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Summary: Diachronic research of social status differences in diet reveals a dynamic interplay of cultural, economic, and technological forces that have shaped the food choices of individuals across the past centuries. In this paper we focus on food and related practices at Palatial Knossos on Crete in the mid‐second millennium BC and review palaeodietary stable carbon and nitrogen isotope (δ13C and δ15N) data from two cemeteries to explore evidence for embodied social variation during the site's uncontested heyday in the Neo‐palatial Period (c.1700 to 1500 BC). We show that analysis by sex and tomb suggests no significant social differentiation in access to food resources. Instead, temporal trends reveal increased availability of animal protein during the Neo‐palatial period, aligning with Knossos' political and economic supremacy. We argue that the equitable living circumstances at Knossos during the Neo‐palatial period may have contributed to the absence of factional competition and social unrest, potentially explaining the site's continuity into Post‐palatial times despite widespread destructions elsewhere on Crete. Overall, the findings shed light on the complex interplay between diet, social structure, and historical context at Neo‐palatial Knossos. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: In the tradition of people's history, the following is a hypothetical reconstruction of the life of a textile worker from Final‐palatial Knossos (c.1375–1050 BC). This reconstruction is built upon a broad array of archaeological, philological, ceramic, ethnographic, palaeobotanical and osteological studies. Although hypothetical, this data‐based, multidisciplinary reconstruction is offered as one way to get at lived experience of the non‐elite, and specifically of women, something presently lacking in the field of Aegean Prehistory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Cement as a material used in the historical reconstructions of the Palace of Knossos. • Identification of the types of salts and crusts by WDXRF, XRD, FTIR and μ-Raman. • Formation of gypsum crusts and thenardite efflorescence resulting from the deterioration process of the cements. • Importance of material characterisation for the conservation of monuments. The Palace of Knossos, located on the island of Crete, Greece, is one of Europe's most important archaeological sites, serving as a testament to the Minoan civilization. Situated near the Mediterranean Sea, it is in close proximity to the seaport, airport, and industrial areas. Decay products commonly found in historical monuments within or near urban areas, such as black crusts and salt efflorescence, are also prevalent at the Palace of Knossos. To better understand the characteristics of the type of deterioration compounds found on cement in historical reconstruction zones, as well as their possible relationship with factors influencing the deterioration process, a multi-analytical approach was designed for the study of these materials. The results indicate that the black crusts primarily consist of gypsum and carbonaceous matter. However, the efflorescence salts are predominantly composed of thenardite instead of halite, despite the palace's proximity to the coastal area. These results may contribute to ongoing and future maintenance and preservation efforts for the monument. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article employs the labyrinth as an analytical and interpretive tool for thinking about Minoan architectural and especially palatial space with a particular focus on Knossos. Whether or not Minoan ruins inspired later Greek mythical narratives, Knossos can be examined as a kind of a labyrinth towards developing new perspectives on Knossos as an experienced environment and how it was entangled with broader cultural and cosmological ideas. A labyrinth perspective enables bringing together multiple spatial, material and cultural forms for the heuristic purposes of exploring palatial space in relation to how the environment and world were perceived in Minoan Crete. Knossos afforded participants a mystical experience that provided glimpses of, or openings into, different dimensions of a layered reality—the richness of the world extending beyond the readily perceivable surface of reality—in a literally and figuratively labyrinthine experienced palatial environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Knossos, Mycenae, Troy: The Enchanting Bronze Age and Its Tumultuous Climax" by Natale Barca is a book that provides a chronological account of the first Mediterranean civilizations, including the Minoans, Cycladics, Mycenaeans, and Trojans. The book consists of 25 short chapters that cover various topics such as the origins of the Minoans, the eruption of Thera, the influence of Minoans on the Aegean islands, the Mycenaean collapse, and the identification of Homeric Troy. While the book contains some up-to-date archaeological information, it also includes outdated views and uncritically accepts myths as historical sources. Additionally, the book lacks proper referencing, a bibliography, and illustrations, and has an unusual writing style. Overall, the book is not recommended due to its uneven content and lack of scholarly rigor. [Extracted from the article]

