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)

9781108061063, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 29 August 2013

704 pages, 668 b/w illus. 5 colour illus. 2 maps
29.7 x 21 x 3.6 cm, 1.66 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. Part 2 of Volume 4 first appeared in 1935.

100. The 'camp-stool' fresco of the 'North-West Sanctuary Hall'
101. Long-robed priestly and royal personages on seals from Knossos and Vapheio
102. Discovery in the 'initiatory area' of lapis-lazuli cylinder with early Chaldaean connexions
103. The Minoan genii and their relation to the Egyptian hippopotamus goddess
104. Fresh discovery of a chryselephantine image of boy-god
105. Retrospect of Minoan bead-seals and signet-rings
106. Indigenous sphragistic tradition
107. Hunting and other animal types on late Minoan seals
108. The late palatial deposits of clay seal impressions at Knossos
109. Later phase of west magazines, upper and lower
110. First discovery of large hoards of clay tablets in Advanced Linear Script (B)
111. Tablets of the Linear Script B (continued)
112. Knossian Script B in mainland Greece
113. Supplementary to preceding: the Minoan remains at Ras-Shamra
114. Deposits of tablets depicting chariots
115. Armature in the last palatial age
116. The latest palatial age of Knossos
117. Epilogue.

Subject Areas: Archaeology by period / region [HDD]