 34
3.4 Pottery from Baulk II levels 5–7, Trench A level 4, baulk II levels 4 and 5 (drawings E. Warren 35
and S. Grice).

4.1 Knossos KS 178, Trench 1: Bronze Age and Hellenistic levels. Photo by Colin Macdonald. 38
4.2 Vessels from the KS 178 stone built compartment deposit mended by Popham: dark-on-light 38
lustrous ware in-and-out bowl (Knossian); light-on-dark pitharaki (Mesara import); jug with
Linear A inscription (import?). Photo by Colin Macdonald.
4.3 KS 178 Group (MM IIIB): wares in fine buff fabric. 40
4.4 Two examples of different types of ripple, from the KS 178 stone built compartment deposit. 41
Photo by Colin Macdonald.
4.5 Dark-on-light lustrous with added white Vapheio cups (SM Pots 2059 and 2060) from the 41
N. E. Magazines showing ripple achieved through the application of two closely paired and
consecutively applied vertical wavy lines. Photo by Colin Macdonald.

5.1 Plan of the Mavro Spelio necropolis, in black the MM tombs (adapted from Forsdyke 49
1926–27, fig. 1).
5.2 a) Plan of Tomb VI with the niches A–C (after Forsdyke 1926–27, fig. 14); b) plan of Tomb E 49
at Kythera (after Coldstream and Huxley 1972, fig. 73).
5.3 Plan of MS Tomb IX: in circle the area of the closed context of room E (adapted from Forsdyke 50
1926–27, fig. 19).
5.4 Grave goods from MS Tomb IX, room E: a, d) after Forsdyke 1926–27, figs. 20 and 39; k) a later 52
re-use vase.
5.5 Pottery set from Gypsades Tomb XVIII (after Hood et al. 1958–59, fig. 31). 53
x LIST OF FIGURES

6.1 Tombs with definite MM III use in the Knossos valley (approximate Protopalatial settlement 60
limits derived from Whitelaw 2000, 224 fig. 1). For tomb codes see TABLE 6.1.
6.2 Definite and possible MM III tombs in the Knossos valley (approximate Protopalatial 62
settlement limits derived from Whitelaw 2000, 224 fig. 1). For tomb codes see TABLES 6.2–6.4.
6.3 Burial chamber of Upper Gypsades Tomb XVIII (adapted from Hood et al. 1959, 222 fig. 22). 65
Courtesy of the British School at Athens.
6.4 Surface ceramic vessels found in the fill or vicinity of Upper Gypsades Tomb XVIII (adapted from 65
Hood et al. 1959, 254 fig. 31 and 259 fig. 36). Courtesy of the British School at Athens.
6.5 View from the northwest showing the Ailias slope overlooking the Minoan palace (taken 68
1902–04). Courtesy of the A. J. Evans Archive, Ashmolean Museum, University of Oxford.

7.1 Topographical plan of the Mt Juktas temenos and the Alonaki complex, by M. Polydakis. 72
7.2 Simplifed plan of the Alonaki complex showing the two building phases. 73
7.3 Plan and view of the Alonaki complex from the S. 73
7.4 View of the MM III Alonaki complex from the S. 74
7.5 MM III Alonaki complex, the NE staircase from the S. 74
7.6 MM III Alonaki complex, isometric plan by K. Nowicki. 75
7.7 MM III Alonaki complex, hypothetical reconstructions, seen from the N and interior of N section. 75
7.8 View of the MM III Alonaki complex from the W. 76
7.9 Stratigraphy of the N side. 76
7.10 Detail of Room 2 noting the findspot of the cups, ‘vase stand’ (*) and floor plaster fragments 78
(dotted area).
7.11 Serpentinite pedestal lamp. 78
7.12 Two sealstones found in Room 2: a) bearing an ‘architectural’ design; b) decorated in the 78
‘talismanic’ style.
7.13 Built hearth. 78
7.14 Fragments of pithoi. 79
7.15 Destruction layer against the N wall of the paved courtyard. 79
7.16 Fill of Room 2. 80
7.17 Upper layer of fallen plaster. 80
7.18 Lower layer of fallen plaster. 81
7.19 Pottery percentages. 82
7.20 Cup percentages. 82
7.21 Painted pottery. 83
7.22 Painted pottery. 83
7.23 a) Rim sherd of a painted jug with appliqué mould-made decoration depicting agrimi in a cave; 83
b) drawing by Danae Kondopodi.
7.24 Various types of handleless cup. 84
7.25 Single-handled straight-sided cups with or without ridges. 84
7.26 Handled cups with slight carination. 86
7.27 Saucers. 86
7.28 Cooking vessels. 87
7.29 Two-handled painted amphorae and stamnoi. 87
7.30 Chalices, pedestal cup and tumbler. 88
7.31 Deposit of earlier pottery. 88
7.32 Deposit of earlier pottery. 89

8.1 The town of Galatas (drawing by P. Stephanaki). 94

8.2 Shallow conical cups, saucers, and ledge-rim bowls from the MM IIIA deposits (scale 1:2). 95
8.3 Bell-shaped and conical cups from the MM IIIA deposits (scale 1:2). 96
8.4 Straight-sided cups from the MM IIIA deposits (scale 1:2). 97
8.5 Rounded cups from MM IIIA–LM IA pit deposits (scale 1:2). 98
8.6 A jug from a MM IIIA deposit in the East Wing of the Palace (scale 1:3). 98
8.7 Bridge-spouted jars from the MM IIIA deposits (scale 1:3). 98
8.8 Fragments of bowls from the MM IIIA deposits (scale 1:4). 99
8.9 Ledge-rim cups from the MM IIIB deposits (scale 1:2). 100
8.10 Conical cups from the MM IIIB deposits (scale 1:2). 100
8.11 Bell-shaped and hemispherical cups from the MM IIIB deposits (scale 1:2). 101
8.12 Bridge-spouted jar from a MM IIIB deposit in the area of Building 1 (scale 1:4). 101
8.13 Partly preserved amphoras from MM IIIB deposits (scale 1:3). 101
8.14 Jugs from a foundation deposit in the East Wing of the Palace (scale 1:3). 102
8.15 Bowls and plates from the cooking area (scale 1:4). 103
 LIST OF FIGURES xi

9.1 Remains of Building CIV, abutting the so-called Bastione Ovest (on the left); in the foreground 108
the paving slabs of the West Court (Piazzale I). From the southeast.
9.2 Reconstruction of the plan of Building CIV, with indication of the walking level in the 109
neighbouring area.
9.3 General axonometric reconstruction of the West Court (Piazzale I) with Building CIV 109
(digital version by E. Sangregorio).
9.4 House South of the Ramp. E–W section with indication of the different foundation deposits 110
(B. Salmeri, adapted).
9.5 House South of the Ramp. Pottery decorated with thick spiral patterns: a, b = F.4835; 111
c, g = F. 4964; d = 5207 c; e = 4830; f = F. 4837 (from Festòs CM I).
9.6 House South of the Ramp. Pithoi with rope patterns in Room LXXXIX. From the northeast. 111
9.7 Schematic plan of the MM IIIA architectural remains (coloured in black) along the west 112
side of Central Court XXXIII–40 (Room XLV–22, row of columns, Corridor III/7, Room 25,
lustral basin XLIV–38) (adapted from Festòs CM I).
9.8 The partition wall between Court 48 and Room 47. From the east. 113
9.9 Room XXXVII–88: general view with the wall now delimiting its southern side. At the western 113
side the walled passage to the small annex. From the northeast.
9.10 Stairway XXXI–6: on the east side the scanty remains of the retaining wall and its foundation 113
trench cut in the bedrock. From the south.
9.11 Plan of the NE corner of West Court (Piazzale I): rear wall of the Theatre area and Stairway 115
XXXI–6 during the MM IIIA period (coloured in black) (adapted from Festòs PM I).
9.12 Section of the N side of West Court (Piazzale I), with perspective view of the Stairway 115
XXXI–6 and the rear wall of the Theatre (from Festòs PM I).
9.13 Detail of the tiers of the Theatre with its rear wall, restored during MM IIIA. From the southeast. 115
9.14 Reworking of the schematic plan of the area NE of the Palace, with MM IIIA structures 116
coloured in black (from Festòs PM I).
9.15 a) Amphora and b) jug found in association with the Disc (a: neg. SAIA C/3101; b: from 117
Guidotti, Lo Schiavo and Pierobon Benoit 2007).
9.16 General plan of the Palace area with indication of MM IIIA structures coloured in black (adapted 119
from Festòs CM I).

10.1 Plan of Ayia Triada indicating the MM III ceramic deposits (Plan of E. Stefani, B. Salmeri 124
and D. Tanasi with additions by the author).
10.2 Plan of the trenches below Corridor 74 and Avancorpo Orientale, indicating the pottery deposit 124
by the arrows, and the N–S wall on its south (adapted from La Rosa 1977, 300, 304, 307, figs. 2,
9a, 10–12).
10.3 Section and pottery from Context 7 (Below Room P): a–d) MM IIIB mendable and handleless 126
cups from levels 25–26; e–l) MM IIIA vessels from levels 28–29 (adapted from La Rosa 2006,
839, 851–2, 855–6, figs. 23c, 69, 72, 75, 91–92, 94, 96–98, 104, 108).
10.4 Selection of MM IIIA and MM IIIB handleless cups. MM IIIA: a–b) from context 2; c) from context 3; 129
d–g) from context 4; h–l) from context 5. MM IIIB: m–ee) from context 5 (drawings by the author).
10.5 Pottery from Context 6 (photo author). 130
10.6 MM IIIA pottery from the NE sector of Ayia Triada (drawings by G. Merlatti). 131
10.7 MM IIIB pottery from the NE sector of Ayia Triada (drawings by G. Fatuzzo, G. Merlatti). 133

11.1 Plan of MM III Building T at Kommos. (Giuliana Bianco). 138

11.2 Section of the E ashlar wall base of Building T. (Giuliana Bianco). 139
11.3 The North Stoa of Building T, restored. (Giuliana Bianco). 139
11.4 View looking SW at a section of the northern orthostat-based wall of Building T, with Maria C. Shaw. 139
11.5 Sections/elevations of the NW orthostat wall of Building T, looking south. 140
11.6 The E ashlar façade wall of Building T5. (Giuliana Bianco). 140
11.7 Building T, plan of area T 5. (Giuliana Bianco). 141
11.8 Phaistos Palace, northernmost section of Protopalatial orthostat façade wall where it steps up, 141
looking northeast.
11.9 Stairway within Building T, Room 5. (Giuliana Bianco). 141
11.10 Gamma and T-shaped bases in Building T, Room 5. 142
11.11 Ashlar blocks used with wooden supports to strengthen ‘spine’ wall of stairway within Building T, 142
Room 5. (Giuliana Bianco).

12.1 MM IIIA (a–b) and MM IIIB (c–d) conical cups. a) Kommos, Building T, Room 25a (after Rutter 147
2006, pl. 3.27, no. 5a/5); b) Knossos, SMK M.IV.6 (after Hood 1996, fig. 1, no. 8); c) Kommos,
Building T, Room 25a (after Rutter 2006, pl. 3.27, no. 5a/7); d) Knossos, F.II.5, below threshold
of door between Room of the Tall Pithos and Temple Repositories (after Hood 1996, fig. 1, no. 16).
xii LIST OF FIGURES

12.2 Conical cups from Kommos, Central Hillside, Room 48 (after Betancourt 1990: fig. 99, 147
nos. 1961 and 1962, fig. 97, no. 1900).
12.3 Rhyton, from Kommos, Central Hillside, Room CH 48, no. C 4235 (after Betancourt 1990, 147
fig. 54, no. 1358).