The inscription of the statuette from Knossos, Heraklion Archaeological Museum Λ 95, has proven over the years to be exceedingly difficult for the correct identification of its hieroglyphic signs. The signs vary widely in their quality of engraving, with some being so small and shallow that they cannot be recognized at all by traditional techniques, and the stone's surface shows evidence of 'staining' after many centuries of burial in the temperate soil. Furthermore, it appears that some signs were never actually completely engraved, with what appears to be remnants of the original marking paint, now bridging areas of disjoint engravings. Optical Profilometry equipment was employed to unambiguously resolve the engraved parts of the inscription, while Multi-Spectral Imaging was used to identify the areas of remnant marking paint. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

“Peace” has been a recurring theme in the field of Aegean archaeology ever since the time of the 20th century pioneers, who saw in the “excavated and imagined” Crete of the 2nd millennium BC the privileged seat of a «gentle and courteous» civilization. Many clues suggest that a plethora of female deities were known both to the Mycenaean world and to the Minoan Crete to which it was culturally indebted. The reference works of the time, and the generally accepted reconstruction theories for the Aegean culture, often signalled the presence of ancient “Earth Mothers”, whose shadows could be made out against the backdrop of the frescoes, the glyptics, the rich archaeological heritage, and the glossographical and epigraphic documentation. Strangely, though, after Linear B had finally been deciphered the figure of Demeter was found to be strikingly absent from the Mycenaean pantheon. This peculiarity links with the lively, long-standing debate revolving around the interpretation of the Mic. ma-ka, Mā Gā (?), “Mother Earth”. Given the difficulties of reading which have come up during the autoptic analyses in vivo, the presence of this form in the Knossos archive has been questioned – even if it appears, admittedly in uncertain contexts, in the Mycenaean archive of Thebes. The results emerging from the RTI advanced imaging technique now add an essential cornerstone to the complex hermeneutic edifice that has taken shape around Mic. ma-ka (KN F(1) 51v.2). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knossos was an important city on Crete and within Mediterranean networks during the Hellenistic, Roman, and Late Antique periods. However, there were significant social, cultural, and economic shifts that appear to have caused changes to daily lifeways, including diet. This paper sets out to explore dietary changes across these time periods by looking at dental caries, with reference also to antemortem tooth loss, calculus, and stable isotope data. This study also looks to contextualize these results using archaeological and textual information relating to diet. It presents a thorough methodological approach to the investigation and interpretation of caries and discusses some of the shortcomings of using a fragmentary and commingled skeletal assemblage. The Roman diet was more cariogenic than in the Hellenistic or Late Antique periods. The caries‐zone analysis of the teeth suggests that there may have been a greater addition of sugars to the diet in the Roman period, though the increased caries could also be due to improved preparation techniques and technologies producing a more refined and sticky carbohydrate diet. Such changes could be due to either increased connectivity making certain foods more readily available, the cultural changes in food consumption or dental hygiene due to the influx of merchants, colonists, migrants, and other newcomers to the Colonia Iulia Nobilis Cnosus that was Roman Knossos, or increased prosperity at the site in this period. There was a significant difference detected between females and males for caries indicating differential dietary practices between the sexes, which was most notable for the Roman period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modern digitization technologies have created an increasing number of possibilities for capturing the physical dimensions and appearance of archaeological artifacts and sites in 3D. The usage of such data is usually targeted to the research, study, and documentation of our cultural heritage. At the same time, the increasing quality of the produced digitizations has opened new possibilities for the further exploitation of digitization outcomes in a wider context than initially expected. A pioneer in this direction was the gaming industry, where photogrammetry has been recently employed to achieve extreme photorealism. Of course, challenges still exist, especially when digitization accuracy is of importance, such as in the case of large-scale archaeological sites. Further challenges regard the need to combine indoor and outdoor scenes that pose requirements in the selection of the appropriate digitization modalities and post-processing strategies. In more detail, the challenges relate to the appropriate usage of existing technologies, organization issues in terms of digitization visits, the combination and registration of data, data acquisition, and data processing methodologies, etc. In this paper, we demonstrated a methodology for the digitization of archaeological sites that can be used for creating digital assets suitable for various scenarios including research, education, and entertainment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study