Minoan Buildings in Areas B, C, D, and F 9781512819670

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Pseira IV Minoan Buildings in Areas B, C, D,

The archaeological excavations at Pseira, Crete, were sponsored by Temple University, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, by the Archaeological Institute of Crete, and by the Archaeological Society of Crete.

UNIVERSITY MUSEUM MONOGRAPH 105

Pseira IV

Minoan Buildings in Areas B, C, D, and F edited by Philip P. Betancourt and Costis Davaras

Contributing authors: Eleni Armpis, Eleni S. Banou, Philip P. Betancourt, Polyxeni Bougia, Costis Davaras, Heidi M. C. Dierckx, William R. Farrand, Cheryl R. Floyd, Paul Goldberg, Robert B. Koehl, J o h n C. McEnroe, George Mitrakis, George H. Myer, Marianna Nikolaidou, Lada Onyshkevych, Maria Parisi, David S. Reese, Mark Rose, Georgia Salapata, Werner H. Schoch, Eleni Velona, Charles J . and Dorothy B. Vitaliano, Fotini Zervaki, and Vasso Zographaki

Published by

n

THE UNIVERSITY MUSEUM University of Pennsylvania 1999

Contents List of Illustrations List of Figures List of Plates Acknowledgements Introduction PART I. AREA B 1. Building BA 1. Introduction and History of the Excavations, Philip P. Betancourt 2. The Architecture, John C. McEnroe 3. The Stone Tools, Heidi M. C. Dierckx 4. The Lithic Materials, Philip P. Betancourt 5. Comments and Conclusions, Philip P. Betancourt

xi xiii xv xvii xix

3 3 3 8 8 9

2. Area BB 11 1. Introduction and History of the Excavations, Philip P. Betancourt, Eleni Armpis, andEleni Velona . 11 2. The Architecture, John C. McEnroe 12 3. The Pottery, Cheryl R. Floyd 12 14 4. The Stone Tools, Heidi M. C. Dierckx 5. The Faunal Remains, David S. Reese 16 6. Comments and Conclusions, Philip P. Betancourt 16 3. Building BC, The Building of the Pillar Partitions 1. Introduction and History of the Excavations, Philip P. Betancourt and Robert B. Koehl 2. T h e Architecture, John C. McEnroe 3. T h e Pottery, Robert B. Koehl 4. T h e Stone Tools, Heidi M. C. Dierckx 5. Other Cataloged Objects, Philip P. Betancourt 6. The Faunal Remains, David S. Reese 7. T h e Lithic Materials, Philip P. Betancourt 8. Micromorphology Studies, Paul Goldberg 9. Sediment Studies and Volcanic Ash and Pumice Studies, Charles J. and Dorothy B. Vitaliano 10. Studies of the Sandstone, Philip P. Betancourt, William R. Farrand, and George H. Myer 11. Imported Limestone Used for Floor Slabs in Room BC 2, George H. Myer. 12. Comments and Conclusions, Philip P. Betancourt

17 17 20 29 34 35 36 37 37 39 41 43 44

4. Building BD 1. General Comments, Philip P. Betancourt

45 45

5. Area BE 1. Introduction and History of the Excavations, Philip P. Betancourt

47 47

vi

PSEIRAIV

2. T h e Architecture, John C. McEnroe 3. T h e Pottery, Philip P. Betancourt 4. T h e Stone Tools, Heidi M. C. Dierckx 5. O t h e r Cataloged Objects, Philip P. Betancourt 6. T h e Lithic Materials, Philip P. Betancourt 7. C o m m e n t s a n d Conclusions, Philip P. Betancourt

49 52 54 54 54 55

6. Building BF 1. Introduction a n d History of the Excavations, Philip P. Betancourt 2. T h e Architecture, John C. McEnroe 3. C o m m e n t s a n d Conclusions, Philip P. Betancourt

57 57 57 59

7. Building BG 1. Introduction and History of the Excavations, Philip P. Betancourt 2. T h e Architecture, John C. McEnroe 3. T h e Pottery, Robert B. Koehl 4. T h e Stone Weight, Philip P. Betancourt and Heidi M. C. Dierckx 5. T h e Lithic Materials, Philip P. Betancourt 6. Description and Characterization of the Emery, George H. Myer and Philip P. Betancourt 7. Sediment Studies, Charles J. and Dorothy B. Vitaliano 8. C o m m e n t s a n d Conclusions, Philip P. Betancourt

61 61 63 64 65 65 66 67 68

8. Area BH 1. Introduction and History of the Excavations, Philip P. Betancourt and Marianna Nikolaidou 2. T h e Architecture, John C. McEnroe 3. T h e Pottery, Philip P. Betancourt 4. T h e Stone Tools, Heidi M. C. Dierckx 5. T h e Stone Lamp, Philip P. Betancourt 6. T h e Faunal Remains, David S. Reese 7. T h e Lithic Materials, Philip P. Betancourt 8. C o m m e n t s a n d Conclusions, Philip P. Betancourt

69 69 70 78 79 80 80 81 82

9. Building BI 1. Introduction a n d History of the Excavations, Philip P. Betancourt 2. T h e Architecture, John C. McEnroe 3. T h e Stone Arrowhead, Heidi M. C. Dierckx 4. C o m m e n t s a n d Conclusions, Philip P. Betancourt

85 85 85 88 88

10. Area BJ 1. Introduction a n d History of the Excavations, Philip P. Betancourt and George Mitraki% 2. T h e Architecture, John C. McEnroe 3. T h e Pottery, Philip P. Betancourt 4. O t h e r Cataloged Objects, Philip P. Betancourt 5. C o m m e n t s and Conclusions, Philip P. Betancourt

89 89 90 92 93 93

11. Building BK 1. General Comments, Philip P. Betancourt

95

12. Area BI 1. Introduction, Philip P. Betancourt 2. T h e Pottery, Philip P. Betancourt 3. T h e Stone Tools, Heidi M. C. Dierckx 4. O t h e r Cataloged Objects, Philip P. Betancourt 5. T h e Faunal Remains, David S. Reese 6. Lithic Materials 7. C o m m e n t s a n d Conclusions, Philip P. Betancourt

97 97 97 98 98 99 9g 100

CONTENTS

vii

13. Building BN East 1. Introduction and History of the Excavations, Philip P. Betancourt and Cheryl R. Floyd 2. The Architecture, John C. McEnroe 3. The Pottery, Philip P. Betancourt 4. The Stone Tools, Heidi M. C. Dierckx 5. The Stone Weight, Philip P. Betancourt and Heidi M. C. Dierckx 6. The Clay Weight, Philip P. Betancourt 7. The Faunal Remains, David S. Reese 8. Comments and Conclusions, Philip P. Betancourt

101 101 102 105 108 109 109 110 110

14. Area BN West 1. Introduction and History of the Excavations, Philip P. Betancourt 2. The Architecture, John C. McEnroe 3. The Pottery, Philip P. Betancourt 4. Comments and Conclusions, Philip P. Betancourt.

113 113 114 117 117

15. Building BO 1. Introduction and History of the Excavations, Philip P. Betancourt 2. The Architecture, John C. McEnroe 3. The Pottery, Philip P. Betancourt 4. The Stone Tools, Heidi M. C. Dierckx 5. The Stone Weight, Philip P. Betancourt and Heidi M. C. Dierckx 6. The Lithic Materials, Philip P. Betancourt 7. Comments and Conclusions, Philip P. Betancourt

119 119 120 124 125 125 126 126

16. Building BP 1. Introduction and History of the Excavations, Philip P. Betancourt 2. The Architecture, John C. McEnroe 3. Comments and Conclusions, Philip P. Betancourt.

127 127 127 130

17. Building BQ 1. Introduction and History of the Excavations, Philip P. Betancourt 2. The Architecture, John C. McEnroe 3. The Pottery, Philip P. Betancourt and Eleni S. Banou 4. The Triton Shell, David S. Reese 5. Comments and Conclusions, Philip P. Betancourt

131 131 132 134 136 137

18. Area BR 139 1. Introduction and History of the Excavations, Philip P. Betancourt, Eleni Armpis, Polyxeni Bougia, Robert B. Koehl, Maria Parisi, Georgia Salapata, Eleni Velona, and Vasso Zographaki 139 2. The Pottery, Philip P. Betancourt 141 3. The Stone Tools, Heidi M. C. Dierckx 155 4. The Stone Weights, Philip P. Betancourt and Heidi M. C. Dierckx 158 5. Other Cataloged Objects, Philip P. Betancourt 159 6. Artifacts Made from Faunal Remains, David S. Reese 162 7. The Faunal Remains, David S. Reese 162 8. The Fish Remains, Mark Rose 164 9. The Lithic Materials, Philip P. Betancourt 164 10. Micromorphology Studies, Paul Goldberg 166 11. Comments on the Plateia (Area BR), CostisDavaras 167 12. Comments, Philip P. Betancourt 170 19. Building BT 1. Introduction and History of the Excavations, Philip P. Betancourt, George Mitrakis, and Fotini Zervaki 2. The Architecture, John C. McEnroe 3. The Pottery, Philip P. Betancourt 4. The Stone Tools, Heidi M. C. Dierckx

173 173 174 177 183

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PSEIRA rv

5. 6. 7. 8.

T h e Stone Vessels, Philip P. Betancourt T h e Faunal Remains, David S. Reese T h e Lithic Materials, Philip P. Betancourt C o m m e n t s a n d Conclusions, Philip P. Betancourt

184

184 185 185

20. Building BU 1. Introduction a n d History of the Excavations, Philip P. Betancourt 2. T h e Architecture, John C. McEnroe 3. C o m m e n t s a n d Conclusions, Philip P. Betancourt

I87 187 188 190

21. Building BW 1. Introduction a n d History of the Excavations, Philip P. Betancourt, George Mitrakis, Maria Parisi, andEleni Velona 2. T h e Architecture, John C. McEnroe 3. T h e Pottery, Philip P. Betancourt 4. T h e Stone Tools, Heidi M. C. Dierckx 5. O t h e r Cataloged Objects, Philip P. Betancourt 6. T h e Faunal Remains, David S. Reese 7. C o m m e n t s a n d Conclusions, Philip P. Betancourt.

191 191 192 194 195 196 197 197

22. Area BX 1. Introduction a n d History of the Excavations, Philip P. Betancourt 2. T h e Architecture, John C. McEnroe 3. T h e Pottery, Robert B. Koehl 4. T h e Stone Tools, Heidi M. C. Dierckx 5. O t h e r Cataloged Objects, Philip P. Betancourt 6. C o m m e n t s a n d Conclusions, Philip P. Betancourt

199 199 199 201 203 203 204

23. Building BY, T h e Obsidian Workshop 1. Introduction a n d History of t h e Excavations, Philip P. Betancourt, Eleni Armpis, andEleni 2. T h e Architecture, John C. McEnroe 3. T h e Pottery, Cheryl R. Floyd 4. T h e Stone Tools, Heidi M. C. Dierckx 5. O t h e r Cataloged Objects, Philip P. Betancourt 6. T h e Faunal Remains, David S. Reese 7. C o m m e n t s a n d Conclusions, Philip P. Betancourt

205 Velona 205 206 208 216 222 223 224

24. Building BZ 1. Introduction a n d History of the Excavations, Philip P. Betancourt 2. T h e Architecture, John C. McEnroe 3. C o m m e n t s a n d Conclusions, Philip P. Betancourt

227 227 227 230

25. Building BAA 1. Introduction a n d History of the Excavations, Philip P. Betancourt 2. T h e Architecture, John C. McEnroe 3. T h e Pottery, Philip P. Betancourt 4. T h e Stone Tools, Heidi M. C. Dierckx 5. O t h e r Cataloged Objects, Philip P. Betancourt 6. T h e Lithic Materials, Philip P. Betancourt 7. C o m m e n t s a n d Conclusions, Philip P. Betancourt

231 231 231 233 234 234 235 235

PART II. AREAS C, D, AND F Introduction

238

26. Building CA 1. Introduction a n d History of the Excavations, Philip P. Betancourt 2. T h e Architecture, John C. McEnroe 3. C o m m e n t s a n d Conclusions, Philip P. Betancourt

239 239 239 242

CONTENTS

ix

27. Area CB 1. Introduction and History of the Excavations, Philip P. Betancourt 2. The Architecture, John C. McEnroe 3. T h e Stone Vessel, Philip P. Betancourt andEleni S. Banou 4. Comments and Conclusions, Philip P. Betancourt

243 243 244 244 245

28. Building CC 1. Introduction and General Comments, Philip P. Betancourt 2. The Architecture, John C, McEnroe

247 247 247

29. Building CD 1. Introduction and General Comments, Philip P. Betancourt 2. The Architecture, John C. McEnroe

259 249 249

30. Area CE 1. Introduction and General Comments, Philip P. Betancourt 2. The Architecture, John C. McEnroe

251 251 251

31. Building CF 1. Introduction and General Comments, Philip P. Betancourt 2. The Architecture, John C. McEnroe

255 255 255

32. Area CG 1. Introduction and General Comments, Philip P. Betancourt 2. T h e Architecture, John C. McEnroe

259 259 259

33. Building CH 1. Introduction and General Comments, Philip P. Betancourt 2. The Architecture, John C, McEnroe

263 263 263

34. Building CI 1. Introduction and General Comments, Philip P. Betancourt 2. The Architecture, John C. McEnroe

265 265 265

35. Building DA 1. Introduction and History of the Excavations, Philip P. Betancourt and Georgia Salapata 2. The Architecture, John C. McEnroe 3. The Pottery, Eleni S. Banou 4. T h e Stone Tools, Heidi M. C. Dierckx 5. Other Cataloged Objects, Philip P. Betancourt 6. The Faunal Remains, David S. Reese 7. The Charcoal Remains, Werner H. Schoch 8. T h e Lithic Materials, Philip P. Betancourt 9. Comments and Conclusions, Philip P. Betancourt

267 267 268 270 280 281 282 283 284 284

36. Area DB 1. Introduction and General Comments, Philip P. Betancourt 2. T h e Architecture, John C. McEnroe

287 287 287

37. Area DC 1. Introduction and General Comments, Philip P. Betancourt 2. T h e Architecture, John C. McEnroe

289 289 289

38. Area DD 1. Introduction and General Comments, Philip P. Betancourt 2. T h e Architecture, John C. McEnroe

291 291 291

X

PSEIRA rv

39. Building FA 1. Introduction and General Comments, Philip P. Betancourt 2. The Architecture, John C. McEnroe

293 293 293

PART III. DISCUSSION 40. Summary and Conclusions for Area B, Philip P. Betancourt

297

41. Summary and Conclusions for Areas C, D, and F, Lada Onyshkevych

303

APPENDIX A. Statistical Tables for Pottery, Eleni S. Banou, Philip P. Betancourt, and Cheryl R. Floyd

311

BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES

325

CONCORDANCE OF MUSEUM AND FIELD NUMBERS

337

INDEX

343

FIGURES PLATES

List of Illustrations 1. Plan of Pseira, showing the architectural locations 4 2. Plan of Pseira as published by Richard Seager (1910) 5 3. Plan of Building BA 6 4. Sandstone block f r o m Building BA 7 5. Plan of Area BB 13 6. Richard Seager's plan of Building BC with the m o d e r n n u m b e r s for architectural spaces 18 7. Profile drawing of the strata revealed by the excavation u n d e r the floor of R o o m BC 3 20 8. Plan of Building BC 21 9. Locations for the sandstone blocks in Building BC (bases 7 a n d 8 were n o t in situ) 22 10. Building BC, Bases 1 a n d 2 24 11. Building BC, Bases 3 a n d 4 25 12. Building BC, Bases 5 a n d 6 26 13. Building BC, Bases 7 a n d 8 27 14. Mineralogy of t h e sediments f r o m Building BC 40 15. Plan of Building BD 46 16. A detail of Seager's plan, showing Area BE 47 17. Bridge-spouted j u g f o u n d in Space BE 5 48 18. Plan of Area BE (following page 50) 19. Area BE, Blocks 1 - 2 50 20. Area BE, Block 3 50 21. Plan of Building BF 58 22. Detail of Seager's plan showing Building BG 61 23. Plan of Building BG 62 24. Mineralogy of t h e s e d i m e n t in Building BG 68 25. Plan of Area BH (following page 70) 26. Area BH, Blocks 1 - 3 73 27. Area BH, Blocks 4 - 1 0 74 28. Area BH, Blocks 11-14 75 29. Area BH, Block 15 76 30. Plan a n d section of R o o m BH 4 77 31. C o m p a r i s o n between a l a m p base f o u n d in Area BH a n d a complete l a m p f r o m Pseira 81 32. Plan of Building BI 87 33. Plan of Area BJ 91 34. Plan of Building BK 96 35. Drawing of t h e stratigraphy in R o o m BN 2 103 36. Plan of Building BN East 104 37. Oversized c u p with spout a n d u n d u l a t i n g rim f o u n d in Area BN West 113 38. Plan of Area BN West 115 39. J a r f o u n d by Seager in Building BO 120 40. Plan of Building B O 121 41. Plan a n d section of Space BO 8 122

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PSEIRA IV

42. Block found in Building B O 43. Emery piece found in Building B O 44. Plan of Building BP 45. Three of the clay vases found in Room B Q 1 46. Plan of Building BQ. 47. Plan of the Town Square or Plateia (Area BR) 48. Block found in Area BR 49. Plan of Building B T 50. Percentage of pottery fabrics for the LM I deposit in Space B T 1 51. Comparison between the shapes in Fine Fabrics in the deposits in BC 3 and B T 1 52. Plan of Building BU 53. Plan of Building BW 54. Plan of Area B X (following page 55. Plan of Building BY. 56. Plan of Building BZ 57. Plan of Building BAA 58. Plan of Building CA 59. Plan of Building CB 60. Plan of Building CC 61. Plan of Building CD 62. Plan of Building CE 63. Plan of Building CF 64. Plan of Building CG 65. Plan of Building CH 66. Plan and section of Building DA 67. Plan of Area DB (following page 68. Plan of Area DC (following page 69. Plan of Area DD 70. Plan of Building FA 71. Topographical map of the settled areas of Pseira 72. Topographical map of Areas C, D, and F on Pseira 73. Plan of buildings in Area C on Pseira 74. Plan of buildings in Area C on Pseira 75. Plan of buildings in Areas D and F on Pseira 76. Table showing approximate areas, elevations, and distances to the nearest visible architecture

12! 126 128 131 132 14C 164 17E 178 178 186 192 194) 207 228 232 24C 245 248 250 252 256 258 264 269 274) 274) 292 294 304 305 306 307 308 309

List of Figures 1. Objects from Building BA and Area BB. Scale 1:3 except as noted. 2. Stone tools from Area BB. Scale 1:3 except as noted. 3. Stone tools from Area BB. Scale as noted. 4. Pottery from Building BC. Scale 1:3. 5. Pottery from Building BC. Scale 1:3. 6. Stone tools from Building BC. Scale 1:3 except as noted. 7. Objects from Buildings BC and BE. Scale 1:3. 8. Objects from Buildings BE and BG and Area BH. Scale 1:3 except as noted. 9. Objects from Area BH and Buildings BI and BJ. Scale 1:3 except as noted. 10. Objects from Buildings BJ, BL, and BN East. Scale 1:3 except as noted. 11. Stone tools from Building BN East. Scale 1:3 except as noted. 12. Cup from Area BN West. Scale 1:3. 13. Stone objects from Building BO. Scale 1:3 except as noted. 14. Pottery from Building BQ. Scale 1:3. 15. Objects from Building BQ and Area BR (the Plateia). Scale 1:3. 16. Pottery from Area BR (the Plateia). Scale 1:3. 17. Pottery from Area BR (the Plateia). Scale 1:3. 18. Pottery from Area BR (the Plateia). Scale 1:3. 19. Pottery from Area BR (the Plateia). Scale 1:3. 20. Pottery from Area BR (the Plateia). Scale 1:3. 21. Pottery from Area BR (the Plateia). Scale 1:3. 22. Pottery from Area BR (the Plateia). Scale 1:3. 23. Pottery from Area BR (the Plateia). Scale 1:3. 24. Pottery from Area BR (the Plateia). Scale 1:3. 25. Stone objects from Area BR (the Plateia). Scale 1:3 except as noted. 26. Stone objects from Area BR (the Plateia). Scale 1:3 except as noted. 27. Stone tools from Area BR (the Plateia). Scale 1:3 except as noted. 28. Stone tools from Area BR (the Plateia). Scale 1:3 except as noted. 29. Stone tools from Area BR (the Plateia). Scale 1:3 except as noted. 30. Stone objects from Area BR (the Plateia). Scale 1:3 except as noted. 31. Objects from Area BR (the Plateia). Scale 1:3 except as noted. 32. Objects from Area BR (the Plateia). Scale 1:3. 33. Objects from Area BR (the Plateia) and Building BT. Scale 1:3. 34. Pottery from Building BT. Scale 1:3. 35. Pottery from Building BT. Scale 1:3. 36. Pottery from Building BT. Scale 1:3. 37. Pottery and a quern from Building BT. Scale 1:3. 38. Objects from Buildings BT and BW. Scale 1:3 except as noted. 39. Objects from Building BW. Scale 1:3 except as noted. 40. Objects from Buildings BW and BX. Scale 1:3. 41. Objects from Buildings BX and BY. Scale 1:3.

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PSEIRA IV

42. Pottery from Building BY. Scale 1:3. 43. Pottery from Building BY. Scale 1:3. 44. Objects from Building BY. Scale 1:3 except as noted. 45. Stone tools from Building BY. Scale 1:3 except as noted. 46. Stone tools from Building BY. Scale as noted. 47. Stone tools from Building BY. Scale as noted. 48. Stone tools from Building BY. Scale as noted. 49. Stone tools from Building BY. Scale 1:3 except as noted. 50. Stone tools from Building BY. Scale 1:3 except as noted. 51. Objects from Buildings BY and BAA. Scale 1:3 except as noted. 52. Objects from Building DA. Scale 1:3. 53. Pottery from Building DA. Scale 1:3. 54. Pottery from Building DA. Scale 1:3. 55. Pottery from Building DA. Scale 1:3. 56. Pottery from Building DA. Scale 1:3. 57. Pottery from Building DA. Scale 1:3. 58. Objects from Building DA. Scale 1:3 except as noted. 59. Objects from Building DA. Scale 1:3 except as noted.

List of Plates 1. Aerial photograph of the settlement at Pseira. 2. Buildings on the west side of Plateia Road North. 3. A. Room BC 9, looking east. B. Space BC 6, looking west. 4. A. The northeast part of Building BC. B. Space BC 4 looking east. C. Drain in Space BC 4. 5. Sherds and stone tools found in Building BC. 6. A. Photomicrograph of rock fragments in clayey matrix. B. Photomicrograph of laminated micritic crust. 7. A. Photomicrograph in which dense matrix exhibits rough bow-like bedding. B. Block of aeolian sandstone. 8. Pottery from Building BE. 9. A. Rooms BG 2 and BG 3. B. Detail of the south wall of Room BG 2. 10. A. Floor packing in Room BH 18. B. The vestibule (Room BH 1). 11.A. The staircase in Area BH. B. Bench at the west side of Room BH 1. 12. A. Sandstone block built into the west wall of Room BH 7. B. Threshold block in Room BH 1. 13. Aerial photograph of the Grand Staircase and the buildings just north of it. 14. Building BN East, looking west. 15. A. Threshold block in Room BN 2. B. Threshold block in Room BN 2. 16. Pottery from Building BN East. 17. A. Large spouted cup with three handles. B. Building BO looking south. 18. A. Wall at the south of Space BO 8. B. The Grand Staircase and Building BQ. 19. Pottery from Room BQ. 20. Pottery from Room BQ 1. 21. Pottery from Room BQ 1. 22. A. Southern facade of Building BS/BV. B. Kernos in the Plateia. 23. Pottery from the Plateia (Area BR). 24. Pottery from the Plateia (Area BR). 25. Pottery from the Plateia (Area BR). 26. Pottery from the Plateia (Area BR). 27. A. Quern. B. Pounding platform. C. Photomicrograph of sample. 28. Photomicrographs. 29. Pottery from Building BT. 30. A. Lid. B. Quern. C. Stone bowl. D. Staircase in Area BX. 31. Aerial photograph of Building BY. 32. A. Building BY, looking east. B. Building BY, looking north. 33. A. Retaining walls. B. Detail of the blocks. C. Corner at the SE of Room BAA 1. 34. A. Aerial view of the coast of Pseira. B. Stone vase from Building CB. 35. Room DA 1, showing the megalithic wall at the uphill side of the structure. 36. A. Interior northeast corner of Room DA 1. B. Detail of the megalithic wall. 37. A. Staircase in Building DA. C. Interior of Room DA 3, looking east. 38. Objects from Building DA. Scale 1:2.

Acknowledgments The Pseira Project was an American-Greek collaboration (synergasia) directed by Philip P. Betancourt and Costis Davaras. It was sponsored by Temple University, the Archaeological Institute of Crete, and the Archaeological Society of Crete, under the auspices of the Greek Ministry of Culture and the American School of Classical Studies at Athens. Additional financial assistance for the work published in this volu m e was given by the Institute for Aegean Prehistory; the National Endowment for the Humanities, an ind e p e n d e n t federal agency; the Social Sciences and H u m a n i t i e s Council of Canada; the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology; the Society for the Preservation of the Greek Heritage; the Arcadia Foundation; the Mellon Corp o r a t i o n ; H a m i l t o n College; Q u e e n ' s University, Kingston, Ontario; the Long Island Society of the Archaeological Institute of America; Leon Pomerance; and other donors. Thanks are extended to all those who assisted with the project, including the Directors for Prehistoric a n d Classical Antiquities, Ministry of C u l t u r e of Greece, Yannis Tzedakis (1985-1990, 1993-present),

Ios Z e r v o u d a k i ( 1 9 9 0 - 1 9 9 2 ) , a n d K a t e r i n a R o m i o p o u l o u ( 1 9 9 2 - 1 9 9 3 ) , a n d to Nikos P. Papadakis, Epimeletis and Supervisor for the Ephorate of Eastern Crete (1985-1989 and 1995-present). The directors are also grateful to the Directors of the A m e r i c a n School of Classical Studies at A t h e n s , Stephen G. Miller (1985-1987), William D. Coulson (1987-1997), and James D. Muhly (1997-present) for their assistance. Heidi M. C. Dierckx, a u t h o r of the sections on stone implements, would like to thank Harriet Blitzer for her advice on the study of stone tools and for her help in their cataloging. She would also like to thank Jeffrey Soles and Costis Davaras for allowing her to study and refer to the stone material from the excavations at Mochlos, and David Romano for allowing her to examine stone implements in the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology. T h e T o p c o n DM-A2 EDM (Electronic Distance Meter) used f o r survey in 1987-1988 was kindly loaned by Don Anderson of the Anderson Instrument and Supply Co., Canton, Ohio.

Introduction Pseira IV publishes the architecture and associated finds from 39 locations in Areas B, C, D, and F in the Minoan town of Pseira. The Bronze Age settlement is located on Pseira Island, off the coast of Crete in the Gulf of Mirabello. It was excavated between 1985 and 1991 by a joint American-Greek expedition directed by the editors of this volume. Details of the expedition and of the overall publication plan are in earlier volumes in the series. For mapping purposes, the town of Pseira is divided into six areas, designated A through F. Area B is the section of the town located on the northern part of Katsouni Peninsula. It is north of the Grand Staircase that leads up into the settlement from the small Pseiran beach. Area C is west of Area B. Area D is west of Area C, and Area F is farther west. Locations in the town are given consecutive letter designations (BA, BB, BC, etc.); architectural spaces are n u m b e r e d at each location (Room BA 1, Room BA 2, etc.). The same numbering system is used for the excavated units, for ease in the use of the excavation notebooks, data bases, and pottery charts. A fuller discussion of the system in published in Pseira I. Except for Building BS/BV, which occupies the northern side of the Town Square (Plateia) in Area B, and which has already been published, this volu m e reports all of the Minoan architecture f r o m Areas B, C, D, and F (111. 1 and PI. 1). The architecture and the objects f r o m these buildings are presented here, but f u t u r e volumes will include additional comments and interpretations. The town on Pseira Island was built largely of native stone, and the lower parts of many walls are still preserved. Most buildings were partly or completely excavated by Richard Seager in 1906 and 1907. The new project cleaned or partly re-excavated many walls to facilitate architectural drawing and photography, and some buildings were completely excavated. Of the buildings published in this volume that were exposed by Seager, new excavations were made in Buildings BC, BN East, BT, and BW, and in Areas

BH, BJ, and BR. Buildings BY and DA, not discovered by Seager, were completely uncovered. A small part of Building BB was also excavated. Although one cannot be absolutely certain of some of the boundaries between houses, and dates are not always secure, the best estimate is that this volume describes 37 or 38 separate buildings in Area B that were in use at the end of LM IB: two each from locations BE, BH, and BJ, and one each from locations BA, BB, BC, BD, BF, BG, BI, BK, BN East, BO, BP, BQ, BT, BU, BW, BX, BY, and BZ. At least 13 or 14 buildings were in Areas C, D, and F. Although they are included in the count of buildings, locations BP and BX probably held small (but roofed) outbuildings rather than full-scale domestic or public architecture. Locations BL, BN West, and BAA d o n o t seem to have had roofed interior spaces during LM IB. Building DA is from LM III. Area BR is the Town Square. Most of t h e b u i l d i n g s w e r e p r o b a b l y u s e d as dwellings, but evidence of manufacturing activities at several locations suggests that the Minoan distinction between house and workshop may not have been precise. It is also likely that some of the structures were used for public functions, such as religion and cult. T h e Town Square, or Plateia (Area BR), was the dominant urban element of the town of Pseira. It is located in Area B. Several buildings fronted on the square, and major streets led north and south from its western side. Building BS/BV, the Plateia Building, occupied the northern side of the square; it was probably the main building in the community. Two north-south streets, Revma Road on the west and Plateia Road North along the peninsula's crest, were the main thoroughfares that defined this part of the town d u r i n g its final, LM IB phase. Buildings were arranged in irregular blocks that followed the contours of the land. Because of the steepness of the peninsula, they often occupied more than one terrace. Streets in Areas C, D, and F are not visible.