13.1 View of the Grigori Koryphi with the tholos below the arrow, from the summit of the hill facing it, 150
Milona Lakkos (photograph by the author).
13.2 View of the Milona Lakkos hill with the tholos below the arrow, from the summit of the hill 150
facing it, Grigori Koryphi (photograph by the author).
13.3 View of the surviving wall of the Milona Lakkos tholos tomb (photograph by the author). 151
13.4 Aerial view of the Grigori Koryphi tholos tomb (Myres, Myres and Cadogan 1992, 113). 151
13.5 Plan of the Grigori Koryphi tholos tomb (adapted from Festòs CM I, plan OO). 151
13.6 Selection of handleless cups from the Grigori Koryphi tholos tomb (photograph by the author). 153
13.7 Selection of straight-sided cups from the Grigori Koryphi tholos tomb (Herakleion 153
Archaeological Museum. Photographs by the author).
13.8 Monochrome and light-on-dark handleless and straight-sided cups from the Grigori Koryphi tholos 155
tomb (drawings by G. Merlatti).
13.9 Selection of bridge-spouted jars and pitharakia from the Grigori Koryphi tholos tomb 155
(Herakleion Archaeological Museum. Photographs by the author).
13.10 Percentages of handleless cups in the tholos and its annexes by periods (drawing by the author). 157

14.1 Inv. no. 83 P 247, 2. 5. Drawing by M. Schumacher after N. Sigalas. 162

14.2 Inv. no. N 988/1039. Drawing by N. Sigalas. 162
14.3 Inv. no. 83 P 1654. Drawing by M. Schumacher. 162
14.4 a–c: Inv. nos. 83 P 1648; 1649; 1651. Drawings by M. Schumacher after N. Sigalas. 162
14.5 Inv. nos. 90 P 4541a and b. Drawings by M. Schumacher and N. Sigalas. 164
14.6 Inv. no. P 68/2. Drawing by M. Schumacher after N. Sigalas. 164
14.7 a–b: Inv. nos. P 68/7 and 68/8. Drawings by M. Schumacher. 164
14.8 Inv. nos. P 68/9 and P 68/10. Drawings by M. Schumacher after N. Sigalas. 165
14.9 Inv. no. 68 P 209. Drawing by M. Schumacher after N. Sigalas. 165
14.10 Inv. no. 68 P 210. Drawing by M. Schumacher after N. Sigalas. 165
14.11 a–c: Inv. nos. 68 P 212a–c. Drawings by M. Schumacher and N. Sigalas. 165
14.12 Inv. no. P 92–4. Drawing by N. Sigalas. 166

15.1 Tumblers from the destruction deposits of Building V (scale 1:2). 170
15.2 Pottery from the Pediada (scale 1:2). 170
15.3 Pithoi with incised potter’s marks (scale 1:4). 171
15.4 The Building U: the first architectural phase (Courtesy of Nikos Zarifis). 172
15.5 Carinated cups from Building U (scale 1:2). 173
15.6 Ledged-rim cups from Building U (scale 1:2). 173
15.7 Straight-sided cups from Building U (scale 1:2). 174
15.8 Bell-shaped cups from Building U (scale 1:2). 175
15.9 Bowls from Building U (scale 1:2). 175
15.10 Ledged-rim cups from Building Ub (scale 1:2). 175
15.11 Five of the ten cups found in the Trial Test of the Processional Road (scale 1:2). 176
15.12 Conical cups from Building Ub (scale 1:2). 176

17.1 Plan showing location of Block M in Roussolakkos settlement. 184

17.2 NW Building of Block M. 186
17.3 Section in Room 45. 187
17.4 Plan showing location of MM IIIA contexts in Block M. 188
17.5 Section through Rooms 4–8, showing MM IIIA and IIIB stratification. 189
17.6 MM IIIA ledge-rim bowls. 190
17.7 MM IIIA tall conical cups. 190
17.8 MM IIIA white-on-dark straight-sided cups. 190
17.9 MM IIIA ripple straight-sided cups. 190
17.10 MM IIIA eggshell Kamares cup. 191
17.11 MM IIIA bowl with ripple and featherwave. 191
17.12 MM IIIA bridge-spouted jug. 191
17.13 Plan showing location of MM IIIB contexts in Block M. 192
17.14 MM IIIB ledge-rim bowls. 193
17.15 MM IIIB tall conical cups. 193
17.16 MM IIIB straight-sided cup. 193
17.17 MM IIIB petaloid loops on bridge-spouted jar. 193
 LIST OF FIGURES xiii

18.1 Slender amphora from the Building to the North of the Harbour Road, Zakros. 198
18.2 Rounded cup from the Building of the East Sector decorated with tendrils in the light-on-dark style. 198
18.3 Zakros: Building of the East Sector. Rounded cups from Room Delta (D). 198
18.4 Zakros: Building of the East Sector. Decorated straight-sided cups. 198
18.5 Zakros: Building of the East Sector. Handleless conical cups from Room Delta (D). 200
18.6 Zakros: Building of the East Sector. Bowls with out-turned rim from Room Delta (D). 200
18.7 Zakros: Building of the NW Sector. Vessels decorated with tendrils in the dark-on-light style. 201
18.8 Zakros: Building of the NW Sector. Bowl with a ledge rim from the eastern part of the building. 201
18.9 Zakros: Building of the NW Sector. Pseudo-carinated cup. 201
18.10 Zakros: Building of the NW Sector. Two-handled conical bowl with dark paint around the rim 201
created by dipping.
18.11 Zakros: Building of the NW Sector. ‘In-and-out bowls’ decorated with tortoise shell ripple. 202
18.12 Zakros: Building of the NW Sector. Sherds decorated with spiral and floral motifs (not to scale). 202
18.13 Zakros: Building of the East Sector. Architectural drawing showing Room Mu (M), with two 203
architectural phases.
18.14 Zakros: Building of the East Sector. Decorated bridge-spouted jars from Room Mu (M). 203
18.15 Zakros: Building of the East Sector. Bridge-spouted jar from Room Mu (M). 203
18.16 Zakros: Building of the East Sector. Beak-mouthed jug decorated with the tortoise-shell ripple 203
motif, from Room Mu (M).
18.17 Zakros: Building of the East Sector. Hemispherical cups with everted rim and the ripple motif,
from Room Mu (M).
18.18 Zakros: Building of the East Sector. Shallow bowls from Room Eta (H) (not to scale). 205
18.19 Zakros: Building of the East Sector. Shallow bowl with a prominent wide rim, decorated with 205
zones of ripple.
18.20 Zakros: architectural plan of Building Nu (N) on the NW hill, with Room 5 marked. 206
18.21 Zakros: Building Nu (N) on the NW hill. Straight-sided cups together with a ledge-rim bowl 207
from Room 5.
18.22 Zakros: Building Nu (N) on the NW hill. Straight-sided cup with white spots on a red slip. 207
18.23 Zakros: Building Nu (N). Carinated cup from the assemblage of Room 5. 207
18.24 Zakros: Building Nu (N), Room 5. Scoop equipped with a handle in its interior. 207
18.25 Zakros: architectural plan of Building Epsilon (E) of the SW hill, with Room B marked. 208
18.26 Zakros: Building Epsilon (E). Stamnos with vertical handles from Room B. 208
18.27 Zakros: Building Epsilon (E). Amphora from Room B. 208
18.28 Zakros: Building Epsilon (E). Jug with a baggy body and ‘white on dark’ bands from Room B. 209
18.29 Zakros: Building Epsilon (E), Room B. One-handled conical cup. 209
18.30 Zakros: Building Epsilon (E), Room B. Pseudo-carinated cup. 209
18.31 Zakros: Building Epsilon (E). Amphoriskos with an ovoid body and ripple decoration from Room B. 210
18.32 Zakros: Building Epsilon (E), Room B. Bridge-spouted jar. 210
18.33 Zakros: Building Epsilon (E). Juglet from Room B. 210
18.34 Zakros: Building Epsilon (E), Room B. The lower part of a closed vessel decorated with 210
ripple and another, curvilinear, motif.
18.35 Zakros: Building Epsilon (E). Amphora from Room B. 210
 List of tables

4.1 KS 178 Group (MM IIIB) buff fabrics according to ware. 39

6.1 Tombs with certain MM III use. 58

6.2 Tombs with possible MM III use. 61
6.3 MM III deposits of a possibly mortuary nature. 63
6.4 Possible tombs less than 200 m from known MM III burials. 64