compares the accessibility of the Minoan Neopalatial (ca. 1750–1490 BC) Palaces of Knossos, Phaistos, Malia, Zakros and Galatas in central and eastern Crete. The study seeks to interpret the sites’ social meaning based on analytical observations of their spatial organisation, using cost-surface analysis functions available in Geographical Information System (GIS) software. The article focuses in particular on assessing the distinct accessibility patterns provided by the different, supposedly main entrances to the sites; on the effect of ‘lengthening access’ and its social implications in the Minoan built environment; and on the gendered use of space in the hall systems of the Palaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This study discusses prevailing interpretations of the miniature frescoes from Knossos as depictions of some sort of ritual or ceremony, located topographically in Knossos's Central and West Courts. It revises the question of the narrativity of Minoan frescoes, based on the interpretive approach developed by Alpers in her exploration of seventeenth-century Dutch art and 'visual culture'. Applying Alpers's insights for Minoan frescoes allows for an original interpretation based on a formal analysis of their non-narrative devices of representation, namely (1) vertical perspective, (2) map-like composition and (3) suppressed focalisation. The study demonstrates that once their representational strategy is recognised as non-narrative, it is no longer possible to interpret the subject theme of the Knossian miniatures by applying the frequently used narrative analytical category of ritual as a transformative 'event'. Instead, the operation of these devices focuses our attention on the performative dimension of viewing as a testament to the knowledge of the land and society and the specific way in which the Knossian miniature frescoes absorb their viewer into this performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research utilizes in situ archaeoastronomical fieldwork to survey the axis orientations of the Neopalatial central courts of Knossos, Kato Zakro, Phaistos, Malia, Galatas, Gournia, and Sisi. The study develops a methodology that analyzes maritime routes, skyscape simulations (accounting for precession and extinction coefficients), archaeological dating, wind patterns, and material evidence of Minoan seaborne exchange cycles. Based on the evidence, the study proposes that Minoan central court axes were oriented toward navigational stars used on sea journeys across the Mediterranean. This is supported by comparative data from Polynesian and Micronesian ethnoastronomy that describes the use of sidereal compasses and "star paths" that represented interisland direct courses. The data indicates that 1) Knossos was oriented toward Sidon via Spica (a Virginis); 2) Kato Zakro toward Pelusium or Avaris via Castor (a Geminorum) and Arcturus (a Bootis); 3) Phaistos toward Cyprus, Qatna and Kadesh via Betelgeuse (_ Orionis) and Markab (a Pegasi); 4) Malia toward Megiddo or Tel Kabri via Orion's Belt; 5) Galatas to Byblos via Delphinus; 6) Gournia to Akrotiri via Antares (a Scorpius) or possibly Alalakh via Altair (a Aquilae); and 7) Sisi to Ashkelon via Sirius (a Canis Majoris). It is hypothesized that the orienting of palatial architecture toward star paths and specific sea lanes may have symbolized the special relationships between the palaces and distinct foreign emporia, while also being a source of legitimization of power for the local elite who controlled the ideological and technological frameworks of maritime knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Final Palatial lapis lacedaemonius seal, here called the Sissi Genius Lentoid, was recovered during the 2018 excavation of the Court-Centered Building at Sissi, East Crete. The seal instantly drew attention because of its rare material and unique iconography that shows a Minoan genius flanked by the foreparts of two agrimia. An examination of the object within the context of Late Minoan II-III hard stone glyptic, particularly the lapis lacedaemonius seals, reveals ideological and sociopolitical links between Sissi and other Cretan sites, including neighboring Malia. The lentoid belongs to a group of seals that clearly formed prestige items used by sociopolitical elites who were exercising control over the surrounding land, possibly as delegates of the Knossos palace. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the inscription of the Egyptian statuette in the Heraklion Archaeological Museum, the dedicator's second title has long been open to question. New and detailed physical evidence, based on optical profilometry, is presented here. The results show errors/omissions in the previously accepted reading and open the way to a much more plausible translation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although 'squatters' have been identified in excavated contexts globally, it is unclear what this term actually means. In most archaeological publications, it seems to refer to the occupants of abandoned or destroyed buildings, especially those of the elite. 