ON EXPLORATIONS AT KNOSSOS IN CRETE. 467 



stepped back so as to ensure the better lighting of tlie cliamber within. 

 On the west side of this room is a balustrade, with an opening giving 

 access to a small bath-chamber. Above the gypsum lining-slab of this 

 bath-room a fine painted frieze of spirals and rosettes was found still 

 clinging to the wall. Remains of a painted terra-cotta bath were found 

 near. 



Another interesting feature of the new megaron itself was a small 

 private staircase in its north wall, leading up to the thalamoi, or bedrooms^ 

 above. Of the wall-paintings that had originally adorned the meyaron 

 and its columnar fore-hall some important remains were discovered, 

 including quite an aquarium of fish, with parts of two dolphins. This 

 discovery supplies the counterpart to the fine fish-fresco brought to light 

 by the British school at Phylakope, and the latter work must be now 

 definitely recognised as a product of the Knossian school. One very 

 characteristic feature is common to both works. As the different tones 

 of blue had to be mainly reserved for the fish themselves, and in order 

 to give them greater relief, the ground was left white, and the sea water 

 gracefully indicated by azure wreaths and coils of dotted spray. 



Here, too, was also found the upper part of a lady in a yellow jacket 

 and light diaphanous vest, whose flying tresses suggest violent action. 

 It had possibly belonged to a scene from the bull-ring. Another frag- 

 ment found here shows a smaller female figure, nearly naked, springing 

 from above and seizing the horn of a galloping bull like the figure from 

 Tiryns. It has, moreover, been possible to put together a large part of 

 a painted panel, found in 1901, giving a highly sensational scene from a 

 Minoan circus show. A Mycentean cowboy is seen turning a somersault 

 over the back of a charging bull, to whose horns in front clings a girl in 

 boy's costume ; while another female toreador behind, in similar deshabille, 

 stands with outstretched arms, as if prepared to catch her as she is tossed 

 over the monster's back. The whole is a toit,r de force of the Minoan 

 arena. Among other fresco remains were naturalistic foliage and lilies, 

 and in a gallery east of the Hall of the Double Axes fine-veined imita- 

 tions of marble blocks. A very suggestive piece of wall-painting, also 

 found on this .side, consists of a succession of mazes more elaborate than 

 those on the later coins of Knossos, and showing that the prototype of the 

 labyrinth in art goes back here to prehistoric times. Throughout all 

 the region of the great south-east halls it has been possible to support a 

 large part of the upper storey, and a most elaborate system of drainage 

 has been found, including latrines with flush-pipes and drains of 

 advanced construction, together with a succession of stone shafts descend- 

 ing from the upper floors to a network of stone conduits beneath the 

 pavement of the lower rooms, large enough for a man to make his way 

 along them. Removal of some later constructions has greatly modified 

 the northern entrance passage, whicli now, with its massive western 

 bastion, has a very stately appearance. Outside this have been brought 

 out the remains of a considerable portico, including the bases of a series 

 of large piers. 



Large fresh deposits of inscribed tablets have come to light, the 

 general purport of which was shown by the appearance of certain ideo- 

 graphic signs, such as swords and granaries, and those indicative of 

 persons of both sexes. The largest deposit referred to percentages — some 

 with the throne and sceptre sign before the amount — apparently recording 

 the King's portion. A piece of a Mycentean painted vase with linear 



u u 2 



