Palace at Knossos
In Rhodos, we were told that large jars were used as coffins. The museum which displayed these also had a glass floor which showed two large circular tanks, which we were informed were used for storage of wine and oil.
In Agios Nicholas, large pots were used to store olives in preparation for pressing.
Palace at KnossosKnossos was the capital of Minoan Crete and home of the mythical Minotaur kept by King Minos.
The first palace was built around 1900BC. It was destroyed by an earthquake in 1700BC and rebuilt to a grander more sophisticated design. It was again partially destroyed between 1500 and 1450 BC, inhabited for a few more ears before being devastated by fire. - Lonely Planet Greece (8th Edition).
The site was excavated in the 19th Century by Oxford Archaeologist Arthur Evan. The story goes that he had a long and costly battle with the landowner for the right to excavate and then controvertially tried to recreate the palace using concrete. I was mystified, why the street we had stayed in at Agios Nicholas, was called Evan.
PithoiPithoi are large storage jars.
The magazine, takes its name from the pithoi it housed. The jars have the relief disk and rope decoration, which is characteristic of the beginning of the New Palace period (1700-1450BC).
The Pithoi of the Propylaeum belong
to the Postpalatial Period (1450-1100 BC) - Signage (1 & 2) on the site at
Knossos.
Next door is the Corridor of the Bays where three small openings were used for storae. Many vases and religious artefacts were found here. The magazines were filled in (burried) at the end of the New Palace period.
Some of these large pots (if not all) have been reconstructed from fragments and patched with new clay. Though presumeably not refired.
Marghanita da Cruz, Iraklio Crete. 4 June 2008
The Folk Museum on Rhodos contains examples of slip decorated pottery. There are also pots in the museum housed in the knights hospital. The adjoining display includes large "coffin" pots.
The history museum (post Byzantine Period) and the Archaelogical Museum of Crete are both worth a visit.
The History museum has more pottery and demonstrates the evolution of the shape of pots. The Archaelogical Museum was closed for renovation, at the time of my visit, but the temporary exhibition was worthwhile.
The highlight was the sample houses made of clay, dating back to 1600BC. Perhaps made for the Minoan Property Bubble or for development approval. There were also pre-wheel and pre-kiln pots as well as later ones.