'Squatting', however, carries additional negative connotations which have been under-interrogated in the field. In this study, I explore the treatment of squatters in Anglophone archaeological writing, drawing upon two chronologically and geographically distinct examples: the Aegean Bronze Age and Late Roman North Africa. I argue that, in general, 'squatters' are identified uncritically and used as an index of cultural decline, with little consideration of the squatters--or reoccupants--themselves. Because 'legitimacy' of occupation is difficult to ascertain in archaeological contexts, I argue that this term is of little use in describing ancient reoccupation levels, particularly where they are distinguished only by their relative poverty. I suggest instead that an agency-centered assessment of impoverished architectural contexts is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The "Window of Appearance" of the Egyptian New Kingdom royal palace is usually considered an indigenous architectural element. After a review of this assumption, it is suggested that it had been observed by emissaries of Amenhotep III in the Cretan palace of Knossos before the concept was imported to the Egyptian court. The Cretan context and communicative rationale of the window are similar to its Egyptian version, the Aegean tradition predating its Egyptian avatar by at least 150 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of Studia Archaeologica Brunensia is the property of Masaryk University, Faculty of Arts and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Documenta Praehistorica is the property of Documenta Praehistorica and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Adalya is the property of Koc University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This study evaluates wall paintings at the palace of Knossos, specifically the gender of figures that were previously considered ambiguous due to perceived inconsistences in the representation of their skin color, costume, and physicality. Special attention is paid to the dark-skinned individual in the Captain of the Blacks Fresco, the red hand holding a necklace in the Jewel Fresco, and the white-skinned bull-leapers of the famous Taureador Frescoes. Methodologically, this study employs Butler's theory of gender performativity, wherein repeated stylizations on the body's surface, such as dress and adornment, are seen to produce gender identity. Since the frescoes are not the product of a modern Western society with dualistic gender categories, using presentist preconceptions to interpret the representation of gender identities in ancient art is unhelpful. Gender is conceptualized here outside binary confines, and I apply instead a queer approach utilizing a perspective of gender fluidity. Moreover, this study refers to Chapin's (2012) analysis of the naturalistic portrayal of human development in Bronze Age murals, especially with respect to the depiction of primary and secondary sex characteristics, and considers these characteristics, together with skin tone, costume, and gesture as performatives that materialize gender. After analyzing the frescoes, it becomes clear that the gendered components layered upon those 'ambiguous' figures are not contradictory, but rather meaningful elements working together to create alternative gender identities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was the efficient removal of dark cement crusts from selenite (mineral gypsum) surfaces using lasers. The conservation challenge is to remove a hard, insoluble, and often significantly thick encrustation without affecting the particularly sensitive mineral substrate gypsum, which is susceptible to chemical transformation. Preliminary studies were focused on the determination of removal thresholds for the cement bulk and the establishment of efficient laser cleaning operative parameters. Concurrently, analytical investigations were focused on the irradiated surfaces in order to ensure that the recommended laser operating parameters would safeguard the surface, colour, and composition of gypsum. Analytical techniques (Raman spectroscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray analysis) were used to verify that no discolouration or chemical alteration occurred to the fragile gypsum substrate due to the dehydration of pristine gypsum (to hemihydrate and anhydrous calcium sulphate). The results of this study as well as its application are presented and discussed with emphasis on the surface integrity of the exposed fragile selenite substrates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Ágora: Estudos Clássicos em Debate is the property of Agora: Estudos Classicos em Debate and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Documenta Praehistorica is the property of Documenta Praehistorica and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This essay discusses the Cretan labyrinth in relation to J.T. Fraser’s concept of eotemporality. The Cretan labyrinth is treated in diverse contexts, including its depiction in mythology and the archaeological attempts to locate it. The topology of the ‘Cretan’ or ‘classical’ labyrinth is analyzed, and a phenomenological account of the temporal experience facilitated by walking the labyrinth is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses archaeological research at the Minoan city of Knossos situated on the Greek island of Crete. Particular focus is given to the Palace of Knossos and the excavations directed by British archaeologist Sir Arthur Evans at the beginning of the 20th century. The influence of Evans' work on the Cretan nationalist movement whose goal was the unification of Crete with the rest of Greece is also discussed.