XX

PSEIRA IV

T h e limits of the town were already established long b e f o r e LM IB. Middle Minoan remains were found throughout Area B, but they can best be studied at locations BH and BT. It seems likely that the town was destroyed in LM IA and subsequently rebuilt on a d i f f e r e n t town plan. T h e new plan left some previously occupied areas open (e.g., Area BN West and the southern part of Area BX), and it rebuilt over other spaces, often with little regard for pre-existing streets or walls. The new building phase was extensive enough to obliterate the major lines of the earlier town plan, and it cannot be reconstructed from the available evidence. After the LM IB destructions, the town was only partly reoccupied. Building DA provides information on this phase, which ends in LM IIIB. In the Early Byzantine period, a building was constructed over the Minoan Town Square's southern facade, and a second building, Building BM, was built over the western part of the square. A roughly built Byzantine wall extended eastward from Building BM, across the peninsula (the Byzantine remains will be published in a future volume). As with the rest of Pseira, the goals for Areas B-D and F did not include the complete excavation of every building. Such a task would require decades of archaeological excavation, delaying the publication of the project indefinitely. Instead, the overall goal was a better understanding of the town as a whole, with selective excavation both in buildings that were already exposed by the 1906-1907 excavations and in new areas that could offer fresh information to help interpret the architecture that was already visible. Specific objectives included architectural studies and plans of all visible architecture, detailed studies of pottery and other finds in association with their contexts, including those from the old excavations that could still be matched up with their find-spots, and an examination of sediments, animal bones, shells, micro-fauna, and other archaeological materials that could contribute information on life in this small Min o a n town. T h e i n t e g r a t i o n of these diverse approaches to the assemblage of relevant data, along lines recently discussed by several authors (Moody, Rackham, and Rapp 1996:273, with references), will be published in future volumes. The work published here was accomplished over the space of several years. It was directed by the editors of this volume under the supervision of a succession of trench supervisors: Eleni Armpis, Eleni S. Banou, Polyxeni Bougia, Cheryl R. Floyd, Robert B. Koehl, George Mitrakis, Marianna Nikolaidou, Maria Parisi, Georgia Salapata, Fotini Zervaki, and Vasso Zographaki. The architectural study was conducted by J o h n C. McEnroe between 1985 and 1995 with the h e l p of s e v e r a l a s s i s t a n t s : A n n e B a r n o s k y (1990-1992), Joan Beaudoin (1992), Senta C. German (1989-1992), Naomi Horowitz (1991), Vicki L.

Mims (1986-1988), M a r i a n n a Nikolaidou (1988), Sharon Rathke (1989-1990), Paul Scotton (1991), Chrisostomos Theodorou (1989), Philip Van Dusen (1986), and Nathan P. Warner (1995). Architectural m e a s u r e m e n t s were m a d e with t h e assistance of David D. Day (1987-1988), using a Topcon DM-A2 EDM (Electronic Distance Meter). Additional surveying and drawing was conducted in 1994 and 1995 u n d e r the supervision of Lada Onyshkevych, who used a Topcon GTS-303 Electronic Total Station in conjunction with a laptop computer (a Toshiba 8086 in 1994 and a Gateway 2000 486 in 1995). Her assistants i n c l u d e d Leigh-Ann B i n g h a m (1994-1995), William B. Hafford (1994-1995), Katherine E. May (1994-1995), George Mitrakis (1994), Sheila Lin (1994), Jonathan Wallace (1995), and James Wilson (1994). The final plan was completed in 1995 using data prepared by the entire team of architects and surveyors. Photographs were contributed by many staff members. Field p h o t o g r a p h s were taken by Deidre Prib r a m ( 1 9 8 5 - 1 9 8 6 ) , M i c h a e l W. B e t a n c o u r t (1986-1990), George Mitrakis (1992), and Philip P. Betancourt (1984-1993). Aerial p h o t o g r a p h s were made in 1992 by J. Wilson and Eleanor E. Myers. The water-sieving operation was supervised by Russel Evison (1986), A n n e S n o w d e n (1987), Sarah Ryder (1988), Ian Smith (1989, 1991), and Jonathan Chapm a n (1990), all of whom were students of Glynis J o n e s , of the University of Sheffield. T e c h n i c i a n s Nikos Daskalakis and Andreas Klinis provided special expertise in excavation. Mary A. Betancourt supervised work in the apotheki. Profile drawings are by J a c k e Phillips (1986), T e r e s a H o w a r d ( 1 9 8 6 - 1 9 9 2 ) , R o b e r t B. K o e h l (1986), Chrisostomos T h e o d o r o u (1989), S h a r o n Rathke (1989), Senta German (1989), J e n n y H o p e Simpson (1989, 1991), Krista Custafson (1990-1992), Marie T. Naples (1990-1991), J e a n n e Pond (1990), Michael W. Betancourt (1990), Eleni Velona (1990), Naomi Horowitz (1991), Ursula Hawlitschka (1992), and the authors of the individual sections. Catalog entries for the material presented here were made by Mary A. Betancourt (1985-1993), Catherine McEnroe (1985-1986), Heidi M. C. Dierckx (1988-1989), and Laurie Schmitt (1991-1992), as well as by the individual a u t h o r s . Conservators i n c l u d e d B a r b a r a Hamann (1988-1989), A s a f O r o n (1992), and Vanessa Edwards (1992). Object photography was by Deidre Pribram (1985-1986), George Mitrakis (1992-1993), and Philip P. Betancourt (1987-1993). Other studies were made by the authors of the individual sections. Samples for analysis were collected by the trench supervisors u n d e r the supervision of Philip P. Betancourt and were studied in the laboratories listed in the following chapters. T h e information published in this volume is important for several reasons. By far the most signifi-

INTRODUCTION

cant discovery in Area B is the existence of a Plateia (Town S q u a r e ) . T h a t Pseira was d e s i g n e d a r o u n d such a feature was not suspected f r o m the early excavations, and this fact alone revolutionizes our understanding of the town and its u r b a n plan. T h e documentation of a reoccupation phase in LM III is also new. This period also represents an aspect of Pseira that was not recognized by the early excavators. Minoan buildings are presented in this volume in considerable detail, with state plans and accurate architectural descriptions. Pseira is the first M i n o a n town to b e s t u d i e d so closely, a n d c o n s e q u e n t l y m u c h of its information is new to the scholarly public; for the first time, we can begin to understand the range of architectural building practices in use in a small Minoan settlement, and the ways in which they interrelated to form a community. Building BS/BV, excavated over the space of several seasons by the m o d e r n project, is an essential part of Area B. T h e publication of the rest of the Pseira town c o m p l e m e n t s the publication of this structure in Pseira III. As is to be expected f r o m the publication of a large part of a town with many buildings that were already exposed, new finds are f r o m scattered locations. T h e new publication of i m p o r t a n t objects f o u n d by Seager, particularly the spectacular pottery f r o m Building BQ, presents profile drawings a n d full descrip-

xxi

tions of these pieces. This volume also includes pottery pieces, stone vessels, g r o u n d and chipped stone tools, the largest quantity of emery published f r o m a Minoan site, tools of pumice, stone and clay weights, stone arrowheads of Mycenaean type, and other welcome additions to the corpus of artifacts that help us r e c o n s t r u c t the material culture of M i n o a n Crete. T h e obsidian workshop in Building BY is the first LM IB obsidian workshop recognized f r o m Crete. Its evid e n c e is very important for our understanding of this craft at the beginning of the Late Bronze Age. T h e buildings of Area B and the hillside west of it are mostly d o m e s t i c a r c h i t e c t u r e used as h o u s e s . T h e r e are hints suggesting that many of t h e m must be r e g a r d e d as w o r k s h o p s as well. T h e s t r u c t u r e s range f r o m tiny buildings with only a few rooms to large mansions with substantial space. All of them are m o r e modest than Building BS/BV, most likely the residence of Pseira's ruler. T h e buildings presented h e r e are a c o m p l e m e n t to the more imposing Building BS/BV, but the large mansion can only be understood with r e f e r e n c e to its town, m u c h of which is presented in this volume. Philip P. Betancourt Pseira Apotheki Villa Blue Sky, Mochlos, Crete July, 1993 Additions, 1997

Parti Area B

1

Building BA

1. Introduction and History of the Excavations Philip P. Betancourt Part of a building is visible on the eastern side of the Pseiran town away from any other excavated structure (Ills. 1-3). It is the most southern building in Area B, built near the face of the cliff that defines the eastern side of Katsouni Peninsula. Although some of the architectural remains were revealed by Richard Seager in his excavations of 1906-1907, they are poorly preserved today (see the plan of Seager, published here as 111. 2). T h e appearance of this structure on the plan, where it appears to be an isolated building, does not reflect the true situation.

Buried walls lie between Building BA and the other Minoan structures, and it is likely that at least two or three additional houses are near this location on the peninsula. Nine architectural spaces could be recognized in Building BA when work began in 1985. Except for the recording of the walls, no work was planned for the area. A state plan was prepared in 1991 by Naomi Horowitz under the supervision of J o h n C. McEnroe. The architecture and the few finds discovered on the surface were studied the same year.

2. The Architecture, Building BA John C. McEnroe Building BA is perched on the edge of the most precipitous cliff at the site. Part of this cliff has fallen down since the Bronze Age, taking at least part of the building with it. Many of the interior walls have also collapsed since the time of Seager's excavation, mak-

ing the building largely incomprehensible. T h e building was constructed on two terraces, which are connected by the stairs in Room BA 6 (see the plan, 111. 3).

BUILDING BA

6

PSEIRA IV

BUILDING

0

1

JVaa»«. 19 9 1

Illustration 3. Plan of Building BA.

2 m

BA

7

BUILDING BA

Materials

and

Much of Building BA is of coursed slab construction. Large limestone and transitional phyllite slabs were used for the north-south walls. Smaller slabs of the same materials were used for the east-west walls. Room BA 7 was paved with limestone slabs. A frag-

Techniques ment of a block made of aeolian sandstone was collected from the surface of the building (111. 4). The use of the original block in this building is not known, as the small fragment was not in situ.

Building

Sequence

T h e rooms of the lower terrace (BA 4 to BA 9) were built against the rooms of the upper terrace

(BA 1 to BA 3).

Room

Descriptions

ROOM BA 1

race. The west wall has collapsed. Overall, the space is about 5.00 m x 1.80 m.

Although it was shown clearly on Seager's plan, Room BA 1 is today barely distinguishable.

ROOM BA 5 ROOM BA 2 Room BA 2 is in the northeast corner. Only the south and west walls are visible today. The south wall is 1.80 m long, 0.53 m thick, and 0.78 m high (5 courses). T h e west wall is 1.60 m long, 0.45 m thick, and 0.55 m high (4 courses).

Room BA 5 is on the lower terrace near the center of the building. Its north wall is about 2.80 m long. The southeast wall is 1.90 m long, 0.55 m thick, and 0.44 m high (3 courses). The southwest wall is 1.66 m long, 0.44 m thick, and 0.50 m high. The west wall is 2.47 m long, 0.40 m thick, and 0.55 m high (3 courses).

ROOM BA 6

ROOM BA 3 Room BA 3 is the large room on the higher ter-

Room BA 6 is the stairway that connects the two preserved levels of the house. Its north wall is 1.32 m long, 0.32 m thick, and 0.78 m high (4 courses). The south wall is 3.30 m long, 0.26 m thick, and 0.35 m high (3 courses). The stairway is about 0.81 m wide. The other rooms, including those in the southeast corner of the building, are poorly preserved.

'

13.7 cm

*

BA: B L O C K 1 Height

14.3

cm

Illustration 4. Sandstone block from Building BA.

8

PSEIRA IV

3. The Stone Tools, Building BA Heidi M. C. Dierckx Five pieces of o b s i d i a n c o m e f r o m o n e of the rooms in Building BA. Four are flakes and one is a section of a blade. Their context is the surface as left by the 1907 excavations. The pieces are all of Melian

obsidian. The presence of cortex (the rough weathered surface on obsidian) on some flakes (nos. BA 2 and BA 4) shows that they represent early flakes removed from a lump.

Catalog ROOM BA 3 CHIPPED STONE

BA 3, Fig. 1 (PS 4032; BA 3-Surface). Flake. Max dim 1.7. Obsidian (black, N 1). Date. Minoan.

BA 1, Fig. 1 (PS 4030; BA 3-Surface). Flake. Max dim 2.4. Obsidian (black, N 1). Retouch on edge: denticulation and one notch. Comments: Chipped from use. Date. Minoan.

BA 4, Fig. 1 (PS 4033; BA 3-Surface). Flake. Max dim 2.1. Obsidian (black, N 1). Cortex preserved. Comments: Initial flake. Parallels: See Pseira I, no. AI 7. Date. Minoan.

BA 2, Fig. 1 (PS 4031; BA 3-Surface). Flake. Max dim 5.55. Obsidian (black, N 1). Cortex preserved. Comments'. Initial flake. Parallels: See Pseira I, no. AI 7. Dale. Minoan.

BA 5, Fig. 1 (PS 4034; BA 3-Surface). Blade, center section. Max preserved length 2.15; max w 0.95; max th 0.25. Obsidian (black, N 1). Two ridges. Retouch on ventral surface. Comments: Chipped from use. Date. Minoan.

4. The Lithic Materials, Building BA Philip P. Betancourt The area in and around the architecture of Building BA was strewn with small to large pieces of limestone, metacarbonate, and phyllite from the collapse

of the u p p e r parts of walls. A piece of serpentinite was picked up from the surface, and it is recorded here.

BUILDING BA

Catalog and ROOM BA 1 Serpentinite, waterworn cobble, 10 x 8.5 x 6 cm The piece of serpentinite is a dense, evenly colored green stone. It is smooth on the exterior. The stone shows no obvious cracks or fractures, and it would be suitable for the manufacture of a small stone vessel

9

Discussion or some other object. Serpentinite of this type is not native to Pseira, but it occurs at n u m e r o u s locations on Crete. Several pieces have been recorded from the Pseiran settlement, most of t h e m waterworn like this example. They were most likely brought in as raw material for the manufacture of objects of various types.

5. Comments and Conclusions, Building BA Philip P. Betancourt Little can be said about Building BA, a structure that is perched dangerously near the high Pseiran cliffs marking the eastern side of the Minoan town. The building is down the slope from the peninsula's crest. Unexcavated areas to the n o r t h a n d south probably conceal additional rooms that joined this architecture with its neighbors, now partly eroded off the side of the hill. No excavation or cleaning was c o n d u c t e d here, and the visible architecture is so poorly preserved that most of the rooms cannot be studied in detail in their present condition. The doorway is not visible today, but it must have been on the west, away from the cliffs. Like many Pseiran buildings, the construc-

tion is on two terraces j o i n e d by a flight of stairs (Room BA 6). Most Minoan buildings consisting of many rooms are usually regarded as houses; although no direct evidence was collected for the purpose of this individual building, aside from a few pieces of obsidian and one piece of serpentinite, there seems to be no reason not to regard it as a simple domestic building. T h e obsidian (including four flakes, only one of which shows evidence of use) and the piece of serpentinite (raw material, not a finished artifact) are useful for d o c u m e n t i n g the fact that objects were manufactured at several places in the town, not just at one or two locations.

2

Area BB

1. Introduction and History of the Excavations Philip P. Betancourt, Eleni Armpis, and Eleni Velona Walls were f o u n d to the east a n d south of Building BY at the eastern side of the Plateia, a n d the western edges of t h e rooms were excavated u n d e r the supervision of Eleni Armpis a n d Eleni Velona. Aside f r o m r e v e a l i n g t h e c o n f i g u r a t i o n of t h e P l a t e i a at this p o i n t o n t h e site, n o work was c o n d u c t e d at this location because of the proximity of the steep slope a n d t h e cliffs at the eastern side of the Minoan town. Additional excavation was not advisable because any att e m p t to reveal m o r e rooms here would be likely to cause severe erosion in f u t u r e years, d a m a g i n g this p a r t of the site. T h e u n t o u c h e d natural vegetation of t h e area was left in place as protection against the future ravages of Cretan spring rains. A preliminary rep o r t of t h e o b s i d i a n was p u b l i s h e d by D i e r c k x (1995:57-59). T h e west f a c a d e of Area BB was revealed a f t e r a s m a l l a m o u n t of e x c a v a t i o n t h a t r e m o v e d d e b r i s f r o m over t h e wall facing the Plateia. T h e excavation

showed that the lower part of this wall was visible in Byzantine times. Probably its u p p e r courses were removed at that time for use as building material in the Byzantine monastery (Building AL). Context: disturbed level covering the western side of the building. Date: mixed Minoan a n d Byzantine. Spaces: BB 1, BB 2, BB 3. Excavated units: BY ( B 6 ) W - 1 , BY ( B 6 ) W - 2 , BY (B6)W-3. Soil color, yellowish brown (10YR 5 / 4 ) . Comments: T h e debris over the architecture was dist u r b e d in Byzantine times, a n d few conclusions can b e m a d e a b o u t t h e n a t u r e of t h e b u i l d i n g o n t h e basis of the finds. Unit BY (B6) W-l was over all t h r e e rooms, u n i t BY (B6) W-2 was over Rooms BY 1 a n d BY 2, a n d u n i t BY (B6)W-3 was over R o o m BB 3. N o p u r e Bronze Age stratum was discovered.

12

PSEIRA IV

2. The Architecture, Area BB John C. McEnroe Area BB is the name given to a small set of rooms in the southeast corner of the Plateia. The area has not been completely excavated, so that it is not clear whether or not the walls in the northern and southern parts of the area actually belong to a single structure. It is clear that we are dealing with only a small

fragment of a larger structure or structures (111. 5). T h e area is not very informative. T h e coursed l a r g e - r u b b l e f a c a d e is ca. 0 . 7 5 m t h i c k . T h e East-West wall fragment is of coursed slabs and rubble. Almost nothing is known about the interior of the building.

3. The Pottery, Area BB Cheryl R. Floyd Area BB, southeast of Building BY on the east side of the Plateia, was so heavily disturbed and damaged that no distinct stratigraphy could be recognized. The remains over this structure came from a single disturbed context, with potsherds ranging in date from Minoan to Byzantine to Modern. Only a few sherds were recovered from the three units excavated

from this area (153 sherds weighing 2400 gr). One piece was cataloged (no. B B 1). T h e remains of this structure and its ceramics are so scanty that virtually nothing can be said about its function other than that the ceramic shapes are typical of domestic settings. The latest Bronze Age potsherds are from LM IB.

Description and OVER R O O M S B B 1, B B 2, AND B B 3 No ceramic remains from the surface level were cataloged, but the pottery is recorded in Appendix A. Only 26 sherds weighing 700 gr were unearthed, of which 23% were in Minoan Fine Fabrics, 4 % were in Minoan Phyllite Fabrics, and 7 3 % were from the Byzantine period. Sherds in Fine Fabrics were highly worn and were from closed vessels and a cup. T h e cup is LM I in date and is one of the few diagnostic Bronze Age sherds from this unit. The single sherd in a Phyllite Fabric was a body sherd from a piriform jar with pale slip on the exterior as well as traces of dark slip. The shapes represented in Byzantine Fabrics include cups, amphorae, and closed vessels.

FABRICS Fine Fabrics: 6 sherds; 45 gr Phyllite Fabrics: 1 sherd; l l O g r

Catalog

Byzantine Fabrics-. 19 sherds; 545 gi

FILL OVER R O O M S B B 1 AND B B 2 Twenty sherds weighing 1025 gr were collected from above Rooms BB 1 and BB 2. O f these worn and uncataloged sherds, 5 % were in Fine Fabrics, 10% were in Coarse Fabrics, 3 5 % were in Phyllite Fabrics, and 50% were in Byzantine Fabrics. Details of the pottery are in Appendix A. A base sherd from an open vessel in a Fine Fabric, burnished and with traces of dark slip on both interior and exterior, was from LM I. The two sherds in Coarse Fabrics were worn body sherds from unpainted and undiagnostic closed vessels. Sherds in Phyllite Fabrics came from a piriform j a r with raised plastic "rope" decoration, a cooking dish, and a cup. The cooking dish's Phyllite Fabric is the type that was called Type I by Haggis and Mook (1993). It was described and characterized

AREABB

N

12.375

BB 1

BB 2

A R E A BB 12.515

0

1

/^tmjL y^axmnkij

2 m

'

95 5

19 9 0 - 9 1

Illustration 5. Plan of Area BB.

A

I

[H

BB

3

14

PSEIRA IV

optically by Betancourt a n d Myer (1995). Byzantine shapes include an a m p h o r a a n d o t h e r closed vessels. FABRICS Fine Fabrics: 1 sherd; 10 gr Coarse Fabrics: 2 sherds; 20 gr Phyllite Fabrics: 7 sherds; 455 gr Byzantine Fabrics: 10 sherds; 540 gr

FILL IN ROOM BB 3 A total of 107 sherds weighing only 675 gr was collected f r o m Room BB 3. A single ceramic object (a lid, no. BB 1) was cataloged f r o m this unit. Details are given in A p p e n d i x A.

LM I sherds in Fine Fabrics included a body s h e r d f r o m a b u r n i s h e d , straight-sided c u p a n d an LM IB body sherd f r o m a semiglobular cup decorated with b a n d s a n d an indistinguishable motif. T h e lid cataloged f r o m this u n i t was d e c o r a t e d with a series of t h i n b a n d s a n d a d e g e n e r a t e floral b a n d motif in dark slip over a burnished g r o u n d . All of the sherds in Fine Fabrics were f r o m either cups or closed vessels. T h e shapes in Coarse Fabrics i n c l u d e d a j a r a n d closed vessels, both painted and u n p a i n t e d . Sherds in Phyllite Fabrics o u t n u m b e r e d those in Mirabello Fabric, Cooking Class. Byzantine sherds were by far the most n u m e r o u s , b u t even a couple of Foreign (?) or non-local (?) sherds were f o u n d (not cataloged), as was a sherd f r o m a M o d e r n (20th century) vessel.

FABRICS Fine Fabrics'. 18 sherds; 75 gr Coarse Fabrics: 11 sherds; 120 gr Mirabello Fabric, Cooking Class: 1 sherd; 20 gr Phyllite Fabrics: 10 sherds; 85 gr Foreign Fabrics'. 2 sherds; 35 gr Byzantine Fabrics: 64 sherds; 335 gr Modern Fabric. 1 sherd; 5 gr

Percentages (by count) are as follows: Fine Fabrics: 17% Coarse Fabrics: 10% Mirabello Fabric, Cooking Class: 1 % Phyllite Fabrics: 9% Foreign Fabrics: 2% Byzantine Fabrics: 60% Modern Fabrics'. 1%

LM IB, Fine Fabrics T h e earliest d i a g n o s t i c s h e r d is a n EM III base s h e r d f r o m a n East C r e t a n W h i t e - o n - D a r k W a r e closed vessel decorated with diagonal lines. A few examples of MM sherds in Fine Fabrics were also n o t e d (e.g., a body sherd f r o m a carinated cup a n d a body sherd f r o m a closed vessel with typical MM dark slip on the exterior). Most of the diagnostic sherds were f r o m LM I, a n d some were specifically f r o m LM IB, which provided the terminus ante quern for this Bronze Age structure.

BB 1, Fig. 1 (PS 3198; BY (B6)W-3). Lid, one-quarter preserved. D of rim ca. 11-14. A fine fabric (very pale brown, 10YR 8 / 4 ) , with tiny inclusions. D o m e lid; h a n d l e with circular section. T h i n bands; degenerate foliate b a n d ; b a n d . Parallels: T h e shape is midway between Hawes et al. 1908: pi. 2, nos. 39 a n d 41 (Gournia); cf. Bosanquet a n d Dawkins 1923: pi. 16e (Palaikastro, LM I). Date. LM IB.

4. The Stone Tools, Area BB Heidi M. C. Dierckx Nineteen stone tools were f o u n d in the small part of the M i n o a n b u i l d i n g excavated in Area BB. Because they came f r o m a d i s t u r b e d u p p e r level, it is not possible to date t h e m closely, a n d because they were in the fill that e x t e n d e d over b o t h this building

a n d t h e n e a r b y a r e a above a n d n e a r B u i l d i n g BY, they could have b e e n originally associated with either b u i l d i n g ( f o r a p r e l i m i n a r y r e p o r t , see D i e r c k x 1995:57-59).

15

AREABB

Catalog ROOMS BB 1, BB 2, AND BB 3 CHIPPED STONE BB 2, Fig. 1 (PS 3131; BY (B6)W-1). Flake. Max dim 2.85. Obsidian (black, N 1). Comments'. Initial flake. Parallels'. See Pseira I, no. AI 7. Date. LM IB or earlier. BB 3, Fig. 1 (PS 3134; BY (B6)W-1). Flake. Max dim 2.9. Obsidian (black, N 1). Cortex present. Comments: Primary flake. Parallels'. Warren 1972a:326 (Myrtos); Seferiades 1975:110, pi. 35, nos. 2 - 3 (Malia); Evely 1984:230, pi. 21 l j (Knossos). Date. LM IB or earlier. BB 4, Fig. 2 (PS 3135; BY (B6)W-1). Flake. Max dim 1.7. Obsidian (black, N 1). Date. LM IB or earlier. BB 5, Fig. 2 (PS 3132; BY (B6)W-1). Core. Max length 2.1; max w 0.9; max th 0.65. Obsidian (black, N 1). Pyramidal fluted; one platform. Parallels: W a r r e n 1972a:326-328, fig. 128, no. 15 (Myrtos); Seferiades 1975:24, 28-34, 111-112, pi. 5, n o . 1, a n d pi. 36, n o s . 1 - 4 , a n d van E f f e n t e r r e 1969:19, pi. 4 (Malia); Evely 1984:230, pi. 211f-h (Knossos). Date. LM IB or earlier. BB 6, Fig. 2 (PS 3133; BY (B6)W-1). Core, fragment. Max preserved length 2.4; max w 1.6; max th 1.35. Obsidian (black, N 1). Pyramidal fluted; one platform. Parallels: See no. BB 5. Date. LM IB or earlier. BB 7, Fig. 2 (PS 3130; BY (B6)W-1). Flake, worked. Max dim 3.3. Obsidian (black, N 1). Cortex present. Retouch on edge: two shallow consecutive notches. Comments: Notched flake and primary flake. Date. LM IB or earlier.

ROOM BB 3 G R O U N D STONE BB 8, Fig. 2 (PS 3206; BY (B6)W-3). H a n d tool, broken on one end. Max preserved length 5.85; max preserved w 7.4; max th 6.4; preserved weight 491 gr. Limestone (gray, 7.5YR 5 / 0 ) . Natural waterworn cob-

ble; rectangular rounded. Pecking on end opposite broken end. Parallels: See Pseira I, no. AB 33. Date. LM IB or earlier. CHIPPED S T O N E BB 9, Fig. 2 (PS 3136; BY (B6)W-3). Flake. Max dim 3.4. Obsidian (black, N 1). Cortex present. Comments'. Initial flake. Parallels: See Pseira I, no. AI 7. Date. LM IB or earlier. BB 10, Fig. 2 (PS 3172; BY (B6)W-3). Flake. Max dim 3.4. Obsidian (black, N 1). Cortex present. Comments: Initial flake. Parallels: See Pseira I, no. AI 7. Date. LM IB or earlier. BB 11, Fig. 2 (PS 3173; BY (B6)W-3). Flake. Max dim 2.35. Obsidian (black, N 1). Date. LM IB or earlier. BB 12, Fig. 2 (PS 3178; BY (B6)W-3). Flake. Max dim 1.5. Obsidian (black, N 1). Cortex present. Comments'. Primary flake. Parallels: See no. BB 3. Date. LM IB or earlier. BB 13, Fig. 3 (PS 3234; BY (B6)W-3). Flake. Max dim 3.5. Obsidian (black, N 1). Cortex present. Date. LM IB or earlier. BB 14, Fig. 3 (PS 3176; BY ( B 6 ) W - 3 ) . C o r e , worked. Max length 2.76; max w 1.4; max th 1.14. Obsidian (black, N 1). Pyramidal fluted; one platform. Pointed at end opposite the platform by retouch. Comments: Drill. Date. LM IB or earlier. BB 15, Fig. 3 (PS 3235; BY (B6)W-3). Core fragment, worked. Max length 2.38; max w 1.9; max th 1.36. Obsidian (black, N 1). Pyramidal fluted; o n e platform. Pointed at end opposite platform by retouch. Point worn. Comments: Drill. Date. LM IB or earlier. BB 16, Fig. 3 (PS 3180; BY (B6)W-3). Core. Max length 2.6; max w 0.9; max th 0.7. Obsidian (black, N 1). Pyramidal fluted; two platforms. Parallels: See no. BB 5. Date. LM IB or earlier.

16

PSEIRA IV

B B 17, Fig. 3 (PS 3 1 7 4 ; B Y ( B 6 ) W - 3 ) . Flake, worked. Max dim 2.9. Obsidian (black, N 1). Cortex present. Retouch on one edge. Comments'. Initial flake. Parallels: Pseira I, nos. AI 7 and AA 10. Date. LM IB or earlier. B B 18, Fig. 3 (PS 3 1 7 9 ; B Y ( B 6 ) W - 3 ) . Flake, worked. Max dim 1.3. Obsidian (black, N 1). Two notches by retouch on one edge. Comments: Notched flake. Dale-. LM IB or earlier.

B B 19, Fig. 3 (PS 3 1 7 5 ; B Y ( B 6 ) W - 3 ) . F l a k e , worked. Max dim 2.8. Obsidian (black, N 1). Retouched edges. Parallels: See Pseira I, no. AA 10. Date. LM IB or earlier. BB 20, Fig. 3 (PS 3177; BY (B6)W-3). Blade, proximal end. Max preserved length 2.65; max w 1.7; max th 1.0. Obsidian (black, N 1). One ridge. Parallels: See Pseira I, no. AI 6. Date. LM IB or earlier.

5. The Faunal Remains, Area BB David S. Reese The marine shells collected from over the architecture in Area BB come from a mixed context; both Minoan and Byzantine pottery comes from the area. In spite of the small number of shells, the pattern is typical of Pseira, where Monodonta are especially common from Byzantine levels.

BUILDING BB, UNITS BY (B6W)-1, BY (B6W)-3 (MIXED MINOANBYZANTINE) Marine Shells 9 Monodonta—8 with open apex, 1 broken 4 Patella 2 Area—right, fresh, not complete; left, fresh

6. Comments and Conclusions, Area BB Philip P Parts of three rooms at the east side of the Plateia are designated Area BB. Although one cannot be positive, they are probably part of a single Minoan building. Few conclusions can be drawn on its nature, but it was an essential part of the configuration of the last phase of the Plateia at this point on the Pseiran peninsula. In the Late Minoan IB period, these rooms formed the eastern side of the Plateia, south o f Building BY. In this final phase o f the Plateia, it stepped eastward with each building, so that it was wider (east-to-west) at the south than at the north. The result was a large open space for gatherings or other purposes.

Betancourt T h e steepness of the hill here suggests that the building or buildings in Area BB probably occupied two or more terraces, with some rooms lower down the hill from the rooms at the side of the square. Rooms down the side of the hill are shown on Seager's plan, but most of the structure is buried or destroyed. As with all o f this part of town near the Early Byzantine monastery (Building AL), the soil was thoroughly disturbed in the 6th to 8th centuries A.D. It is likely that the upper parts of the walls were removed to build the monastery (Building AL).

