Architecture of Minoan Crete: Constructing Identity in the Aegean Bronze Age

221 Pages·2010·50.27 MB·English

by  John C. McEnroe

architecture of minoan crete
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a r c h i t e c t u r e o f
University of Texas Press Austin
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m i n o a n c r e t e
Constructing Identity in the Aegean Bronze Age
John C. McEnroe
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To Catherine,
For your patience and good humor as, year
aft er year, we climbed up the wrong sides of the
mountains.
Copyright © 2010 by the University of Texas Press Th is book has been supported by an endow-
All rights reserved ment dedicated to classics and the ancient
Printed in the United States of America
world and funded by the Areté Foundation;
First edition, 2010
the Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation;
Requests for permission to reproduce the Dougherty Foundation; the James R.
material from this work should be sent to: Dougherty, Jr. Foundation; the Rachael and
Permissions
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Th e paper used in this book meets the minimum

requirements of ANSI/NISO Z39.48-1992 (R1997)
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
McEnroe, John C.
Architecture of Minoan Crete : constructing identity in
the Aegean Bronze Age / John C. McEnroe.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-292-72193-7 (cloth : alk. paper)
1. Architecture, Minoan. 2. Architecture and society—
Greece—Crete. I. Title. II. Title: Constructing identity in the
Aegean Bronze Age.
NA267.M39 2010
722'.61—dc22 2009048479
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c o n t e n t s
Preface vii Chapter 8. 81
Acknowledgments ix Comparing the Neopalatial Palaces
(ca. 1750–1490 BC)
Chapter 1. 3 Chapter 9. 93
Th e Land, the People, Identity Houses and Towns in the Neopalatial Period
(ca. 1750–1490 BC)
Chapter 2. 9
Architecture and Social Identity in Chapter 10. 117
Neolithic Crete (ca. 7000–3000 BC) Buildings, Frescoes, and the Language of Power
in the Final Palatial Period (ca. 1490–1360 BC)
Chapter 3. 19
Local, Regional, and Ethnic Identities in Early Chapter 11. 133
Prepalatial Architecture (ca. 3000–2200 BC) Aft er the Palaces (ca. 1360–1200 BC)
Chapter 4. 31 Chapter 12. 147
Architectural Experiments and Hierarchical Identity Survival and Memory in LM IIIC
in Late Prepalatial Architecture (ca. 2200–1900 BC) (ca. 1200–1100 BC)
Chapter 5. 45 Conclusion. 161
Th e First Palaces and the Construction Architecture and Identity
of Power (ca. 1900–1750 BC)
Chapter 6. 57 Appendix. 163
Th e Protopalatial City and Urban Useful Websites
Identity (ca. 1900–1750 BC)
Notes 165
Chapter 7. 69 Glossary 177
Th e Second Palace at Knossos and the Works Cited 179
Reconstruction of Minoan Identity Index 195
(ca. 1750–1490 BC)
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p r e f ac e
T
he past twenty years have been extraor- Th ere are many ways to study architecture. One
dinary in Minoan archaeology: G. Rethemi- can study materials and techniques, as J. Shaw has so
otakis discovered a new Palace at Galatas; the thoroughly done (Minoan Architecture). One can study
Shaws excavated monumental harbor facilities at Kom- changes in style, as most traditional architectural his-
mos; M. Tsipopoulou excavated fascinating buildings tories do. One can study function—how the buildings
at Aghia Photia, Petras, Halasmenos, and elsewhere. were used-–as did most of the papers in two symposia
In addition to these new projects, many excavations organized by the Swedish Institute (Hägg and Mari-
initiated at the beginning of the twentieth century have natos 1987; Hägg 1997). Or one can focus on the rela-
either continued or been revived, and much of Crete has tion between the house (an architectural unit) and the
been systematically surveyed. Th e Institute for Aegean household (a social unit), as the recent STEGA confer-
Prehistory built a new research center in Pachyammos. ence did. In this book I shall consider all these issues in
Dozens of international conferences have provided op- passing, but my primary concern is with the meaning of
portunities for innovative scholarship. At a time when buildings.
much of the rest of the academic world and particularly Architecture does more than provide shelter. It is,
academic presses are fi nancially threatened, new schol- perhaps fi rst and foremost, a medium for conveying
arly journals and monograph series have been launched meanings. Th e thesis of this book is that architecture
in Belgium, Italy, Great Britain, Poland, Greece, and the is one of the chief media through which humans shape
United States. their identities and present themselves to others.
One of the byproducts of the surge of scholarship Th rough architecture we construct our identities as
has been increasing specialization. Excavators concen- members of families, of communities, of particular so-
trate on specifi c sites, and surveyors focus on selected cial classes, and of regional, national, and international
regions. Many scholars restrict themselves to particular groups. (I discuss the concept of identity in more detail
periods (for example, Early Minoan, Middle Minoan, or in Chapter 1.)
Late Minoan III) or media (pott ery, tombs, frescoes, or Only a small portion of this book is based on my
faience, for example). As a result, we have any number own fi eldwork. Th e recent fl ood of important, insight-
of excellent excavation reports and symposia papers, ful scholarship has almost entirely reshaped the fi eld.
but no general synthesis. Th e primary goal of this book, My role is to serve as a journalist, selecting, reporting,