10.1 MM IIIA and IIIB ceramic deposits at Ayia Triada. 127

10.2 MM IIIA wares from ceramic deposits at Ayia Triada. 128
10.3 MM IIIB wares from ceramic deposits at Ayia Triada. 132
 Abstracts/Perilhvyei~
1 Carl Knappett, Iro Mathioudaki and Colin F.
Macdonald
Stratigraphy and ceramic typology in the Middle Minoan
III palace at Knossos
We discuss a number of pottery deposits chiefly from the
east slope of the palace. They appear to represent two phases
of MM IIIA, and one of MM IIIB. The wider project seeks
to integrate these ceramics into their stratigraphic and
architectural contexts in order to understand more fully the
nature of the transition between the First and Second Palace.
It appears that there was no single destruction and rebuilding
of the palace in MM IIB–III. Rather, several destructive
episodes were met with reorganisation of terraces for new
structures, not least the East Hall built above the MM IIB
and early MM IIIA deposits of the Loomweight Basement
and the Olive Press Room. Massive ashlar terrace walls with
distinctive mason’s marks are the most monumental features
of phases of unparalleled architectural elegance as the Second
or New Palace gradually took shape.
Strwmatografiva kai kerameikhv tupologiva sto
Mesominwikov III anavktoro th~ Knwsouv
Edwv diapragmateuovmaste evnan ariqmov kerameikwvn
apoqetwvn apov thn anatolikhv ptevruga tou anaktovrou,
pou ekproswpouvn duvo favsei~ th~ MM IIIA kai mia th~
MM IIIB. H parouv s a melev t h ev c ei w~ stov c o thn
enswmavtwsh th~ kerameikhv~ sto strwmatografikov kai
arcitektonikov th~ plaivsio kai thn plhvrh katanovhsh
tou carakthvro~ th~ metavbash~ apov to prwvto sto
deuvtero anavktoro. Faivnetai pw~ den uphvrxe mia movno
katastrofhv kai anoikodovmhsh tou anaktovrou sth MM
IIB–III, allav diav f ora epeisov d ia katastrofwv n
scetivzontai me thn anadiamovrfwsh twn analhmmavtwn
gia ti~ neve~ kataskeuev~, metaxuv avllwn th~ Anatolikhv~
Aivqousa~ pou kataskeuavsthke pavnw apov ton MM IIB
kai prwv i mo MM IIIA apoqev t h tou Upogeiv o u twn
Ufantikwv n Barwv n kai tou Elaiopiesthriv o u,
antivstoica. Megavloi laxeutoiv analhmmatikoiv toivcoi
me diagnwstikav shmeiva keramevw~ sugkatalevgontai sta
plevon mnhmeiwvdh carakthristikav favsewn aparavmillh~
arcitektonikhv~ komyovthta~ kaqwv~ diamorfwvnetai
stadiakav to deuvtero hv Nevo Anavktoro.
2 Colin F. Macdonald
Between Protopalatial houses and Neopalatial mansions:
an ‘intermezzo’ southwest of the Palace at Knossos
This paper presents Middle Minoan III pottery deposits from
the area of the Southwest Houses. They were found in a
restricted area representing three phases of MM III separated
by two burnt destructions (early and late IIIA, and IIIB).
Although the sequence is only apparent in a restricted area,
it appears that the modest houses on terraces of MM II(A)
were replaced by larger structures in MM IIIA, in which
proper ashlar masonry was used for the first time outside
the palace. By MM IIIB, more monumental buildings had
been erected on larger terraces. The sequence mirrors that
of the adjacent palace, yet the absence of MM IIB pottery
deposits remains problematic.
Anav m esa se Prwtoanaktorikev ~ oikiv e ~ kai
Neoanaktorikev ~ epauv l ei~: ev n a ‘intermezzo’
notiodutikav tou anaktovrou th~ Knwsouv
To keivmeno autov parousiavzei MM III kerameikouv~
apoqevte~ apov thn periochv twn Notio-Dutikwvn oikiwvn.
Brev q hkan se periorismev n h periochv , sthn opoiv a
ekproswpouv n tai trei~ MM III fav s ei~ pou
diacwriv z ontai apov duv o katastrofev ~ purkagiav ~
(prwvimh kai uvsterh IIIA kai IIIB). An kai h akolouqiva
eivnai emfanhv~ movno sth periorismevnh authv periochv,
faivnetai pw~ oi tapeinev~ oikive~ twn analhmmavtwn th~
MM II(A) antikatasthv q hkan apov megaluv t ere~
kthriakev ~ monav d e~ sth MM IIIA, sti~ opoiv e ~
crhsimopoihvqhke laxeuthv toicodomiva gia prwvth forav
ektov ~ tou anaktov r ou. Sth MM IIIB perissov t era
mnhmeiakav kthv r ia anegev r qhkan se euruv t era
analhvmmata. H akolouqiva scetivzetai me antivstoice~
sto kontinov anavktoro, parovlo pou h apousiva MM IIB
apoqetwvn kerameikhv~ paramevnei problhmatikhv.
3 Peter Warren
Middle Minoan III pottery from the town of Knossos:
The Vlachakis Plot
Excavation in 1993 and 1995 of a Minoan building on the
Vlachakis Plot south of the Little Palace at Knossos produced
a rich stratum of MM IIIA pottery on and above the floor. It
was destruction material which had fallen into or, after
clearing-up, had been deposited into two narrow passages.
Three shapes dominate: monochrome cups with straight
sloping side, plain or ribbed/ridged; on them white-spotted
decoration, most frequently on the interior, is commonest;
carinated bowls and cups; small shallow bowls with (usually
prominent) everted rim on which is black paint. Above this
level came a thin one datable to mid-MM III and above this
a thicker stratum of the MM IIIB–LM IA Transition.
Mesominwikhv III kerameikhv apov thn pov l h th~
Knwsouv: To oikovpedo tou Blacavkh
Oi anaskafev ~ tou 1993 kai 1995 enov ~ minwikouv
ktivsmato~ sto oikovpedo Blacavkh novtia tou Mikrouv
Anaktovrou th~ Knwsouv apevdwsan evna plouvsio strwvma
MM IIIA kerameikhv~ pavnw apov davpedo. Provkeitai gia
strwvma katastrofhv~ pou evpese apov pavnw hv proevkuye
apov kaqarismouv ~ , to ulikov apov tou~ opoiv o u~
topoqethvqhke se duvo stenav dromavkia. Kuriarcouvn triva
xvi ABSTRACTS/PERILHYEIS
schvmata: monovcrwma kuvpella me euqeva toicwvmata, aplav
hv baqmidwtav kai diakovsmhsh leukwvn koukivdwn, sunhvqw~
sto eswterikov tou~, skuvfoi kai kuvpella me tropivdwsh
kai mikroiv abaqeiv~ skuvfoi me evntona evxw neuvon ceivlo~
bammevno me melanov crwvma. Pavnw apov to strwvma autov
brevqhke evna leptovtero pou cronologeivtai sto mevson
th~ MM III kai akribwv~ apov pavnw tou evna pacuvtero
strwvma th~ metabatikhv~ MM IIIB–UM IA periovdou.
4 Eleni Hatzaki
The end of an intermezzo at Knossos: ceramic wares,
deposits, and architecture in a social context
This paper discusses the ‘KS 178’ stone-built compartment
deposit within the context of contemporary ceramic
assemblages and associated architecture from the town, but
also in juxtaposition to material from the palace and
cemeteries of Knossos, with the aim of exploring the social
significance of Knossian ware groups during the early
Neopalatial period. It is proposed that MM III is a period of
considerable social mobility expressed in the plethora of
ceramic wares produced and consumed in the town but not
the palace at Knossos, implying that different social
dynamics were at work in the latter.
To tevlo~ enov~ intermezzo sthn Knwsov: kerameikoiv
tuvpoi, apoqevte~ kai arcitektonikhv sto koinwnikov
tou~ plaivsio
H parouvsa anakoivnwsh diapragmateuvetai ton apoqevth
KS 178 liqovktistou sunovlou se scevsh me suvgcrona
kerameikav suvnola kai thn arcitektonikhv th~ povlh~,
allav kai se antiparavqesh me ulikov apov to anavktoro
kai ta nekrotafeiv a th~ Knwsouv , me stov c o thn
diereuvnhsh th~ koinwnikhv~ spoudaiovthta~ knwsiakwvn
kerameikwvn tuvpwn katav thn prwvimh Neoanaktorikhv
periv o do. H MM III probav l letai w~ mia periv o do~
shmantikhv~ kinhtikovthta~, h opoiva ekfravzetai sthn
plhqwv r a kerameikwv n tuv p wn, pou parav g ontai kai
katanalwvnontai sthn povlh, allav ovci sto anavktoro th~
Knwsouv , gegonov ~ pou ekfrav z ei thn uv p arxh
diaforetikwvn koinwnikwvn sunistwswvn.
5 Lucia Alberti
Middle Minoan III burial customs at Knossos: a
pianissimo intermezzo?
The main aim of this paper is to examine the small
amount of evidence for funerary practises in MM III at
Knossos. The paper focuses on the Mavro Spelio necropolis,
for which the closed assemblage of tomb IX, chamber E,
known for the gold ring with the Linear A inscription and
for a very early dog interment, is analysed and compared
with other contemporary burial contexts. The pottery sets
identified are suggestive of food offerings left inside the
tombs or used for symposia rituals performed by the
participants at the funeral.
Mesominwikhv III tafikav evqima sthn Knwsov: evna
pianissimo intermezzo?
H parouv s a anakoiv n wsh exetav z ei ta elav c ista
stoiceiva pou evcoume sth diavqeshv ma~ gia ti~ tafikev~
praktikev~ sth MM III Knwsov. To endiafevron ma~
epikentrwvnetai sth nekrovpolh tou Maurosphvliou
kai kurivw~ sto kleistov suvnolo tou tavfou IC, tou
qalav m ou E, gnwstouv apov thn euv r esh crusouv
daktulidiouv me epigrafhv th~ Grammikhv~ kai mia~
prwvimh~ tafhv~ kunov~, to opoivo analuvetai peraitevrw
kai sugkrivnetai me avlla suvgcrona tafikav suvnola. Ta
suvnola kerameikhv~ dhlwvnoun thn uvparxh prosforwvn
faghtouv , pou afev q hkan entov ~ twn tav f wn hv
crhsimopoiouvntan se teletourgikav sumpovsia pou
evlaban cwvra katav thn tafhv.
6 Laura Preston
The Middle Minoan III funerary landscape at Knossos
MM III Knossos was remarkable on Crete not only for the
vast scale of its urban settlement and the ‘palace’ complex
which dominated it, but also in the composition of its
mortuary landscape. This study examines the funerary
evidence so far recovered from the Knossos valley and the
adjacent harbour site to the north, at modern Poros. It
considers how representative our data are, and analyses the
configuration of the mortuary landscape, the nature of
funerary rituals (and their archaeological recovery), and
social identities which were emphasised by the living through
the disposal of the dead.
To Mesominwikov III tafikov topivo th~ Knwsouv
H Mesominwikhv III Knwsov~ eivnai monadikhv sthn Krhvth
ovci movno gia ton megavlh~ klivmaka~ astikov oikismov kai
to ‘anaktorikov’ sugkrovthma th~ pou kuriarcouvn, allav
epivsh~ gia th suvnqesh tou tafikouv th~ topivou. H
anakoivnwsh authv exetavzei ta tafikav dedomevna pou
evcoun mevcri stigmhv~ proevlqei apov thn koilavda th~
Knwsouv kai to plhsievstero limavni th~ sta bovreia, ton
suvgcrono Povro. Ereunavtai katav povso ta stoiceiva pou
evcoume sth diavqeshv ma~ eivnai antiproswpeutikav kai
analuvetai h suvnqesh tou tafikouv topivou, h fuvsh twn
tafikwv n teletourgiwv n (kai h arcaiologikhv tou~
anasuv n qesh) kai oi koinwnikev ~ tautov t hte~ ov p w~
diamorfwvnontai apov tou~ zwvnte~ mevsw th~ apovqesh~
twn nekrwvn tou~.
7 Alexandra Karetsou
The Middle Minoan III building at Alonaki, Juktas
Standing on the leeward plateau just under the summit of
Psili Korfi, the MM III building lies 730 m asl, and 50 m
distant from the north entrance of the cyclopean wall around
the sanctuary. The building, covering an area of 354 sq. m,
of which three quarters have been excavated, consists of three
units: a) the paved courtyard connecting to the interior paved
area; b) the rooms of the west side; c) the north section of
the storerooms. The building was constructed in MM IIIA
and destroyed at the end of MM IIIB, when it was abandoned.
The Alonaki installation is particularly interesting due to its
position, its function and its evident relationship to
Anemospilia, to which it is connected by a MM III cobbled
path. It also provides highly significant information on the
quality, use and production of MM IIIA–B pottery,
permitting correlations with workshops of the Pediada
district and Phaistos.
To Mesominwikov III ktivrio sto Alwnavki tou Giouvcta
Sto uphvnemo plavtwma pou schmativzetai amevsw~ metav
thn katwfevreia th~ Yhlhv~ Korfhv~, to MM III ktivrio
brivsketai se uyovmetro 730 m., se apovstash 50 m. apov
 ABSTRACTS/PERILHYEIS
th boreiva eivsodo tou kuklwvpeiou peribovlou pou orivzei