3

Building BC, the Building of the Pillar Partitions

1. Introduction and History of the Excavations Philip P. Betancourt and Robert B. Koehl If its fine architectural style is an indication, the Building of the Pillar Partitions (Building BC) must have been a very important part of the Minoan town. The structure is situated in Area B with its main doorway facing Plateia Road North just north of the corner of the Town Square (111. 1). It was built on nearly level ground created by an exposure of bedrock at the n o r t h e a s t c o r n e r and a fill of soil and stones u n d e r the southwest parts of the building. Building BT is to the south, and Building BG shares the northern exterior wall. An enclosed area, which may have been open to the sky in antiquity (Space BX 1), lies to the west. Only one doorway is present at ground level. T h e building was excavated between May 24 and 26, 1907. It is mentioned in a postscript to a letter sent by Richard Seager to Edith Hall: "Got a house with doorways like those of Knossos opening into a light well and also a nice bath, outlet hole and all" (Seager 1907). The letter implies that the large room at the northwest of the building, which preserves several paving slabs, was thought to be open to the sky at the time of excavation, as it is described as a "light well." Seager's plan is shown in Illustration 6 with the addition of the modern room numbers. The "bath" is Space BC 4, a n d the "light well" it o p e n s into is Room BC 2. T h e "doorways like those of Knossos"

are the doors between pillars dividing Room BC 2 from Rooms BC 5 and BC 3. A more complete description was published in the site's final report (Seager 1910:12). The description emphasized the building's unusual architectural features but said little of its pottery or other finds (modern room designations are added here for clarification): Crossing the threshold, a narrow passage [BC 9] leads into an open space [BC 10 and 3], From here one enters a small megaron [BC 2] through a triple doorway supported on two stone bases with the dowel holes for fastening the wooden door posts. In one corner of this megaron is a small rectangular construction divided from the main room by a low partition of upright slabs of greenish schist [BC 4]. A round outlet hole in the paved floor which shows traces of a plaster coating makes it probable that we have here a small bath. As the swallow hole is so large that it was hardly m e a n t to be plugged, the bath was probably never filled, but contained an earthenware vessel f r o m w h i c h t h e water c o u l d be poured over the bather. Seager regarded the area between Rooms BC 5

18

PSEIRA IV

Illustration 6. Richard Seager's plan of Building BC with the modern numbers for architectural spaces. and BC 7B as a wide doorway. He noted that between the "bath and the south wall of the megaron [i.e., the north wall of Space BC, 6] a double door with a stone base for the central post leads into a passage [Room BC.' 7] also connecting with the main entrance of the house." He described the space behind the "bath" as "a small stone stair" that led "toward an upper floor which must have c o n t a i n e d the principal living rooms." Although he did not mention any evidence for his conclusions, he called the building "one of the last additions to the town just before its destruction." He dated it to LM I, the "period when the Palace style of pottery of Knossos was just reaching Eastern Crete, as is shown by fragments of a small jug of this class of imported ware." The small jug was neither illustrated nor described, but elsewhere Seager used this type of description for Knossian LM IB pottery in the Special Palatial Tradition (on the tradition, see Betancourt 1985:140-148). This building has occasioned more discussion than most others in the Minoan town. Seager made addi-

tional comments on the building in his report on his excavations at Mochlos, regarding it as a sign of Knossian influence in eastern Crete ( 1 9 0 9 : 2 9 9 ) . Pendlebury probably meant this building when he said that one of the houses at Pseira was "provided with a lustration slab" (1939:191), a reference that most likely means the structure Seager called a bath. Rider noted that the building reproduces some of the characteristics of Knossian architecture, and she briefly described the building based on Seager's published plan (Rider 1964:77-78, fig. 13). T h e structure was also mentioned briefly by Sinos (1971:51-52). It has been regarded as a local version of buildings with the " M i n o a n h a l l " by D r i e s s e n ( 1 9 8 2 : 3 2 - 3 4 ; 1989-1990:15) and an imitation of palatial architecture by Tzedakis (1987:114); McEnroe has called it "polite architecture" (1990:199-200). When work began, most of the plan could be seen easily. Some walls were reinforced with concrete as a result of the work of the Greek antiquities service (Davaras 1977). Other areas, including the "bath,"

19

BUILDING BC

were covered with soil. Because the building was excavated down to its LM IB levels by Seager's work, little excavation could be m a d e in the new campaigns. General goals for the new work consisted of a better understanding of the small structure, its date, a n d its relation to nearby buildings. Specific objectives included: 1. T h e d o c u m e n t a t i o n of the architecture with a plan a n d an accurate description. 2. New excavation in areas not uncovered by Seager (including o n e or more soundings u n d e r floors to establish the date of construction). 3. Accurate drawings and new studies of the unusual architectural features, including the stone bases with dowel holes. 4. T h e study and publication of any new finds that might be excavated, along with profile drawings, accurate descriptions, and a consideration of their contexts. 5. Scientific analysis of sediments, building materials, and any unusual finds. 6. New studies to integrate all of the new information with what was already known, with any new conclusions on the date, architectural development, and use of the building.

T h e architecture was cleaned in 1985, and a sounding was made u n d e r the floor of Room BC 3 in 1986. Both investigations were supervised by R o b e r t B. Koehl (methodology for the project is discussed in Pseira I). A state plan was drawn in 1985 by J o h n C. M c E n r o e a n d Philip Van D u s e n . T h e pottery was studied by Robert B. Koehl with the collaboration of Cheryl R. Floyd and Philip P. Betancourt; other finds were studied by the appropriate specialists. Drawings of t h e b a s e s w e r e m a d e in 1 9 9 0 - 1 9 9 2 by Krista Gustafson. Samples for geological study a n d other investigations were collected f r o m the building in 1985, 1986, and 1987. Samples were also collected f r o m the stratum u n d e r the floor of Room BC 3 for various types of analysis including micromorphology to document the character of the fill, soil studies to compare the sediments h e r e with those at other parts of the site, a n d an investigation of t h e microscopic constituents of the soil to establish if traces of windblown ash f r o m the volcano of T h e r a were present. These samples were e x p o r t e d u n d e r the a p p r o p r i a t e permits and sent to the laboratories whose results are published in this volume. Several preliminary reports were published (Betanc o u r t a n d Davaras 1986:189-191; 1988a:211-213; 1988b:36; McEnroe 1990:199-200).

Archaeological Two strata were excavated in the building. T h e latest s t r a t u m was a m i x e d level over the floors that were mostly o r entirely f r o m LM I, with the latest sherds f r o m LM IB. An earlier stratum consisted of the packing below the floor level in Room BC 3. Its pottery is f r o m LM I. Context 1: floor packing u n d e r the floor in Room BC 3. Date. LM I. Spaces: BC 3. Excavated units: BC 3-3, BC 3-4, BC 3-5. Soil color, dark yellowish brown, 10YR 6 / 4 , to strong brown, 7.5YR 5 / 6 . Comments: In 1986, a small excavation was m a d e u n d e r the floor of Room BC 3 in order to obtain inf o r m a t i o n o n t h e b u i l d i n g ' s d a t e of construction. T h e s o u n d i n g revealed t h e r o o m ' s floor packing, shown in Illustration 7. T h e subfloor packing was necessary to level the site because although bedrock is visible at a n d above floor level in the northeast of t h e building, it is several c e n t i m e t e r s lower at the southwest. T h e packing was laid down in three con-

Strata

temporary strata (see 111. 7). T h e lowest stratum contained many stones. T h e middle stratum was of relatively soft soil, a n d the u p p e r stratum was h a r d e r . Several sherds were discovered, providing a date of construction in LM I. Context 2: mixed surface level over the floors of the building. Date: M i n o a n , b u t m i x e d with M o d e r n in s o m e rooms. Spaces: BC 2, BC 3, BC 4, BC 5, BC 6, BC 7, BC 8, B C 9 , BC 10. Excavated units: BC 2-1, BC 2-2, BC 3-1, BC 3-2, BC 4-1, BC 4-2, BC 5-1, BC 5-2, BC 6-1, BC 6-2, BC 7-2, BC 8-1, BC 9-1, BC 9-2, BC 10-1, BC 10-2. Soil color, light yellowish brown, 10YR 6 / 4 , to yellowish brown, 10YR 6/4-6. Comments: Surfaces in the building were cleaned, r e m o v i n g m o d e r n vegetation a n d t h e u p p e r soil. Enough of the surface soil was removed to reveal the LM IB floors. T h e s t r a t u m c o n t a i n e d l o o s e soil, stones, m o d e r n vegetation, and Minoan pottery. No ancient pottery was later than LM IB.

20

PSEIRAIV

o

i

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o F l o o r

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O a Middle

14.28

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, PÌTclang

14.23 o

A 14.1

BUILDING S o u n d i n g

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BC R o o m

B C

3 8cm

Illustration 7. Profile drawing of the strata revealed by the excavation under the floor of Room, BC 3.

2. The Architecture, Building BC John C. McEnroe Building BC is one of the most unusual buildings at the site (111. 8, Pis. 2 - 4 ) . Its polythyron, sunken bath, and ashlar jamb bases appear to be local variations of features found in the residential quarters of the Minoan palaces and in the most elaborate houses of Late Minoan Crete. This is the only house we have

Materials

and

Building BC makes use of several unusual materials. Especially interesting is the sandstone used for the eight ashlar bases in the building (see Betancourt, Farrand, and Myer, this volume). Although there is scattered evidence for the use of similar sandstone ashlar blocks from other buildings at the site, only in Building BC are so many blocks preserved in their original positions (111. 9). The blocks not only give information about stone-working, construction, and design, but also provide important information about a system of carpentry that appears

found at Pseira that makes use of these features. Building BC differs from most of the others at the site in several other ways, too. It is one of the few buildings, for example, built on a single terrace level. Even some of the materials and techniques it incorporates are unusual.

Techniques to have been both more extensive and more elaborate in this building than in most other buildings at the site. Although the sandstone is interesting from an architectural point of view, a large slab of silicious limestone used as one of the paving slabs in Room BC 2 is an even rarer geological oddity (see Myer, this volume). This slab is one of the few examples of this non-Pseiran material at the site (another example is no. BY 79). In addition to these exotic materials, the builders

BUILDING BC

BUILDING 0

1

BC

2 m

-ffytCja*— ßC rWÌMfx'

Illustration 8. Plan of Building BC.

21

PSEIRA IV

22

N

0

jjC

1

2 m

nJlv^

Illustration 9. Locations for the sandstone blocks in Building BC (bases 7 and 8 were not in situ).

23

BUILDING BC

of Building BC used even the c o m m o n Pseiran building materials in relatively unusual ways. T h e house, for example, makes unusually extensive use of phyllite slabs both for pavements (PI. 3) and for dadoes a r o u n d the bath in Space BC 4 (PI. 4A-B). Even the rubble used in the walls differs somewhat f r o m the n o r m . T h e coursed slab construction apparently enc o u r a g e d t h e u s e of r a t h e r m o r e p h y l l i t e a n d metacarbonate than is the n o r m . M a s o n r y t y p e s u s e d in t h e b u i l d i n g i n c l u d e coursed slabs for the east, pseudo-isodomic masory on the west a n d south facades, and coursed rubble for the n o r t h facade. N o n e of the interior walls is preserved m u c h above floor level, but they appear to have b e e n of smaller rubble and slabs (PI. 3). An unusually large n u m b e r of rooms were paved with slabs (Rooms BC 2, BC 4, BC 5, BC 7A, BC 7B, BC 9, and BC 10).

THE ASHLAR BASES (ILLS. 9-13) BC BASE 1 (ILL. 10, ABOVE) BC Base 1 is 0.40 x 0.35 m. Its u p p e r surface is ca. 0.30 m above the level of the floor. Chisel marks are visible o n its f o u r f i n i s h e d sides. T h e r e are two s q u a r e cuttings a n d o n e r e c t a n g u l a r cutting in its u p p e r s u r f a c e , f o r h o l d i n g w o o d e n dowels. T h e block is in the east e n d of the north wall of the stairway, (Space BC 6).

BC BASE 2 (ILL. 10, BELOW) BC Base 2 is ca. 0.30 x 0.31 m. Its top is 0.14 m above the floor level. Like the other ashlar blocks in the house, it was dressed with a bronze chisel, which has l e f t c l e a r t r a c e s o n all t h e f i n i s h e d surfaces. T h e r e are two square cuttings in the u p p e r surface, and a smaller square cutting in the north side of the block j u s t above the floor. T h e two cuttings in the top were for dowels used in the construction of the d o o r j a m b . T h e purpose of the cutting in the side of the block is n o t clear, but it may have been associated with a wooden threshold. T h e block is in the north e n d of the wall that separates Rooms BC 5 and BC 7b.

BC BASE 3 (ILL. 11, ABOVE) BC Base 3 is 0.23 x 0.38 m. Its u p p e r surface is 0.18

m above the floor level. Its top surface is carefully finished, but otherwise the block shows n o other clear signs of having b e e n w o r k e d . T h e block is in the northwest corner of Space BC 4.

BC BASE 4 (ILL. 11, BELOW) BC Base 4 is 0.325 m x 0.387 m. Its u p p e r surface is 0.09 m above the floor. It is finished on all f o u r sides and the top. T h e r e are two square cuttings in the top for dowels used in connection with the d o o r jambs. T h e block is located at the west e n d of the partition between Spaces BC 4 and BC 5.

BC BASE 5 (ILL. 12, ABOVE) BC Base 5 is 0.39 x 0.30 m. Its top surface is 0.16 m above the floor. T h e block was finished on all sides except (probably) the bottom. It has o n e rectangular cutting on its n o r t h edge. T h e cutting is the same size as t h e c u t t i n g in BC Base 4, with w h i c h it is aligned. Unlike Bases 1-4, this block is a freestanding base for a door pier. T h e block is on the west side of Room BC 5. BC BASE 6 (ILL. 12, BELOW) BC Base 6 is 0.38 x 0.19 m. Its top surface is 0.13 m above the level of the floor. T h e block is finished on three sides and the top. It has a rectangular cutting in its southwest corner. It is in the west e n d of the north wall of Space BC 6. BC BASE 7 (ILL. 13, ABOVE) BC Base 7 is 0.40 x 0.20 x 0.14 m. It was at least partly finished on all six sides. T h e block has an Lshaped cutting on o n e edge, and a second cutting is partly preserved on the opposite edge. T h e block was not in situ. BC BASE 8 (ILL. 13, BELOW) BC Base 8 is about the same size as Base 7, 0.36 x 0.19 x 0.13 m. O n one edge is an L-shaped cutting that is the c o u n t e r p a r t to the L-shaped c u t t i n g in Base 7. T h e r e is a rectangular cutting on the long side opposite, and on the narrow end, a more complex cutting. T h e block was not f o u n d in situ.

PSEIRA IV

24

BUILDING Height

3 0 . 6 c m

30

BC:

BASE

cm

*

BUILDING Height

14

cm

Illustration 10. Building BC, Bases 1 and 2.

BC:

BASE

2

1

BUILDING BC

BUILDING

BC: BASE

Illustration 11. Building BC, Bases 3 and 4.

4

26

PSEIRA rv

- A

A -

A-A

2 9.5

cm

BC:

B A S E

Height

16

5

cm

A-A

3 8.0

cm

BC; B A S E Height

13

Illustration 12. Building BC, Bases 5 and 6.

cm

6

27

BUILDING BC

v

Upper

om

T

A-A BC: B A S E

3 6.4

7

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B

B

om

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A-A BC: B A S E

Illustration 13. Building BC, Bases 7 and 8.

B-B 8

28

PSEIRA IV

Building Building BC was built on the site of an earlier building. The north wall, which Building BC shares with Building BG, predates the main construction of the house. In the earlier period, the construction seems not only to have continued to the north, but also to the west, as shown by the stones projecting from the northwest corner. The west wall of Building BC is butted against the north wall, an addition that marks the main building

Room

Sequence phase of Building BC as it now appears. T h e r e is good evidence for the date of this main phase. The latest pottery found in a sounding below the floor of Room BC 3 dates to LM IA or LM IB. The main construction phase, therefore, must be LM I or later. The latest pottery found in the house dates to LM IB, showing that the house continued to be used into this period.

Descriptions

ROOM BC 2

SPACE BC 4

Room BC 2 is a variation of the Minoan Hall (PL 4A). It was separated from Spaces BC 4 and BC 5 by a three-door polythyron. Seager reports a similar threedoor polythyron on the south side of the room, separating Rooms BC 2 and BC 3. In 1985, BC Bases 7 and 8 were located nearby, but no longer in situ. Room BC 2 was paved with stone slabs, including one of imported silicious limestone. The length of the north side of the room is about 3 m. The wall is 0.66 m thick, and it stands 1.10 m high (5 courses). Because the precise location of the south polythyron is uncertain, it is not possible to establish any other meaningful room dimensions.

The paved floor of Space BC 4 is sunken ca. 0.12 m below the level of the surrounding floor (PI. 4 B ) . Near the northwest corner, one of the paving stones was a limestone block with a hole 0.16 m wide drilled through it (PI. 4C). The hole opens into the fill beneath the floor of the house. Seager interpreted this as a drain, and the space as a bath. The sunken area of the space was framed on the north, south, and east sides by upright slabs. Low rubble ledges ran around the outsides of the slabs to hold them in place. T h e west side of the sunken space was formed by part of the polythyron. T h e dimensions of Space BC 4 are: north 0.88 m; south 0.65 m; east 1.15 m; west 0.98 m. Interior dimensions o f the sunken space are: north 0.62 m; south 0.65 m; east 1.15 m; west 0.98 m.

ROOM BC 3 Room BC 3 is the square room at the southwest corner of the house. According to Seager, and the evidence of the two surviving bases (BC Bases 7 and 8), it was separated from Room BC 2 by a three-door polythyron. On the east, the room was open to Room BC 10. The room probably also provided access to a sottoscala in Space BC 6. Damage to the southwest corner and uncertainty over the exact position of the polythyron make it difficult to establish precise dimensions of the room. It was roughly 2.50 m E - W x 3.00 m N-S.

ROOM BC 5 Room BC 5 is closely associated with Space BC 4. It is entered from Room BC 2 by two more doors of the polythyron. On the east, a n o t h e r d o o r o p e n s to Room BC 7b. T h e room is paved with limestone and phyllite slabs. Fragments of other phyllite slabs set on edge against the south and east walls may be the remains of a dado course corresponding to that in Space BC 4. T h e north wall is ca. 1.70 m long and 0.39 m thick, and it is preserved only to floor level. The south wall is 1.88 m long, 0.42 m thick, and 0.33 m high (4 courses). T h e east wall is 1.54 m long, 0.37 m thick, and 0.40 m tall (3 courses). The door is 0.63 m wide. T h e west side of the room is 1.45 m long.

BUILDING BC

SPACE BC 6

29

west wall is 1.56 m long, 0.31 m thick, and 0.35 m high.

Space BC 6 is a stairway leading up from Room BC 7 (PI. 3B). Parts of two stone risers are preserved. T h e rest of the stairs may have been of wood. The north wall is 2.21 m long, 0.40 m thick, and 0.40 m high (3 courses). The south wall is 2.14 m long, 0.52 m thick, and 0.20 m high (1 course). The stairway is about 0.53 m wide.

ROOM BC 7 Room BC 7 is a corridor connecting Room BC 5 with the vestibule/corridor, Room BC 9. It is paved with stone slabs. The north wall is ca. 0.70 m long, 0.30 m thick, and 0.30 m high. The corridor is 0.86 m wide at the south end. The east wall is ca. 1.80 m long, 0.31 m thick, and 0.28 m high (3 courses). The west wall is 1.78 m long, 0.40 m thick, and 0.28 m high.

ROOM BC 9 R o o m BC 9 is a c o r r i d o r / v e s t i b u l e e n t e r e d through the main door from the street (PI. 3A). Outside the door is a bench ca. 1.40 m x 0.45 m x 0.52 m high. Room BC 9 provides access to Rooms BC 7 and BC 10. A thin line of stones, perhaps the footing for a m u d b r i c k partition, separates Room BC 9 f r o m Room BC 10. A small section of bedrock forms part of the floor surface, which is continued in limestone and phyllite slabs. The doorway is fitted with a threshold of limestone slabs. The north wall is 2.73 m long, 0.53 m thick, and 0.60 m high (5 courses). T h e south wall is 2.82 m long, 0.26 m thick, and 0.10 m high (1 course).

ROOM BC 10 ROOM BC 8 Room BC 8 is the small square room in the northeast corner of the house. Because the northwest corner of the room is missing, the space is difficult to understand. The north wall is preserved for a length of 1.45 m. It is 0.43 m thick a n d 0.53 m high (3 courses). The south wall is 1.82 m long, 0.50 m thick, and 0.48 m high (3 courses). The east wall is 2.71 m long, 0.51 m thick, and 0.62 m high (4 courses). The

Room BC 10 is the long rectangular space on the south side of the house. The east side of the room is at least partly paved with small limestone and phyllite slabs. T h e southwest c o r n e r of the r o o m has collapsed. The south wall of the room is ca. 8.55 m long. It is 0.66 m thick, a n d it is preserved to only a single course (0.15 m). The east side of the room is 1.94 m long, 0.44 m thick, and 0.36 m high (2 courses).

3. The Pottery, Building BC Robert B. Koehl Although the ceramic evidence from the Building of the Pillar Partitions is fairly limited, a sounding beneath the floor of Room BC 3 permits limited conclusions. Little was f o u n d in the building because Seager h a d excavated down to floor level in most rooms, and the pottery came from the cleaning of the floors. T h e presence of several b u r n e d sherds suggests the possibility that the structure was destroyed by fire. Statistical Tables are presented only for Room BC 3, the only unit suitable for statistical analysis (App. A). The pottery found beneath the floor of Room BC 3

indicates a date of construction in LM I. Although this date is derived from a small group of sherds, all datable pieces present a consistent picture, and no sherds are later. T h e last use of the house (i.e., its date of abandonment) seems to have been in LM IB. This date is derived from the latest ceramic material found on the floors of the rooms that were cleared by Seager and not subsequently disturbed. None of the pottery found in any of the rooms, from the surface to the floors, is later than LM IB. Although Building BC was certainly o n e of the most luxurious structures in the settlement, very little

30

PSEIRA IV

precise information can be gleaned f r o m the ceramic finds to aid in the interpretation of individual rooms.

Description ROOM BC 2 (49 SHERDS) T h e pottery in Room BC 2 consists primarily of und e r r a t e d , coarse fragments, with fewer fine sherds. A m o n g the LM I pieces are a f r a g m e n t of a j u g (no. BC 3). Some MM sherds with dark slip are also present (including no. BC 1).

FABRICS Fine Fabrics-. 15 sherds; 250 gr Coarse Fabrics: 23 sherds; 700 gr Mirabello Fabric, Cooking Class: 1 sherd; 110 gr Phyllite Fabrics: 10 sherds; 395 gr

MM II—III, FINE FABRICS BC 1, Fig. 4 (PS 453; BC 2-2). O p e n vessel, base sherd. D of base 9.0. A fine fabric (pink, 7.5YR 7 / 4 ) . Concave profile at b o t t o m of wall. Dark slip on interior a n d exterior; a d d e d paint n o t preserved. Date. MM II—III.

MM, COARSE FABRICS BC 2, Fig. 4 (PS 454; BC 2-2). Closed vessel, base sherd. D of base 9.0. A coarse fabric (reddish yellow, 7.5YR 8 / 6 ) . Straight profile. Dark slip o n exterior; a d d e d paint n o t preserved. Date. MM.

LM I, COARSE FABRICS BC 3, Fig. 4, PL 5 (PS 455; BC 2-2). Jug, rim sherd. D of rim 9.0. A m e d i u m c o a r s e f a b r i c (very p a l e brown, 10YR 8 / 4 ) . Concave profile. Bands at rim and shoulder. Parallels: T h e shape was like Hawes et al. 1908: pi. 6, no. 27 (Gournia). Dale. LM I.

and

Catalog

ROOM BC 3, SOUNDING (61 SHERDS) A small sounding was excavated b e n e a t h the floor of Room BC 3 in o r d e r to obtain sufficient pottery to date the construction of the building. Little pottery was f o u n d ; only a few sherds were diagnostic. T h e sherds themselves were small, a n d some were quite worn. Of the fine d e c o r a t e d wares, the rim f r o m a s e m i g l o b u l a r c u p (no. BC 6), a rim s h e r d f r o m a bridge-spouted j a r d e c o r a t e d with tortoise-shell ripple (no. BC 8), a n d a b o d y s h e r d f r o m a straightsided c u p decorated with spirals (no. BC 7) were the most diagnostic pieces. They indicated a date for the unit in LM I. A m o n g the earlier material was a fragm e n t of an MM II cup that is likely to be an i m p o r t f r o m Knossos (no. BC 4). Statistical Tables for this u n i t w e r e p r e p a r e d by P h i l i p P. B e t a n c o u r t a n d Cheryl R. Floyd (see App. A).

FABRICS Fine Fabrics: 34 sherds; 400 gr Coarse Fabrics: 5 sherds; 650 gr Mirabello Fabric, Cooking Class: 2 sherds; 40 gr Phyllite Fabrics: 17 sherds; 530 gr Fine Phyllite Fabric. 2 sherds; 20 gr

MM II, FINE FABRICS BC 4, Fig. 4 (PS 130; BC 3-3). Cup, base sherd. D of base ca. 3-4. A fine fabric (pink, 5YR 8 / 4 ) . Dark slip o n interior a n d exterior; a d d e d p a i n t n o t preserved. Comments'. T h e fabric suggests that this piece is an i m p o r t f r o m Knossos. Date. MM II. BC 5, Fig. 4, PI. 5 (PS 3605; BC 3-3). C a r i n a t e d cup, h a n d l e sherd. Max dim 3.8. A fine fabric (core: dark gray, 7.5YR N 4; exterior: reddish yellow, 7.5YR 6 / 6 ) , with a few inclusions. Sharp carination.

31

B U I L D I N G BC

Comments: T h e fabric suggests that this piece is not a local fabric f r o m the eastern part of the Gulf of Mirabello. For c o m m e n t s on the shape see no. BR 28.

Date. MM IIB.

LM IA, FINE FABRICS BC 6, Fig. 4, PI. 5 (PS 269; BC 3-3). Semiglobular cup, rim sherd. D of rim 4. A fine fabric (reddish yellow, 7.5YR 8 / 6 ) ; b u r n i s h e d . Convex profile; flaring rim. Interior: wide b a n d on rim; narrow band below the wide b a n d in the interior; exterior: b a n d on rim; curved lines, part of an incompletely preserved design. Comments-. T h e design may have b e e n the lunatewave motif (Niemeier 1980: fig. 31, with discussion). A l t h o u g h t h e motif is too i n c o m p l e t e f o r certain identification, the thin walls a n d the lustrous paint indicate a date in LM I, not MM III. Date. LM IA. BC 7, Fig. 4, PI. 5 (PS 272; BC 3-4). Straight-sided cup, body sherd. Max dim 4.8. A fine fabric (reddish yellow, 7.5YR 7 / 6 ) ; burnished. Straight profile. Dark slip on interior; medallion spirals with thick o u t e r borders. Comments: This class of spiral, with a wide o u t e r b a n d , thin-lined spirals, a n d a large central dot, is particularly c o m m o n in the LM IA Cretan pottery imp o r t e d i n t o Akrotiri. For discussion see N i e m e i e r 1980:58-60, fig. 33, nos. 13-20. Date. LM IA. BC 8, Fig. 4, PI. 5 (PS 271; BC 3-4). Bridge-spouted jar, rim sherd. Max dim 5.5; estimated d of rim 10.5. A fine fabric (pink, 7.5YR 8 / 4 ) ; burnished. Convex profile. Dark slip in interior, below rim; tortoise-shellripple. Comments: For the presence of Tortoise-Shell Ripple Ware in the levels underlying the LM IB strata at Pseira, see Seager 1909:284. For a summary of the style a n d its chronological range f r o m MM III-LM I in eastern Crete, see Betancourt 1985:113-114. Date. MM III-LM IA.

LM I, PHYLLITE FABRICS BC 9, Fig. 4, PL 5 (PS 270; BC 3-3). Tripod cooking pot, leg. Length 8.6; width at base 3.3; width at e n d 1.6. A fabric containing phyllite (reddish yellow, 5YR 7 / 6 ) . Thick oval section. Comments: This is the fabric called Type I by Haggis a n d Mook (1993). It was described and characterized optically as the LM I Phyllite Fabric of Pseira by Betancourt a n d Myer (1995). Date. LM I (dated by the context).

LM I, COARSE FABRICS BC 10, Fig. 4, PI. 5 (PS 282; BC 3-3). Closed vessel, rim sherd. D of rim m o r e than 30. A coarse fabric (reddish yellow, 5YR 7 / 6 ) . Convex profile. Comments: B u r n e d on exterior. Probably a bridgespouted jar. Date. LM I (dated by the context).

ROOM BC 3, LM IB FLOOR (13 SHERDS) Although only a few sherds come f r o m the floor of Room BC 3, several pieces preserve traces of paint. T h e remaining sherds are of coarse fabrics a n d undecorated. FABRICS Fine Fabrics: 5 sherds; 200 gr Coarse Fabrics: 4 sherds; 175 gr Phyllite Fabrics: 4 sherds; 220 gr LM I, FINE FABRICS BC 11, Fig. 4 (PS 456; BC 3-2). Closed vessel, body s h e r d . Max dim 5.5. A fine fabric (reddish yellow, 7.5YR 8 / 6 ) . Almost straight profile. Traces of running spirals and bands. Date. LM I.

LM I, PHYLLITE FABRICS BC 12, Fig. 4 (PS 457; BC 3-2). T r i p o d vessel, leg. L e n g t h 5.6; width at base 2.3. A fabric c o n t a i n i n g phyllite (reddish yellow, 5YR 7 / 6 ) . Thick oval section. Comments: For the development of tripod legs f r o m thin oval sections to thick oval sections to r o u n d sections, see H o o d , W a r r e n a n d Cadogan 1964:52-53. At Pseira, tripod cooking-pot legs with thick oval sections m a d e in Phyllite Fabrics are almost always f r o m LM I (see Pseira I, pp. 145-146). Date. LM I.

SPACE BC 4 (151 SHERDS) N o n e of the pottery f r o m Space BC 4 (the "bath") is f r o m the original deposition. T h a t the soil f o u n d in this space represents Seager's fill is indicated by its loose nature as well as by the presence of an iron nail and a piece of wood f o u n d above a n d on the stone

32

PSEIRA rv

paving of the interior of the space. The pottery consists primarily of unpainted sherds from MM and LM I vessels. T h e fine pottery is poorly preserved. FABRICS Fine Fabrics: 42 sherds; 255 gr Coarse Fabrics: 54 sherds; 910 gr Mirabello Fabric, Cooking Class: 6 sherds; 90 gr Phyllite Fabrics: 49 sherds; 1355 gr

(no. BC 17). They come from the level just above the floor. The few fine sherds are unpainted. It would be tempting to associate these vessels with the bath in the adjoining space (Space BC 4), but the disturbed nature of the floors makes this conclusion uncertain. FABRICS Fine Fabrics: 5 sherds; 45 gr Coarse Fabrics: 7 sherds; 665 gr Phyllite Fabrics: 23 sherds; 1415 gr

EM IIB, PHYLLITE FABRICS LM I, COARSE FABRICS BC 13, Fig. 4 (PS 3609; BC 4-1). Goblet, base sherd. D of base ca. 6.6. A fabric containing phyllite (reddish yellow, 5YR 7 / 8 ) . Pronounced, flared, ring base. Surface not preserved. Comments: Probably Vasilike Ware. This variation of the goblet is always from EM IIB in eastern Crete. Parallels: For the shape see Betancourt 1979:42-45, Shape VII. Date. EM IIB.

