The Palace of Minos
A Comparative Account of the Successive Stages of the Early Cretan Civilization as Illustrated by the Discoveries at Knossos

Published 1921–35, this highly illustrated multi-volume excavation report documents the discovery of Minoan civilisation on Crete.

Arthur Evans (Author)

9781108061049, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 29 August 2013

608 pages, 378 b/w illus. 13 colour illus. 4 maps
29.7 x 21 x 3.1 cm, 1.44 kg

Inspired by Schliemann's discoveries at Mycenae and Troy, Sir Arthur John Evans (1851–1941), keeper of Oxford's Ashmolean Museum from 1884 to 1908, trustee of the British Museum and fellow of the Royal Society, used his inherited wealth to purchase land in Crete at Knossos. From 1900 he commenced excavations there in co-operation with the British School at Athens. Work continued for eight full seasons, uncovering a Bronze Age palace and bringing to light further architectural and artefactual remains of Minoan civilisation, including numerous texts in Linear A and Linear B. Evans' speculative reconstruction of the site in reinforced concrete remains controversial, and some of his interpretations are disputed, but his pioneering work is painstakingly detailed in this highly illustrated multi-volume work, published between 1921 and 1935, with an index volume appearing in 1936. Volume 3 first appeared in 1930.

68. 'North-West Insula' north of central court
69. Discovery of 'spiral ceiling' and 'miniature frescoes' derived from corner sanctuary
70. The miniature frescoes, 1
71. The miniature frescoes, 2
72. The miniature frescoes, 3
73. Miniature painting on crystal
74. Pictorial religious subjects on signet-rings
75. Upper porticoes of N. entrance passage and their painted reliefs of bull-hunting scenes
76. Parallels supplied by bull-reliefs in Elgin collection from the 'Atreus tomb' at Mycenae
77. The 'taureador frescoes'
78. The east postern and bastion
79. Advanced Minoan water-system
80. 'East Corridor'
81. Further reconstitution of the 'domestic quarter'
82. Grand staircase and loggia as further restored
83. 'Hall of the Double Axes' as reconstituted
84. The 'Queen's Megaron' as reconstituted
85. East treasury (later, archives) and derivative relics
86. Further relics derived from east treasury
87. Chryselephantine figurines
88. Great 'East Hall' resuscitated
89. The painted high reliefs from 'East Hall'.

Subject Areas: Archaeology by period / region [HDD]