to tev m eno~. To ktiv r io, embadouv 354 tm., ev c ei
apokalufqeiv katav ta ¾ kai apoteleivtai apov: a)
Plakovstrwth aulhv pou epikoinwneiv me eswterikov
epivsh~ plakovstrwto cwvro, b) ta dwmavtia th~ dutikhv~
pleurav~, g) to bovreio tmhvma twn apoqhkwvn. To ktivrio
oikodomhv q hke sth MM IIIA kai katastrav f hke
sto tev l o~ th~ MM IIIB periov d ou, opov t e kai
egkataleivfqhke. H egkatavstash sto Alwnavki evcei
idiaivtero endiafevron gia th qevsh th~, th leitourgiva
kai thn profanhv scevsh me ta Anemovsphlia, me ta opoiva
sundev e tai me liqov s trwto monopav t i th~ MM III
periovdou. Divnei epivsh~ shmantikovtate~ plhroforive~
gia thn poiovthta, th crhvsh kai thn paragwghv MM IIIA–
B keramikhv ~ , epitrev p onta~ suscetismouv ~ me
ergasthvria th~ eparciva~ Pediavdo~ kai th~ Faistouv.
8 Giorgos Rethemiotakis and Kostis Christakis
The Middle Minoan III period at Galatas: pottery and
historical implications
The present paper discusses MM III pottery from Galatas.
The clear stratigraphical sequence of the site combined
with its systematic and documented investigation provide
valuable information on the determination of chronological
differentiation and contribute significantly to the under-
standing of ceramic production in the area of north-central
Crete. Discussion shows that MM III was a period of
unprecedented prosperity for Galatas, as comes out by the
establishment of the palace, the seat of the political group,
which controlled affairs in the Pediada, and the expansion
and flourishing of the settlement.
H Mesominwikhv III periv o do sthn Galatav : H
kermaeikhv kai ti~ istorikev~ sunevpeie~
To paron avqro pragmateuvetai th MM III keramikhv apov
ton Galatav. H kaqarhv strwmatografikhv akolouqiva tou
cwv r ou, se sunduasmov me th susthmatikhv kai
tekmhriwmevnh evreunav tou, ma~ parevcoun poluvtime~
plhroforive~ gia ton kaqorismov th~ cronologikhv~
diaforopoivhsh~ kai suneisfevroun shmantikav sthn
katanovhsh th~ keramikhv~ paragwghv~. H suzhvthsh
deivcnei ovti h MM III hvtan mia perivodo~ prwtofanouv~
euhmeriva~ gia ton Galatav, ovpw~ katafaivnetai apov thn
ivdrush tou anaktovrou, evdra th~ politikhv~ omavda~ h
opoiva hvlegce ta pravgmata sthn Pediavda, kaqwv~ kai
apov thn epevktash kai thn avnqish tou oikismouv.
9 Filippo Carinci and Vicenzo La Rosa
A new Middle Minoan IIIA ceremonial building and the
so-called ‘New Era’at Phaistos.
In the context of a re-examination of the evidence of previous
excavations at Phaistos, analysis of the evidence related to
area of the so-called ‘Bastione Ovest’ has enabled us to
identify a MM IIIA building and to place it in the general
context of the period. At Phaistos, we can demonstrate a
perceivable reaction to the seismic disaster of MM IIB, in the
reconstruction of buildings at certain strategic points outside
of the Palace area, and even more so in tracing the main lines
of a new plan for the rebuilding of the Palace itself, which
modified the previous arrangement, but demonstrated a full
knowledge of the building history of the complex. We can
safely say that a MM IIIA palace did exist at Phaistos.
xvii
E
v na nevo Mesominwikov IIIA teletourgikov kthvrio kai
h legovmenh ‘Neva Epochv’ th~ Faistouv
Sto plaiv s io th~ epanexev t ash~ ulikouv palaiwv n
anaskafwvn th~ Faistouv, h anavlush dedomevnwn pou
proevrcontai apov ton legovmeno ‘Dutikov Promacwvna’
katevsthse dunathv thn tauvtish enov~ MM IIIA ktivsmato~
kai thn topoqevthshv tou sto euruvtero plaivsio th~
periovdou. Sth Faistov h antivdrash sth seismikhv
katastrofhv th~ MM IIB dhlwvnetai me thn kataskeuhv
ktismavtwn se strathgikav shmeiva ektov~ th~ periochv~
tou anaktov r ou kai akov m h perissov t ero me thn
anazhvthsh nevwn grammwvn sthn epanoikodovmhsh tou
ivdiou tou anaktovrou, me diaforetikov plavno apov to
prohgouvmeno, fanerwvnonta~ thn plhvrh gnwvsh th~
istoriv a ~ anoikodov m hsh~ tou sugkrothv m ato~.
Mporouvme plevon na pouvme me asfavleia ovti uphvrxe evna
MM IIIA anavktoro sth Faistov.
10 Luca Girella
Evidence for a Middle Minoan III occupation at Ayia
Triada
The paper examines the composition and chronology of
MM III contexts at Ayia Triada. Select parts of the ceramic
record are presented with the following aims in mind:
first, to provide evidence for dating architectural events;
second, to enlarge the scanty publication record for the
MM III ceramic sequence at Ayia Triada; third, to present
stratified groups of material to support the division of
MM III into two sub-phases. From this analysis the author
suggests that Ayia Triada be seen as a ‘centre in
transformation’, since it moved from being a Phaistian
satellite to an independent site emerging as the main
administrative centre of south central Crete.
Stoiceiva gia thn Mesominwikhv III katoivkhsh sthn
Ag. Triavda
To parovn keivmeno exetavzei th suvnqesh kai cronolovghsh
MM III sunovlwn th~ Ag. Triavda~. Parousiavzontai
epilegmevne~ kerameikev~ sunavfeie~ me stovco: prwvton,
thn parochv stoiceivwn cronolovghsh~ arcitektonikwvn
sumbavntwn· deuvteron, thn auvxhsh twn dhmosieumevnwn
deigmavtwn th~ MM III kerameikhv~ akolouqiva~ th~ Ag.
Triavda~· trivton, thn parousivash strwmatografhmevnwn
omavdwn pou uposthrivzoun ton diacwrismov th~ MM III
se trei~ favsei~. Apov thn anavlush tou gravfonto~
prokuvptei pw~ h Ag. Triavda prevpei na eidwqeiv w~
‘kev n tro metaschmatismouv ’ , kaqwv ~ o rov l o~ th~
diaforopoieivtai kai, apov dorufovro~ th~ Faistouv,
givnetai mia anexavrthth qevsh kai anaduvetai sto kuvrio
dioikhtikov kevntro th~ novtia~ kentrikhv~ Krhvth~.
11 Joseph Shaw
Architectural signposts: datable ashlar style at Middle
Minoan III Kommos in south-central Crete
Our growing understanding of the time of appearance, shapes
and positioning of Minoan ashlar forms is beginning to
provide evidence for dating Minoan architectural styles. In
the text, taking Building T at Kommos as an example,
architectural details (coursed ashlar, pier and door partition
bases, stairway ‘spine’ construction) are introduced as
criteria, along with the ceramic evidence, for fixing a
building’s relative chronology.
xviii ABSTRACTS/PERILHYEIS
Arcitektonikev~ pinakivde~: cronologhvsimh laxeuthv
toicodomiva ston Mesominwikov III Kommov sthn novtia-
kentrikhv Krhvth
Oi sunecwv~ auxanovmene~ gnwvsei~ ma~ gia thn perivodo
emfav n ish~, th morfhv kai th qev s h th~ Minwikhv ~
laxeuthv~ toicodomiva~ parevcoun plevon stoiceiva gia th
cronolovghsh Minwikwvn arcitektonikwvn tecnotropiwvn.
En prokeimevnw, lambavnonta~ to kthvrio T ston Kommov
w~ paravdeigma, oi arcitektonikev~ idiaiterovthte~
(laxeuthv toicodomiv a , poluv q ura, spondulwtov
klimakostavsio) eisavgontai w~ krithvria se sunduasmov
me ta kerameikav dedomevna gia thn diamovrfwsh th~
scetikhv~ cronolovghsh~ tou kthrivou.
12 Philip P. Betancourt
Transitional Middle Minoan III–Late Minoan IA pottery
at Kommos revisited
The deposits from the end of the MM period at Kommos are
clear in terms of their local stratigraphic sequence, but their
relation to the comparable strata at Knossos and other sites
has not been well understood in the past. The correlation
proposed here, which makes the sequence at Kommos
compatible with recent research at Ayia Triada and Phaistos
in south-central Crete and with Knossos and Anemospelia in
northern Crete, is that ‘MM III’ (Betancourt, in Kommos II)
should be called MM IIIA and both ‘Transitional MM III/
LM IA’ (Betancourt in Kommos II) and ‘Early LM IA’ (Van
der Moortel in A LM IA Ceramic Kiln in South-Central Crete)
should be called MM IIIB.
H metabatikhv Mesominwikhv III–Usterominwikhv IA
kerameikhv ston Kommov: mia epanexevtash
Ta kerameikav suvnola tou tevlou~ th~ Mesominwikhv~
periovdou ston Kommov eivnai safhv w~ pro~ thn topikhv
strwmatografikhv tou~ sunav f eia· oi scev s h tou~,
wstovso, me ta antivstoica strwvmata th~ Knwsouv kai
avllwn qevsewn den evcei akovmh katanohqeiv plhvrw~. Oi
antistoicive~ pou proteivnontai edwv, oi opoive~ kaqistouvn
sumbathv thn akolouqiva tou Kommouv me ta porivsmata
provsfatwn ereunwvn sthn Ag. Triavda kai th Faistov
sthn notio-kentrikhv Krhvth kai me thn Knwsov kai ta
Anemovsphlia sth bovreia Krhvth, sunoyivzontai sthn
tauvtish th~ ‘MM III’ (Betancourt, Kommos II) me thn MM
IIIA kai th~ ‘metabatikhv~ MM III/UM IA’ (Betancourt,
Kommos II) kai ‘prwvimh~ UM IA’ (Van der Moortel, A LM
IA Ceramic Kiln in South-Central Crete) me thn MM IIIB.
13 Luca Girella
Exhuming an excavation: preliminary notes on the use
of the Kamilari tholos tomb in Middle Minoan III
As part of the project to republish the Kamilari tholos tomb
cemetery, this paper offers a preliminary re-assessment of
MM III activity and use related to the main tholos, also
known as Grigori Koryphi. First, the paper discusses
morphological and decorative aspects of the main MM III
pottery shapes found in the tomb. Second, by relating vessel
shapes to specific areas of the tholos, it draws a clearer picture
of distribution of vessels and considers what ritual offerings
and activities were carried out. Finally, the evidence is set in
the crucial political landscape of the western Mesara region
during MM III, with reference to the collapse of the main
power centre (Phaistos) and the shift of power and
administrative activities to Ayia Triada.
H ektafhv mia~ anaskafhv ~ : Prokatarktikev ~
shmeiwvsei~ gia th crhvsh tou qolwtouv tavfou tou
Kamilarivou sth Mesominwikhv III
W~ mevro~ tou progravmmato~ epanadhmosiveush~ tou
nekrotafeivou tou Kamilarivou, h anakoivnwsh authv
apoteleiv prokatarktikhv axiolovghsh th~ MM III
drasthriovthta~ kai crhvsh~, h opoiva scetivzetai me ton
kuvrio qolwtov tavfo, gnwstov kai w~ Grhvgorh Korufhv.
Katav prwv t on, exetav z ontai morfologikev ~ kai
diakosmhtikev ~ parav m etroi twn kuv r iwn MM III
kerameikwvn schmavtwn pou brevqhkan ston tavfo. Katav
deuvteron, o suscetismov~ schmavtwn me sugkekrimevna
shmeiva tou tavfou, probavlei mia safevsterh eikovna th~
dianomhv~ twn aggeivwn kai kaqorivzei ti~ teletourgikev~
prosforev~ kai ti~ drasthriovthte~ pou elavmbanan
cwvra. Telikwv~, ta dedomevna orivzoun to politikov topivo
th~ periochv~ th~ dutikhv~ Mesarav~ katav th MM III se
scevsh me thn katavrreush tou kuvriou kevntrou duvnamh~
(Faistov~) kai thn allaghv th~ dioikhtikhv~ qevsh~ th~
Ag. Triavda~.
14 Veit Stürmer
Early Middle Minoan III: stratigraphical evidence vs
stylistic analysis
The paper presents the stratigraphical evidence of early MM
III especially at Malia and compares this material with other
post-seismic (MM IIB) ceramics in Crete. The end of the
old Palace at Malia was caused by a very strong earthquake.
The destruction layer, full of red and white plaster and MM
II pottery, is preserved in several places under the succeeding
palace building and can be securely dated to MM IIB when
an earthquake struck town (e.g. Quartier Mu) and palace
alike. The first ‘New Palace’ changed not only the whole
ground plan by reducing the building in the North but also
the different floor-levels of the earlier rooms as well as the
levels and shape of the central Court. The first ‘post-seismic’
material in this new MM III building is here used as the
starting point for a definition of early MM III and as evidence
for the stylistic development of pottery at Malia from MM
IIB to early MM III.
Prwv i mh Mesominwikhv III: Strwmatografikav
dedomevna vs tecnotropikhv~ anavlush~
Edwv parousiavzontai ta strwmatografikav dedomevna
th~ prwv i mh~ MM III kuriv w ~ apov ta Mav l ia kai