BC 16, Fig. 4 (PS 458; BC 5-1). Jar, base sherd. D of base ca. 22. A coarse fabric (light red, 2.5YR 6 / 8 ) . Flat, pronounced, molded base; lower body with concave profile. Wide painted band on lower body. Parallels. Hawes et al. 1908: pi. 9, no. 28 (Gournia); Betancourt 1983: no. 54 (Pseira). Date. LM I. LM I, PHYLLITE FABRICS

MM IB, FINE FABRICS BC 14, Fig. 4 (PS 9; BC 4-1). Closed vessel, base sherd. D of base 4.0. A fine fabric (very pale brown, 10YR 7 / 3 ) . Flat base; handmade. Dark slip on exterior; added white: three thin diagonal bands. Comments: T h e decoration is poorly preserved on this worn sherd. It is useful mainly to document the early history of the area. Dale. MM IB. M M - L M IA, MIRABELLO FABRIC, C O O K I N G CLASS BC 15, Fig. 4 (PS 3607; BC 4-1). Tripod cooking pot, spout. Length 3.1; w 3.1. Mirabello Fabric, Cooking Class (reddish yellow, 5YR 6 / 8 ) . Short, irregularshaped rim-spout. Comments and Parallels: T h e shape was like Betancourt and Silverman 1991: no. 519 (Gournia). For discussion of the shape, and for evidence for a use in cooking, see Betancourt 1980; Martlew 1988. This is the most c o m m o n cooking shape at Pseira in the Middle Minoan period. Date. MM-LM IA.

BC 17, Fig. 4 (PS 459; BC 5-1). Basin (grater) or beehive, rim, and body sherds. D of rim ca. 30-50. A fabric c o n t a i n i n g phyllite ( r e d d i s h yellow, 7.5YR 6 / 6 ) . Convex profile. Diamond pattern incised in interior. Comments and Parallels. See no. BT 40. Date. LM I. BC 18, Fig. 4, PI. 5 (PS 3596; BC 5-1). Closed vessel, body sherd. Max dim 6.1. A fabric containing phyllite (reddish yellow, 5YR 7 / 6 ) . Convex profile. Incised mark on exterior. Comments: Surface poorly preserved. Pot mark consists of a curved line (incomplete). Date. LM I.

SPACE BC 6 (4 SHERDS) Space BC 6, an area beneath a staircase, was almost empty. Its pottery included an a m p h o r a handle, a rim s h e r d f r o m a straight-sided cup, a n d a body sherd from a coarse vessel. FABRICS

ROOM BC 5 (CA. 30 SHERDS) T h e pottery in Room BC 5 consists primarily of sherds from two vessels, a j a r (no. BC 16) and a basin

Fine Fabrics: 1 sherd; 5 gr Coarse Fabrics: 1 sherd; 200 gr Phyllite Fabrics: 2 sherds; 45 gr

33

BUILDING BC

LM I, COARSE FABRICS BC 19, Fig. 4 (PS 462; BC 6-2). Amphora, handle sherd. Preserved length 5.4; width of h a n d l e 4.3. A coarse fabric (reddish yellow, 5YR 7 / 6 ) . Strap handle. Comments'. Burn marks on exterior. Date. LM I (?).

ROOM BC 9 (202 SHERDS) R o o m BC 9 is a c o r r i d o r r u n n i n g f r o m t h e entrance to Rooms BC 6 a n d BC 7. A substantial quantity of pottery comes f r o m this space, giving a date for the unit in LM IB. Earlier material f r o m MM II to LM IA is also present.

FABRICS

ROOM BC 7 (43 SHERDS) A small a m o u n t of pottery comes f r o m Room BC 7, a corridor. All the pottery is in small sherds. T h e date is mixed MM II—III (no. BC 20) and LM I (no. BC

Fine Fabrics: 88 sherds; 450 gr Coarse Fabrics: 42 sherds; 700 gr Mirabello Fabric, Cooking Class: 60 sherds; 600 gr Phyllite Fabrics: 12 sherds; 575 gr

21).

MM II, FINE FABRICS FABRICS Fine Fabrics: 13 sherds; 55 gr Coarse Fabrics: 19 sherds; 110 gr Phyllite Fabrics: 11 sherds; 140 gr

MM II—III, FINE FABRICS BC 20, Fig. 5 (PS 463; BC 7-2). Cup, handle sherd. Max length 2.7; max width 1.7. A fine fabric (pink, 7.5YR 7 / 4 ) . Pulled handle. Dark slip. Date. MM II—III.

LM I, FINE FABRICS BC 21, Fig. 5, PL 5 (PS 464; BC 7-2). Closed vessel, body sherd. Max dim 2.4. A fine fabric (reddish yellow, 7.5YR 8 / 6 ) ; burnished. Almost straight profile. Curved lines a n d dots, part of an incomplete design. Comments: T h e design was perhaps the connecting lines between ivy, for which see Niemeier 1985: fig. 22(1), nos. 11 and 14, with discussion. Date. LM I.

BC 22, Fig. 5 (PS 472; BC 9-2). C a r i n a t e d c u p , body sherd. Max dim 4.2. A fine fabric (reddish yellow, 5YR 6 / 6 ) . Convex profile on lower section; concave profile on u p p e r section. Dark slip on interior and exterior; a d d e d paint, if any, n o t preserved. Comments: See no. BR 28. Date. MM IB-II. MM I I I - L M IA, FINE FABRICS BC 23, Fig. 5 (PS 473; BC 9-2). Cup, h a n d l e sherd. Max preserved length 3.1; width 2. A fine fabric (reddish yellow, 5YR 7 / 6 ) . Ribbon handle. Date. MM III-LM IA. MM I I I - L M I, COARSE FABRICS BC 24, Fig. 5, PI. 5 (PS 471; BC 9-2). Closed vessel, b o d y s h e r d . Max d i m 8.6. A c o a r s e f a b r i c ( p i n k , 7.5YR 8 / 4 ) . Slightly convex profile. Tortoise-Shell Ripple Ware, with bands. Date. MM III-LM I.

LM I, FINE FABRICS

ROOM BC 8 (3 SHERDS) Space BC 8 was mostly filled with exposed bedrock. It yielded only three sherds.

BC 25, Fig. 5 (PS 466; BC 9-2). Semiglobular cup, rim sherd. D of rim 11. A fine fabric (reddish yellow, 7.5YR 8 / 6 ) ; b u r n i s h e d . Convex profile; o u t t u r n e d rim. Band on interior of rim; traces of bands a n d spirals (?). Date. LM I.

FABRICS Fine Fabrics: 1 sherd; 5 gr Coarse Fabrics: 2 sherds; 35 gr

BC 26, Fig. 5 (PS 3023; BC 9-2 a n d BC 10-1). Closed vessel, body sherd. Max dim (largest sherd) 9.0. A fine fabric (reddish yellow, 5YR 6 / 6 ) , with inclusions; burnished. Bands. Date. LM I.

34

PSEIRA IV

BC 27, Fig. 5 (PS 470; BC 9-2). Closed vessel, base sherd. D of base 7. A fine fabric (reddish yellow, 5YR 7 / 8 ) ; burnished. Concave profile above base. Band at base. Date. LM I. BC 28, Fig. 5 (PS 3024; BC 9-2). Closed vessel, fragmentary. Max dim (largest sherd) 8.3. A fine fabric (very pale brown, 10YR 6 / 4 ) , with inclusions. Slightly convex profile; horizontal h a n d l e ; c o m p l e t e s h a p e n o t preserved. Date. LM I.

LM IB, FINE FABRICS BC 29, Fig. 5, PI. 5 (PS 467; BC 9-2). Closed vessel, body sherds. Max dim of largest sherd 4.3. A fine fabric (reddish yellow, 7.5YR 6 / 6 ) ; burnished. Convex profile. Traces of curved lines; two rows of dots, following the curvature of the lines. Comments: Possibly the dots-and-spirals motif. T h e combination of dots with curvilinear designs is comm o n in the local LM IB pottery at Pseira. Date. LM IB. BC 30, Fig. 5, PI. 5 (PS 468; BC 9-2). Closed vessel, body sherd. Max dim 5.6. A fine fabric (reddish yellow, 7.5YR 6 / 6 ) ; b u r n i s h e d . Convex profile. Bands; lines f r o m an incompletely preserved design (almost certainly the petaloid loops motif); a d d e d white: narrow bands on dark bands. Parallels: For the use of petaloid loops, often with a d d e d w h i t e lines, in t h e local LM IB p o t t e r y at Pseira, see Betancourt 1983: nos. 54-55. Date. LM IB.

LM IB, COARSE FABRICS BC 31, Fig. 5 (PS 469; BC 9-2). Jar, base sherd. D of base 11. A coarse fabric (reddish yellow, 7.5YR 7 / 6 ) . Raised torus at the base. Dark band; p a i n t e d torus;

a d d e d red: b a n d above dark band. Comments: Such bases are usual for piriform jars in eastern Crete in LM IB. Parallels: Hawes et al. 1908: pi. 9, no. 28 (Gournia); B e t a n c o u r t a n d Silverman 1991: nos. 622 a n d 627 (Gournia); Betancourt 1983: no. 54 (Pseira). Date. LM IB.

ROOM BC 10 (40 SHERDS) Room BC 10 is the large r o o m located south of the entrance corridor (Room BC 9). A m o n g the pottery in fine fabrics are f r a g m e n t s of a c u p (no. BC 32) a n d a cylindrical j a r (no. BC 33).

FABRICS Fine Fabrics: 9 sherds; 60 gr Coarse Fabrics'. 10 sherds; 135 gr Mirabello Fabric, Cooking Class: 1 sherd; 35 gr Phyllite Fabrics: 18 sherds; 215 gr

MM II—III, FINE FABRICS BC 32, Fig. 5, PI. 5 (PS 475; BC 10-2). Conical cup, rim sherd. D of rim 9. A fine fabric (reddish yellow, 7.5YR 8 / 6 ) ; burnished. Slightly convex profile. Dark slip on interior; thick b a n d (2.7 cm wide) at rim. Date. MM II—III.

LM I, FINE FABRICS BC 33, Fig. 5, PL 5 (PS 474; BC 10-2). Cylindrical jar, rim sherd. D of rim 8. A fine fabric (reddish yellow, 10YR 8 / 6 ) . Slightly convex profile; o u t t u r n e d rim. Two dark bands. Parallels. Betancourt 1983: no. 59 (Pseira). Date. LM IB.

4. The Stone Tools, Building BC Heidi M. C. Dierckx Several stone tools were f o u n d d u r i n g the cleaning a n d t h e excavation in Building BC. T h e y all c a m e f r o m the LM IB floors as left by the 1907 excavations. If t h e b u i l d i n g is c o n s i d e r e d as a whole, the tools consist of the following: 1 quartzite q u e r n

1 quartzite mortar 1 limestone h a n d tool used as a g r i n d e r / a b r a d i n g tool a n d p o u n d e r 1 l i m e s t o n e h a n d t o o l p o s s i b l y u s e d as a g r i n d e r / a b r a d i n g tool or p o u n d e r 1 obsidian blade

35

BUILDING BC

Catalog ROOM BC 2

ROOM BC 10

G R O U N D STONE

GROUND STONE

BC 34, Fig. 6 (PS 62; BC 2-1). Mortar, three quarters preserved. Max preserved dim 27.5; h 13.5; d of depression 15.0; d e p t h 1.8. Quartzite (dark gray, 7.5YR 4 / 0 ) . Originally r e c t a n g u l a r / r o u n d e d shape; round and shallow depression on upper surface from pecking and abrading. Parallels: T h e University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology a n d Anthropology, no. MS 4682a (Gournia). Date. LM IB or earlier.

BC 36, Fig. 6, PI. 5 (PS 12; BC 10-2). H a n d tool, broken at both ends. Max preserved length 13.5; max w 6.6; max th 4.4; preserved wt 516 gr. Limestone (dark gray, 7.5YR 4 / 0 ) . Natural waterworn cobble; oval and flat; pecking on both ends and edges of broken areas; one face abraded smooth. Parallels: See Pseira I, no. AI 2. Date. LM IB or earlier.

CHIPPED STONE BC 35, Fig. 6 (PS 3006; BC 2-2). Flake, worked. Max length 2.5; max w 1.8; th 0.5. Obsidian (black, N 1). Cortex on dorsal surface. Retouch of one edge of ventral surface. Comments: Initial flake. Parallels: See Pseira I, nos. AA 10 and AI 7. Date: LM IB or earlier.

BC 37, Fig. 6 (PS 13; BC 10-2). Hand tool (?), broken at one end and one face. Max preserved length 5.9; max preserved w 6.3; max preserved th 3.25; preserved wt 158 gr. Limestone (dark gray, 7.5YR 4 / 0 4 ) . Natural waterworn cobble; rectangular rounded; possibly one face abraded smooth; no wear marks preserved. Date. LM IB or earlier. BC 38, Fig. 7, PI. 5 (PS 15; BC 10-2). Quern, three quarters preserved. Preserved length 21.1; max w 13.8; th 4.5; preserved wt 1 kg, 834 gr. Quartzite (dark gray, 7.5YR 7 / 6 ) . Narrow and oblong; working surface abraded smooth. Parallels. See Pseira I, no. ADC 114. Date. LM IB or earlier.

5. Other Cataloged Objects, Building BC Philip P. Betancourt A piece of a metal vessel, a clay stopper for a vase, and a clay weight suitable for a warp-weighted loom or other purposes come from Building BC. The finds add to the corpus of small objects from Pseira, but no conclusions on the use of individual rooms can be made from the presence of these few objects because of the mixed and disturbed contexts in which they were f o u n d . T h e clay stopper (no. BC 39) is not a c o m m o n object from this period.

SPACE BC 4 CLAY STOPPER BC 39, Fig. 7 (PS 3608; BC 4-1). Stopper, complete. D 3.2; max th 0.8. A fabric containing phyllite (reddish yellow, 5YR 6 / 8 ) . Circular clay disk with protrusion on one side, at the center, f r o m a hole being made in the clay before firing; hole slightly off

36

PSEIRA IV

center, in o n e side (not pierced t h r o u g h ) . Comments: A clay disk would have b e e n useful as a stopper for a vessel; n o parallels are known f r o m Min o a n Crete, and the date is uncertain. Date. Possibly Minoan?

ROOM BC 9

most complete. Max dim 6.6; max th 1.7; preserved wt 68 gr. A fabric containing phyllite (reddish yellow, 5YR 6 / 8 ) . Discoid-shaped; flat-topped; two holes near the top of the weight. Worn surface. Comments and Parallels: See Pseira I, no. AG 13. Date. LM I.

ROOM BC 10

A discoid weight was f o u n d in the corridor just inside the e n t r a n c e to the h o u s e . It c a m e f r o m t h e level over the floor as left by the Seager excavations. CLAY W E I G H T BC 40, Fig. 7 (PS 11; BC 9-2). Discoid weight, al-

C O P P E R O R B R O N Z E VESSEL BC 41, Fig. 7 (PS 2557; BC 10-2). Vessel, rim fragm e n t . Max dim 0.7. C o p p e r or b r o n z e ( n o t analyzed). Tiny curved bronze rim. Comments'. From a cup or small bowl. Date. LM IB or earlier.

6. The Faunal Remains, Building BC David S. Reese A few marine shells and some other faunal remains were f o u n d in the cleaning of Building BC. T h e 100+ land snails present were f o u n d near the m o d e r n surface within a fill of large stones that had many o p e n spaces between them. Most retain their natural color pattern. They are all considered m o d e r n and intrusive. All but the Eobania a n d Helix are too small to be e a t e n . T h e d e s i g n a t i o n "ws" m e a n s t h e u n i t was water-sieved.

ROOM BC 2, UNIT BC 2-2 (LM I) Land snail 1 Eobania

ROOM BC 3, UNIT BC 3-2 (LM I) Marine shell 1 Murex—body fragment, fresh

SPACE BC 4, UNIT BC 4-1 (WS) (LM I AND MODERN) Marine shell

1

Patella—fragment

Sea urchin 1 Paracentrotus—1 spine

ROOM BC 5, UNIT BC 5-1 (WS) (LM I) Marine shells 1 Monodonta—fragment 1 Murex—fragment Sea urchin 1 Paracentrotus—2 ment

spines, 1 internal body frag-

Land snail 1 Helix

ROOM BC 6, UNIT BC 6-1 (LM I) Land snails 8 Eobania—8 with color 1 Helicella—with color 1 Rumina—with color

BUILDING BC

ROOM BC 7, UNIT BC 7-2 (LM I) Land snails 100+ Helicella

37

ROOM BC 10, UNIT BC 10-2 (WS) (LM I) Mammal bones 2 rodent limb bones Marine shells 3 Murex—1 waterworn 2 Patella—1 waterworn 1 small gastropod

7. The Lithic Materials, Building BC Philip P. Betan court Many fragments of stone were found in Building BC. Most pieces were phyllite and limestone fragments from the collapse of walls and from casual accumulation from other sources. Building BC also included two imported building materials in addition to the slabs o f phyllite and the more rectangular blocks of limestone quarried on Pseira Island. T h e stones from this building provide important

information on the importation of foreign stones to Pseira. Aeolian sandstone, used for architectural bases, is discussed by McEnroe (Section 2) and by Betancourt, Farrand, and Myer (Section 10). An imported limestone, used for the floor in Room BC 3, is discussed by McEnroe (Section 2) and by Myer (Section 11). A pumice fragment from Space BC 4 is discussed in this chapter.

The Pumice SPACE BC 4 Pumice: 1 waterworn piece, ca. 6 x 5 x 4 cm (from BC 4-1) T h e sunken rectangular space paved with stone, Space BC 4, was found filled with disturbed soil which had surely come originally from nearby parts of the house. One small waterworn lump of pumice was recovered from the space. A modern nail and a

piece of wood in the stratum attested to the modern disturbance of this level, but nothing ancient was later than LM IB. Analysis of the pumice shows that it comes from Santorini (see Section 9). It is one of the many such pebbles found in the LM IB levels at Pseira. Like this piece, the other pumice lumps are smooth and waterworn, indicating the material probably washed up on Cretan beaches and was easily available to anyone who wanted it.

8. Micromorphology Studies, Building BC Paul Goldberg Micromorphology deals with the microscopic study of undisturbed soils, sediments, and other materials

(including archaeological fills, ceramics, bricks, etc.). Whereas several microscopic tools are available, the

PSEIRA IV

38

most widespread entails the use of the pétrographie thin section, which is a 30-micrometer-thick slice of the material m o u n t e d o n a glass slide. W h e n observed u n d e r the p é t r o g r a p h i e m i c r o s c o p e (using both plane and cross-polarized light), it is possible to observe a n u m b e r of attributes including composition (both mineral and organic), texture, porosity,

Sample O n e sample consisting of stony clay was collected for micromorphological study f r o m a s o u n d i n g beneath the LM IB floor in Room BC 3. T h e horizontally and vertically oriented, undisturbed sample was cut from the baulk, with its u p p e r surface 14.31 m above sea level. The context from which the sample was taken antedated the final use of the building. T h e floor packing was laid down when the house was built, so that it represents material from the period before the

and fabric, as well as the geometric relationships between these elements. Such observations can be used to make inferences concerning the origin of the material, its m o d e of deposition, a n d the character of post-depositional processes, including geogenic, pedogenic, a n d a n t h r o p o g e n i c effects (Courty, Goldberg, and Macphail 1989).

Collection house's final phase (LM IB). Because the house was excavated down to the LM IB level in 1907, the material was only slightly below the m o d e r n surface during the 20th century, so that disturbance f r o m roots may be expected. Specific issues that were addressed to this sample include: 1. T h e structure of the floor packing. 2. T h e characteristics of the material as a whole, and of its microscopic inclusions.

Methodology U n d i s t u r b e d samples were collected in the field, with their orientations (i.e., u p vs. down) carefully noted and then oven-dried for several days at a temperature of 60 degrees Celsius. They were then impregnated with polyester resin u n d e r vacuum and allowed to h a r d e n for several days, after which they were returned to the oven for about 24 hours. Slices f r o m the resulting h a r d e n e d blocks were then pol-

i s h e d , m o u n t e d o n glass slides, a n d g r o u n d to a thickness of ca. 25-30 micrometers. T h e s e thin sections were observed u n d e r a microfiche viewer (magnifications of 18x a n d 24x) a n d p o l a r i z i n g microscope u n d e r plane a n d cross-polarized light (magnifications between 40x a n d 250x). Descriptive terminology employed h e r e is that of Brewer (1976) a n d Bullock et al. (1985).

Results of the T h e overall composition of this sample is quite similar to that of the other samples analyzed from Pseira, in that it is composed of a variety of rock types set into a reddish brown 1 clayey matrix (PL 6A). A few features, however, set it off from the other samples. T h e clay in this sample is noticeably r e d d e r than other samples analyzed from the site, and it contains 1 - 2 % o p a q u e grains, 10-40 micrometers in diameter; in r e f l e c t e d l i g h t t h e s e g r a i n s a p p e a r to b e hematite. T h e grains are similar to o p a q u e inclusions observed in many of the rock fragments, particularly

Analysis

f r o m this sample. T h e clay is m u c h m o r e o r g a n i z e d t h a n in o t h e r samples f r o m Pseira, a n d it commonly forms bright r e d particles. T h i s suggests t h a t t h e m a t e r i a l may h a v e b e e n b u r n e d o r d e r i v e d f r o m a terra rossa source. Several coarse grains composed of micritic calcite w e r e o b s e r v e d (ca. 4 m m in d i a m e t e r ) . O n e is capped with a laminar crust 1.2 m m thick consisting of lighter and darker micrite containing several sandsized quartz grains (PI. 6B). These grains could rep-

59

BUILDING BC

resent pieces of plaster or nodules of soil carbonate, similar to the nari crusts f o u n d in Israel (Dan 1977). O n e of these grains a n d several grains of recrystallized l i m e s t o n e h a d t h e c h a r a c t e r i s t i c gray-beige color f o u n d in grains of calcite that have b e e n heated. As in other samples f r o m Pseira, evidence exists for post-depositional disturbance. Roots a n d the voids as-

sociated with t h e m are quite c o m m o n . A d i f f e r e n t type of f e a t u r e is f o u n d in several locations in the slide p r e p a r e d f r o m t h e s a m p l e , w h e r e the d e n s e g r o u n d m a s s displays c r u d e , bow-like b e d d i n g (PI. 7A). These features (formerly known as striotubules) result f r o m biological activity associated with earthworms a n d other soil microfauna.

Conclusions T h e material f r o m the floor packing of Room BC 3 is c o m p o s e d of a variety of p r e s u m a b l y locally derived lithic materials to which some terra roMfl-like soil was added. Some of the particles appear to have b e e n b u r n e d b e f o r e they were mixed into the floor. It is possible that some of the inclusions are particles of

plaster. After a c c u m u l a t i o n , the floor material was subjected to some post-depositional changes, mostly f r o m biological activity: b u r r o w i n g (bow-like structures) and the growth of roots. In other words, this floor material was exposed o n the surface for some time.

9. Sediment Studies and Volcanic Ash and Pumice Studies, Building BC Charles J. and Dorothy B. Vitaliano A sample of pumice was examined f r o m Building BC ( t h e B u i l d i n g of t h e Pillar P a r t i t i o n s ) . It was f o u n d in t h e excavation of the s u n k e n paved area (Space BC 4) in a disturbed stratum, but it cannot be later t h a n LM IB, the d a t e of t h e final use of the house. In addition, two sediment samples f r o m this b u i l d i n g were e x a m i n e d in a search f o r grains of windblown volcanic ash (fallout). T h e sediment samples came f r o m the following units: 1. BC 4-2 (LM IB with m o d e r n disturbance)

2. BC 10-2 (LM IB) T h e samples were collected by R o b e r t B. Koehl. They were chosen for analysis in o r d e r to provide inf o r m a t i o n for comparison with o t h e r samples f r o m Pseira, including the well-dated series of pumice samples and soil samples f r o m Building AC (see Pseira II, pp. 43-46). In addition, their mineralogy may be usefully compared with the data f r o m the other soil samples s t u d i e d f r o m Pseira (see Pseira I, p p . 4 6 - 4 8 , 136-137).

Methodology for the Sediment T h e s e d i m e n t s a m p l e s f r o m B u i l d i n g BC were processed for study in the m a n n e r used for the specim e n s d e s c r i b e d elsewhere (see Pseira I, pp. 46-48,

Samples

136-137). T h e work was d o n e at the laboratory of the Department of Geology, Indiana University.

40

PSEIRA IV

Results of the Investigation T h e two samples varied somewhat in hue. Their colors, in the Munsell system (Kollmorgen Corporation 1992), were as follows: 1. BC 4-2, brownish yellow, 10YR 6/6 2. BC 10-2, strong brown, 7.5YR 5/8

T h e mineralogy of the sediments in the samples studied is given in Illustration 14. T h e constituents include quartz, feldspar, and several other minerals.

of the Sediment

Samples

The metamorphic minerals (including the pyroxene and amphibole) are associated with the phyllite formations that are common on the island and are used extensively for paving in this structure (see McEnroe, Section 2). The minerals are compatible with a local source for the sediment. Microscopic examination revealed traces of volcanic ash in both samples studied. However, the refractive index of the glass sherds proved to be higher than 1.514, indicating they were not the product of the "Minoan" eruption of Thera.

C O N S T I T U E N T S O F S E D I M E N T SAMPLES, BUILDING BC BC 10-2

BC 4-2 Minoan Ash Other Vol. Glass Devitr. Vol. Glass Quartz Feldspar Apatite Zircon Fe-Mg Silicate* Metamorphic Min** Carbonate Chlorite Serpentine Chalcedony Tourmaline Hematite Others***

A

B

A

B

-

-

-

-

tr tr X X nd X X X

tr tr X X X nd X X

-

-

-

-

? X

?

-

-

X

X

X

-

-

-

-

-

-

p X

?

X X X

X X X

X

X

-

-

-

X X X X X X

X X X -

X X

Symbols: tr trace X present - none found A greater than 120micrometers B less than 120 but greater than 100 micrometers * generally orthopyroxene, diopside, and rare amphibole * * including garnet * * * sericite, limonite, gypsum, anhydrite Illustration 14. Mineralogy of the sediments from Building BC.

Methodology

Used to Investigate

T h e pumice sample was crushed to 1 0 0 - 2 0 0 micrometer size and was then examined under a petro-

the Pumice

Sample

graphic m i c r o s c o p e with a rotatable stage. T h e process is described elsewhere (see Pseira I, p. 135).

41

BUILDING BC

Results of the Investigation This sample was received as a broken half of a nodule (broken after excavation). Its original surface was r o u n d e d a n d s m o o t h e d , i n d i c a t i n g it was a waterworn nodule. T h e investigation indicated the sample originated o n Santorini (Thera). T h e index of refraction of the volcanic glass in the n o d u l e was f o u n d to be within the range for the "Minoan" eruption of the T h e r a n

of the Pumice

Sample

volcano (n = 1.509± 0.002, for which see Ninkovich a n d H e e z e n 1965). In addition, the mineralogy of the n o d u l e was consistent with a T h e r a n origin. T h e s p e c i m e n i n c l u d e d o r t h o p y r o x e n e , apatite, albite, a n d clinopyroxene. These constituents are the hallmarks of t h e T h e r a n e r u p t i o n p r o d u c t s , f r o m the eruption of the Minoan period.

10. Studies of the Sandstone Philip P. Betancourt, William R. Farrand, and George H. Myer A relatively soft, brown sandstone, known by the local Cretan n a m e s of ammouda a n d ammoudopetra,2 was used for architectural bases in Building BC. It was also used for architectural blocks elsewhere in the town, including Area BE (PI. 7B) and Area BH, a n d it was occasionally worked into objects. A basin m a d e of this material was f o u n d in Area BX (no. BX

Description

15), f r o m a space adjoining Building BC. Eight sandstone blocks were in the Building of the Pillar Partitions, including six used as supports for the pillars in the L-shaped pillar-and-door partition wall a n d o n e each in the constructions in Spaces BC 6 and BC 7B. In all cases, the sandstone was similar.

and Characterization

T h e rock is a fine-grained, calcareous sandstone; it a p p e a r s to b e an aeolianite, that is, a f o r m e r d u n e sand the grains of which have b e e n cemented together into a solid rock. It is compact a n d well cemented. T h e fracture is uneven. T h e rock is relatively easy to quarry, so that it is well suited as a building stone. T h e color is pinkish gray (7.5YR 7 / 2 ) . T h i n sections, p r e p a r e d by D. M. Organist, were e x a m i n e d with the aid of a polarizing microscope at the Mineralogical Laboratory of the D e p a r t m e n t of Geology, T e m p l e University (by G e o r g e H. Myer). T h i s analysis r e v e a l e d t h a t t h e r o c k is c o m p o s e d mostly of s u b r o u n d e d to r o u n d e d mineral grains and shell fragments. Most of the grains were sand-sized, a p p r o x i m a t e l y 0.5 m m across, with an occasional g r a i n u p to a m i l l i m e t e r . Voids a c c o u n t e d for between 10% a n d 20% of the area, with an occasional void u p to 3 m m in its largest dimension. X-ray powder diffraction analyses were p e r f o r m e d at the Mineralogical Laboratory of the Department of Geology, T e m p l e University, by G e o r g e H . Myer, using a RIGAKU automated X-ray diffractometer with an FP-6000 computer. T h r e e mineral species could be

identified by powder diffraction. Calcite was dominant, but quartz and a feldspar were also identified. In detail, the following c o n s t i t u e n t s were recognized: 1. Calcite A carbonate identified by X-ray diffraction as calcite was p r e s e n t in t h r e e phases: as primary grains (clasts); as secondary overgrowths on primary grains; and as late-phase linings that crystallized within voids. T h e thin sections, thus, revealed the role of the carbonate in the lithification of the sandstone. Calcite crystallized within interstices between the primary grains over a period of time, gradually binding t h e m t o g e t h e r m o r e tightly, r e d u c i n g t h e porosity, a n d adding to the density of the rock. 2. Quartz Several f o r m s of q u a r t z w e r e visible, mostly as r o u n d e d to s u b r o u n d e d g r a i n s . S o m e cryptocrystalline varieties, e i t h e r c h e r t o r c h a l c e d o n y , h a d rhombic shapes, possibly being p s e u d o m o r p h s after

42

PSEIRA rv

dolomite, that is, replacement minerals that assumed the form of a primary grain that had dissolved away. Clear quartz, some with elongate birefringent inclusions with higher indices of refraction, was also present. O c c a s i o n a l q u a r t z g r a i n s s h o w e d s u t u r e d boundaries, evidence of a former metamorphic origin of the mineral.