The first advanced Bronze Age civilization of Europe was established by the Minoans about 5,000 YBP. Since Sir Arthur Evans exposed the Minoan civic center of Knossos, archeologists have speculated on the origin of the founders of the civilization. Evans proposed a North African origin; Cycladic, Balkan, Anatolian and Middle Eastern origins have also been proposed. To address the question of the origin of the Minoans analysis was made of mitochondrial DNA from Minoan osseous remains from a cave ossuary in the Lassithi plateau of Crete dated at 4,400-3,700 YBP. Shared haplotypes, principal component and pairwise distance analyses refute the Evans North African hypothesis. It was found that the Minoans show the strongest relationships with Neolithic and modern European populations and with the modern inhabitants of the Lassithi plateau. These data are compatible with the hypothesis of an autochthonous development of the Minoan civilization by the descendants of the Neolithic settlers of the island. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In his 'Natural History' (36.84-93), Pliny the Elder lists four buildings termed 'labyrinths'. His second labyrinth, which came directly after the Egyptian one, was built by Daedalus in Crete, not far from Knossos, and appears on Knossian coins as the symbol of Knossos. The main aim of this article is to discuss the differing forms of this labyrinth and their origins. The first coins of Knossos appeared around 470 BC and bore a pattern of four meanders to indicate a labyrinth. A square labyrinth pattern followed and this was finally replaced by one of circular form. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent biographies of Sir Arthur Evans and histories of his excavations at Knossos have made it clear that Evans's description of Minoan religion was not solidly based on the material evidence at Knossos. By the time Evans wrote The Palace of Minos he was fully committed to the belief that the Minoans worshipped a single Great Mother Goddess in many guises, along with a subordinate male deity, her son. There are two key questions about Evans's vision of Minoan religion: first, when did Evans arrive at the conclusion that the Minoans'principal deity was a goddess?And second, why did he prefer this goddess-centered explanation of the material facts when so many other stories could be told about the religious meaning of the same objects? The most common answers to these questions are that Evans thought Minoan religion was goddess-centered from the time he first began to explore Bronze Age Crete, and that he was drawn to the figure ofa Mother Goddess because he lost his own mother when he was only six years old. Both of these suppositions are almost certainly mistaken. Evans did not bring the goddess thesis with him to Crete, and whatever his lingering feelings about his mother's death, they were not responsible for his conversion to the goddess thesis for Minoan culture. This paper argues that by far the most significant factor in Evans's creation ofthe Minoan Goddess was his exposure to the work of Sir James George Frazer, both directly and through the auspices of classicist Jane Ellen Harrison. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers the author's insights on the coalitions and warfare in the ancient Greek. He says that the Greek established defensive coalition to anticipate the invasion of Persia during 480 B.C., wherein the Greek went at the Isthmus of Corinth to discuss the invasion. He states that during 450 B.C., various coalitions with offensive and defensive purposes were built such as the alliance signed by Cretan cities of Knossos and Tylissos after Peloponnesia Argos negotiates with the cities.

The author discusses the series of Mycenaean ox names from the Knossos series. She focuses on the enigmatic ox name called wa-no. She claims that wa-no could be used in the palace records of Knossos to pertain to a draft ox with "golden-brown" or "red-brown" coat. She argues that wa-no could also be a man's name.

