ON ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND ETHNOLOGICAL KESEARCHES IN CRETE. 403 



the lower courses of the outer supporting wall were throughout preserved. 

 The theatre would have accommodated about five hundred spectators. A 

 somewhat analogous feature was discovered by the Italian mission ; 

 bordering the west court of the palace at Phnestos ; but the arrangement 

 at Knossos is much more complete and gives us the first real idea of the 

 theatre in prehistoric Greece. The pugilistic shows represented on certain 

 small reliefs at Knossos and Hagia Triadha and the traditions of the 

 'dancing-ground' of Ariadne, executed by Diijclalos for Minos, may throw 

 a light on the character of the performances in this theatral area. 



Between this building and the west court of the Palace an area was 

 explored containing a very complex mass of constructions representing, at 

 different levels, every age of Minoan culture, and apparently belonging to 

 a sanctuary connected with the Cretan cult of the Double Axe and its 

 associated divinities. Painted pottery and other objects were here found, 

 with designs referring to this cult. Among other discoveries were highly 

 decorative polychrome vases belonging to the ' Middle Minoan ' period, 

 more or less contemporary with the twelfth dynasty of Egypt. Of later 

 palace date was an extremely important deposit consisting of a bronze 

 ewer and basins, with exquisitely chased ornamentation in the shape of 

 lilies and various kinds of foliage. 



On the north-east of the Palace, built into the side of the hill, was 

 uncovered a remarkably well-built house, constructed largely of fine 

 gypsum blocks, which appears to have been a kind of royal Villa. Here, 

 as in the domestic quarter of the Palace, the upper story is also well 

 preserved, and there are two stone staircases, one with a double head. 

 On a landing here was found a magnificent painted jar containing reliefs 

 of papyrus plants in a new technique. The principal chamber was a 

 colunuaar hall with a tribuna at one end, backed by a square apse con- 

 taining the I'emains of a gypsum throne, the whole presenting an extra- 

 ordinary anticipation of the later basilica. 



Within the previously uncovered Palace area supplementary explora- 

 tions of lower levels have been carried out on an extensive scale. A whole 

 series of deep walled chambers, perhaps representing the dungeons of an 

 earlier palace, have been opened out. Excavations below the floor-level 

 of the Olive Press area have brought to light the floor-levels of more 

 ancient chambers containing exquisite painted pottery belonging to the 

 middle Minoan period and sealings throwing an interesting new light 

 on its glyptic art and the early ' pictographic ' type of script. Beneath 

 the pavement of the Long Gallery of the magazines a continuous line of deep 

 stone cists {kaselles) was discovered, and from the remains of wooden chests 

 inlaid with glazed ware and ci'ystal mosaic, accompanied by quantities of 

 gold foil, it is clear that these repositories had once contained treasure. 

 Near the east Pillar Room a small pit was found beneath the floor-level 

 containing vases and other objects belonging to the earliest Minoan 

 period that immediately succeeds to neolithic, and affording the first 

 collective view of a representative type series of that period. The 

 character of the glazed beads found in this deposit seems to indicate rela- 

 tions with early dynastic Egypt. The exploration of the neolithic 

 stratum, which to a depth of 25 feet underlies those of the ' Minoan ' 

 buildings, was continued, several new shafts being dug witliin tiie Palace 

 area. The successive phases of the local neolithic cultui-e are thus 

 becoming more clearly defined. 



The investigation of the eause of a slight depression in the pavement 



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