4. Shell fragments Many organic fragments were noted, occurring as several species of shells, mostly in small, subrounded to r o u n d e d grains. For many fragments, however, Rayleigh scattering caused a brownish appearance in plane-polarized light, making it difficult to see details.

3. Plagioclase feldspar Plagioclase was identified optically as well as by Xray diffraction. It was p r e s e n t as a constituent of quartz-feldspar rock fragments and as grains composed entirely of feldspar. Some of the f e l d s p a r showed polysynthetic twinning; other subhedral to euhedral grains displayed Carlsbad twinning.

5. Iron oxide Much of the color of the sandstone was caused by the presence of iron oxide, which occurred mostly within the pore spaces. It was a late-phase addition to the rock, formed during the time of consolidation and cementation.

The Local Sources of Two outcrops of this type of calcareous sandstone are known in the vicinity of the Pseira settlement. The first, on Pseira Island, is located about 250 meters southwest of the peninsula on which the eastern part of the town is located, just above the mouth of the creek at the location of the cemetery. The rock from this location is not suitable for use as a building stone because it is poorly cemented, resulting in a soft and friable material. The second outcrop is within 50 meters of the eastern limits of the m o d e r n village of Mochlos in a sharp ravine that enters the sea at this point. T h e ravine exposes a harder, more durable sandstone, quite similar to that used in Building BC, as can be seen by comparing the following thin-section description to that given above. Geological sample, PS-21: Calcareous sandstone from ancient quarry just east of Mochlos village; light yellowish brown to pale brown (10YR 6 - 7 / 4 ) . This sample is an i m m a t u r e , p o r o u s sandstone characterized by distinctive reddish brown iron-oxide staining and cemented by a matrix composed of clay and carbonate material. The clasts contain detrital inorganic and partially replaced organic fragments. The inorganic material includes angular fragments of feldspar, quartz, and blocky calcite. These grains are mostly between 0.35 a n d 0.45 m m across, al-

Ammouda

though scattered larger grains up to 4 or even 8 m m occur here and there. The organic material includes shell fragments as well as carbonate concretions with relict algal structures. Rock fragments also a p p e a r t h r o u g h o u t the matrix. These vary in origin; some appear to be small, rounded clasts of iron-rich shale, while others are more clearly derived from a metamorphic or sedimentary precursor. In hand sample, this rock is a friable, poorly sorted, porous sandstone. (Analysis by Alison Barry, Department of Geological Sciences, The University of Michigan.) The ancient quarry at this location was described and mapped in detail by Soles (1983; see also Pike and Soles 1998), who estimated that some 350 cubic meters of sandstone were quarried here. He believed that the bulk of the rock quarried at Mochlos was destined for the largest building in the LM I settlement at Gournia (Soles 1983:42). At that time he was not aware of the a m m o u d a used in construction at Pseira or Mochlos, as both sites were excavated after his research was published. Soles also m e n t i o n e d t h r e e o t h e r m a j o r s a n d s t o n e q u a r r i e s in e a s t e r n Crete: at Pelekita, Ta Skaria, and Malia. At the last location, Pareyn m a p p e d a n d discussed several outcrops of ammouda of two varieties (1963: chap. 2): a coarse-grained rock with marine shells and a finegrained variety of d u n e origin (aeolianite).

43

BUILDING BC

Geological

Origin of the Calcareous

This sandstone (ammouda) appears quite similar— in outcrop, in thin section, and in geological setting—to aeolian calcareous sandstones known widely around the Mediterranean basin. 3 Where well-preserved, especially on low-lying coastal plains, these sandstones occur as long, narrow ridges roughly parallel to the present coastline, at distances of up to 1 or 2 km from the present shore. They are presumed to have formed as sand dunes in the upper part of the shore zone (the supralittoral z o n e ) . O n s h o r e winds would blow dry sand and broken shell fragments from the beach inland to the point where the sand e n c o u n t e r e d some vegetation, which would slow the wind velocity at that point, aiding in sand accumulation. After formation of the sand dune, rainfall would dissolve some of the carbonate shell fragments and, under a semi-arid climate, that carbonate will be precipitated in the voids between grains to cement the dune into solid rock. Low-angle cross-stratification indicative of wind deposition is commonly well preserved in these rocks, and examples of it can

Sandstone

be seen in both of the outcrops mentioned above—at Mochlos village and on Pseira. It is also mentioned by Pareyn (1963:22) for the outcrops at Malia. Coastal aeolianite sandstone, like other indicators of interglacial high sea levels in the vicinity of Mochlos and Pseira, appears to be uncommon. T h e prime reason for this is the strong tectonic subsidence of the local area around the Gulf of Mirabello that has o c c u r r e d d u r i n g relatively r e c e n t g e o l o g i c time. Much of the evidence for former shorelines and aeol i a n i t e s e i t h e r has b e e n e r o d e d away o r is now drowned in the sea. In fact, with historic rates of subsidence estimated at 0.5 m per 1000 years (Flemming, Czartoryska, and Hunter 1973), it is conceivable that some quarries used by the builders at Pseira may be below sea level. 4 However, according to the estimates of the volume of rock quarried at Mochlos, and in view of the ammouda quarries elsewhere in eastern Crete (Soles 1983), there does not seem to be a problem in accounting for the quantity of ammouda used in Bronze Age architecture.

Discussion This kind of sandstone is first attested to as a building material in eastern Crete during the Bronze Age. S q u a r e d ashlar b l o c k s are known from G o u r n i a , Mochlos, Pseira, and many other Bronze Age sites in eastern and central Crete. T h e most c o m m o n use was for elegant facades and as the base for the termination of walls where well-squared corners were desirable. Blocks from Olous, at modern Elounda, at-

test to the use of the sandstone in later times (Olous was occupied by the first millennium B.C., and it was still important in the Byzantine period; see Makridakis 1977). Several walls in modern Mochlos have sandstone blocks in them (reused from earlier structures), but the stone has not been quarried in recent years according to the local inhabitants. T h e final date of the quarry's use is not known.

11. Imported Limestone Used for Floor Slabs in Room BC 2 George H. Myer A fine-grained limestone is used for a large floor slab in Room BC 2. O n e other piece of the material is known from Pseira, a r o u n d e d stone with peck marks on the surface found near Building BY (no. B Y 79). Samples of both limestone pieces were examined as thin sections at the Mineralogical Laboratory, Temple University.

In hand specimens, the stone is a fine-grained, uniformly textured material. Its color is white (10YR 8/1) on the Munsell system (Kollmorgen Corporation 1992) with a few darker areas. It is dense and compact with few imperfections. When examined as thin sections, the stone is seen to be uniformly fine grained and almost all carbon-

44

PSEIRA IV

ate. It is porous, with the pores ca. 75-400 micrometers in diameter. Carbonate grains (rhombohedral) in the matrix are ca. 10 m i c r o m e t e r s across. T h e stone contains foraminifera with a radial fibrous texture (aragonite?), u p to ca. 300 x 700 micrometers in size. A few other minerals are present as rare grains: angular quartz, unstrained, with uniform extinction or slight undulose extinction; chlorite (?) with yellow-brown mottled iron staining; and spherical reddish brown grains of an unidentified iron-rich mineral. All of these grains are less than 1% of the lime-

stone, as it is almost p u r e carbonate. T h e stone is very different f r o m the local limestone that is native to Pseira. T h e local Pseiran limestone, called Plattenkalk (Creutzburg 1977), is dark gray in color and has veins of white calcite. T h e limestone characterized h e r e has a m o r e u n i f o r m texture that makes it very suitable for building stones a n d for the m a n u f a c t u r e of small objects. It is probably an imp o r t into Pseira f r o m Crete, b u t t h e s o u r c e is u n known.

12. Comments and Conclusions Philip P. Betancourt Building BC is well preserved, but its remains offer several p r o b l e m s of i n t e r p r e t a t i o n . Because it was c o m p l e t e l y excavated by Seager, few new o b j e c t s come f r o m the remains that might cast light on its function. It is relatively small in comparison with its neighbors, but the building techniques are extremely interesting. The small size of the building represents a deliberate choice, as it replaced larger predecessors. The date of the building is provided by a sounding below the floor of Room BC 3. Pottery f o u n d in the packing is f r o m LM I. Not e n o u g h definitive finely decorated sherds exist to establish whether the building was built in LM IA or LM IB, but the LM I date c o n f i r m s Seager's view that it was o n e of the last buildings a d d e d to the Minoan town before its destruction. T h e situation in Building BC is not unique, as o t h e r examples of r e m o d e l i n g in LM I are also known at Pseira (e.g., in Area AF North). Building BC uses some of the most sophisticated architecture found at Pseira. It is built on carefully leveled ground. It has finely cut sandstone blocks with dowel holes to a c c o m m o d a t e carpentry, and Room BC 3 has a paved floor using i m p o r t e d l i m e s t o n e blocks. The wall of pillar partitions, the most striking architectural aspect of the building, seems to be a local version of the Minoan pier-and-door partition wall, also called a polythyron. This typical Minoan architectural feature is most c o m m o n in central Crete, b u t it o c c u r s t h r o u g h o u t t h e island as well as o n Thera. Elsewhere, it is often associated with a rectangular sunken area reached by a flight of steps called a "lustral basin" or "adyton." Because the adyton is m u c h larger and never has a drain, the correspondence with Space BC 4 is not close, although both are sunken paved spaces placed near a polythyron. Opinion is sharply divided on the exact function of the polythyron. Although all scholars would agree to

its ability to provide a range of o p e n a n d closed doorways creating a series of variations f r o m o p e n a n d airy to tightly shut, the p u r p o s e of the a r r a n g e m e n t has b e e n hotly debated. A secular use, chiefly to control ventilation a n d light, is p r e f e r r e d by some schola r s (see t h e c o m m e n t s of G r a h a m 1 9 8 7 : 8 7 a n d passim). A religious use in concealing or revealing religious focal points a n d / o r ceremonies is an alternative p r e f e r r e d by others (Marinatos and Hágg 1986). T h e Pseiran version does n o t provide new evidence for e i t h e r view, a n d it c o u l d b e i n t e r p r e t e d e i t h e r way. W h e t h e r its use was religious or secular or b o t h , t h e u n u s u a l a r c h i t e c t u r a l f e a t u r e s of B u i l d i n g BC clearly d i s t i n g u i s h it f r o m t h e o t h e r b u i l d i n g s at Pseira. Its proximity to Building BS/BV is surely n o t accidental, and the two structures should probably be interpreted as a unit. Elsewhere on Crete at non-palatial sites, r o o m s d e f i n e d by pier a n d - d o o r partition walls are associated with wealthy villas. As the finest buildings of their towns, they were probably seats of local authority, a n d their owners copied the architectural niceties of Knossos, Phaistos, Zakros, a n d the other palaces. T h e residents of Pseira, at least in its final LM IB phase, must have felt the n e e d to have such a local unit as well, even if it was a provincial imitation of the standard Minoan polythyron. T h e hall was a d d e d next to the most m o n u m e n t a l building o n the site (Building BS/BV), at the c o r n e r of the Town Square. It was probably used by the local authority o n Pseira for whatever purposes such halls served. T h e building went out of use in LM IB. Several of the sherds f r o m the final phase are b u r n e d , suggesting the b u i l d i n g may have b e e n destroyed by fire. Few objects, however, come f r o m the remains as left by the Seager excavations, a n d the circumstances of the final destruction are not certain.

Endnotes 1. Exact color designations like those in the Munsell system (Kollmorgen Corporation 1992) are difficult to make u n d e r the microscope because the observed color depends u p o n the thickness of the slide, the magnification, and the intensity of the light used. 2. T h e local name at Mochlos is ammouda, but ammoudopetra is also used in Crete, for example in the south-central part of the island (John A. Gifford, personal communication). 3. Such s a n d s t o n e ridges are well displayed on t h e b r o a d coastal plain of Israel and of the Nile Delta in Egypt. In Israel the sandstone, locally called "kurkar," occurs in three or four coast-parallel ridges, each of which may be 10 to 20 m thick (Farrand and Ronen 1974). At the core of these ridges, one

may find remnants of the original beach sands with intact marine shells. Moreover, within the mass of such a deposit, there may be intercalated paleosols reflecting ancient land surfaces dating to past times when sand was not accumulating. These multiple ridges are commonly thought to be evidence of fluctuations of the world sea level associated with glacial and interglacial cycles (Farrand 1979). Occurrences in Greece are listed by Pareyn 1963:22. 4. The Mochlos ammouda outcrop extends out into the sea, and a pair of submerged fish tanks cut into the sandstone provides evidence for a rise in sea level since they were built at some time between the Classical and Byzantine periods (Leatham and Hood 1958-1959:273-275).

4

Building BD

1. General Comments Philip P. Betan court B u i l d i n g BD is west of B u i l d i n g BO, b e t w e e n Revma Road and the ravine that terminates at the Pseiran beach. Revma Road must have begun at the beach west of Building B Q (where erosion has destroyed all of its traces), and it continued up the eastern side of the ravine. At the location of Building BD, the wider land area allowed the road to turn uphill toward the east, to a second turn between Buildings BO and BD (111. 1). The southeast corner of the building is on Seager's plan (111. 2), but no details are

visible today aside f r o m the facade that faces east onto Revma Road. A plan of the area is shown in Illustration 15. The building is either unexcavated or filled with Seager's backfill. With its n e i g h b o r to the n o r t h (Building BK), it establishes the western limits of Area B. Beyond the ravine is Area C, on the opposite hillside. Building BD was not re-excavated by the modern project. It was drawn in 1991-1992. No objects were discovered.

PSEIRA IV

46

/

^

N

BUILDING BD

19 9 1 - 9 2

Illustration 15. Plan of Building BD.

5

Area BE

1. Introduction and History of the Excavations Philip P. Betancourt Area BE includes several rooms on Revma Road at the western side of Area B (111. 1). T h e architectural b l o c k , w h i c h p r o b a b l y i n c l u d e s two b u i l d i n g s , is b o u n d e d by Building BF on the north, Building BO on the south, a n d Revma Road on the west. Area BH is uphill to the east. An entrance is in the southern facade, l e a d i n g the visitor into R o o m BE 2 f r o m a short, steep staircase that r u n s uphill f r o m Revma Road (the N o r t h Staircase). Like the other structures in this block, Area BE was c l e a r e d by Seager a n d r e c o r d e d on his p u b l i s h e d plan (1910: H 2-4 a n d the eastern edge of I 3; for a detail of the plan, see 111. 16). Seager said little about the architecture, but he briefly described some of the area's finds. Area BE seems to have b e e n one of the locations at Pseira with a Late Minoan I level overlying a Middle Minoan IIB stratum. Seager mentioned a few of the vessels f o u n d in the lower level: Some of the smaller vases with the polished buff slip a n d geometrical dark on light designs closely resemble the ware in use at the beginning of the Early Minoan II period, when the mottled technique is still in its earliest stages. T h e cups shown in Plate Via a n d b c a m e f r o m H. 3, R. 3 [i.e., Room BE 2], and belong to this class except that h e r e we have an a d d e d white paint, so combining the dark o n light a n d light on dark styles. T h e thinness a n d fine quality of the clay is very unusual in the dark on light wares of this period

and shows that the style of decoration was sometimes used for vases of the better class. T h e other vessels f r o m this deposit included a n u m b e r of black glaze cups with festoons of white paint on

Illustration 16. A detail of Seager's plan, showing Area BE.

48

PSEIRA IV

the rim like those which characterize House B at Vasiliki [su] a n d which have also b e e n f o u n d at P a l a i o k a s t r o [,szV] in t h e s a m e c o n t e x t ; also a small black glaze c u p with a white fish, a design c o m m o n in this period (Seager 1910:19). T h e date of these vessels is now better u n d e r s t o o d . T h e y b e a r little relation to the EM II styles Seager c o m p a r e d them to, a n d they are also later than the pottery f r o m House B at Vasilike. Stylianos A n d r e o u m a d e a t h o r o u g h study of three cups known to c o m e f r o m this deposit, associating t h e m with the pottery f r o m House A at Vasilike a n d o t h e r MM II east Cretan deposits (1978:105). A similar date has b e e n proposed for t h e deposits f r o m this ceramic p h a s e by others who have studied the period in detail (Betanc o u r t 1977b:346; W a l b e r g 1983:128; W a r r e n a n d H a n k e y 1989:51). T h i s c h r o n o l o g i c a l c o n c l u s i o n means that the stratum below the LM I levels in Area BE was not an unusual situation at Pseira. Middle Min o a n IIB levels, similar in date to this one, are known from several o t h e r parts of the town. Seager published only o n e vase f r o m the latest period of the Area. T h e vessel, a fine e x a m p l e of t h e M a r i n e Style, is s h o w n in I l l u s t r a t i o n 17. H e described the piece as follows: It is a very good example of the use m a d e of marine designs, the nautilus, seaweed a n d rockwork adapting themselves extremely well to vase decor a t i o n . T h e s h a p e of this vase again betrays a

metal p r o t o t y p e as shown by t h e h a n d l e w h e r e t h e m e t a l rivet f a s t e n i n g it to t h e b o d y of t h e v a s e h a s b e e n r e p r o d u c e d in clay ( S e a g e r 1910:32). T h e vase is a bridge-spouted j u g d e c o r a t e d in the Knossian M a r i n e Style of LM IB. It is in t h e mainstream of t h e style that has b e e n called t h e Special Palatial Tradition (Betancourt 1985), a n d it is typical of the style (Mountjoy 1984:195). T h e vase shows that the latest date of t h e r o o m s was in LM IB, c o n t e m p o rary with the last p e r i o d in nearby structures. Only some of Area BE's walls were still visible w h e n work began in 1985. Consolidation a n d conservation h a d b e e n accomplished in 1975 (Davaras 1977), a n d most of t h e plan was visible a l o n g t h e e a s t e r n a n d western sides of t h e area. T h e center, however, was covered with soil a n d stones. Objectives of t h e new work i n c l u d e d a study of t h e visible walls, a state plan of t h e architecture, an investigation of finds discovered by surface survey, a n d a re-study of t h e finds f r o m Seager's campaign. N o new excavation was p l a n n e d . T h e walls were drawn by S h a r o n R a t h k e in 1990. J o h n C. McEnroe, who also studied t h e architecture, supervised h e r work. Finds f r o m t h e surface survey, i n c l u d i n g t h r e e i n t e r e s t i n g s a n d s t o n e blocks, were studied by the a p p r o p r i a t e specialists. Clay vases f r o m Seager's excavation were studied in t h e m u s e u m s in Herakleion, Siteia, a n d Philadelphia.

Illustration 17. Bridge-spouted jug found in Space BE 5 (after Seager 1910: fig. 13).

49

AREA BE

2. The Architecture, Area BE John C. McEnroe Much of Area BE is either unexcavated or covered with Seager's backfill. As a result, only a small part of the building complex is visible today (111. 18). T h e spaces that are visible may be parts of more than one building. The architecture occupies a site that slopes down steeply from northeast to southwest. The builders divided the slope into three terraces. The highest is in the northeast (Rooms BE 3, BE 4, BE 5, and BE 6). Rooms BE 1 and BE 2 are on a level about one meter lower. Spaces BE 7, BE 8, BE 9, and BE 10 form the

Materials

and

T h e builders of Area BE used medium-gray limestone in several distinct masonry types. T h e north and west facades o f the building mix megalithic blocks with larger rubble. T h e south facade of the building, near the entrance into Room BE 1, is of coursed large slabs. T h e east side of Area BE is built against an outer face of large, uncoursed rubble. Most of the interior walls seem to have been of uncoursed rubble and slabs. Phyllite slabs were used for some of the steps in Space BE 7, for a small bench in Room BE 6, and for a paving slab in Room BE 6. The threshold in Room BE 1 is of metacarbonate. In addition to these common materials, three sandstone ashlar blocks were found in Area BE. Unfortunately, none was in its original position. They may have come from a building farther up the hill.

Building At least the upper rooms of Area BE (Rooms BE 1 to BE 6) appear to have been relatively late additions to this part o f the site. T h e s e rooms were built against existing buildings on the north and on the

lowest terrace. It would require extensive excavation to remove Seager's backfill from the center of the area. T h e backfill may conceal a major north-south wall continuing the lines of the west walls of Rooms BE 2 and BE 6. Such a wall might have marked the division between two buildings, one on the upper levels (Rooms BE 1 to BE 6) and the other on the lowest terrace (Spaces BE 7 to BE 10). Seager's plan shows a wall in this location (Seager 1910).

Techniques BE B L O C K 1 (ILL. 19) This block was found on the surface in Room BE 2. It is a squared base 35.6 x 35.8 x 22.0 cm. It has two square mortises cut into its top surface. It resembles the blocks used in wall ends in Building BC. BE B L O C K 2 (ILL. 19) This is a squared block found on the surface in Room BE 10. It is 41.8 x 28.7 x 0.15.5 cm high. It has traces of two mortises in its upper surface. B E B L O C K 3 (ILL. 20) BE Block 3 is now built into the southeast corner of Room BE 10, where it may have been placed by Seager. It measures 32.8 x 22.6 m x 16.6 cm high. Two mortises are in the upper surface, and traces of a third mortise are in one end of the block.

Sequence east. Within Area BE the probable division of the complex into two separate structures corresponds with two major phases of construction. The overlap in the

PSEIRA rv

AREA BE:

BLOCK

AREA BE: B L O C K Illustration

• 0

19. Ami BE, Blocks 1-2.

cm

Illustration 20. Area BE, Block 3.

2

12.60

1

BF 2

16.80

16.38

BE 4

15

a

6.69

16.72

AREA

iäxxnjju

BE

AREA BE

south wall o f Room BE 2 shows that the western rooms (Spaces BE 7 to BE 10) were built against the

Room

51

existing eastern rooms (Rooms BE 1 to BE 6).

Descriptions

ROOM BE 1

ROOM BE 4

T h e only preserved entrance to Area BE is in the vestibule, Room BE 1. The doorway is 1.01 m wide, and it is fitted with a threshold of metacarbonate, 1.03 m x 0.52 m x 0.15 m high. The north wall is 1.44 m long, 0.48 m thick, and 0.93 m high (6 courses). T h e east wall is preserved for a length of 1.88 m, from the southwest c o r n e r o f Room BE 3 to the bedrock that occurs at its northern end. It is 0.52 m thick, and 1.65 m high (10 courses). The west wall is 5.23 m long, 0.47 m thick, and 0.65 m high (8 courses).

Rooms BE 4 and BE 5 are on the same level as Room BE 3. The most unusual feature of Room BE 4 is the small rectangular enclosure built against its north wall. T h e interior of the enclosure measures ca. 1.32 m x 0.42 m. Its purpose is unclear. Today, several of the stones on the inside of the structure show signs of burning. The north wall of the room is 2.35 m long, 0.57 m thick, and 0.63 m high (5 courses). The south wall is 3.15 m long, 0.50 m thick, and only about 0.20 m high (2 courses). The east wall is 2.87 m long, 0.49 m thick, and 0.42 m high (4 courses). The west wall is not preserved.

ROOM BE 2 Room BE 2 is on the same level as Room BE 1. The wall separating the two spaces is only partly visible. In addition, the northwest corner of the room is unclear, and only a few foundation stones of the west wall are visible. T h e north wall is preserved for a length of 0.98 m. It is 0.56 m thick, and it stands to a height of 1.20 m (8 courses). The south wall can be traced for a length of 2.19 m. It is 0.60 m thick and 0.63 m tall (4 courses). T h e east wall is 4.58 m long, 0.47 m thick, and 0.80 m high (10 courses). T h e west wall is not preserved.

ROOM BE 3 T h e floor of Room BE 3 is about 1.80 m higher than that of Room BE 1. Its ground floor, in other words, is about at the level of the second story floor over Rooms BE 1 and BE 2. The difference in levels follows the levels of the underlying bedrock, which established the eastern limits o f Room BE 1 and Space BE 11 and fills the northeast corner of Room BE 3. T h e north wall is 0.69 m thick and 0.78 m high (5 courses). The south wall is 2.06 m long, 0.54 m thick, and 0.49 m high (4 courses). The east wall is 4.20 m long, 0.72 m thick, and 1.02 m high (6 courses). The west wall is preserved for a length of 2.14 m, and it is preserved only to the level of the floor.

SPACE BE 5 Space BE 5 is the small triangular space at the northeast corner of the building. Its unusual shape was the result of the need to build Area BE against the existing wall on the east, and the need to arrange most of the east-west walls of Area BE at right angles to the natural contours of the slope. Its south wall is 2.07 m long, 0.58 m thick, and 0.80 m high (5 courses). The east wall is 2.53 m long, 0.48 m thick, and 1.10 m high (10 courses). The west wall is 1.90 m long, 0.51 m thick, and 0.58 m high (4 courses). The doorway is 0.59 m wide.

ROOM BE 6 Little of Room BE 6 is preserved. As mentioned above, the foundations of its west wall are in line with the foundations of the west wall of Room BE 2. It seems likely that this wall continued across the entire length of the building, dividing Area BE into two distinct parts. Seager shows this wall on his plan. Only the east wall of the space can be measured. It is 1.96 m long, 0.52 m thick, and 0.76 m high in 4 courses.

PSEIRA IV

52

SPACE BE 7

SPACES BE 8, BE 9, AND BE 10

An L-shaped staircase fills the NE corner of Space BE 7. It probably led to a second story above Space BE 7. T h e north wall is 5.71 m long, 0.60 m thick, and 1.10 m high (4 courses). The east wall is 1.68 m long, 0.42 m thick, and 0.90 m high. T h e stairs are 0.68 m wide, with three phyllite treads.

Only a few traces of the walls that once separated these spaces can be seen through Seager's backfill. No meaningful dimensions are possible.

3. The Pottery, Area BE Philip P. Betancourt Seven of the clay vases found by Seager in Area BE can be identified in the museums in Herakleion, Siteia, and Philadelphia because they are marked on the bottom with Seager's field notes. At the excavation, Seager divided Pseira into Sectors, numbered the buildings in each Sector, and then numbered the rooms within buildings. As complete vases were discovered, they were marked with their architectural designations. In the final publication, however, Seager abandoned this preliminary system and used an artificial grid superimposed over his architectural plan to refer to locations. Because his n o t e b o o k s have bee n lost, the only way to identify a specific building is to match the designation on the bottom of a published vessel with its published find-spot. For Area BE, no. BE 1 is marked "S4 B1W R l " and published by Seager, and the vases with arcs, some o f

Catalog

which are marked in the same way, are also mentioned in the publication (i.e., nos. B E 2, B E 3, and BE 4). Evidently this building was excavated as Building 1 West in Sector 4. Knowing this designation allows other vases to be assigned to the same building. T h e newly identified pieces of pottery from Area B E are very important. They provide a much better picture of the deposit in Room B E 2 than was known previously, but they also raise a p r o b l e m . Seager marked two LM IB cups with the same designation used for the early deposit (nos. B E 5 and B E 6). Evidently he only marked the r o o m for his locations, not the stratigraphy within the room, which means that even if two vessels are marked in the same way one cannot be sure they were found in the same stratum.

and Discussion

ROOM BE 2 MM IIB, FINE FABRICS BE 1, Fig. 7, PI. 8 (SM 7170, formerly HM 5433). Straight-sided cup, complete except for handle. H 4.4; d of rim 6.5; d of base 4.3. A fine fabric (reddish yellow, 7.5YR 8/6). Straight-sided cup with slightly flaring rim; beveled base. Dark slip on interior and exterior; added white paint: one fish, swimming to right, on one side only. Comments: Marked "S4 B1W R l " on bottom ("Sector 4, Building 1 West, Room 1). For discussion of the date of this vessel, see Andreou 1978:105; for additional comments on the pottery style from the peri-

od of House A at Vasilike, see Betancourt 1977b:346; Walberg 1983:128; Warren and Hankey 1989:51. Parallels'. For the shape see Betancourt and Silverman 1991: no. 429 (Gournia). Date. MM IIB. BibL: Seager 1910:19; Andreou 1978:105, pi. 4, no. 10. B E 2, Fig. 7, PI. 8 (SM 7137, formerly HM 5 4 2 8 ) . Rounded cup, complete. H 5.6; d o f rim 11.6; d of base 4.7. A fine fabric (pink, 7.5YR 7 / 4 ) . Straight rim; convex profile; one vertical handle. Arcs in interior, crossing one another; arcs on exterior, crossing one another; added white paint: edges of arcs on interior; centers of arcs on exterior. Comments: Marked "S4 B 1 W . . . 6 2 " on b o t t o m

AREA BE

("Sector 4, Building 1 West . . . Find no. 62). For a good discussion of the o r n a m e n t a l character of this cup, see Zois 1968:220-221. Parallels. C o m p a r e Walberg 1983: Shape 215. Date. MM IIB. BibL: Seager 1910:19, pi. 6B; Zois 1968:220-221. BE 3, Fig. 7, PL 8 (SM 7165, formerly HM 5437). Cup, complete. H 5.5; d of rim 7.4; d of base 3.5. A f i n e f a b r i c (pink, 7.5YR 8 / 4 ) . Tall, conical f o r m ; straight rim; p r o n o u n c e d base; o n e thin strap handle. Solid arcs in interior, p e n d a n t f r o m rim; solid arcs o n exterior, p e n d a n t f r o m rim; b a n d at base; a d d e d white paint: edge of arcs on interior. Comments: M a r k e d "S4 B1W R1 59" o n b o t t o m ("Sector 4, Building 1 West, Room 1, Find no. 59"). Parallels: This is a variation of Walberg 1983: Shape 230, b u t with a p r o n o u n c e d base. Walberg's Shape 230 occurs in eastern Crete (Hawes et al. 1908: pi. 6, no. 3, f r o m Gournia). Date. MM IIB. Bibl.: Seager 1910:19, fig. 6A; Zois 1968:220; And r e o u 1978:105. BE 4, Fig. 7, PI. 8 (Penn MS 4252). Carinated cup, complete. H 4.6, excluding handle; d of rim 6.6-6.9; d of base 4.1-4.2. A fine fabric (pink, 7.5YR 8 / 4 ) . Low f o r m ; r o u n d e d carination; one thin strap handle. Dark slip on interior and exterior; a d d e d white paint: o n e arc p e n d a n t f r o m rim, on exterior. Comments: Marked "S4 B1W R l " on bottom ("Sector 4, Building 1 West, Room 1"). Many examples of this class of c u p were f o u n d at Pseira. T h e shape is slightly different f r o m the variation with sharp carin a t i o n (see no. BR 28), b u t the date is contemporary. Parallels: Hawes et al. 1908:56, fig. 39 (Gournia); D e m a r g n e 1945: pi. 33, no. 8659 (Malia); Betancourt 1983: no. 38 (Pseira). Date. MM IIB. Bibl.: Seager 1910:19; Betancourt 1983:25, no. 38. L M IB, FINE FABRICS BE 5, Fig. 7, PI. 8 (Penn MS 4272). Bell cup with n o handle, almost complete. H 6.4; d of rim 8.6-8.9; d of base 4.1. A fine fabric (pink, 7.5YR 7 / 4 ) ; burnished. Bell c u p with straight rim; two opposed pairs of small k n o b s at t h e r i m . D a r k slip o n i n t e r i o r ; schematic foliate b a n d composed of dots and bands, with b a n d s above and below; a d d e d white paint: two thin b a n d s o n u p p e r dark band; three thin bands on dark b a n d below foliate band; two thin bands on low-

53

est dark band. Comments'. Marked "S4 B1W R l " on bottom ("Sector 1, Building 1 West, Room 1"). Schematic foliate bands like this o n e are extremely c o m m o n in the LM IB pottery f o u n d on Pseira. Parallels: For the foliate b a n d see Furumark 1941: motif no. 64; Niemeier 1980:36-37. Date. LM IB. BibL: Perhaps S. Luce 1921:18, no. 16; Betancourt 1983:28-29, no. 52. BE 6, Fig. 7, PI. 8 (SM 7187; formerly H M 5391). Semiglobular cup, complete. H 6.6; d of rim 9.1; d of base 2.8. A fine fabric (pink, 7.5YR 8 / 4 ) . Evenly flowing, S-shaped profile; h a n d l e with thin oval section. Dark slip on interior; b a n d on rim; r u n n i n g spirals; bands on lower body; a d d e d white paint: dot b a n d on rim band; thin bands on bands on lower body. Comments: Marked "S4 B1W R l " on bottom ("Sector 4, Building 1 West, Room 1"); for discussion see no. BY 3. Parallels'. For the semiglobular c u p with very small base and this type of decoration see Betancourt 1983: no. 31 (Priniatikos Pyrgos). Date. LM IB.