sugkrivnetai to ulikov autov me avlla meta-seismikav (MM
IIB) kerameikav dedomevna th~ Krhvth~. To tevlo~ tou
palaiouv anaktovrou sta Mavlia proklhvqhke apov iscurov
seismov. To strwvma katastrofhv~, gemavto me eruqrov kai
leukov konivama kai MM II kerameikhv, diathreivtai se
diavfora shmeiva kavtw apov to uperkeivmeno anaktorikov
kthvrio kai mporeiv me asfavleia na cronologhqeiv sth
MM IIB, ovtan evna~ seismov~ ctuvphse thn povlh (bl.
Quartier Mu) kai to anavktoro. To prwvto ‘Nevo Anavktoro’
den avllaxe movno olovklhrh thn kavtoyh meiwvnonta~ thn
kthriakhv monavda sta bovreia, allav kai ta diaforetikav
epivpeda dapedwvn twn prwimovterwn dwmativwn kaqwv~ kai
ta epivpeda kai to schvma th~ kentrikhv~ aulhv~. To prwvto
‘meta-seismikov ’ ulikov tou nev o u MM III kthriv o u
crhsimopoieivtai edwv w~ efalthvrio gia ton orismov th~
prwvimh~ MM III kai w~ stoiceivo morfologikhv~ exevlixh~
th~ kerameikhv~ twn Malivwn apov thn MM IIB sthn
prwvimh MM III.
 ABSTRACTS/PERILHYEIS
15 Kostis Christakis
The Syme Sanctuary at the transition from the
Protopalatial to the Early Neopalatial Period: the
evidence of the pottery
This paper refers to some of the results of the ongoing study
on pottery from the Syme sanctuary. The discussion does not
focus on the workshop topic, that is, the MM IIIA and MM
IIIB pottery, since the study of the MM IIIB ceramic assem-
blages is still in progress. On the contrary, it concentrates on
the transition from the MM IIB to the MM IIIA period. This
transition marks significant changes in the architectural
history of the site. The MM III period is a period of changes
and surging dynamism, marking the transition from simpler
to more complex expressions of religious ideology.
To ierov th~ Suvmh~ katav thn metavbash apov thn
Prwtoanaktorikhv evw~ thn prwvimh Neoanaktorikhv
perivodo: to tekmhvrio th~ keramikhv~.
To arqro anafev r etai se orismev n a apov ta
apotelevsmata th~ trevcousa~ melevth~ th~ keramikhv~
apov to ierov th~ Suvmh~. H suzhvthsh den estiavzetai toso
sto qevma th~ parousa~ episthmonikh~ sunathsh~,
dhladhv th MM IIIA kai MM IIIB keramikhv, kaqwv~ h
melevth twn MM IIIB keramikwvn omavdwn sunecivzetai.
Antivqeta, aforav sth metavbash apov th MM IIB sth MM
IIIA perivodo. H metavbash authv shmatodoteiv shmantikev~
metabolev~ sthn arcitektonikhv istoriva tou cwvrou. H
MM III perivodo~ eivnai perivodo~ allagwvn kai ormhtikouv
dunamismouv , shmatodotwv n ta~ th metav b ash apov
aplouv s tere~ se pio periv p loke~ ekfrav s ei~
qrhskeutikhv~ ideologiva~.
16 Gerald Cadogan
Where has Middle Minoan III gone? A lack at Myrtos–
Pyrgos — and elsewhere? What does it mean?
It is difficult, or rather impossible, to identify MM III deposits
at Myrtos–Pyrgos, as against the rich deposits of MM IIB
(Pyrgos III) and LM I (Pyrgos IV) and the public architecture
associated with them. One possible deposit of MM III is
discussed — and relegated to MM IIB. An abandonment, of
uncertain duration, is then most likely in MM III after the
destruction of the Pyrgos III settlement. Enough other
settlements in eastern Crete were likewise abandoned for a
time, or their activities reduced, to suggest a localised period
of abandonment, probably coupled with the collapse of
district administrative systems; but the picture is uneven.
The implications of this are explored.
Pou brivsketai h Mesominwikhv III; vEna kenov ston
Muvrto–Puvrgo — kai allouv; Ti shmaivnei autov;
Eivnai duvskolo, eavn ovci aduvnato, na tautivsoume MM III
apoqevte~ ston Muvrto–Puvrgo, en antiqevsei pro~ tou~
plouvsiou~ apoqevte~ th~ MM IIB (Puvrgo~ III) kai UM I
(Puv r go~ IV) kai th dhmov s ia arcitektonikhv pou
scetivzetai me autouv~. jEna~ piqanov~ apoqevth~ th~ MM
III suzhteivtai edwv — kai upobibavzetai en tevlei sthn
MM IIB. H amfibovlou diavrkeia~ egkatavleiyh tou
oikismouv eivnai idiaitevrw~ piqanhv sth MM III metav thn
katastrofhv tou oikismouv tou Puvrgou III. Arketoiv
av l loi oikismoiv sthn anatolikhv Krhv t h egkata-
leivpontai epivsh~ gia kavpoio cronikov diavsthma, hv
parousiav z oun meiwmev n h drasthriov t hta, wv s te na
upoqevtoume thn uvparxh mia~ periovdou egkatavleiyh~,
xix
se sunduasmov iv s w~ me thn katav r reush twn
perifereiakwvn dioikhtikwvn susthmavtwn· allav h eikovna
eivnai avnish. Oi epiptwvsei~ autev~ exetavzontai edwv.
17 Carl Knappett and Tim Cunningham
Defining Middle Minoan IIIA and IIIB at Palaikastro
This paper presents evidence for extensive MM III
occupation at the Minoan town site of Palaikastro in east
Crete. Two distinct phases can be defined, corresponding to
MM IIIA and IIIB in central Cretan terms. The evidence
consists of numerous stratified deposits associated with
architecture from ‘Block M’, excavated principally during
the 1990s. These deposits testify to considerable activity at
Palaikastro during MM III, when other sites in east Crete
appear to be experiencing uncertain times. Moreover, the
main building of Block M is a ‘Minoan Hall’, a central Cretan
type; this is constructed in MM IIIA, just when Knossos
appears to be exercising increasing regional power.
Oriv z onta~ th Mesominwikhv IIIA kai IIIB sto
Palaivkastro
Sthn parouvsa anakoivnwsh parevcontai stoiceiva gia
thn ektetamevnh MM III egkatavstash sth minwikhv povlh
tou Palaikavstrou sthn anatolikhv Krhvth. Mporouvn
na diagnwsqouv n duv o xecwristev ~ fav s ei~, pou
antapokrivnontai sth MM IIIA kai IIIB se minwikouv~
ovrou~. Ta stoiceiva diamorfwvnontai apov poluavriqmou~
strwmatografhmevnou~ apoqevte~, pou scetivzontai
me thn arcitektonikhv tou ‘Tetragwv n ou M’, pou
anaskavfqhke kurivw~ katav th dekaetiva tou 1990. Oi
apoqevte~ prodivdoun shmantikhv drasthriovthta sto
Palaivkastro katav th MM III, ovtan avlle~ qevsei~ th~
anatolikhv~ Krhvth~ bivwnan abevbaie~ stigmev~. Epiplevon,
to kuvrio ktivsma tou Tetragwvnou M apoteleiv ‘Minwikhv
Aivqousa’, evnan tuvpo th~ kentrikhv~ Krhvth~· autov
diamorfwvqhke sth MM IIIA, ovtan h Knwsov~ exaskouvse
ovlo kai auxanovmenh topikhv epirrohv.
18 Lefteris Platon and Eleni Gerontakou
Middle Minoan III: a ‘gap’ or a ‘missing link’ in the
history of the Minoan site of Zakros?
In the series of chronological phases represented in closed
contexts at Zakros, the MM III period so far remains absent,
despite the fact that some isolated pots, coming from
assemblages not yet studied, find parallels from other sites
attributed to this period. A basic problem regarding Zakros
is that it has not yet been possible to separate in stratigraphical
terms the end of MM III from the following LM IA phase.
An extensive ‘destruction horizon’ comprises features
attributed elsewhere to both these periods. In this paper, an
attempt is made to attribute some contexts, from both the
palace area and the settlement, to a chronological phase
which is to be located between the horizons called ‘Zakros
IV’ and ‘Zakros III’, the latter being the equivalent of the
MM II period.
Mesominwikhv III: evna «cavsma» hv evna~ ‘lanqavnwn
krivko~’ sthn istoriva th~ minwikhv~ egkatavstash~
sth Zavkro;
Sthn allhlouciv a twn cronologikwv n fav s ewn pou
antiproswpeuvontai apov «kleistav» suvnola sth Zavkro,
h «MMIII» mevcri shvmera apousiavzei, parav to gegonov~
ovti kavpoia kerameikav eurhvmata apov peribavllonta pou
xx ABSTRACTS/PERILHYEIS
den evcoun akovma melethqeiv, brivskoun paravllhla, apov
avlle~ qevsei~, ta opoiva evcoun apodoqeiv sthn perivodo
authv. Basikov provblhma gia th Zavkro eivnai ovti, mevcri
stigmhv ~ , den ev c ei giv n ei dunatov na diakriqeiv
strwmatografikav to tev l o~ th~ MMIII apov thn,
epovmenh, UMIA favsh. jEna~ ektetamevno~ «orivzonta~
katastrofhv~» perilambavnei suvnola me carakthri-
stikav pou se avlle~ qevsei~ apodivdontai sti~ duvo
parapav n w periov d ou~. Sth melev t h authv , giv n etai
apovpeira kavpoia kerameikav suvnola, proercovmena tovso
apov thn periochv tou anaktovrou ovso kai tou minwikouv
oikismouv, na apodoqouvn se miva cronologikhv baqmivda pou
brivsketai metaxuv tou proanaferqevnto~ orivzonta,
carakthrismevnou kai w~ ‘Zavkro~ IV’, kai th~ baqmivda~
‘Zavkro~ III’, h opoiva antiproswpeuvei th MM II perivodo.
19 Irene Nikolakopoulou
Middle Minoan III beyond Crete: the evidence from
Thera
An off-island perspective of the MM III period is certainly a
challenging task, since a twofold stratigraphical and ceramic
distinction is not so far clear for the final stage of the MBA
in most southern Aegean sites.
This contribution presents the related evidence from the
stratigraphical trenches excavated at Akrotiri, Thera, with a
view to highlighting specific points:
a) the stratigraphical sequence of the late MBA–early
LB I settlement as attested by ceramic deposits in the
site;
b) the ceramic evidence, with a particular emphasis on
the Cretan imports and their impact on the local pottery;
c) the related evidence from architecture and a limited
number of other types of material culture attested in
the end of the MC period in the settlement;
d) the broader picture in the southern Aegean.
H Mesominwikhv III perivodo~ ektov~ Krhvth~: ta
dedomevna apov th Qhvra
O prosdiorismov~ th~ MM III periovdou ektov~ Krhvth~
eivnai safwv~ evna duvskolo egceivrhma, kaqwv~ h dimerhv~
diavkrish me strwmatografikouv~ kai keramikouv~ ovrou~
den eivnai mevcri stigmhv~ xekavqarh gia to tevlo~ th~
Mevsh~ Epochv~ tou Calkouv sti~ perissovtere~ qevsei~
tou notivou Aigaivou.
H parouv s a anakoiv n wsh exetav z ei ta scetikav
arcaiologikav dedomevna apov ti~ strwmatografikev~
tomev~ pou anaskavfhkan sto Akrwthvri th~ Qhvra~ kai
estiavzei sta parakavtw shmeiva:
a) th strwmatografikhv akolouqiva th~ uvsterh~
MEC–prwv i mh~ UEC I ston oikismov , ov p w~
tekmhriwvnetai apov ta keramikav suvnola
b) th marturiva apov thn keramikhv, me evmfash sti~
eisagwgev~ apov thn Krhvth kai thn epivdrashv tou~
sthn egcwvria paragwghv
g) ti~ scetikev~ marturive~ apov thn arcitektonikhv kai
ton periorismevno ariqmov avllwn tuvpwn ulikouv
politismouv apov ton oikismov katav to tevlo~ th~ MK
periovdou
d) thn euruvterh eikovna pou diamorfwvnetai apov ta
dedomevna sto novtio Aigaivo.
20 J. Alexander MacGillivray
Absolute Middle Minoan III — the bigger picture: early
Neopalatial Crete’s relations with the ancient Orient in
the mid-second millennium BC
Crete’s Middle Minoan III period is a turbulent time in the
ancient world. The interval between the conflagrations at
the end of MM IIB and the seismic destructions at the end
of MM IIIB coincides with the rise and fall of Hammurabi’s
Babylonian empire, the rise and expansion of the Hittite Old
Kingdom and the collapse of central authority in Egypt. This
is the background for Knossos’s brief rise and influential
expansion in MM IIIA, which gives way to regionalism by
the end of MM IIIB
Apov l uth Mesominwikhv III — H euruv t erh
eikovna. Oi scevsei~ th~ prwvimh Neoanaktorikhv~
Krhvth~ me thn Anatolhv sto mevson th~ deuvterh~
cilietiva~ p.C.
H MM III perivodo~ sthn Krhvth eivnai mia taracwvdh~
perivodo~ tou arcaivou kovsmou. To diavsthma metaxuv twn
anaflevxewn tou tevlou~ th~ MM IIB kai twn seismikwvn
katastrofwvn tou tevlou~ th~ MM IIIB sumpivptei me
thn avnodo kai ptwvsh th~ Babulwniakhv~ autokratoriva~
tou Camourampiv , thn av n odo kai epev k tash tou
Cettitikouv Palaiouv Basileivou kai thn katavrreush
th~ kentrikhv~ exousiva~ th~ Aiguvptou. Autov eivnai to
skhnikov th~ suvntomh~ anovdou th~ Knwsouv kai th~
epirrohv~ pou avskhse sth MM IIIA, h opoiva evdwse
th qevsh th~ sth dhmiourgiva mikrwvn perifereiwvn sto
tevlo~ th~ MM IIIB.