The two reconstitutedfaience figurines from the Temple Repositories at Knossos were restored by Sir Arthur Evans as epitomes of elite women of the Neopalatial period and objects of an indigenous palatial cult of the Snake Goddess. They have appeared as such in the literature for the past century. This article reassesses the accuracy of Evans's characterization by examining only the original fragments—a head, two torsos and the remnants ofa flounced skirt—to determine whether the coiffures, clothing, and gestures have parallels in Cretan art. This process reveals that the figures do not have close parallels, for the most part, within the Cretan tradition. Furthermore, there are no Cretan iconographic sources for the images of the women as participants in the cult of the Snake Goddess, whether as goddesses or as priestesses. Rather, the craftsmen who created them employed motifs from the Syrian artistic tradition most likely relying on the representations of the goddess opening her skirt and the renderings of Syrian goddesses with cylindrical crowns, straight hair, and robes with thick edges. The elites who ordered the production of the figurines did so within the context of the construction of the Middle Minoan III palace at Knossos. At a time of heightened interaction with the late Middle Bronze Age monarchies of the Levant, the elites at Knossos emulated Syrian iconography as an assertion of their access to exotic knowledge and control of trade. When the Middle Minoan III palace was destroyed, the figurines were deposited in the Temple Repositories, and their iconography was buried with them. There is no trace of them in subsequent Neopalatial art. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In recent years there has been a growing interest in Mycenaean glass among archaeologists and scientists. Scholars have traditionally thought that all Mycenaean glass was imported either in finished form or as ingots and simply shaped or worked at the Mycenaean sites. Chemical studies of other Mycenaean glass () support the hypothesis that glass was imported into Mycenaean Greece, but there is also indication for glass production in mainland Greece at the palace of Thebes (). There is no evidence for glass making or working at the Palace of Pylos, yet there is an abundance of glass beads there. The aim of this paper is to identify the technology and source for the glass of these beads and thus to ascertain how Pylos was connected to the broader Mycenaean and Mediterranean economies. The composition of the glasses was determined by means of portable XRF analysis and compared to that of other Late Bronze Age glasses from Egypt, Mesopotamia and mainland Greece. Four blue beads coloured with cobalt and one blue bead coloured with copper have Ti and Zr compositions consistent with an Egyptian origin of manufacture while five other beads show Ti and Zr concentrations consistent with a Mesopotamian origin (). Based on the dearth of Egyptian and Mesopotamian imports in Pylos, the presented data support the hypothesis that Pylos was receiving via internal Greek trade routes foreign-produced glass, which may have been worked abroad or in Greece. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The Linear B tablets from Knossos known as the Lc series record textile production targets for central arid western Crete for a specific range of textiles called te-pa, pa-we-a, and tu-na-no, The production targets for wool textiles differed according to the groups assigned to fulfill the targets; these groups were designated according to ethnicity and occupation. A comparison of the total target for noncollector workers in central Crete with the individual targets suggests that the annual planned ta-ra-si-ja production did not equal the mere sum of individual targets hut constituted a predefined amount of cloth. This provides an answer to why only some places in Crete were submitted to the ta-ra-si-ja obligation; it also suggests that the target was only part of the textile-production obligations for work groups in Crete. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Literator is the property of African Online Scientific Information System PTY LTD and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Floral imagery plays a major role in Minoan art, and the crocus has long been recognized as an important motif. Previous studies, however, have been narrowly focused on specific materials or interpretations, thereby obscuring the richness of crocus iconography and its meanings. This article presents a detailed survey of the crocus in Aegean art from the Early Bronze Age to Mycenaean times, exploring the diversity and development of the motif across different media and reassessing possible explanations for its importance. A complex world of floral symbolism is revealed, in which the polysemic crocus functions as a key element in Minoan identity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although aspects of Arthur Evans's vision of Minoan society have undergone modification during the course ofthe 20th century, his basic interpretation of the monumental building complex with courts at Knossos as a Palace-Temple, or the residence of both a political and religious authority, remains the dominant paradigm in Minoan archaeology. When set within the context of other contemporary Bronze Age societies in the eastern Mediterranean, however, Evans's model of a priest-king who resided in a Palace-Temple is actually highly unusual and anomalous. Indeed, it will be argued that the Palace-Temple model was invented by Evans as a distinctive, formative and intermediate stage between the Oriental Temple, which was the model then current in the Near East at the time of his writing, and what might be termed European kingship. The perception that Cretan culture and society was essentially European (and thus different from the East) formed a cornerstone of Evans's vision and its enduring popularity goes some way to explaining why the intellectual and empirical origins of Evans's Palace-Temple model have not previously been critically reassessed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article looks at archaeological evidence of lamps and related artifacts in the extinct cities of Eleutherna and Knossos in Greece. Particular focus is given to the use of lamps in reconstructing ancient chronology. Details on the relationship between Cretan lamps and Attic lamps are also presented.