SPACE BE 5 LM IB, FINE FABRICS BE 7, Fig. 8, PI. 8 (HM 5381). Bridge-spouted jug, mostly complete. H 22.2; d of rim 13; d of base 9.8. A f i n e f a b r i c (pink, 7.5YR 8 / 4 ) ; b u r n i s h e d . Bridgespouted jug; o u t t u r n e d rim; concave neck; long, horizontal spout; rivet at top of h a n d l e . Band o n rim; d r o p motif and dots on neck; bands at base of neck; marine decoration consisting of argonauts, seaweed, a n d coral; b a n d s o n lower body; lines o n h a n d l e ; spout painted. Comments: T h e fabric is Knossian. Marine Style of the Knossian Special Palatial Tradition (for bibliography see M o u n t j o y 1977; 1984; B e t a n c o u r t 1985:140-148). Parallels'. This is the most c o m m o n decoration for bridge-spouted jugs in the Marine Style. For other examples see Mountjoy 1984:164, 175-179, a n d fig. 6. Date. LM IB. Bibl.: Seager 1910: fig. 13; Oulie n.d.: fig. 107; Montelius 1924: pi. 71, no. 1; Lacy 1967: fig. 42a; Mountjoy 1972:128; B e t a n c o u r t 1973:333; M o u n t j o y 1977:558; 1984:195, Pseira no. 1, pi. 17g; 1993:50, fig. 67.

PSEIRAIV

54

4. The Stone Tools, Area BE Heidi M. C. Dierckx One stone tool and a quartz crystal were found in Area BE. They were both surface finds which are probably to be associated with the MM-LM I town.

ROOM BE 3 GROUND STONE

was f o u n d to consist of a m p h i b o l e with a fibrous s t r u c t u r e i n t e r l o c k i n g with l a t h s of p l a g i o c l a s e feldspar. This stone is called amphibolite (as defined by Mason 1978:33). Parallels'. See Pseira II, no. AC 123. Date. MM-LM.

SPACE BE 10

BE 8, Fig. 8 (PS 2827; BE 3-Surface). Hand tool, broken on one end. Max preserved length 7.1; max w 6.3; max th 4.5; preserved wt 290 gr. Amphibolite (grayish black, N 2). Triangular rounded. Both faces and one margin polished smooth; pecking on both ends and as a result broken on ene end. Comments: Polishing tool (?). The material was examined as a thin section by George F. Myer, at the Mineralogical Laboratory, Temple University, and

QUARTZ CRYSTAL BE 9, Fig. 8 (PS 2826; BE 10-Surface). Crystal, piece. Max dim 1.6. Quartz with iron oxide (?) inclusions. Terminated at one end; several prism and termination faces extant; other end fractured. Parallels'. See Pseira I, no. AI 3. Dater. M i n o a n .

5. Other Cataloged Objects, Area BE Philip P. Betancourt A piece of a discoid weight was found in Room BE 2. It is of a common type, usually regarded as a loom weight (for a discussion of the class, see Pseira I, no. AG 13).

ROOM BE 2 BE 10, Fig. 8 (PS 4300; BE 2). Discoid weight, half complete. Preserved ht 5.8; preserved wt 33 gr. A fabric containing phyllite (red, 2.5YR 5 / 8 ) . Two holes, off center. Comments'. Burned. For comments and parallels see Pseira I, no. AG 13. Date. Probably LM I.

6. Lithic Materials, Area BE Philip P. Betancourt One quartz crystal was found on the surface of this area. It is caUiloged with the stone tools (no. BE 9), but it could be either a tool or a piece of raw material for mak-

ing beads or other small ornaments. The other stones in the area were the usual phyllite, metacarbonate, and limestone pieces found all over the Minoan town.

AREA BE

55

ROOM BE 10 Quartz: 1 crystal, 1.6 cm (no. BE 9)

7. Comments and Conclusions, Area BE Philip P. Betan court Area BE contains either one large building or two smaller ones. The center of the area is buried by a massive d u m p of soil and stones left by Seager, and it was not investigated. Although the issue can not be decided from the visible evidence, there is no reason to doubt the testimony of Seager's plan that divides the area into two structures by a n o r t h - s o u t h wall (see 111. 16). Several building phases are present. A Middle Minoan stratum found by Seager under the LM I architecture is known only through vases preserved from the early excavations. The date of this phase is MM IIB. T h e LM I structures built over the MM II walls have two architectural phases, with the lower terrace (Spaces BE 7 to BE 10) pre-dating the architecture on the upper terrace. The final period of use is LM IB. T h e detailed publication of the vases in the pottery deposits, including some newly recognized examples, contributes useful information on the two pottery phases of the building. In terms of quality, the pottery in Area BE is as good as anything being used at the other East Cretan towns in these periods. The f i n e MM IIB pottery known f r o m this block is all from the eastern end of the Gulf of Mirabello. It is f r o m the same period as a deposit f o u n d beneath H o u s e C3 at M o c h l o s (Soles a n d Davaras 1996:

180-184), suggesting a regional destruction. In LM IB, however, the local products are joined by fine imported pottery from Knossos. This pattern, with more imported pottery in LM I than in earlier times, is one of the characteristics of the pottery at Pseira. T h e discovery in Building BE of three sandstone blocks made of imported material, including two that must have been used as bases, indicates that the careful architecture of Building BC was not unique at the site. This information is useful to the reconstruction of the town's architectural style. Previous discussions of the extent of foreign architectural influence at Pseira have concentrated on Building BC (Seager 1909:299; R i d e r 1 9 6 4 : 7 7 - 7 8 ; Sinos 1 9 7 1 : 5 1 - 5 2 ; Tzedakis and Chrysoulaki 1987:114; Driessen 1982:32-34; McEnroe 1990). Area BE helps in the understanding of the local architecture because it documents some of the aspects of Pseiran masonry that were incorporated into the foreign architectural style in its local adaptation. Because the blocks are no longer in place, one cannot know if the building had a "Minoan hall" composed of doorways and pillars, but its aeolian sandstone blocks, including two pieces that were fitted with dowel holes like those found in the pillar-and-door partition wall in Building BC, document additional examples of this local architectural detail.

6

Building BF

1. Introduction and History of the Excavations Philip P. Betancourt Building BF is just north of Area BE at the western side of Area B (111. 21). It is bounded by Revma Road on the west. Much of the northeast of the building is b u r i e d . Since t h e n o r t h e a s t e r n p o r t i o n s are n o t shown on Seager's plan (1910: plan, H 2), this part of the building is probably unexcavated rather than reburied from modern erosion or backfill. Apparently Seager uncovered only the facade of the building facing Revma Road a n d the part that adjoins the

western building in Area BE. Little of the interior of the plan is visible today. Limited goals and objectives were planned. A study and record of the visible architecture and a surface survey were regarded as sufficient for this building's investigation. Sharon Rathke drew the walls in 1990. J o h n C. McEnroe, who supervised the drawing, studied the building the following year.

2. The Architecture, Building BF John C. McEnroe B u i l d i n g BF is t h e n o r t h e r n m o s t b u i l d i n g on Revma Road of which there are any substantial remains. Even here the information is extremely limited. Today, only the general outline of BF is visible

(see plan, 111. 21). Seager's excavation, backfill, and subsequent erosion have all taken their tolls. Originally, the buildings continued farther to the north.

58

PSEIRAIV

UNEXCAVATED

BUILDING

BF 0 1 9 & 0

Illustration 21. Plan of Building BF.

1

2m

BUILDING BF

Materials and The few preserved sections of interior walls are of uncoursed rubble and slabs. The north wall of Room BF 1 is of very large uncoursed rubble. Several of the

Building It is n o t possible to distinguish any building seq u e n c e within Building BF. It can be pointed out, however, that Building BF was constructed before the

59

Techniques stones, ca. 0.60 m in length, border on megalithic. Medium-gray limestone is the nearly exclusive material.

Sequence architecture of Area BE which was built against its south side.

Room Descriptions SPACE BF 2

approximately 4 m long, 0.60 m thick, and 0.80 m high (7 courses).

Space BF 2 is a stairway ascending from west to east. T h r e e steps are still visible. The north wall is 2.64 m long, 0.43 m thick, and 0.80 m high (9 courses). T h e south wall is a b o u t 2.60 m long, 0.60 m thick, and 0.70 m high (4 courses). On the east side of the room, the stairs are 0.83 m wide, with three limestone treads.

ROOM BF 3

ROOM BF 4 T r a c e s of a c o l l a p s e d r e t a i n i n g wall b e t w e e n Rooms BF 4 and BF 5 are barely discernable. Originally the floor of Room BF 4 may have been on the level of the second story above Room BF 5.

ROOM BF 5

Only the n o r t h side of Room BF 3 is clear. T h e south section of the north wall is 1.32 m long, 0.40 m thick, and 0.70 m high (5 courses). The south wall is

Only the north wall is visible. This is an unusually massive wall, 1.41 m thick.

3. Comments and Conclusions, Building BF Philip P. Betancourt Revma Road runs along the eastern side of the ravine that extends inland from the Pseiran beach. Buildings are along the eastern side for its entire length, and at least two structures (Buildings BD and BK) are west of the road. Area C lies farther to the west, beyond the ravine. This road can only be partly traced today, but it probably acted as the main artery

running from the beach inland. The northern terminus of the road must have been just north of the exposed parts of Building BF; o n e supposes that it ended at paths that led u p into the terraced fields that rise above the town. Building BF is o n e of the s t r u c t u r e s along the road's eastern side. It is located north of Building BE

60

PSEIRAIV

and south of unnamed walls that lie in unexcavated areas at the northern end of the town. It is constructed on more than one terrace, a common practice at

the site. No work was done in the building aside from recording the visible remains,

7

Building BG

1. Introduction and History of the Excavations Philip P. Betancourt A small structure just n o r t h of Building BC is design a t e d Building BG (Ills. 1 and 23). Area BX is on the west, a n d Plateia Road North is at the eastern side. Some of the building is buried, but well-built walls, especially on the south, define part of the building very clearly. T h e e n t r a n c e is on the east, providing access f r o m Plateia Road North. Seager cleared the walls in 1907. H e m a d e n o comm e n t s o n finds, b u t the e x p o s e d r e m a i n s were included on his published plan (Seager 1910: plan, I 4-5; for a detail, see 111. 22). Consolidation work in 1975 s t r e n g t h e n e d the visible walls (Davaras 1977), a n d they were still in good condition when work was renewed in 1985. Except for r e c o r d i n g the remains, n o plans were m a d e f o r f u r t h e r w o r k . A c l e a n i n g o p e r a t i o n in Room BG 4 was necessary before drawing could comm e n c e , a n d several pieces of pottery and a few other s u r f a c e f i n d s were c o l l e c t e d d u r i n g t h e c o u r s e of cleaning. A sediment sample for mineralogical analysis was collected in 1985. A n n e Barnosky drew a state plan in 1990. J o h n C. McEnroe supervised her work a n d studied the building's architecture in 1991.

Building

BC

illustration 22. Detail of Seager's plan showing Building BG.

PSEIRA r v

Illustration 23. Plan of Building BG.

63

BUILDING BG

2. T h e Architecture, Building BG John C. McEnroe Building BG is only partly visible today (see plan, 111. 23). On the south it shares a party wall with Building BC. On the east, it opens onto the street. T h e

Materials

west and north limits are not clear. The building site slopes steeply down from northwest to southeast.

and

The south wall of the structure, shared with Building BC, is of coursed rubble. The south wall of Room

BG 2 is of uncoursed rubble and slabs. T h e other walls are only poorly preserved.

Construction T h e south and west walls appear to have been the earliest walls of Building BG. The inner part of the west wall of Room BG 2 was built against this first

Room

Techniques

Sequence c o n s t r u c t i o n . T h e rest of the walls a p p e a r to be bonded, indicating that they belong to a single construction phase.

Descriptions

ROOM BG 1

ROOM BG 2

Room BG 1 is a paved vestibule entered from the street on the east. The doorway is 1.03 m wide, and it has a threshold of two limestone slabs, 0.81 m x 0.36 m and 0.21 m x 0.18 m. The vestibule is paved with phyllite and limestone slabs and has a bench made of a single piece of metacarbonate against its north wall. T h e north wall is 2.23 m long, 0.32 m thick, and 0.25 m high. T h e south wall is preserved for 2.05 m. It is 0.43 m thick and 0.35 m high (3 courses). The east wall is 1.48 m long, 0.36 m thick, and 0.39 m high (3 courses). T h e west wall is preserved for a length of 1.24 m. It is 0.55 m thick. Ten courses stand to a height of 0.87 m above the floor.

Room BG 2 seems to have been entered by a doorway 0.54 m wide from Room BG 1. The north and west walls are not well preserved, and it appears that Seager excavated through the floor level. The interior dimensions of the space cannot be accurately measured.

ROOM BG 3 T h e northwest corner of Room BG 3 is not preserved. Sloping b e d r o c k fills the west side of the

PSEIRA r v

64

room. The north wall is 2.68 m long, 0.36 m thick, and 0.46 m high. The south wall is about 4 m long and 0.53 m thick, and it stands to a height of 1.06 m in 9 courses. Only a short section (0.63 m) of the east wall is preserved. It is 0.60 m thick and 0.80 m high (4 courses). The west wall is not preserved.

and 1.24 m high (9 courses). T h e south wall (PL 9B, a party wall shared with Building BC) is a b o u t 5 m long, 0.64 m thick, and 0.88 m high (5 courses). O n the east is an o p e n i n g 0.84 m wide c o n n e c t i n g the room with Room BG 1.

R O O M BG 5 ROOM BG 4 Room BG 4 is the long narrow space along the south side of the building (PI. 9A-B). The north wall is preserved for a length of 4.75 m. It is 0.55 m thick

Room BG 5 is an area f o r m e d by the double walls along the west side of the building. T h e wall on the east is 1.20 m long, 0.63 m thick, a n d 0.56 m high (4 courses).

3. The Pottery, Building BG Robert B. Koehl A few sherds come from the long, narrow space at the south of Building BG. The pottery, almost all unpainted, consists mostly of coarse fabrics. Some of

the sherds have bands. O n e piece of a Byzantine roof tile is present, and the other pieces are all Minoan. Their latest date is LM IB.

Catalog SPACE BG 4 (33 SHERDS) FABRICS Fine Fabrics: 7 sherds; 240 gr Coarse Fabrics. 6 sherds; 110 gr Phyttite.Fabri.es. 19 sherds; 490 gr Byzantine Fabrics. 1 roof tile fragment; 50 gr LM IB, COARSE FABRICS BG 1, Fig. 8 (PS 452; BC 1-1). Jug, base sherd. D of base 5. A coarse fabric (reddish yellow, 7.5YR 8 / 6 ) .

Almost straight profile at lower part of wall. Comments: Small bases like this almost always come f r o m jugs. Small j u g s are c o m m o n in this p a r t of Crete. Date. LM I.

LM I, PHYLLITE FABRICS BG 2, Fig. 8 (PS 1, BC 1-1). Closed vessel, b o d y sherd. Max dim 5. A fabric containing phyllite (unevenly colored, mostly yellowish red, 5YR 5 / 6 ) . Almost straight profile. Date. LM I.

BUILDING BG

65

4. The Stone Weight, Building BG Philip P. Betancourt and Heidi M. C. Dierckx O n e piece of an unfinished weight comes from the surface of Building BG. It belongs to an interesting

class of stone objects with perforations made by pecking from both sides of the artifact.

Catalog ROOM BG 4 STONE WEIGHT BG 3, Fig. 8 (PS 4035; BG 4-Surface). Weight, half preserved. Max length 4.6; max preserved w 3.2; max th 3.3; preserved wt 41 gr. Sandstone (light yellowish brown, I0YR 6 / 4 ) . Natural waterworn pebble; originally round; pecked central depression on each side of stone (complete). Parallels: Hawes et al. 1908:31-32, pi. 3, no. 41, round hammerstone transversely bored, and University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and An-

thropology, nos. MS 4690 and MS 4706, nos. 12 and 17-19 (Gournia); Deshayes and Dessenne 1959:62, no. 5, pi. 17, no. 5, meule (Malia); Warren 1964:98, pi. 17h, ring weights (Arvi); Warren 1965:313, no. 102, ill. 24, stone objects Group V: stone ring with biconical hole (Palaikastro); Pelon 1966:584, no. 22, pierres percées (Aghia Varvara); Warren 1972a:237-238, figs. 104-105, stone weights Type 2: biconical hole in center of weight, perforation finished (Myrtos); D e t o u r n a y 1975:125, nos. P1168, P1267, P2351, pl. 38, no. 4, anneaux (Malia). Date. MM-LM.

5. The Lithic Materials, Building BG Philip P. Betancourt A m o n g the f r a g m e n t s of limestone a n d phyllite found in the building was a single piece of emery. It was f o u n d on the LM I surface as left by the 1907 ex-

Catalog and ROOM BG 4 Emery: 1 angular piece, ca. 11 x 6 x 3 cm Emery was f o u n d at several locations in Pseira, in both Area A and Area B. In Area B, it came from the following places:

cavations in Room BG 4, the space at the south of the structure.

Discussion Building BG Room BG 4, unworked piece Building BO Room BO 4, unworked piece Building BS/BV Room BS 1, abraded from use as a tool Room BS 15, abraded from use as a tool Building BAA

66

PSEIRA IV

Room BAA 1, unworked piece T h e distribution o f emery in the settlement indicates it was widely used within the town, not just in one specialized workshop. All o f the pieces, including the one from Room B G 4, are similar in appearance. They are dark in color, with a gritty texture. T h e piece from Building B G is angular, with no signs of working by man. T h e identification as emery was confirmed by optical analysis (see below, Section 6). E m e r y is a m e c h a n i c a l m i x t u r e o f c o r u n d u m grains with magnetite or hematite. It is widely used as an abrasive b e c a u s e o f the angular nature o f the corundum grains and their extreme hardness (second only to diamond). T h e stone would have been useful in several domestic and craft functions within a Bronze Age community (such as the manufacture of stone into various objects or in various cleaning operations). Emery occurs in a wide area o f the Aegean and western Anatolia (see references in the chapter by Myer and Betancourt, Section 6). T h e source o f the fragment from Building B G is not known, but it was undoubtedly imported into Pseira Island.

Emery must have been widely exploited in the eastern Mediterranean area in antiquity, even though much o f the evidence for its use is indirect (from linguistics or from the finished products made o f hard stones; for the material, see Heimpel, Gorelick, and G w i n n e t 1 9 8 8 ) . T h e e a r l i e s t k n o w n use in t h e Aegean is at the Neolithic site of Saliagos (Evans and Renfrew 1 9 6 8 : 6 5 - 6 6 , 9 9 - 1 0 0 ) . By the third to second millennium B.C., it was in use at a n u m b e r o f sites throughout the eastern Mediterranean (for Ur, see W o o l l e y 1 9 3 4 : II, 3 7 3 n. 2 ) . Egyptian finds f r o m K a h u n a n d e l s e w h e r e , l o n g r e g a r d e d as e m e r y ( P e t r i e 1 8 9 6 : 4 4 - 4 5 ) , have b e e n r e e x a m i n e d a n d f o u n d to b e o t h e r m a t e r i a l s ( L u c a s a n d H a r r i s 1989:72-73, 260-261). Pseira is not the only site from which emery has been recognized. Cores from drilled stone vases from Knossos contained traces of powdered emery used as an a b r a s i v e in t h e d r i l l i n g p r o c e s s ( W a r r e n 1969:160). Pieces have also been found at Kommos (Shaw 1 9 8 2 : 1 6 9 , f r o m L M I I I B ) a n d at K n o s s o s (Evely 1 9 9 3 : 1 1 2 ) . T h e material was probably fairly c o m m o n , and it would have b e e n used for several purposes.

6. Description and Characterization of the Emery, Building BG George H. Myer and Philip P. Betancourt An unworked piece of stone from the LM IB surface of the floor o f Room B G 4 was investigated at the Mineralogical Laboratory, Department o f Geology, T e m p l e University. T h e stone measured 11 cm in

length, 6 cm in width, and 3 cm in thickness. It was fine-grained and dark gray (N 4 in the Munsell system, Kollmorgen Corporation 1992), with an uneven fracture.

Methodology for the Mineralogical Rock material was powdered by agate mortar to size r a n g e below 10 m i c r o m e t e r s . S t a n d a r d X-ray powder diffractometer slurry (duco-acetone) slides were analyzed by computer automated RIGAKU DM a x / B horizontal diffractometer with appropriate

Analysis

peak location and search/match programs. Thin sections for pétrographie analysis were prepared by standard procedures, and they were examined under the pétrographie microscope.

67

BUILDING BG

Discussion

and

T h e rock is a fine-grained schist or phyllite containing emery. The schistosity is developed by a white micaceous mineral (muscovite?) and by opaque minerals that have strong parallelism. The tectonic fabric exhibits clear evidence of ductile deformation. T h e following minerals are present in sufficient quantities for identification by optics and X-ray diffraction: corundum; muscovite and other phyllosilicates; hematite; and quartz. Because the rock is a mec h a n i c a l m i x t u r e of g r a n u l a r c o r u n d u m a n d h e m a t i t e in a schistose m a t r i x , it may be called emery. T h e c o r u n d u m occurs as granular, subhedral to anhedral porphyroblasts. T h e mineral is sometimes untwinned, but a n u m b e r of crystals with lamellar twinning are also present. They are up to 0.4 mm in size. The schistosity often deflects around the corund u m crystals or passes through them and is rotated. S o m e crystals are b l u e ( s a p p h i r e ) , with sharply b o u n d contours, containing reddish alterations from iron oxide (hematite?).

Conclusions Two forms of hematite occur, opaque flakes and red alteration products, both in the rock and as inclusions in the corundum. Mica flakes are also present. Only a little quartz occurs within the rock. Emery occurs within a wide area in the Cycladic Islands and in western Turkey. It is often contained in beds of marble, but loose blocks are also plentiful, and both large and small deposits at many locations have been exploited for centuries in m o d e r n times (for summaries, with additional bibliography, see Pratt 1906:155-157; Barlow 1915:234-238; Dworakowska 1975:125-126). Much of the mining was done from surface outcrops, so that even without the use of complex machinery the output could be quite large; Katrakis reported the mining of 102,306 metric tons from the Greek islands between 1929 and 1938 (1948:7). Large deposits on the island of Naxos have received detailed geological investigation (for description and bibliography see Jansen 1977). The source of the stone found on Pseira is not known.

7. Sediment Study, Building BG Charles J. and Dorothy B. Vitaliano A sample of the sediment over the building was collected from Room BG 4, and it was studied using the same methodology used for the samples from Building BC. A search was made for grains of windblown volcanic ash (fallout), and the mineralogy of the sediment was studied in detail. The sample came from the following unit:

ROOM BG 4, SURFACE (COLLECTED AS UNIT BC 14-2) T h e sample was collected by R o b e r t B. Koehl, u n d e r the supervision of Philip B e t a n c o u r t a n d Costis Davaras, in 1985. It was chosen as an example of the sediment present on this part of the site. Its color in the Munsell system (Kollmorgen Instruments Corporation 1992) was 10YR 6 / 8 .

Results of the T h e mineralogy of the sediment in the sample is given in Illustration 24. The sample is similar in its m i n e r a l o g y to t h e s e d i m e n t s f r o m Building BC. Quartz, feldspar, apatite, chlorite, and several other minerals are present. No traces of volcanic ash from the LM IA eruption of Thera are in the sample, but a trace of ash f r o m a different volcanic event is pre-

Analysis

sent. T h e constituents are compatible with a local source for the sediment. R o u n d i n g of the quartz grains in this sample is more pronounced than in the samples from Building BC, suggesting either transport of the sediments over a long distance from their source or reworking of the sediments.

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PSEIRA IV

CONSTITUENTS OF SEDIMENT SAMPLE, BUILDING BG BG 4-Surface A B Minoan Ash Other Vol. Glass Devitr. Vol. Glass Quartz Feldspar Apatite Zircon Fe-Mg Silicate* Metamorphic Min** Carbonate Chlorite Serpentine Chalcedony Tourmaline Hematite Others***

-

-

tr

-

-

-

X X X X X

X X X X X X

-

-

X X

X X

-

-

-

-

X X

X X

-

Symbols: tr trace X present - none found A greater than 120 micrometers B less than 120 but greater than 100 micrometers * generally orthopyroxene, diopside, and rare amphibole ** including garnet *** sericite, limonite, gypsum, anhydrite Illustration 24. Mineralogy of the sediment in Building BG.

8. Comments and Conclusions, Building BG Philip P. Betancourt Building BG is one of a series of buildings with entrances facing onto Plateia Road North. T h e visible rooms do not seem to constitute the entire building, and the structure continues to the north where additional walls lie b u r i e d . T h e e n t r a n c e f r o m Plateia Road N o r t h leads into Room BG 1. A l t h o u g h the p r e s e n t stale of t h e r e m a i n s has a g a p b e t w e e n Rooms BG 1 and BC 8 (111. 23), this space is not a doorway. T h e p l a n p u b l i s h e d by Seager (111. 22) clearly shows that a solid wall once existed between the two rooms, dividing Building BC from Building BG. Little evidence survives for the activities inside this building, but the architecture, with an entrance pro-

viding access to a vestibule leading to several different parts of the building, is n o r m a l for Pseiran houses built in LM I. Except for a small cleaning operation at the south of the building, n o work was d o n e aside f r o m the recording of the visible walls a n d the collection of objects f o u n d on the surface as left by Seager's excavation. A m o n g the finds f r o m the building are a piece of e m e r y a n d an i n t e r e s t i n g u n f i n i s h e d weight. O n e piece of a roof tile f o u n d on the surface indicates a little casual disturbance in the Early Byzantine period, but the building is well outside the area of most of the Byzantine occupation.

8

Area BH

1. Introduction and History of the Excavations Philip P. Betancourt and Marianna Nikolaidou Parts of more than one building are preserved at the northern edge of Area B near the center of the peninsula. Some of the walls are Middle Minoan; others date to LM I. Among these buildings, the most interesting structure is a Late Minoan I construction that fronted on Plateia Road North, the street running north from the northwest corner of the Town Square. It used many blocks of ashlar in its facade facing the street, suggesting that it may have been one of the m o r e important buildings in the settlement. The area was partly excavated by Richard Seager in 1907 (1910:12 and plan, J 3; see 111. 2). Some walls, both on the south and on the north of the area, were not completely cleared. They make the architecture difficult to understand, and erosion has added to the problems of interpretation. Seager, who did not distinguish more than one LM I building in the area, described the area as follows: Further along the unexcavated road [Plateia Road Northi] . . . is found another house in J 3. It lies on the summit of the knoll, with rooms terraced down the hill on both sides. It is of the usual type, but peculiar, inasmuch as it overlies a more ancient building, three rooms of which, 1, 2, and 3, were filled with masses of round beach pebbles. This deposit was about 50 centimeters deep and must have been much greater originally, as in building the later house the upper layers

had been cut away. The workmen at once recognized these p e b b l e s as sling stones, a n d it is probable that this was really their use and that the building was a kind of primitive arsenal. Seager correctly n o t e d that the area c o n t a i n e d buildings of different periods. He did not comment on the most noteworthy characteristic of the LM I building at the east of the area, its many ashlar blocks of sandstone. T h e "primitive arsenal" Seager described might be a floor packing. Most of the walls uncovered by Seager were still visible when work began in 1985. Rooms containing waterworn stones could be clearly seen, and some walls stood to more than a meter high. The southern and northern parts of the block, however, were not clearly visible. The new project had limited goals and objectives. A better understanding of the relation of this building's architecture to the community as a whole was the main goal. To realize this, objectives included a new state plan, an investigation of the architecture, and a study of any finds that might be discovered. A date for the rooms was considered desirable as well. Work in this area began with a surface survey in 1986. O n e r o o m , BH 18, was excavated in 1991 under the supervision of Marianna Nikolaidou and Philip Betancourt. T h e architecture was drawn in 1990-1991 by Anne Barnosky; J o h n C. McEnroe supervised the drawing and studied the architecture.

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PSEIRA IV

Finds f r o m the survey a n d t h e limited excavation were studied by the appropriate specialists. T h e excavation uncovered two strata in Room BH 18: a fill of stones and soil within the room, lying on a floor of soil; a n d a packing of stones u n d e r the

Excavated

floor. T h e u p p e r stratum c o n t a i n e d few diagnostic sherds, and n o t h i n g was on the floor itself. T h e packing included several sherds, all of t h e m dating f r o m the Middle Minoan period.

Contexts

BUILDING BH, C O N T E X T 1

BUILDING BH, C O N T E X T 2

Context packing u n d e r the room's floor (PI. 10A) Date. MM II—III Spaces: BH 18 Excavate,d units'. BH 18-4 Soil color, light reddish brown (10YR 6 / 4 ) Comments-. T h e packing u n d e r the floor consisted of a large volume of waterworn limestone cobbles along with soil and angular rock fragments. Several sherds were in the packing, and they provided a terminus post quern of MM II—III for the construction of the r o o m . T h e floor packing's waterworn cobbles are similar to the o n e s called "slingstones" by Seager. Floors laid over an u n d e r p i n n i n g of w a t e r w o r n stones of this type are not unique to this building; a similar floor packing was f o u n d b e n e a t h the LM I floor in Room AC 1 in Building AC.