Preface
From the emergence of the first Cretan palaces and
states in the 20th century BC to their demise in the 15th
century BC, variations in material culture, both regional
and temporal, have been relatively well documented
in each period, apart from that which lies between the
Old and New Palace periods, Middle Minoan III. How
this ‘intermezzo’ should be defined, what happened
during it and how long it lasted were among the main
topics of discussion at a workshop held at Knossos over
three days, 3–5 July 2008. This was the first ever
conference to be held in the Villa Ariadne, formerly
the headquarters of Sir Arthur Evans.
The meeting was organised by Colin Macdonald,
Carl Knappett and Eleni Banou, all of whom have been
actively involved in the excavation and study of Middle
Minoan III material in different parts of Crete: Knossos,
Palaikastro and Pera Galenoi.1 We take this opportunity
to thank Eleni for her support. Invitations were sent
out to excavators whose task it was to decide who
should speak on this phase at the workshop. Not
everyone who was invited was able to devote enough
time to make a presentation and some decided not to
submit their paper for this volume. We hope that
publications elsewhere in the not too distant future will
fill the obvious geographical gaps in coverage. It was
a wonderful meeting in many ways, not least for the
fact that our Italian colleagues from Phaistos, the site
that so influenced Evans’s interpretation of the Old
Palace at Knossos, were able to stay in the Villa
throughout the conference, courtesy of the 23rd
Ephoreia of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities.
Not only do we extend our thanks to all speakers,
but also to Maria Bredaki, the then Director of the 23rd
Ephoreia, who allowed the workshop to take place
inside the Villa’s saloni, an ideal space for small-
scale meetings such as this. The workshop was
generously f inanced by grants from the British
Academy and INSTAP, and the equipment was lent by
the INSTAP East Cretan Study Center. The Curator
for the British School, Doniert Evely, and his staff
worked tirelessly to facilitate the running of the
workshop, and many of the residents at the Taverna
chipped in. Stavros Amanakis, the guardian of the
xxi
Villa, and his wife Dimitra, were both a great help
throughout the workshop.
As we write this preface, it is now more than
four years since the workshop. Many people submitted
their texts promptly and others were somewhat slower.
We thank Olga Krzyszkowska, Series Editor of BSA
Studies, for her help in preparing this volume and
Rayna Andrew for formatting the volume with her usual
skill. Despite any delays in submitting this volume, we
hope that everything is as up-to-date as necessary for
this workshop to fill a crucial gap in our understanding
of the development of palatial Crete. All papers have
benefitted from the crucial advice of the anonymous
reviewer whom we cannot thank enough. The character
of the Middle Minoan III period remains open for
some discussion in the future but its importance is
now much clearer.
At the time, we dedicated the workshop to Peter
Warren in his 70th year in recognition of his substantial
contributions to the archaeology of prehistoric Crete, not
least to the continuing discussions of the stratigraphy,
phasing and chronology of the early Neopalatial period.
This volume is published in his honour.
Colin Macdonald
Carl Knappett
Knossos, December 2012
1 Eleni Banou (fully occupied as head of the 3rd, and now the
2nd Ephoreia of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities) and
Eleni Tsivilika decided not to publish their paper on Pera
Galenoi but rather to wait until they have had the opportunity
to study further groups of material from this very important
site. A preliminary report has already been published: E. S.
Banou and E. Tsivilika, ‘Provincial Middle Minoan pottery:
the case of Pera Galenoi’, in M. Wiener et al. (eds.), Pottery
and Society: The Impact of Recent Sudies in Minoan Pottery.
Gold Medal Colloquium in Honor of Philip P. Betancourt.
AIA. Boston 2006: 95–118.
Map of Crete and the southern Aegean indicating principal sites discussed in the texts.
 2
Between Protopalatial houses and
Neopalatial mansions: an ‘intermezzo’
southwest of the palace at Knossos
Colin F. Macdonald
The dearth of MM IIB destruction deposits at Knossos
is a fact long established and little acknowledged. Were
such deposits to exist, they would mark a very
convenient line between the end of the Old Palace
period and the beginning of the New.1 Even relatively
recent excavations SW of the palace have failed to
produce any clear MM IIB levels.2 They have, however,
brought to light stratified deposits, both primary and
secondary, representing MM IB, MM IIA3 and two
phases of MM IIIA. In addition, these excavations
uncovered ashlar masonry belonging to MM IIIA,4 an
innovation that is one of several marking the transition
from modest houses on small terraces to early
mansions on larger ones.
MM IIA saw the occupation of several houses of
modest size on the terraces of the SW slope of the palace
hill (FIG. 2.1). A widespread destruction accompanied
by burning seems to have affected Knossos at the end
of the period.5 The approximate outline of the MM IIA
precursor of the Southwest House, that contained in one
room a deposit of horn cores and seal-making debris,
indicates that the area covered by one MM IIA house
(c. 126 m2) was much less than the ground area taken
up by the later, Southwest House proper (minimum of
300 m2, perhaps as much as 450 m2, not counting upper
storeys). Although we cannot yet provide an outline of
a complete MM IIIA house, it is clear that new terracing
of the SW slope of the hill allowed larger structures to
be erected by MM IIIA, a phenomenon directly
paralleled on the E slope of the palace.6 In urban terms,
the transformation of the modest ‘house’ into a larger
‘mansion’ is an important social phenomenon which
occurs at Knossos before the spread of so-called
‘palatial’ architectural features to smaller Cretan
settlements. Indeed, Knossian town dwellers at the start
of the 17th century BC may have shown how some
palatial architectural features, notably ashlar masonry,
could best be adapted to non-palatial settings.
The Southwest Houses pottery deposits (S.V, S.VI
and S.VII in Pendlebury’s nomenclature,7 FIG. 2.1) that
cover this period of urban transformation are five, with
four of these probably belonging to precisely the same
depositional act. In the N–S passage between areas S.V
and S.VII of the Southwest Houses two tests (S.V 4.1
and 4.2) were carried out from the ground level left
after Evans’s excavations, to the top of the Neolithic.8
Another test to the W (S.VII 4), divided from S.V 4.2
by a LM II wall, was made beneath LM II schist paving.
The sequences uncovered appear to be Neolithic, MM
IIA, MM IIIA, LM IB and LM II. In one instance, in
the N part of the test in S.V 4.2, the main MM IIIA
deposit overlay another secondary fill or dump
belonging to the same broad ceramic phase but
including a few features more typical of MM II.
Although none of the deposits is large, and few
complete vessels could be restored, their main
characteristics allow them to be placed earlier and later
in MM IIIA. The division of MM IIIA into two phases
is also apparent in some of the palace deposits
discussed in this volume.9
The earliest MM III material (FIG. 2.2) in S.V 4.2 N
was part of a dump of destruction debris, including
much charcoal, a little over 0.30 m deep, lying on
Neolithic strata (unexcavated). Plain, monochrome and
spatter or splash painted wares predominate, as in the
MM IIIA deposits of the palace. The unpainted
1 The Knossos Pottery Handbook (Knossos Pottery I) divided
MM III between two authors, thereby creating the impression
that MM IIIA is ‘Protopalatial’ and MM IIIB, the first phase
of ‘Neopalatial’. Matters are not as simple as this and many
will still prefer to see their MM IIIA as the beginning of
Neopalatial — not least the excavator of Galatas!
2 But see the discussion in Macdonald 2010.
3 Macdonald and Knappett 2007. In a review of that publication,
Warren 2009 rightly pointed out that the paucity of MM IIB
has not yet been satisfactorily explained.
4 See below Walls 20 of S.VII and 6 of S.V.
5 Knossos POP, 97–8; MacGillivray 2007, 122; Macdonald and
Knappett 2007, Deposit E.
6 Knappett, Mathioudaki and Macdonald 2013 (this volume
Chapter 1), 10–11.
7 Pendlebury 1933.
8 Supervised by Eleni Hatzaki.
9 Knappett, Mathioudaki and Macdonald 2013 (this volume
Chapter 1).
22 COLIN F. MACDONALD