therefore, is to provide the fi rst overall history of Mino- and synthesizing some of the most interesting stories in
an houses, Palaces, tombs, and towns from the Neolithic order to provide scholars who are not necessarily spe-
period through LM IIIC. Placing things in the larger cialists in the Aegean Bronze Age with access to these
picture changes their appearance and their signifi cance. ongoing conversations.
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Architecture of Minoan Crete
viii
A Note on Conventional Terms buildings” as opposed to “palaces,” for example—have
not had much success (Schoep 2002b, 18, for example).
Over the course of its hundred-year history, Minoan
Th e problems arise when we interpret these terms as
archaeology has developed a unique terminology that
implying a set of functions. In this book I am concerned
has caused considerable confusion and disagreement.
with problems of function only in passing. I shall use the
Some of the most commonly used terms—mostly
traditional terms only to describe specifi c Minoan archi-
coined by A. Evans—used to describe certain types of
tectural forms, capitalizing them (“Lustral Basin” rather
rooms (“lustral basins,” “pillar crypts,” “Th rone Room,”
than “lustral basin,” “Palace” rather than “palace,” etc.)
etc.) and buildings (“peak sanctuaries,” “theatral areas,”
to signal their arbitrary, conventional nature. Th us in
“villas,” and, most problematically, “palaces”) carry with
this book a Lustral Basin is a small, square, sunken room
them unwarranted implications. Resulting arguments
entered by descending a small stairway; whether or not
over the function(s) of a “lustral basin” or a “villa” or a
it had anything to do with lustration is for others to de-
“palace” have literally fi lled volumes (Hägg and Marina-
bate. Th e conventional terms are defi ned in a glossary at
tos 1987; Hägg 1997). Att empts to replace the tradition-
the end of the book.
al terms with more neutral language—“court-centered
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ac k n o w l e d g m e n t s
F
or more than thirty years Joe and Maria Shaw the opportunity to att end the Upper House Seminars. I
have been my teachers, mentors, and friends. am also grateful to Erik and Brigitt a Hallager of the Dan-
Th ey not only opened the doors, but they ish Institute at Athens for allowing me to att end the Mi-
pushed me through them. I owe them special thanks. noan Seminar, and to Anna Lucia D’Agata of the Italian
Over the years I have been fortunate to do archaeo- School and Eleni Hatzaki of the British School for shar-
logical fi eldwork with a number of patient and encour- ing their expertise. My basic understanding of Minoan
aging colleagues, including Phil Betancourt, Giuliana architecture changed fundamentally that spring.
Bianco, Costis Davaras, Jeremy Rutt er, Vance Watrous, Th e students, my colleagues, and the administration
and Jim Wright. I am grateful for their friendship. at Hamilton College provide me with the perfect place
Although I have been studying Minoan architecture to teach and learn. Financial support from Hamilton
ever since I was att racted to it by Walter Graham’s work College and from the John and Anne Fischer Professor-
decades ago, this book is a fundamentally new project, ship in Fine Arts at Hamilton made my work in Greece
writt en in the spring of 2006 when I was an NEH Fellow possible. I thank Dean Joe Urgo for his support and Dr.
at the American School of Classical Studies at Athens. I Peter Fischer for his generosity to the college. Krista
am grateful to Steve Tracy, the director, for welcoming Siniscarco of the ITS department at Hamilton helped
me back to the school and to the National Endowment me set up a system for making the drawings and was al-
for the Humanities for making the semester possible. I ways just a phone call away when I needed tech support.
could not have writt en this book anywhere other than Th is book is the product of a team eff ort. I am deeply
the Blegen Library at the American School, whose re- indebted to Humanities Editor Jim Burr and his col-
sources, pleasant atmosphere, and collegiality made it leagues at the University of Texas Press. Nancy Bryan
possible. worked on the project as Assistant Marketing Manager.
While at the American School, I benefi ted from Manuscript Editor Lynne Chapman and freelance copy-
conversations with many scholars. I would particularly editor Lawrence Kenney improved every page of my
like to thank Leslie Day, Kevin Glowacki, and Nancy text. Lindsay Starr designed the book. I thank them for
Klein of the American School for reading parts of my their expertise, enthusiasm, and thoughtful criticisms.
work, sharing unpublished material, and inspiring new Finally, I would especially like to thank Jan Driessen
thoughts. Charles Watkinson of the ASCSA Press was of the Université catholique de Louvain, Dan Pullen of
instrumental in this project from its conception. I deeply Florida State University, Jeremy Rutt er of Dartmouth
appreciate his encouragement. In Crete, I am grateful to College, and Todd Whitelaw of the Institute of Archae-
Tom Brogan, director of the INSTAP Study Center. ology, University College of London. Each read the
I am indebted also to a number of colleagues from entire manuscript and painstakingly off ered advice, un-
the international institutes in Athens. James Whitley, published information, fi rm (but necessary) criticisms,
director of the British School of Archaeology, permitt ed and encouragement. Th ey were extraordinarily generous
me the use of the library at the school and provided me with their time and their knowledge.
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