Context fill inside the room, over the floor Date. MM II—III (?) Spaces: BH 18 Excavated units: BH 18-Surface, BH 18-1, BH 18-2, BH 18-3, BH 18-5 Soil color, reddish brown (10YR 5 / 4 ) Comments: T h e fill inside the r o o m consisted of soil filled with many small fragments of phyllite a n d limestone, along with stones fallen f r o m the u p p e r walls. Very little pottery was in the unit, a n d n o t h i n g could be used to provide a secure date for the room.

2. The Architecture, Area BH John C. McEnroe Area BH is a set of architectural spaces that covers the summit of Area B. At this point the spine of the ridge is narrow. The g r o u n d slopes down steeply to both the easl and the west, and it slopes more gently down from north to south. This is o n e of the most complicated parts of the site. The area was unevenly excavated by Seager, and, especially in the southwest, the walls are only poorly presci-ved. Several rooms at the top of the ridge remain unexcavated. What makes the area especially interesting is that the walls shown in the state plan (111. 25) represent two distinct periods. As Seager dis-

covered, the small rooms at the very top of the ridge (BH 7-12 a n d BH 17-18) b e l o n g to the Middle Min o a n period. T h e r o o m s built a r o u n d the east a n d south sides of the summit b e l o n g to a later period, presumably LM I (1910:12). This presents us with a picture that is initially surprising: T h e floors of the Middle Minoan rooms are at a level ca. 2 m higher than the floors of adjacent LM buildings. Yet, the situation is clear. T h e buildings of the two periods are distinguished by stratigraphy, orientation, materials and techniques, a n d finds.

AREA

BE

71

AREA BH

The Middle Minoan T h e Middle Minoan rooms seem to belong to at least two buildings. Rooms BH 7, BH 8, BH 9, BH 17, and BH 18 form part of one structure, which continues into the unexcavated fill on the north. A double

Materials

and

wall separates these rooms from a second building on the south, including Rooms BH 10, BH 11, and BH 12. In both buildings, the rooms are small, and their arrangement is complex.

Techniques, Middle Minoan

T h e MM buildings employ a set of materials and techniques that is distinctly different from those of the surrounding LM structures. These small spaces were built of much smaller stones, not laid in courses. T h e walls themselves could be quite massive, usually close to 0.60 m thick and often more than 0.70 m thick. Even the material used differs from that of the later rooms. In these walls, nearly half the stones are metacarbonate, which is much less common in the later buildings. Two distinct styles of masonry can be distinguished

Building

Buildings

even within these early buildings. T h e walls of the earlier southern building (BH 10, BH 11, and BH 12) are thinner and built in uncoursed slabs. Those of the northern building (BH 7, BH 8, BH 9, BH 17, and BH 18) are thicker, and of uncoursed rubble and slabs. Seager reports having found masses of cobbles in Rooms BH 7, BH 8, and BH 9 (1910:12). In Room BH 18 similar cobbles seem to have been used for floor packing.

Sequence, Middle Minoan

T h e southern building is the earlier of the two. The northern building was built against the northern

Room Descriptions,

T h e eastern room, BH 7, is not well preserved. Much of its east wall, and parts of its north and south walls, are lost. The north wall is 1.82 m long, 0.55 m thick, and 0.66 m high. Only a 1.77 m long fragment of the east wall is preserved. It is about 0.50 m thick and 0.60 m high (4 courses). The west wall is 2.25 m long, 0.47 m thick, and 0.60 m high (5 courses).

ROOM BH 8 Room BH 8 is a small, square room entered by a doorway from Room BH 18. Its north wall is 0.60 m

Buildings

facade of Rooms BH 10 and BH 11.

Middle Minoan

ROOM BH 7

Buildings

Buildings

long, 0.60 m thick, and 0.88 m high. The south wall is 1.50 m long. This wall is a double wall, 0.84 m thick, that stands to a height of 0.74 m above the floor (6 courses). The east wall is 2.22 m long, 0.51 m thick, and 0.48 m high (2 courses). The west wall is 2.10 m long, 0.61 m thick, and 0.89 m high.

ROOM BH 9 Room BH 9 is an L-shaped space formed by two small niches. The niche on the north is about 1.15 m x 0.77 m, and the niche on the south is about 0.87 m x 0.72 m. The east wall is 2.60 m long and 0.46 m high. Even at 0.60 m thick, it is thinner than the

72

PSEIRA IV

other walls of this unusual space, all of which are over 0.70 m thick.

ROOM BH 18 Room BH 18 was not excavated by Seager, but it was partly uncovered in 1991. Although the eastern

The Later To a later Minoan period, most likely LM I, belong the rooms built a r o u n d the eastern and southern sides of the summit. With the exception of the rooms

end of the room is not clear, the room appears to have been a long, narrow space that provided access to most of the surrounding rooms. The north wall is 1.40 m long, 0.60 m thick, and 0.60 m high. T h e northern doorway is 1.00 m wide. The south wall is 4.20 m long, 0.58 m thick, and 0.70 m high (5 courses). The eastern doorway is 0.93 m wide, and the western doorway is 0.73 m wide. The west wall is 1.56 m long, 0.58 m thick, and 0.26 m high (2 courses).

Buildings near the eastern entrance (Rooms BH 1, BH 2, and BH 4), no space is well preserved. It is likely that they originally belonged to more than one building.

Materials and Techniques, Later Rooms BH 1 to BH 5 belonged to a single house that employed some of the most technically sophisticated and labor-intensive construction at the site (Pis. 9B, 10-11). From foundations to superstructure, the building stands out. The bedrock that immediately underlies the building is sandy green limestone streaked with calcite. It is softer than the medium-gray limestone that forms much of the rest of the site. The builders were able to cut away much of this bedrock. An L- shaped cutting forms the south and west sides of the vestibule, Room BH 1 (PI. 10B), supporting the bench and the landing. A similar cutting was made for the south and west sides of the landing at the east end of the stairs. Another cutting can be followed up the south sides of the stairs. What remains of the west facade is impressively built of' large blocks of hammer-dressed stone, carefully laid in courses. Most of the blocks are between 0.35 m and 0.50 m long, but a few are larger, including one block 1.27 m long. The south wall of Room BH 3 is of large, coursed rubble. Most of the interior walls are one-faced terrace walls of uncoursed slabs and rubble. While limestone is the predominant material, phyllite slabs are used for several of the steps in Room BH 4 (PI. 11 A), as a facing for the west bench in Room BH 1 (PI. 11B), and as part of the pavement in Room BH 1 (PI. 10B). Perhaps the most unusual feature of the later building in Area BH is a series of sandstone ashlar blocks

Buildings

(Ills. 26-29). Although there are a number of ashlar blocks scattered throughout the site (including many that were re-used in the Byzantine church), the heavy concentration in this area, especially in the street, Space BH 16, suggests that they were used in the immediate vicinity. Rooms BH 1 to BH 5 are likely candidates. The ashlar blocks have the following dimensions: BH Block 1:35.4x44.8 cm BH Block 2: 17.4x29.8 cm BH Block 3: 31.8x34.2 cm BH Block 4: 7.8x13.3 cm BH Block 5: 21.3 x 15.2 cm BH Block 6: 16.7 x 14.6 cm BH Block 7: 7.5 x 6.4 cm BH Block 8: 16.4x11.7 cm BH Block 9: 18.8 x 16.6 cm BH Block 10: 19.8x21.8 cm BH Block 11: 30.8 x 28.6 cm BH Block 12: 14.3x14.2 cm BH Block 13: 29.3 x 23.2 cm BH Block 14: 34.2 x 25.4 cm BH Block 15: 25.4 x 44.0 cm Smooth sides on the larger pieces suggest that all the blocks were originally intended to be squared to rectangular shapes. As one can see f r o m Figures 26-29, many of the surviving pieces are fairly small and give little notion of the original shape. Block 2 is built into a wall (PI. 12A); it may be a base. Block 3 is a quoin.

AREA BH

BH: B L O C K Height

35.4

1 cm

E o

29.8

cm

BH: B L O C K Height

2

17.4

BH: B L O C K Height

Illustration 26. Area BH, Blocks 1-3.

31.8

3 cm

PSEIRA IV

3cm

BH: BLOCK 4 Height

7.8

cm

BH: B L O C K 5 Height

14.6 c m

'

11.7

16.7

cm

BH: BLOCK 8 Height

16.4

cm

BH: B L O C K 7

BH: BLOCK 6 Height

2 1.3

Height

cm

* 1 6.6

cm

cm

Illustration 27. Area BH, Blocks 4-10.

7.5

cm

BH: B L O C K 9 Height

18.8

cm

75

AREA BH

2 8 . 6 cm

BH: B L O C K

1 1

H e i g h t 30.8 cm

Illustration 28. Area BH, Blocks 11-14.

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PSEIRA r v

BH: B L O C K Height

25.4

15 cm

Illustration 29. Area BH, Block 15.

Room, Descriptions, ROOM BH 1 Room BH 1 is a small, paved vestibule, ca. 1.25 m x 1.10 m. Its entrance f r o m the street is 1.12 m wide. It has a metacarbonate threshold 1.12 m long x 0.47 m wide x 0.12 m thick (PI. 12B). A bench is against the south wall of the vestibule (PI. 1 IB). O n e step on the south serves as a small landing for the stairway, Room BH 4. A second small bench is against the south wall of this landing. On the north side of the room, o n e step leads u p into Room BH 2. T h e association of a vestibule with a bench and a stairway is a c o m m o n o n e at the site. This arrangement seems particularly close to that in Building BO.

ROOM BH 2 Room BH 2 is on the lower terrace, a p p r o a c h e d by a single step u p from Room BH 1. T h e n o r t h e r n side

Later

Buildings

of the r o o m is n o t well preserved. T h e wall is a b o u t 1.70 m long, 0.60 m thick, a n d 0.42 m high (4 courses). T h e east wall is 2.96 m long, 0.56 m thick, a n d 0.48 m high. T h e west wall is 3.13 m long a n d 1.13 m high (10 courses). It is a t e r r a c e wall with a single face.

ROOM BH 4 Room BH 4 is a well-built stairway (111. 30, PI. C o u n t i n g the landing at t h e b o t t o m , it ascends 1.75 m in 9 risers. T h e n o r t h wall is ca. 2.60 m T h e south wall is 3.25 m long a n d 0.51 m thick. N o n e of the o t h e r spaces in Area B H can b e rately measured.

IIA). about long. accu-

16.53

15.77

0

v

1

Xtli, ^¿¿¡6%) are in Coarse Fabrics, with 23% in Fine Fabrics a n d t h e rest in Mirabello Fabric, C o o k i n g ("lass. T h e c o m p l e t e absence of cooking vessels in Phyllite Fabrics underscores the identification of the class of vessel with crushed phyllite as primarily f r o m LM I (Betancourt and Myer 1995). T h e earliest sherd in the deposit is f r o m FM III (no. BH 2). All the rest of the pottery is Middle Minoan. T h e assemblage inc l u d e s c u p s a n d small closed vessels in Fine a n d Coarse Fabrics (uncataloged) as well as pieces of a basin (no. BH 3) and two a m p h o r a s (nos. BH 4 - 5 ) . Fhe latest date is not completely certain, but it is n o later than MM III.

comes f r o m the area. T h e pottery provides a partial history of habitation in this part of the site. T h e earliest sherd is f r o m EM III (no. BH 2). Later sherds are f r o m MM IB (no. BH 1) a n d MM II—III (no. BH 6). T h e latest sherds, like the latest architecture, are f r o m LM I.

Discussion FABRICS Fine Fabrics: 10 sherds; 20 gr Coarse Fabrics'. 28 sherds; 1100 gr Mirabello Fabric, Cooking Class: 4 sherds; 50 gr

E M III, F I N E FABRICS BH 2, Fig. 8 (PS 4048; BH 18-4). C l o s e d vessel, body s h e r d . Max d i m 2.1. A f i n e f a b r i c (very pale brown, 10YR 8 / 4 ) . Convex profile. Dark slip (black) on exterior; a d d e d white paint: vertical lines b o u n d ing a zone of cross-hatched diagonal lines. Comments: East Cretan White-on-Dark Ware. This is the most c o m m o n EM III-MM IA fine pottery of this part of Crete. T h e final period of its use is c o n t e m p o rary with MM IA in central Crete. Parallels: For t h e motif see B e t a n c o u r t 1984: figs. 2-7, no. 10, a n d 2-11, no. 11 (Gournia). Date. EM III.

MM II—III, C O A R S E FABRICS BH 3, Fig. 8 (PS 3918; BH 18-4). Basin, base sherd with handle. D of base ca. 24. A coarse fabric (pink, 7.5YR 7 / 4 ) , slipped (very pale brown, 10YR 8 / 3 ) . Flat base; o p e n shape; horizontal handles. Date. MM II—III (dated by the context). BH 4, Fig. 8 (PS 4047; BH 18-4). A m p h o r a , r i m sherd. D of rim ca. 22. A coarse fabric (core: gray, 5YR 5 / 1 ; e x t e r i o r : r e d , 2.5YR 5 / 8 ) . T h i c k e n e d , straight rim; h a n d l e a t t a c h e d at t o p of rim; h a n d l e has a circular section a n d rises above t h e rim. Comments: Probably a f r a g m e n t of an oval-mouthed a m p h o r a , t h e most c o m m o n t r a n s p o r t vessel f r o m this period at Pseira.

79

AREA BH

Date. MM II—III. BH 5, Fig. 9 (PS 4012; BH 18-4). A m p h o r a , rim s h e r d . D of rim ca. 16. A coarse fabric (light red, 2.5YR 6 / 6 ) . W i d e , f l a r e d r i m ; s h a r p j u n c t u r e at s h o u l d e r . Wide b a n d o n i n t e r i o r of rim; p e n d a n t s e m i c i r c l e s o n e x t e r i o r of rim; b a n d o n rim a n d shoulder; large area of paint on shoulder (complete motif does not survive). Comments: T h e shape is n o t unlike the ovoid tunn e l - m o u t h e d p i t h o i f r o m Akrotiri (Katsa-Tomara 1990:37, fig. 7), b u t the vessel is made in local Cretan clay. Parallels: C o m p a r e Detournay 1975: pi. 11, nos. 1 - 2 ( M a l i a ) ; H a g g i s 1 9 9 6 b : f i g . 8, n o . H T 5 ( K a l o Chorio). Date. MM II—III.

ROOM BH 18, FILL ABOVE THE FLOOR (UNITS BH 18-SURFACE, BH 18-1, BH 18-2, BH 18-3, BH 18-5) O n l y a few s h e r d s c o m e f r o m the fill above the floor. A total of 73% were in Coarse Fabrics, with 23% in Fine Fabrics a n d 4% in Mirabello Fabric, Cooking Class. N o n e of the pottery is closely diagnos-

tic because it is very nondescript Middle Minoan material. Uncataloged pieces include j a r handles, body sherds f r o m closed vessels, a n d a few cups covered with dark slip. No conical cups without handles are present. A straight-sided c u p in a very h a r d fabric, no. BH 6, is the most distinctive vessel. It is probably f r o m MM III.

FABRICS Fine Fabrics: 6 sherds; 50 gr Coarse Fabrics: 19 sherds; 230 gr Mirabello Fabric, Cooking Class: 1 sherd; 10 gr MM III, FINE FABRICS BH 6, Fig. 9 (PS 4114; BH 18-5). Straight-sided cup, base and body sherd. D of base 10. A fine fabric (reddish yellow, 5YR 7 / 6 ) , with inclusions, slipped (very pale brown, 10YR 8 / 4 ) . Band on interior, near rim (dark reddish brown, 5YR 3 / 4 ) ; wide vertical and horizontal lines creating a series of reserved spaces; painted (red, 10YR 5 / 6 ) on exterior, on base; a d d e d white paint: b a n d on dark band on interior; horizontal bands bisecting the vertical lines on the exterior. Date. MM III.

4. The Stone Tools, Area BH Heidi M. C. Dierckx O n e obsidian flake a n d a piece of an arrowhead were f o u n d in Area BH. Neither piece came f r o m a

context with a secure date,

Catalog AREA BH IN GENERAL

ROOM BH 18, FILL IN THE ROOM

CHIPPED STONE

CHIPPED STONE

BH 7, Fig. 9 (PS 1009; M 1-Survey). Flake. Max dim 2.1. Obsidian (black, N 1). Cortex preserved. Comments: Platform trimming flake. Date. Minoan.

BH 8, Fig. 9 (PS 4036; BH 18-5). Arrowhead, fragment. Max preserved length 1.1; max w 1.7; max th 0.25. O b s i d i a n (black, N 1). Bifacially r e t o u c h e d ; notch in base.

80

PSEIRAIV

Comments: F o u n d at the t o p of t h e fill above t h e floor. This arrowhead is of a type known (until now) only f r o m Mycenaean Greece a n d coastal Anatolia, the Knossos area ( u n d a t e d ) , a n d LM II Knossos. Parallels: For Crete, see Buchholz 1962: nos. 40 (obsidian, f r o m Knossos area) a n d 36 (flint, f r o m Knossos area); Evely 1984:231-232 a n d pis. 219, no. 21,

a n d 230, n o . 16 ( o b s i d i a n , K n o s s o s , LM I I ) . F o r m a i n l a n d Greece, see B u c h h o l z 1962:9-10, 21, fig. 5a, c, e - i , a n d fig. 6 1 - m (Type III, E H - M H ) ; Van H o r n 1 9 7 6 : 2 6 5 - 2 8 5 (Argolid, early b r o a d type E, M H ) ; Blitzer 1991:16 a n d 49, nos. 5 7 - 5 8 (Malthi, MH-LH). Date. MM-LM.

5. The Stone Lamp, Area BH Philip P. Betancourt A battered f r a g m e n t of a stone lamp comes f r o m the surface in o n e room; it goes with the LM I archi-

tecture of this a r e a a n d b e l o n g s to a c o m m o n Min o a n class.

Catalog ROOM BH 14 S T O N E VESSEL BH 9, Fig. 9 (PS 1984; BH 14-Surface). Stand lamp, base fragment. Mottled serpentinite, (greenish black, 5G 2 / 1 , to olive gray, 5 Y 4 / 1 , to dark gray, N 3, with irregular patches of light gray, N 7, to very light gray, N 8). Pedestal from a lamp; two grooves at base.

Comments: Stand lamps of mottled serpentinite a r e c o m m o n in LM I c o n t e x t s . T h e y o c c u r w i t h low stands ( u n d e r 20 cm), m e d i u m stands ( 2 0 - 3 5 c m ) , and high stands (above 35 c m ) . T h e large d i a m e t e r at the base indicates t h a t this e x a m p l e h a d a h i g h stand (compare 111. 31). Parallels'. For discussion a n d parallels see W a r r e n 1969: Shape 24B. An excellent parallel f o r t h e base is shown in Illustration 31 (Pseira). Date. MM-LM I.

6. The Faunal Remains, Area BH David, S. Reese Only a few shells are from the excavation of Room BH 18 in the n o r t h e r n building in Area BH. Their dale is MM 11—III. They belong to c o m m o n types for the Minoan town.

ROOM BH 18, PACKING UNDER THE FLOOR, UNIT BH 18-4 (WS) Marine shells 1 Patella 1 Monodonta—lip Land snails 2 Helicetta

fragment

81

AREA BH

7. The Lithic Materials, Area BH Philip P. Betancourt T h e b u i l d e r s o f t h e a r c h i t e c t u r e in A r e a B H brought an unusually large number of stone materials to the location, mostly for use in wall and floor construction. T h e usual blocks of limestone and slabs of phyllite and metacarbonate, all quarried on Pseira Island, were used in the buildings here; fragments of these two stones were found throughout Area BH. Imported sandstone was used for ashlar blocks (see McEnroe, Section 2). It is aeolian sandstone of the type discussed by B e t a n c o u r t , Myer, and Farrand elsewhere in this volume.

Catalog and ROOM BH 18, PACKING UNDER THE FLOOR Gypsum, irregular piece, white, 3 x 2 x 2 cm

Additional information on the lithic materials used in this area was furnished by the excavation of a floor packing beneath the floor of Room BH 18. T h e floor was of soft soil, laid over a fill that included one limestone slab, many r o u n d e d limestone cobbles, and soil. T h e waterworn cobbles were of various sizes. Similar stones are found in large numbers on many Cretan beaches and stream beds as well as on the small beach on Pseira Island. A piece of gypsum was found in the floor packing as well.

Discussion Limestone, ca. 30 waterworn cobbles, dark gray with a pale surface, ca. 4 x 3 x 3 cm to ca. 20 x 30 cm Considering the proximity of vast deposits of gypsum at a location called Altsi on the coast of Crete di-

Illustration 31. Comparison between a lamp base found in Area BH (no. PS 1984) and a complete lamp from Pseira (no. HM 1100).

82

PSEIRA IV

rectly opposite Pseira (noted by Warren 1964:99), it is surprising that so little use was m a d e of the material in the Minoan town. Not a single example of gypsum as a building material has b e e n d o c u m e n t e d by t h e investigations, a n d only a few small pieces a r e f o u n d in t h e town, n e v e r m o r e t h a n o n e o r two pieces in isolation. O n e vessel f r o m Pseira is m a d e of this material (PS 933, a bird's nest bowl f o u n d in a mixed level over Building BS/BV). Evidently the Minoans were not able to find m u c h use for the soft local stone. It is n o t as suitable to arc h i t e c t u r e as t h e d e p o s i t s f r o m n e a r Knossos a n d Aghia T r i a d a , b e c a u s e it is too soft. T h e Pseirans

must also have p r e f e r r e d o t h e r stones f o r polishing p u r p o s e s a n d f o r c l e a n i n g d e l i c a t e m a t e r i a l s , alt h o u g h the presence of this f r a g m e n t shows that the local gypsum was collected occasionally. T h e waterworn c o b b l e s have a l a r g e r size r a n g e t h a n t h e stones f o u n d in LM IB levels in B u i l d i n g B S / B V a n d a d j a c e n t areas a n d i d e n t i f i e d as slingstones. T h e examples h e r e are probably u n r e l a t e d to the later pieces; they were evidently g a t h e r e d f r o m a b e a c h or some o t h e r location a n d u s e d to m a k e a firm floor packing. A similar situation is known f r o m Room AC 1 in Building AC (Pseira II, pp. 5, 119).

8. Comments and Conclusions, Area BH Philip P. Betancourt Area BH is l o c a t e d at t h e h i g h e s t p o i n t o n t h e spine that forms the center of Katsouni Peninsula. It is the most n o r t h e r n part of the Minoan town. T h e

area is very complicated, a n d it includes parts of at least t h r e e a n d possibly f o u r buildings. Two of t h e buildings are of Middle Minoan date.

The Northern Middle Minoan Rooms BH 7, 8, 9, 17, a n d 18 form part of a Middle Minoan building that continues to the north, where t h e a r e a is n o t excavated. T h e s t r u c t u r e seems to have been constructed in its present phase in Middle Minoan II to III. Very little was f o u n d in the excavation of o n e r o o m of the building. Its floor was clean, and the absence of even sherds in the soil that fell in from collapsed walls a n d ceilings indicates that building materials were probably taken f r o m the area immediately to t h e n o r t h , o u t s i d e t h e M i n o a n town (called Area BL). A terminus post quern for the struc-

ture in MM II—III came f r o m Middle M i n o a n sherds f o u n d in t h e r o o m ' s f l o o r p a c k i n g , a s u b s t r u c t u r e that included a large p e r c e n t a g e of waterworn cobbles as well as angular stones a n d soil. T h e construction technique, with small stones laid in thick walls, is very d i f f e r e n t f r o m that of t h e eastern LM I building in this area as well as f r o m o t h e r LM I buildings at Pseira. T h e r o o m s are fairly small by later standards. Because only a small p a r t of t h e building can be traced, the layout a n d a r r a n g e m e n t of rooms c a n n o t be d e t e r m i n e d .

The Southern Middle Minoan A s e c o n d Middle Minoan building, south of the n o r t h e r n o n e , includes Rooms BH 10 a n d 11 a n d Room BH 12 farther to the south. A thick wall divides it from the north Middle Minoan building. Much less is known of this structure. Part of it probably continues into the buried western parts of the area, a n d the

Building

Building

r e m a i n d e r seems to have b e e n destroyed by t h e construction of the Late Minoan I building at t h e east of the block. T h e techniques are a little d i f f e r e n t f r o m those of its n o r t h e r n n e i g h b o r in that the walls a r e t h i n n e r a n d the stones are not laid in courses.

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AREA BH

The Eastern LM I Rooms BH 1 to BH 5 are part of a Late Minoan I building with its entrance on the east leading in to the structure from Plateia Road North. This building must have been an important structure. It seems to have been extremely well built, and it made extensive use of ashlar blocks of aeolian sandstone imported from Crete (for the source of the material, see Build-

ing BC, Section 10). Enough ashlar blocks survive to suggest that at least part of the facade used sandstone blocks (Ills. 2 6 - 2 9 ) . A staircase in Room BH 4 indicates a second story (PI. 11A), but what use, if any, this building made of the surviving Middle Minoan rooms is not known.

The Southern The southwest part of Area BH is covered with rubble, and the continuation of the architecture into this part of the block cannot be traced. The area was

Building

Area

last used in LM IB, and no later material comes either from the excavation or from the surface survey. Probably another LM I building is located here.

9

Building BI

1. Introduction and History of the Excavations Philip P. Betancourt Building BI consists of a series of well-built rooms between Buildings BZ (on the north) and Area BJ (on the south), in the northeast block of the Minoan town (111. 1). Plateia Road North is at the western side of the building, and steep cliffs set its eastern limits. Seven rooms may be recognized without additional excavation, but other walls may lie below the soil that covers part of the remains. The walls of Building BI were exposed by the excavations of Seager in 1907. They were included in the schematic plan in the r e p o r t that followed t h r e e years later, without any comment in the text (Seager 1910: plan, K 3). The only discussion since then has relied heavily on Seager's published plan. In his discussion of Minoan houses, Sinos suggested that this building was a predecessor of the later men's rooms of first millennium Greece (1971:51). His discussion was based on the fact that the plan of Seager had a

dashed line between Rooms BI 5 a n d BI 6. Sinos knew nothing of the site itself, and he interpreted the dashed lines as a row of columns or pillars, not realizing that they actually designated a retaining wall that Seager suspected did not rise above floor level (Seager used the same convention for the retaining wall at the east of Room AC 1 in Building AC, as shown in 111. 2). Because Building BI certainly has no portico of columns as in later "men's rooms," the suggestion of Sinos may be set aside. The building was still in good condition when work began in 1985. Limited objectives were planned. Visible walls would be recorded and studied, but no new excavation was considered essential. Sharon Rathke drew a state plan in 1990, with J o h n C. McEnroe supervising the work, and the building was studied the following year.

2. The Architecture, Building BI John C. McEnroe Building BI was built on the slope on the east side of Plateia Road North. The building was divided into

two terraces by cutting back the line of the bedrock that r u n s n o r t h - s o u t h t h r o u g h the c e n t e r of the

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L-shaped stairway, Space BI 2, connects the two levels.

house. Rooms BI 3, BI 5, and BI 6 are on the lower, eastern terrace, while Rooms BI 1, BI 7, and BI 4 are on the upper, western terrace (see plan, 111. 32). An

Materials

and

T h e large amount of bedrock so close to the surface must have c o m p l i c a t e d the c o n s t r u c t i o n o f Building BI. A large piece of it had to be cut away to form the northeast corner o f Room BI 3. In Rooms BI 4 and BI 7 it forms an uneven footing for the west wall. A rectangular cutting was made in the bedrock at the northeast corner of the stairs to allow for the continuation of the east wall of the stairs. Finally, the division into two terraces necessitated the double terrace wall in Space BI 5. In short, the bedrock was the

Building

single most important factor in the layout and construction of this building. Most o f the o t h e r details o f materials a n d technique are rather c o m m o n to the site. T h e east wall of Room BI 3 is of large coursed rubble. T h e rest o f the walls are o f uncoursed rubble and slabs. T h e number of small pebbles in Spaces BI 2 and BI 7 suggest that at least o n e room in the house had a pebble floor.

Sequence

B u i l d i n g BI was built as a single c o n s t r u c t i o n phase. It was built against Building BJ on the south, and it predates the construction of Building BZ to the north. Within the building the only wall that

Room

Techniques

might be slightly later than the rest is the thick terrace wall in Space BI 5 which was set against the terrace wall of Room BI 4.

Descriptions

ROOM BI 1

ROOM BI 3

Room BI 1 is a partly defined space in the northwest c o r n e r o f the building. It is separated from Room BI 3 by a drop in the bedrock. T h e north wall of Rooms BI 1 and BI 3 is 4.60 m long and 0.50 m thick, and ii stands to a maximum height of 0.42 m in 2 courses. A single wall forms the west sides o f Rooms BI 1 and BI 7.

Room BI 3 is on the lowest level o f the house. Its northwest c o r n e r was f o r m e d by cutting away the bedrock. Its north side is defined by the wall it shares with Room BI 1, and the south side is formed by the wall it shares with R o o m B I 2. T h i s wall is 4 . 1 5 m long, 0.34 m thick, and 0.70 m high (5 courses).

SPACE BI 2 Space BI 2 is an L-shaped stairway. From the east, live risers lead up to a small landing, and then the stairway turns to the north and continues up in two m o r e risers. T h e west e n d disappears against the b e d r o c k . T h e cast flight is 0 . 7 0 m wide, and the north flight is 0.64 m wide.

ROOM BI 4 Room BI 4 is the rectangular room in the southwest corner o f the house. No entrance is preserved. T h e north wall is 3.24 m long, 0.58 m thick, and 0.72 m high (4 courses). T h e south wall is 3.09 m long, 0.62 m thick, and 0.80 m high (3 courses). T h e west wall is preserved for a length o f 0.85 m, and a height of 0.57 m (2 courses). T h e east wall is not well preserved.

BUILDING

Bl 0 19 9 0

Illustration 32. Plan of Building BI.

1

2 m

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88

SPACE BI 5 Space BI 5 is the massive double terrace to the west of Space BI 6.

m thick, and 0.40 m high (5 courses). The east wall is 1.61 m long, 0.62 m thick, and 0.90 m high (5 courses).

ROOM BI 7 SPACE BI 6 Space BI 6 was an u n r o o f e d space outside the building. The north wall is 1.43 m long, 0.36 m thick, and 0.82 m high. The south wall is 1.40 m long, 0.35

Room BI 7 is an L-shaped space. Its northeast wall is 0.97 m long, 0.32 m thick, a n d 0.24 m high (3 courses). The south wall is 2.50 m long, 0.52 m thick, and 0.70 m high (4 courses).