Fig. 2.1. Plan of the Southwest Houses including S.V and S.VII, and part of S.V. The location of MM IIIA deposits
in S.V 4.1 and .2 and in S.VII 4 are shown.

handleless cup is the predominant shape10 including
the shallow, broad type often with marked rilling on
the interior (Type 1B: 187–188, 1218, Girella Type 3).
Several examples of a broader and deeper handleless
cup (Type 1A) may have a plain, ledge/sliced-off rim
(Type 1A: 1190, Girella 1 or 4) or an everted ledge
rim, angular (1187, Girella 5) or curved (1186, 1221,
Girella 5). A complete, tall handleless cup (Type 3A:
1209) seems confined to MM IIIA at Knossos, perhaps
more common early in the period.11 Fragments of
another two (Type 3B: 1205, 1192), one with spatter
on the exterior, may look back to a tall, bell-shaped
version from the Trial KV Group of MM IIB.12 There
is also a more conical handleless cup (Type 2A: 1188)
with rilling which is of a size and shape found in both
MM IIIA and MM III B deposits.
Of monochrome wares, there are few examples of
monochrome handleless cups (1185 with everted ledge
rim), one (1184) being more characteristic of the
preceding Trial KV–MM IIB phase.13 Interestingly,
there are two relatively complete tall carinated cups
(182, 1293) which differ from MM II examples in
having a very weak or light carination just below a
short rim; such carinated cups are found in early MM
IIIA in the palace (Olive Press Room).14 By chance,
10 I follow here the broad typology published in this volume by
Knappett, Mathioudaki and Macdonald. Where possible, I
have followed this with the south-central Cretan typology of
Girella 2010, 203–11, fig. 66.
11 Knappett, Mathioudaki and Macdonald 2013 (this volume
Chapter 1), 15; similar but not identical to Girella’s
‘semiovoide’ type 2: Girella 2010, 207, fig. 66.
12 Popham 1974, 186–7, fig. 6: 22.
13 Popham 1974, 186–7, fig. 6: 6–7.
14 Knappett, Mathioudaki and Macdonald 2013 (this volume
Chapter 1), 16.
 BETWEEN PROTOPALATIAL HOUSES AND NEOPALATIAL MANSIONS
Fig. 2.2. Pottery from the lower level of S.V 4.2.
monochrome straight-sided cups and deep hemi-
spherical cups are not common in this deposit (1212,
1196a). A monochrome miniature tripod vase (189)
resembles cruder unpainted examples from MM IIIA
palace deposits (Room of the Knobbed Pithos).15
In such a small deposit, it is not surprising that there
are almost no fine decorated wares. The bevelled base
of a light-on-dark ware straight-sided cup (1197) may
be MM IIB since the spiky foliate band has parallels
in MacGillivray’s so-called Spiral Band Style,16 and is
also found in Phase C at Akrotiri.17 Dark-on-light ware
occurs in the form of dark spatter on plain ware shapes
e.g. a handleless cup (Type 1B: 188) with distinctive
interior spattering in an orange-brown paint; however,
I think that this vase more properly belongs in the plain
ware category, as indicated above. Part of an amphora
with diagonal trickle decoration (1213), where dark slip
is allowed to trickle down from the shoulder while the
vase is tilted at 45°, is typical of this broad phase and
23
has parallels in early MM IIIA deposits in the palace.
An imported ‘Rhodian’ amphora fragment (1224) is a
fabric that is found in many Knossian MM IIIA
deposits, particularly from the east slope of the palace.18
Above this deposit was about 0.25 m of earth, plaster,
charcoal and ash with a number of restorable vases. It
looks as though destruction debris from one of the
houses was dumped in the later N–S passage. The
passage itself became the corridor-like space that we
see today when the House West of the Southwest House
15 Knappett, Macdonald and Mathioudaki in preparation.
16 MacGillivray 2007, 137–8, fig. 4.24.4.
17 Knappett and Nikolakopoulou 2008, 32 fig. 20.
18 Knappett, Mathioudaki and Macdonald 2013 (this volume
Chapter 1), 12–13; for definition of Rhodian fabrics, see
Hilditch et al. forthcoming.
24 COLIN F. MACDONALD

Fig. 2.3. Pottery from the upper level of S.V 4.2.

was constructed in LM II.19 Again, this was not a large
deposit but among plain, handleless cups with rilling
were two restorable vases of interest (FIG. 3.3: 1141,
1144). One was a large, conical, ledge-rim cup or bowl
with two opposing lugs; it is monochrome ware and
made of a soft sandy fabric more common for flaring
bowls of MM IB–II. The other is a dark-on-light
lustrous ware, fine straight-sided cup decorated in a
red-brown, very lustrous, tortoise-shell ripple with
added white subsidiary ornament.
This group was probably deposited at the same time
as material recovered from the S of the same test and
to the W, in the adjacent space excavated at part of
S.VII 4, the latter stratified beneath a LM II fill under
schist paving belonging to the house whose façade
formed the W side of the N–S passage (FIGS. 2.1 and
2.5). There is one join between the N and S deposits of
S.V 4.2, but none with that in S.VII 4.
Handleless cups predominate in the S.V 4.2 S
deposit, (FIG. 2.3) many with marked rilling on the
19 Macdonald 2011, 450.
 BETWEEN PROTOPALATIAL HOUSES AND NEOPALATIAL MANSIONS
Fig. 2.4. Pottery from S.V 4.1 stratified beneath LM I.
interior, some with ledge rims; most belong to the
broad type, both shallow (Type 1B: 1137a) and deep
(Type 1A: 1109, 1128), and to a crude version of the
more conical form, still with a ledge or cut-off rim
(1105, 173). There are no examples of the tall variety
found in the stratigraphically earlier deposit in the N
of the test. Straight-sided cups are the next most
common cup shape with three examples of the ridged
variety (1167), two of which have white spotted
decoration at the rim (1166, not illustrated) and base
(1165); one straight-sided cup is monochrome, and
almost complete apart from the handle (1164, not
illustrated). Other singletons include part of the neck
and rim of a ‘Rhodian’ amphora (1126, not illustrated),
part of a large, plain bowl with a broad, flat, everted
rim and spatter decoration (1172) and the neck and
lower body fragments of a large ewer decorated with
tortoise-shell ripple with added white and red ornament
(1174 — join with upper deposit in N of test S.V 4.2).
Lastly, substantial fragments of an oval-mouth
amphora, with dark-on-light vertical zone dividers
filled with crude, isolated foliates, the dividers
themselves sporting white grasses on either side
(1175). This is paralleled by two examples in the
Temple Repositories 20 which Evans, in turn, had
compared with an example from Phaistos of MM IIB.21
Our amphora is clearly from the same workshop as
those in the Temple Repositories implying, if the
S.V 4.2 upper deposit is later MM IIIA, an early date
of manufacture for some of the vases from the Temple
Repositories usually considered MM IIIB and later.22
A clear sequence was also uncovered, just outside
the doorway to the later LM II house of S.VII, in
S.V 4.1, a 2 m long by 1 m wide test. A series of whole
25
and fragmentary cups of LM I date — perhaps LM
IB23 — was stratified above a secondary deposit of MM
IIIA material. Complementary levels and pottery were
found on the W side of Wall 1 of S.VII in spaces A and
C.24 The absolute levels in S.V 4.1 indicate that the
MM III level belongs with those found further N in
S.V 4.2, roughly between ↑96.55 and 96.30; however,
some separating from the LM I above had to be done
on the strewing tables. Any hopes that this test would
help date the fine ashlar W façade of S.V, the Southwest
House proper, came to nothing because the five courses
of massive ashlar at this point stood on Neolithic levels
which had been cut into on the W in order to
accommodate structures of LM I, MM IIIA and,
perhaps even MM IIA. So the pottery discussed here
relates more to the history of S.VII and less to S.V
despite the nomenclature (S.V 4.1).
Of the clear MM IIIA material,25 (FIG. 2.4) plain
ware handleless cups were the most common, with
20 Best illustrated in Panagiotaki 1999, 140 fig. 35: 327, 330.
21 PM I 260, fig. 193.
22 For discussions of the date of the vases from the Temple
Repositories see PM I 463ff, and 556ff (MM IIIB);
Panagiotaki 1998 and 1999, 136–51 (LM IA); Macdonald
2002, 39–41 (MM IIIB) and 2003 (review of Panagiotaki
1999); Hatzaki 2007, 173 (LM IA).
23 Pots 175–178, pottery lot #230, equivalent of #212 (Pot 136)
in S.VII 1, Area C. All LM I stratified under LM II.
24 The main doorway was blocked in LM II when a series of
loomweights and conical cups were stratified. The small
spaces A and C had remains of LM I and MM IIIA floors
with some pots and small finds on them.
25 From pottery lots #230–231.
26 COLIN F. MACDONALD
Fig. 2.5. View from the E of the test under a LM II schist slab floor in S.VII 4.
marked interior rilling (FIG. 2.4). There was also a plain
S-profile handleless cup (1242), perhaps similar to
1205 above and to an example with splash or spatter
decoration published from the MM IIB group of Trial
KV.26 An unpainted miniature tripod vase (1246) is
also noteworthy. Of monochrome and light-on-dark
wares, there were a few examples of ridged, straight-
sided cups, one full profile being decorated at the rim
with fugitive white spots (1243a). One rounded or
hemispherical cup with everted rim is the only example
of the type and is decorated with a white wavy line
flanked by thin bands on a dark ground (1236). The
neck fragment of a ‘Rhodian’ amphora (1248) was the
only obvious import. This MM IIIA material was
stratified above a small deposit of MM IIA and a
Neolithic level. Although the depth of the deposit
indicates that it was laid down at the same time as the
later MM IIIA in S.V 4.2, there is not enough material
to support this on stylistic grounds.
The final deposit, that in S.VII 4, under LM II schist
paving, lay at the same depth as the adjacent MM IIIA
deposits in S.V 4.2, and up against the foundation
course and the first course of a wall (20) of finely
dressed blocks orientated NNE–SSW in contrast to the
N–S ‘palace orientation’ of the main Southwest House.
(FIG. 2.5) The stratigraphical position of the deposit
means that Wall 20 was built before the deposit was
laid down, providing a terminus ante quem for
construction here.
The pottery (FIG. 2.6) chiefly comprised various
kinds of cups, notably handleless cups, as well as a
few closed vessels (fragments of bridge-spouted jars
2024, 2002b and an amphora 2043). There were no
large storage vessels, but equal quantities of sherds
from monochrome and plain ware closed vessels of
small to medium size, and fewer sherds of dark-on-
light and light-on-dark ware closed vessels. Cooking
wares included a few tripod legs with a flattened ovoid
section. There were two examples of plates (2026,
2027, not illustrated) and one lower body fragment of
a Milesian amphora. The character of the deposit was
that of a secondary deposit or fill of burnt destruction
material, including burnt bone, charcoal and plaster,
derived from a house, presumably that with a modest,
ashlar façade in the form of Wall 20.
Among the plain or splash/spatter wares are two
handleless cups of a distinctive conical type (Type 2:
2010, 2030, 2050) resembling the profile of the
standard LM I conical cup, although 2010 is thicker in
section and has spatters of brown paint on the interior
like MM IIIA examples. Otherwise, the handleless cups
were of the broad, low types,27 — plain lipped, ledged
or everted rim (Type 1: 2042, 1991, 2040, 2013, 1993).
Linear decorated, dark-on-light wares included
examples of large ledge rim bowls, one conical and
linear decorated in dark-on-light (2039) and three more
26 Popham 1974, 186, fig. 6: 22.
27 As defined in Knappett, Mathioudaki and Macdonald 2013
(this volume Chapter 1), 14, FIG. 1.6.
BETWEEN PROTOPALATIAL HOUSES AND NEOPALATIAL MANSIONS 27

Fig. 2.6. Pottery from the MM IIIA levels in S.VII 4.