The article looks at archaeological evidence of pottery and related artifacts in the extinct city of Knossos, Greece. Particular focus is given to Cretan black gloss (b.g.) pottery. According to the author, pottery is one of the chief forms of evidence available for use in the reconstruction of the city's history during the 6th and 5th centuries BCE. Details on the use of imported pottery in the dating of archaeological sites are presented. Objects examined include cups, bowls, and jug nozzles.

The article discusses the pinacology and paleography of Pylos Megaron tablets in Greece. It says that George E. Mylonas found out sixteen Linear B tablets at the Palace of Nestor in Greece in 1952 which were believed had fallen from the upper story of Megaron. It also mentions that the Pylos Megaron tablets hold 23 varied phonetic signs that show paleographic similarities to Knossos scribes. Moreover, Pylos Megaron tablets' paleography also resembles to the miniature tablets called Room of the Chariot Tablets which were generations earlier than those of Knossos archives. It suggests that Pylos Megaron tables are considered archaic since it is dated to Late Helladic 14th B.C. (LH IIIA) which is a date consistent to the sherds on the mudbrick of Megaron and its building history.

The study of building materials constituting cultural heritage is fundamental to understand their characteristics and predict their behavior. When considering materials from archaeological sites, their characterization can provide not only relevant information for a broader understanding of the site and its importance and significance but can also increase knowledge about ancient materials and their performance. The Palace of Knossos is a very important archaeological site in the European history context, and its preservation benefits from the characterization of the constituent materials. Samples of mortars from this monument were collected under the scope of the H2020 HERACLES project, where a multi-analytical approach was chosen using established protocols for the different sample typologies. Instrumental techniques such as optical microscopy (OM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and simultaneous thermogravimetry and differential thermal analysis (TG–DTA) were used for the chemical, mineralogical, and morphological characterization of these mortar samples. The results indicate that the majority are lime mortars, both aerial and hydraulic, but gypsum-based mortars were also identified. Differences in the chemical composition of the samples in distinct areas of the monument allowed us to reflect on the variety of materials used in the construction of the Palace of Knossos. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Strontium isotope ratio analysis of human dental enamel and bone is applied to investigate a highly debated question of population movement and cultural discontinuity in Prehistoric Aegean Archaeology. The Late Minoan IB (ca. 1490/1470 BC) destructions on Crete are succeeded by cultural upheaval. The novel cultural features that appear at Knossos (Crete) in this period have forerunners in the Mainland. In Cretan context, the Linear B writing system, the funerary architecture and burial practices of the Mainland style are interpreted as evidence of an actual “Mycenaean” long-term settlement and political domination of Knossos. Human skeletal material from tombs that are associated with non-locals from the Mainland based upon the material culture is analysed to measure 87Sr/86Sr. The results of the analysis show that all the examined individuals from the Knossos tombs were born locally. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The nature of Roman Knossos has been poorly understood, and the misleading supposition that there was a marked change in Knossian society in the first centuries B.C.E./C.E. following the Roman conquest has become an accepted hypothesis. This paper applies globalization theory to a diachronic synopsis of Roman Knossos. By viewing cultural developments in Knossos as relative to Rome and the empire, rather than falling under a subsuming process of Roman acculturation, an alternative perspective to the romanization of Knossos may be explored; that is, that the city underwent a slow process of globalization and the ultimate effects of this cannot be seen until almost 100 years after the foundation of the colony. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]