28 COLIN F. MACDONALD
rounded with a broader ledge (2008) and two lugs at
the rim (2038, 2055). 2006 is a monochrome example
of a rounded bowl with a distinctly everted rim. In all
bowl shapes, except the plain handleless cup, there is
a great deal of overlap between decorative modes i.e.
dark-on-light linear decorated, simple rim band and
monochrome. There were examples of conical bowls
with wide flat everted rims, 1990 being linear decorated
with a rim band inside and out, and another mono-
chrome (2009, not illustrated).
There is a single hemispherical cup (?) with a
straight rim decorated with lustrous dark-on-light
spirals of the ‘open centre’ variety so common in white
paint in MM IIIA (see 2043). Many might be tempted
to place 1984 in LM IA, yet its open centre spirals and
interior dark rim band on an already shaded mono-
chrome interior make it stand apart. The decoration of
other examples of dark-on-light lustrous ware is
confined to tortoise-shell ripple on a very fine, large
conical bowl with a red band added on top of the broad
dark rim band (1983), a conical cup (2002a) and an
in-and-out bowl (2002d).
Monochrome wares include the light-on-dark
spotted cups. There are some rim sherds of mono-
chrome straight-sided cups, two (1986, 1987 — not
illustrated) with successive rounded ridges and outward
curving rims; at least three appear to be from proper
ridged straight-sided cups (1988, 1989 and 2045). 2005
is a simple monochrome straight-sided cup of the kind
found in many MM III deposits.
Of a few pieces of more elaborate light-on-dark
decorative ware, a small amphora (2043) illustrates the
open spiral so typical of MM IIIA, and a cylindrical
bowl (2004: double wavy lines on the exterior and
double concentric semicircles pendent from the rim,
and white bands and a running quirk on the interior) is
without parallel but apparently locally made.
The S.VII 4 deposit also yielded two seals, one a
talismanic biconvex amygdaloid (SF 412) typical of
MM III, and the other a bone seal, oval divided into
two zones (SF 413).28 A context date of LM I–II was
given by me to the CMS team before the deposits were
studied. I can state unequivocally that they were found
in the MM IIIA level discussed here.
These five deposits — two stratified one above the
other — support a division of MM IIIA into earlier
and later, the former having close connections with
MM II (e.g. carinated cups). Later MM IIIA might be
considered MM IIIB or even MM IIIB/LM IA
transitional by many, particularly if they approach MM
III from a deep knowledge of LM I pottery, as opposed
to MM II. However, the differences between these
deposits and the KS 178 Group — Trench 1 in the Area
of the Hellenistic Kilns — discussed at this workshop
by Eleni Hatzaki, should be clear.29
The deposits are notable for having few reconstruct-
able pouring vessels or cooking pots. As one of the
editors of this volume, I have had the opportunity to
look at illustrations of the pottery published here by
other authors from different sites. However since the
Southwest Houses deposits are relatively small, I do
not intend to list many detailed similarities and
differences. A few points will suffice. Compared with
the Vlachakis plot material, it should be noted that plain
handleless cups comprise a higher percentage of the
assemblages from the area of the Southwest Houses
which, from that point of view, have more in common
with deposits from the palace. In addition, the
decorative elements used on cups do not allow our
deposits to be clearly aligned with those from the
Vlachakis plot; I could not even suggest that the earlier
and later deposits from the two excavations should be
synchronised. In particular, earlier MM IIIA from S.V
4.2 N is not obviously similar to the earlier MM IIIA
deposit in Warren’s paper. However, I would suggest
that the lowest deposit of S.V 4.2 N can be broadly
synchronised with the earlier MM IIIA deposits beneath
the Olive Press Room on the E slope of the palace on
the basis of handleless cups and the carinated cups.30
Interestingly, in a quest for synchronisms,
MacGillivray31 has suggested that his West and South
Polychrome Deposits Group (i.e. MM IIIA deposits)
were laid down at about the time of the earthquake
that hit Anemospilia creating large destruction
deposits there. While this could be true for some
deposits, when confronted with at least two MM IIIA
horizons at Knossos, it would be premature to suggest
precise synchronisms for MM IIIA levels at Knossos,
before full publication of the Anemospilia pottery,
particularly since there are substantial differences in
the character of different deposits, making statistical
comparisons open to criticism, and the use of ‘type-
fossils’ unconvincing.32
In terms of architectural development and the
stratigraphic sequences covering the transition from
the so-called Old to New Palace periods, the region of
the Southwest Houses is similar to the palace in that,
with the important exception of the Loomweight
Basement,33 there is little evidence for MM IIB. This
is not the case at the Stratigraphical Museum Extension
Excavations, nor at Trial KV, which has now given its
28 CMS V Suppl. 3 nos. 187 (SF 412) and 186 (SF 413). These
and other seals from MM IIIA contexts will be discussed by
J. Weingarten and me in the near future.
29 Hatzaki 2007, 160–72; 2013 (this volume Chapter 4).
30 Examples of MM IIIA lightly carinated cups are also found
in Phase C at Akrotiri, Thera: Knappett and Nikolakopoulou
2008, 20–1 figs. 10–11: 21.
31 MacGillivray 2007, 144–9.
32 The Southwest Houses are secondary deposits of destruction
material, not primary destruction deposits as at Anemospilia,
or at the Vlachakis plot and Acropolis Houses of Knossos.
The material from the latter would be worth re-examining.
33 PM I, 248–60.
 BETWEEN PROTOPALATIAL HOUSES AND NEOPALATIAL MANSIONS
name to this pottery group in the Knossos Pottery
Handbook.34 The palace, Royal Road basements and
Southwest Houses have yielded numerous floor
deposits and fills of MM IIA.35 As MacGillivray has
noted,36 MM IIB deposits are few and have chiefly been
identified in the town to the W of the palace. The
Southwest Houses may have evidence of some MM
IIB occupation,37 but like the palace, the next major
deposits and perhaps architecture, probably
representing activity punctuated by two successive
destructions, belong to MM IIIA. However, a gap in
occupation during MM IIB is hard to defend; Wall 20
of S.VII 4 and Wall 6 of S.V 6.2 and 7, perhaps a
forerunner of the longer N façade of the Southwest
House ( FIG . 2.1) both lie on MM IIA deposits,
indicating that they were built between the end of MM
IIA and MM IIIA.38 Both these walls were once
façades, it seems, and may represent the first attempt,
in MM IIIA if not a little earlier, to build houses that
were larger and more impressive than the earlier
structures of MM IIA. They were probably succeeded
in MM IIIB by the very large and impressive
independent houses or mansions to the W and E of the
N–S passage.39 If this scenario is correct, architecturally,
MM IIIA can be seen as the transition from MM IIA
to MM IIIB when the great independent houses succeed
buildings of intermediate size with some pretensions
at grandeur; ‘intermezzo’ could be a suitable term for
such a transition.
Looking beyond Knossos and treating the Southwest
Houses earlier and later MM IIIA deposits together,
there are both similarities and differences with the
pottery of southern Crete as we can now easily see from
the publication of a good deal of MM III pottery from
Phaistos and Ayia Triada;40 the similarities in handleless
cups (skutelia) are clear, although there is no absolute
correspondence. Interestingly, the linear decoration of
conical handleless bowls/cups (FIG. 2.6: 2038, 2039)
is unknown in the south. Some other shapes are well
paralleled, notably different kinds of straight-sided
cups41 and small amphoras like our 2043 of the deposit
in S.VII 4 (FIG. 2.6).42 Tortoise-shell ripple is not as
popular in the south as at Knossos in MM IIIA and IIIB.
It is interesting that no obvious Mesara imports can be
identified among the material from these deposits of
the Southwest Houses. This contrasts sharply both with
the earlier MM IB and MM IIA deposits already
published,43 and the material from KS 178, some of
which is discussed under the homonymous group in the
Knossos Pottery Handbook,44 as well as in this volume.
There is room to examine the intra-Cretan relations of
MM III Knossos in more detail through ceramics
analysis, yet the small deposits presented here do
reinforce some of the observations made concerning
material in the palace itself. Based on pottery, the
Mesara appears to take a back seat in MM IIIA where
Knossos is concerned, but this cannot be the whole story
given the impressive developments at Phaistos45 and at
29
Kommos46 at this time. The pottery indicates that there
was some kind of realignment of interests at Knossos
that is also reflected in the archaeological records of
islands such as Thera and Rhodes, as well as the Asia
Minor coast (Miletus and, less so perhaps, Iasos).47 At
the same time, the palace of Galatas is being built in
the Pediada plain, perhaps an indication of Knossian
interest immediately to the SE , if not territorial
expansion.48 The excavator suggests a strong Knossian
influence over this new palace in part based on the
adoption of north-central Cretan ceramic techno-
logies.49 Pottery will not solve all matters of economic
ties and political geography, yet it seems to be a useful
indicator of some of the mechanisms at work at the
beginning of the Neopalatial period.
REFERENCES
Betancourt, P., 2013. ‘ Transitional Middle Minoan III–Late
Minoan IA pottery at Kommos revisited’, in Intermezzo:
145–8.
Carinci, F., 2000. ‘La casa a sud della rampa e il Medio
Minoico III a Festòs’, in I cento anni dello scavo di
Festòs. Rome: 203–41.
Carinci, F., and V. La Rosa, 2013. ‘A new Middle Minoan
IIIA building and the so-called “New Era” at Phaistos’,
in Intermezzo: 107–21.
Catling, E. A., H. W. Catling and D. Smyth, 1979. ‘Knossos
1975: Middle Minoan III and Late Minoan I Houses
by the Acropolis’, BSA 74: 1–80.
Girella, L., 2001. ‘Alcune considerazioni in margine al MM
III: Archanes e Festòs’, Creta Antica 2: 57–69.
—— , 2007. ‘Toward a definition of the Middle Minoan III
ceramic sequence in south-central Crete: returning to
the traditional MM IIIA and IIIB division?’, in MH Pot
& Sync: 233–55.
34 Knossos Pottery I, 134–44.
35 Macdonald and Knappett 2007.
36 MacGillivray 2007, 134–5.
37 Macdonald 2010.
38 See Macdonald and Knappett 2007, plan 1 for the whole
length of Wall 6 which ran above MM IIA deposits in S.V
7.2, 7.1 and 6.2.
39 S.VII to the W and S.V to the E with S.VI as part of it on a
lower terrace.
40 Girella 2010.
41 Girella 2010, 214 ff. fig.71.
42 Girella 2010, 93–298, type 4 fig. 92.
43 Macdonald and Knappett 2007.
44 Hatzaki 2007; 2013 (this volume Chapter 4).
45 Discussed at length by Carinci and La Rosa 2013 (this volume
Chapter 9).
46 Shaw 2013 and Betancourt 2013 (this volume, Chapters 12
and 13, respectively).
47 Macdonald, Hallager and Niemeier 2009; Knappett and
Nikolakopoulou 2008.
48 Knappett 2011, 393 discusses some of these changes.
49 Rethemiotakis and Christakis 2013 (this volume Chapter 8).
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