3. The Stone Arrowhead, Building BI Heidi M. C. Dierckx ROOM BI 7 BI 1, Fig. 9 (PS 3720; wall between BI 7, BI 4, and BH 16). Arrowhead, complete. Length 2.33; max w 1.5; max th 0.4. Flint or chert (dark reddish brown, 2.5YR 4/4). Bifacially retouched. Notch at base. Comments'. The material is not local. The piece was

found on the surface, on top of the corner of the wall between Room BI 7, Room BI 4, a n d the roadway numbered Space BH 16. Parallels'. See no. BH 8; for flint or c h e r t arrowheads from Crete see Buchholz 1962: no. 36 (Knossos area, undated). Date. Minoan.

4. Comments and Conclusions, Building BI Philip P Betancourt Because no entrance to Building BI is visible, the configuration of the building is not clear, but the entrance was almost certainly on the west, away from (lie cliffs at the east. The structure lies between Area BJ and Building BZ on the eastern side of Plateia Road North. Like many buildings at Pseira, it is constructed on two terraces; a staircase in Space BI 7 provides access between the levels. The walls are built against the northern building in Area BJ, and before Building B/, to the north, so their date of construction should be at some period within Late Minoan I. No finds conic from the building aside from a very

interesting arrowhead found on the surface, and so no firm conclusions can be reached on the use of individual rooms. The arrowhead is in a foreign material, dark reddish brown flint or chert. It is of a type that has been associated with mainland Greece, and additional parallels come from the LM II levels of the Unexplored Mansion at Knossos as well as from the Knossos area (see comments by Evely 1984:231-232). Can this be an example of the weapons carried by those who attacked Pseira in LM IB?

10

Area BJ

1. Introduction and History of the Excavations Philip P. Betancourt and George Mitrakis T h e r o o m s that m a k e u p Area BJ, at the east side of A r e a B, a r e j u s t n o r t h of t h e P l a t e i a B u i l d i n g ( B u i l d i n g B S / B V ) . T h e a r e a is b o u n d e d by s t e e p cliffs o n t h e east a n d by Building BI on the n o r t h (111. 1). T h e w e s t e r n side, w h e r e t h e d o o r m u s t have b e e n , is badly e r o d e d a n d unexcavated. Two buildings seem to be present. T h e architecture was partly cleared by the excavations of Richard Seager. Although the area was n o t m e n t i o n e d in his text, most of the walls that are visible today were indicated on the published plan (1910: plan, K 4 - 5 ) . N o finds were m e n t i o n e d in letters o r t h e p u b l i s h e d report. W h e n work began, the architecture was only partly visible. Especially at the southeast, erosion f r o m the e d g e of t h e Plateia Building h a d obscured walls clearly indicated o n Seager's plan. T h e western facade was mostly unexcavated, b u t many walls stood well above g r o u n d , a n d p a r t s of several a r c h i t e c t u r a l s p a c e s could b e traced. Limited objectives were p r o p o s e d . In o r d e r to establish t h e eastern limits of the town at this location, a small excavation was p l a n n e d in R o o m BJ 1, t h e s o u t h e a s t e r n r o o m in t h e area. T h e clearing of this e a s t e r n wall was particularly i m p o r t a n t b e c a u s e by 1989 it was clear that the eastern r o o m s of the Plateia Building, immediately to the south, were partly eroded off t h e cliff, a n d the little that r e m a i n e d of t h e m could n o t b e exposed without causing f u t u r e erosion

a n d possibly the partial loss of this i m p o r t a n t building. It was h o p e d t h a t B u i l d i n g BJ c o u l d p r o v i d e some hints on the configuration of the hill immediately n o r t h of the Plateia Building. O t h e r work was not p l a n n e d aside f r o m the r e c o r d i n g of the visible walls. T h e eastern side of R o o m BJ 1 was excavated in 1990 u n d e r t h e supervision of G e o r g e Mitrakis. A massive wall was exposed. A n n e Barnosky drew t h e architecture the same s u m m e r u n d e r t h e supervision of J o h n C. M c E n r o e . O n l y o n e c o n t e x t , a s t r a t u m over the massive wall which h a d mostly e r o d e d o n t o the architecture in the 20th century, was removed. It contained a few finds, a n d they were studied in 1990 a n d s u b s e q u e n t years. T h e architecture was studied by J o h n C. M c E n r o e in 1991. O n e stratum was r e m o v e d in t h e clearing of t h e eastern side of R o o m BJ 1: Context, fill of soil a n d stones over the eastern wall of the r o o m . Date. MM-LM IB. Spaces: BJ 1. Excavated units: BJ 1-eastern wall. Soil color: strong brown (7.5YR 5 / 6 ) . Comments: Collapsed r u b b l e a n d fill over t h e eastern side of R o o m BJ 1 c o n t a i n e d e n o u g h pottery to date it to LM IB. T h e soil was loose a n d filled with stones.

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2. The Architecture, Area BJ John C. McEnroe Area BJ includes parts of two buildings, one on the north (Rooms BJ 5, BJ 6, and BJ 8), and a second on the south, with a space (BJ 4) in between (see plan, 111. 3 3 ) . T h e walls were built over several distinct phases, and their uneven state of preservation makes it difficult to imagine the precise appearance of the buildings at any one moment.

Materials and T h e east wall of Room BJ 1 juts out to the edge o f the seaside cliff. T o support the building in this precarious position, the builders made this wall 1.54 m thick, the thickest wall at the site. T h e other terrace walls in Area BJ range in construction from megalithic (east wall of Room BJ 5) to large, coursed rubble (west wall of Space BJ 3). T h e east-west walls are generally less massive in construction. They range from coursed large rubble and slabs (north wall of Room

Construction Because ihe western rooms have been lost to erosion, it is not possible to unravel the complete building sequence of the remaining walls. It is clear, however, that the walls were built gradually, presumably over a considerable length o f time, that some walls were rebuilt at least o n c e , and that relationships among the walls changed. A few observations can be noted. Room BJ 1 and Spaces B| 2 and BJ 3 appear to be relatively early con-

T h e building site slopes down steeply from west to east, requiring the builders to build in a series o f terraces that step down toward the cliff along the sea. Although parts o f the lower terraces are reasonably well preserved, almost nothing remains o f the west part o f the area.

Techniques BJ 1) to uncoursed rubble (south wall of Room BJ 5 ) . B e d r o c k is n e a r the p r e s e n t surface t h r o u g h o u t the building. Along the south side o f R o o m BJ 1 and Spaces BJ 2 and B J 3, the b e d r o c k was cut back to form the southern limit o f the spaces and serve as the f o u n d a t i o n f o r the wall built over the line o f the bedrock cutting. T h e interiors of Rooms BJ 1, BJ 2, BJ 3, BJ 4, and B J 10 are e r o d e d down to sloping bedrock.

Sequence structions. T h e southwest c o r n e r o f R o o m BJ 1 was rebuilt at least once. T h e west wall of Space BJ 3 appears to have b e e n c o n n e c t e d with the line o f the north wall of Room BJ 1. T h e west wall o f Space BJ 4 may be earlier than the west wall o f Space BJ 3. Even though they were built on the same line, they are different in construction, and the west wall o f Space BJ 4 c o n t i n u e s n o r t h into the fill below R o o m BJ 6. Room BJ 5 was built against R o o m BJ 6.

Room, Descriptions ROOM BJ 1 Room B| 1 is a rectangular room on the eastern terrace. lis east wall is the thickest wall at the site.

Much of the west wall has collapsed. T h e southwest c o r n e r , t h r e a t e n e d by erosion, has n o t b e e n completely excavated. T h e north wall is 4.50 m long, 0.65 m thick, and

AREA BJ

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PSEIRA IV

1.35 m high in 6 courses. The south wall is 2.80 m long, 0.63 m thick, and preserved to a height of 1.17 m. Six courses of rubble remain over the bedrock cutting. T h e east wall is 2.90 m long, about 1.50 m thick, and not preserved above the level of the interior. T h e west wall is 2.20 m long and 1.20 m high in 6 courses.

SPACE BJ 2 Space BJ 2 is formed by the massing of terrace walls.

SPACES BJ 3 AND BJ 4 During the final use of the area, Spaces BJ 3 and BJ 4 may have been basically a single space on the terrace between the level of Room BJ 1 and that o f Room BJ 7. It is not clear whether or not the wall that separates them was still standing in its entirety.

Throughout its use, Space BJ 4 seems to have been an open space between buildings. It is defined by the walls of Rooms BJ 1 and BJ 5, and by terrace walls on the east and west.

ROOM BJ 5 R o o m BJ 5 is a small square space built against Room BJ 6. Its floor is at a level about 1.50 m lower than that o f R o o m BJ 6. T h e north wall is 1.94 m long, 0.62 m thick, and 0.62 m high (3 courses). T h e south wall is 2.08 m long, 0.60 m thick, and 1.31 m high in 6 courses. T h e east wall is 1.88 m long, 0.67 m thick, and 0.48 m high (4 courses). T h e west wall is 1.66 m long and 1.48 m high (9 courses).

ROOMS BJ 6 TO BJ 10 Most of the spaces of the upper terrace have eroded nearly to bedrock.

3. The Pottery, Area BJ Philip P. Enough sherds were found in the c l e a n i n g o f Room BJ 1 to provide a date for the use of the area in LM I. Nothing was in situ, however, and the sherds were small and in poor condition. They were in rubble that had at least partly eroded into the area in the

Catalog and ROOM BJ 1 Forty-six sherds c o m e from the excavation o f Room BJ 1. They include 4 3 % Phyllite Fabrics, 3 3 % Fine Fabrics, 2 2 % Coarse Fabrics, and one sherd in Mirabello Fabric, Cooking Class ( 2 % ) . These percentages are near the normal range for domestic contexts from I.M I except that the percentage of 1'hvllite Fabrics is somewhat high. Perhaps some of this material came originally from near a cooking area, as the fabric is used especially for cooking ves-

Betancourt 20th century from higher in Area BJ and/or from the upper levels of Building BS/BV. They only provide testimony for general activities near this part of Area BJ. Only a few pieces were cataloged.

Discussion sels. A date in LM I, probably LM IB, is attested to both by the large percentage of the Phyllite Fabrics and by the presence of cups and other sherds in fine, burnished fabrics (like the scoop, no. BJ 3).

FABRICS Fine Fabrics:. 15 sherds; 90 gr Coarse Fabrics. 10 sherds; 230 gr Mirabello Fabric, Cooking Class: 1 sherd; 20 gr Phyllite Fabrics: 20 sherds; 670 gr

AREA BJ

MM I I - L M I, PHYLLITE FABRICS BJ 1, Fig. 9 (PS 3140; BJ 1-Surface). Lid, complete profile. D of rim ca. 22-23; d of top 20.0. A fabric containing phyllite (reddish yellow, 5YR 6/6). Flat lid with almost vertical edge; one handle placed at center of top. Slip (reddish yellow, 7.5YR 8/6) on upper surface; one band on top and on the rim. Parallels: See nos. BT 45-46. Date. MM II-LM I. BJ 2, Fig. 9 (PS 3141; BJ 1-Surface). Miniature tripod vessel, base sherd. D of base 3.2. A fabric containing phyllite (reddish yellow, 7.5YR 8/6). Conical shape; three tiny pinched clay feet. Comments: Miniature cups supported on three tiny feet are common at Pseira. They sometimes have burn marks on the interior, suggesting use as incense burners or for transporting coals or for some other function requiring fire in the interior. Parallels: See (among others) Kaiser 1976: pi. 12,

93

no. 10 (Pseira); van Effenterre and van Effenterre 1976: pi. 14, no. 11,156 and pi. 27, no. 85 (Malia); Demargne 1945: pl. 20H (Malia); Demargne and Gallet de Santerre 1953:32, pi. 51b (Malia); Chevallier et al. 1975: pl. 16, no. 3 (Malia); Betancourt and Silverman 1991: nos. 438-439 (Gournia); Baurain, D a r c q u e , and V e r l i n d e n 1 9 8 9 : pl. 2 7 8 a , no. 2 (Malia). Date. MM II-LM IB. LM I, FINE FABRICS BJ 3, Fig. 9 (PS 3142; BJ 1). Scoop, rim sherd. D of rim ca. 12. A fine fabric (reddish yellow, 7.5YR 7/6); burnished. Thin, out-turned rim; rounded body; handle not preserved. Dark (red) band on interior of rim; wide band on exterior of rim; barbotine: irregular rockwork on exterior, below rim. Date. LM I (dated by the fine, burnished fabric and dark-on-light decoration).

4. Other Cataloged Objects, Building BJ Philip P. Betancourt A piece of a stone bowl comes from this building. It is a common type, made in the Middle Minoan and

Late Minoan I periods.

Catalog SPACE BJ 9 STONE VESSEL BJ 9, Fig. 11 (PS 4183; BJ 9-Surface). Bowl, rim sherd. D of rim ca. 30. Mottled serpentinite, (green-

ish black, 5G 2/1, to olive gray, 5Y4/1, to dark gray, N 3, with irregular patches of light gray, N 7, to very light gray, N 8). Straight, inturned rim; open shape. Parallels: Warren 1969: Type 10 or 31; compare no. D 107 (Pacheia Ammos). Date. MM-LM I.

5. Comments and Conclusions, Area BJ Philip P. Betancourt The entrance or entrances to the architecture of Area BJ must have been on the west (where the space

is not excavated) because the eastern side of the area faces the high cliff that borders this side of Katsouni

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Peninsula. Access must be from Plateia Road North. T h e a r e a is b o u n d e d by B u i l d i n g B S / B V on t h e south and by Building BI on the north. It includes two buildings, o n e on the south and o n e on the

north, both probably in use in Late Minoan I. They are almost certainly houses, but little evidence survives aside from the usual range o f domestic pottery found in the cleaning o f R o o m BJ 1.

11

Building BK

General Comments Philip P. Betancourt Building BK is at the western side of Area B, west of Revma Road (111. 34). It lies directly across the road from Area BE. Although the eastern facade of the building is uncovered, allowing the full width of Revma Road to be seen, the rest of the architecture of Building BK is almost completely covered with Seager's d u m p of stones and soil. Few details are visible now even though the structure is shown on Sea-

ger's plan as a rectangular architectural space with an interior north-south wall (111. 2). Apparently the early excavations uncovered the building and then filled it in again, with n o comments on either the architecture or any associated finds. The building was not reexcavated in the modern campaign.

PSEIRA IV

BUILDING BK 19 9 1 - 9 2

Illustration 34. Plan of Building BK.

12

Area BL

1. Introduction Philip P. Betancourt Area BL is an open area just north of Area BH. It has no architecture visible, and it appears to be just north of the limits of the town. It does not appear on Seager's plan. The northern boundary of the town is precise, with the northern building in Area BH being the last building inside the community. Because Area BL is flat, easily accessible, and near the buildings in the town, any decision by the Minoans not to build here must have been based on criteria that did not involve access or convenience.

Investigation of the area began in 1985 with a surface survey. A resistivity survey was conducted in 1986 by a team from the University of Patras headed by Stavros P a p a m a r i n o p o u l o s and Gregori Tsokas. Their analysis determined that there were no subsurface anomalies in the area that might suggest buried walls or buildings. The few objects found in the surface survey had probably eroded into the area from Area BH; they were studied in subsequent years.

2. The Pottery, Area BL Philip P. Betancourt The two pieces of pottery picked up in the surface survey can likely be associated with the nearby archi-

tecture of the northern building in Area BH, a Middie Minoan structure.

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Catalog AREA BL IN GENERAL MM IIB, FINE FABRICS BL 1, Fig. 10 (PS 56; BL-Surface). Carinated cup, non-joining rim and body sherds. D of rim ca. 6-7. A

fine fabric (light brown, 7.5YR 6 / 4 ) . Slightly rounded carination. Dark slip on interior a n d exterior; added paint, if any, not preserved. Comments'. Compare no. BE 4. Date. MM IIB.

3. The Stone Tools, Area BL Heidi M. C. Dierckx A flake and a blade that was pointed deliberately and then used as a tool come from the surface of

Area BL, an open space just north of the town,

Catalog AREA BL IN GENERAL

truncation. Retouch on one edge. Comments'. Chipped from use. Date. Minoan.

CHIPPED STONE BL 2, Fig. 10 (PS 121; BL-Surface). Blade, proximal end. Max length 2.9; max w 1.1; max th 0.3. Obsidian (black, N 1). Two ridges; pointed deliberately by

BL 3, Fig. 10 (PS 1403; BL-Surface). Flake. Max dim 2.0. Obsidian (black, N 1). Date. Minoan.

4. Other Cataloged Objects, Area BL Philip P. Betancourt Several fragments from a copper or bronze vessel were found on the surface of Area BL. T h e pieces were very corroded, and the rim and base were not preserved. The vessel is probably Minoan. A piece of

a marble bowl was also found here. Like the pottery f r o m this location, these objects probably e r o d e d down into Area BL from Area BH.

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AREA BL

Catalog AREA BL IN GENERAL

Date'. MM I—III.

S T O N E VESSEL

C O P P E R O R B R O N Z E VESSEL

BL 4, Fig. 10 (PS 119; B L - S u r f a c e ) . Bowl, rim sherd. D of rim ca. 18-22. Marble (black with inclusions in white, 5YR 2 . 5 / 1 ) . Straight profile; smooth exterior. Parallels: Warren 1969: possibly Type 31 or 32; comp a r e no. D 244 (Knossos) and no. D 245 (Phaistos).

BL 5, Fig. 10 (PS 22; BL-Surface). Small vessel, body fragments. Max dim 2.2 and smaller. C o p p e r or bronze. Small vessel, probably a cup or bowl; shape n o t restorable. Date. Probably Minoan.

5. The Faunal Remains, Area BL David S. Reese O n l y o n e shell was f o u n d on the surface in this area outside the Minoan town.

AREA BL, UNIT BL-SURFACE (MINOAN TO MODERN) Marine shell 1 Murex—fragment

6. Lithic Materials, Area BL Philip P. Betancourt Area BL is a low area between o u t c r o p s of limestone a n d phyllite. T h e soil in the saddle is soft, with a few building stones tumbled down f r o m Area BH.

Catalog and AREA BL IN GENERAL Serpentinite: 1 small, worn chip, ca. 2 x 1.5 x 0.5 cm

A surface investigation of the area resulted in the collection of a piece of serpentinite.

Discussion O n e small c h i p of d a r k g r e e n s e r p e n t i n i t e was f o u n d in the surface survey of this o p e n area outside the settlement. It is most likely debris f r o m the manufacture of stone vessels. T h e material is not native to Pseira Island, but it is c o m m o n on Crete.

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7. Comments and Conclusions, Area BL Philip P. Betancourt The open area north of Area BH is a small natural saddle between exposed areas of bedrock. Soil in the saddle is deep enough for agriculture, and it forms a small level area. It appears never to have had any stone architecture built on it. The objects found on the surface represent the casual debris from a Minoan town, and most objects are probably to be associated with the habitation in Area BH or other nearby buildings. Exploration by resistivity survey indicated no buried structures. The investigation of the area is useful mainly as a d o c u m e n t a t i o n of the b o u n d a r y for the Minoan

town. The boundary is at the northern edge of Area BH, extending from Building BAA at the east to the northern limits of an unexcavated building west of Area BH (see 111. 1). The Minoan buildings are tightly clustered together, and the town ends abruptly with no outlying structures. It is interesting that this boundary is precise and inviolable; not even small flimsy structures (like those in Area AI, for example) are present outside the town. T h e situation may be contrasted with the Byzantine p e r i o d when small field houses exist at various places on Pseira Island.

13

Building BN East

1. Introduction and History of the Excavations Philip P Betancourt, Cheryl R. Floyd, and George Mitrakis Building BN East (111. 1, Pis. 13-15) is just north of the G r a n d Staircase at the c o r n e r f o r m e d by the stairs a n d the beginning of the roadway that runs s o u t h f r o m the eastern side of the Town Square (Plateia Road South). It has two doorways. A wellbuilt e n t r a n c e c o n n e c t s Plateia Road South with Room BN 2, and a second doorway provides access between this building and Area BN West. Seager excavated the architecture, but he did not discuss it in his publication (1910: plan, H 7; here 111. 2). When work began in 1985, some walls were visible above g r o u n d , b u t vegetation and e r o d e d soil obscured m u c h of the eastern facade. T h e walls that were visible stood several courses high. Goals for the study of the building included an increased knowledge of the architecture, its relation to the rest of the town, and a date for the walls at this point on the site. T h e main objective of the work in BN East was the preparation of an architectural plan and a new study of the building. To achieve this ob-

jective, the eastern side of the structure was cleaned in 1987 under the supervision of George Mitrakis, revealing the threshold block and the eastern wall (Pis. 14-15). Additional excavation was m a d e in 1991 under the supervision of Cheryl R. Floyd. All the goals could not be achieved because of the extensive disturbance of the building. Much of the soil removed in the excavation a n d cleaning was loose and unconsolidated; it was probably a recent accumulation. A few objects were discovered, b u t n o t h i n g r e m a r k a b l e was f o u n d . Byzantine sherds were f o u n d t h r o u g h o u t the building, even on bedrock. A state plan was drawn in 1989-1990 by Sharon Rathke u n d e r the supervision of J o h n C. McEnroe, and the architecture was studied in 1990 and 1991. Byzantine pottery found in the excavation was studied by Natalia Poulou-Papadimitriou. Other objects were studied by the specialists whose work is presented in this volume.

Archaeological Three strata were excavated within the building: 1. A tiny level of Minoan date at the bottom of a

Strata

sounding at the southwest corner of Room BN 4 2. A small section of floor packing lying over a pebble floor in the eastern part of Room BN 2, with pot-

102

PSEIRA IV

tery of both Minoan a n d Byzantine date 3. A m i x e d M i n o a n , Byzantine, a n d occasionally M o d e r n level over m u c h of the building Context 1: deepest level in a s o u n d i n g in the southwest c o r n e r of R o o m BN 4. Date. Minoan, n o t otherwise diagnostic. Spaces'. BN 4. Excavated unity BNE 4-Sounding 8. Soil color, yellowish brown (10YR 5 / 6 ) . Comments: T h e lowest level of a s o u n d i n g in t h e southwest c o r n e r of Room BN 4 contained only Min o a n pottery, all worn a n d not very diagnostic. Context 2: floor packing resting on a pebble floor that p r e c e d e d the final use of the building. Date-, mixed Minoan a n d Byzantine. Spaces'. BN 2, in the eastern part of the r o o m . Excavated units: BNE 2-1, BNE 2-1 a. Soil color, reddish yellow (7.5YR 6 / 6 ) to light brown (7.5YR 6 / 3 - 4 ) . Comments: A small section of a pebble floor, probably not the final floor of the r o o m , was f o u n d in the eastern part of Room BN 2 (111. 35). It h a d apparently b e e n used as t h e base f o r a f l o o r p a c k i n g t h a t raised the level slightly for the final floor of the building. T h e final floor was completely missing (either as

a result of Byzantine disturbance o r f r o m Seager's excavation). Byzantine sherds were m i x e d with t h e strat u m lying o n the p e b b l e floor, indicating that t h e entire area was disturbed in t h e 6th to 8th century A.D. Context 3: m i x e d a n d d i s t u r b e d level covering all of the building. Date, m i x e d M i n o a n , Byzantine, a n d occasionally Modern. Spaces: BN 1, BN 2, BN 3, BN 4. Excavated units: over t h e entire building: BNE-Surface over t h e e a s t e r n f a c a d e of t h e b u i l d i n g : BN 1, BN 2-1, BN 1-1 over t h e western p a r t of R o o m BN 2: BNE 2-1 b over R o o m BN 3: BNE 3-1, BNE 3-2 over R o o m BN 4: BNE 4 S o u n d i n g 1 to 7 Soil color, very d a r k brown (10YR 2 / 2 ) at t h e surface to pale brown (10YR 6 / 3 - 4 ) below t h e surface. Comments: T h e disturbance of this building was very d e e p . Apparently t h e r e was substantial Byzantine activity h e r e , a n d in a d d i t i o n S e a g e r e x c a v a t e d to b e d r o c k over most of the building, digging t h r o u g h Minoan floor levels that may have survived t h e Byzantine activity. This situation is clearly visible in PI. 15B w h e r e the removal of C o n t e x t 3 revealed t h e exposed limestone bedrock.

2. The Architecture, Building BN East John C. McEnroe Block BN lies i m m e d i a t e l y n o r t h of t h e G r a n d Staircase a n d immediately west of the Plateia (PI. 13). For purposes of presentation, we have divided it into two sections: BN East a n d BN West. T h e two structures are c o n n e c t e d by a doorway between Room BN 3 a n d Space BN 5. D u r i n g the final p e r i o d of t h e town, Area BN West a p p e a r s to have b e e n an unroofed exterior area.

Materials and Building BN East employs a h o m o g e n e o u s set of m a t e r i a l s a n d t e c h n i q u e s . T h e n o r t h wall of t h e building was originally built as the southern face of Building BW. It is of large, u n c o u r s e d rubble. T h e same technique was used for the south a n d west exterior walls of the building. In all these walls, the angles

B u i l d i n g BN East was built o n a site t h a t slopes down f r o m t h e Plateia toward t h e h a r b o r o n t h e west (see plan, 111. 36). T h e p r e s e n t g r o u n d surface is divided into t h r e e gently sloping terraces by ledges of exposed bedrock. T h e building has two doorways: a main e n t r a n c e f r o m the street to t h e east, a n d a seco n d d o o r into Area BN West.

Techniques are m a d e of relatively large stones, carefully laid in alt e r n a t i n g h e a d e r s a n d stretchers. T h e east e x t e r i o r wall of the building faces t h e street that r u n s south f r o m the Plateia (PI. 14). Although n o t m u c h of this wall is preserved, it a p p e a r s t h a t h e r e t h e b u i l d e r s used pseudo-isodomic masonry to f o r m an impressive

BUILDING BN EAST

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103

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deposit in Space BT 1, showing the high percentage of Coarse Fabrics

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179

BUILDING BT

f r o m the statistical tables (by c o u n t ) . T h e largest group is made u p of closed vessels. Cups, which are usually well over a quarter to a half of a Minoan deposit, are only 11% of the whole. T h e cooking vessels, which are also usually over 25% of the pottery in mixed rubble, are a tiny fraction of this specialized deposit. T h e vessels are mostly closed shapes (for the exact picture, see App. A). T h e concentration of large pithoi a n d jars, whose sherds are thick and heavy, is d o c u m e n t e d by the higher percentage of the Coarse Fabrics by weight as opposed to the percentage by c o u n t . T h e deposit must come mostly from a storage area which contained a large number of closed containers, especially large ones. The best theory for the formation of this deposit is that it is material that fell into the Plateia in LM IB when Building BT was burned and destroyed. Much of the pottery must have come from a storeroom on the upper floor, with a few additional pieces coming from the soil binding used in walls and in the ceiling and roof as well as from other nearby areas. The rubble was sorted through in Early Byzantine times in a search for stones to build nearby Building BM and other Byzantine structures, and the upper part of the rubble was removed by the excavations of Seager. The remaining part, however, still gives good testimony to the nature of the upper floor room at this side of Building BT. A storeroom on the upper story is not unique to this building at Pseira; a similar situation may have existed in Building AF North where pithoi and other large clay vessels were possibly kept upstairs at the north end of the building. Other storerooms in the town come from ground floor rooms or basements. This deposit is i m p o r t a n t for several reasons. It provides good statistics for a specialized Minoan context, and it can be c o m p a r e d with other probable storage areas. It is one of the few locations noted by the modern project with substantial evidence for the burning of architecture. In addition, the deposit provides several good examples of the pottery used at Pseira, with a n u m b e r of rare shapes including the bull-shaped askoid rhyton (no. BT 41), the jar with rolled rim (no. BT 22), the lid with vertical edges (nos. BT 6-7), and the basin with scoring inside (no. BT 40). Finally, it shows that the building here had a m p l e storage, with a c o m b i n a t i o n of small and m e d i u m - s i z e d closed c o n t a i n e r s as well as large pithoi. FABRICS Fine Fabrics: 89 sherds; 590 gr Coarse Fabrics-. 250 sherds; 12 kg, 100 gr Mirabello Fabric, Cooking Class-. 8 sherds; 220 gr Phyllite Fabrics: 117 sherds; 2 kg, 980 gr Foreign Fabrics: 1 sherd; 10 gr Byzantine Fabrics: 24 sherds; 410 gr

EM IIA, COARSE FABRICS BT I, Fig. 33 (PS 4219; BT 1-1). Closed vessel, base sherd. D of base 8. A coarse fabric (reddish yellow, 5YR 6/6); burnished. Almost straight profile. Vertical lines on exterior. Comments: Burned. Aghios Onouphrios Ware. Date. EM IIA. EM IIB, FINE FABRICS BT 2, Fig. 33 (PS 4214; BT 1-1). Goblet (egg cup), body sherd. Max dim 3.2. A fine fabric (reddish yellow, 7.5YR 7/6); burnished. Convex profile. Slipped on interior and exterior: mottled red areas and black areas. Comments: Vasilike Ware. The small goblet is one of the standard products of eastern Crete in EM IIB (Betancourt et al. 1979). Date. EM IIB. BT 3, Fig. 33 (PS 4215; BT 1-1). Closed vessel, rim sherd. Max dim 6.0. A fine fabric (pink, 7.5YR 8 / 4 ) ; burnished. Almost straight profile. Slipped on exterior: mottled red areas and black areas. Comments'. Vasilike Ware. Date. EM IIB. EM-MM IA, COARSE FABRICS BT 4, Fig. 33 (PS 4208; BT 1-1). Tripod cooking pot, leg sherd. Max dim 10.1. An atypical, coarse fabric (reddish yellow, 5YR 7 / 8 ; core grayish brown, 2.5YR 5/2). Thin oval section. Comments and Parallels: For the cooking pot, see no. BC 15. Date. EM-MM IA. BT 5, Fig. 33 (PS 4220; BT 1-1). Jar, base and nonjoining body sherds. D of base ca. 18. A coarse fabric (light reddish brown, 5YR 6 / 4 ) . P r o n o u n c e d base created by smoothed band on base. Traces of white paint. Date. EM-MM IA. EM III-MM III, COARSE FABRICS BT 6, Fig. 33 (PS 4209; BT 1-1). Lid, rim sherd. D of upper rim 16. A coarse fabric (reddish yellow, 5YR 6 / 6 ) . Almost vertical rim, t u r n e d down. Dark slip (red) on exterior. Comments: Either White-on-Dark Ware or a Middle Minoan style. Date. EM III-MM III. BT 7, Fig. 33 (PS 4210; BT 1-1). Lid, rim sherd

180

PSEIRA r v

with handle. D of upper rim not dim 5.4. A coarse fabric (reddish Almost vertical rim, turned down; on edge of lid. Surface eroded. Comments: Either White-on-Dark Minoan style. Date. EM III-MM III.

measurable; max brown, 5YR 4 / 4 ) . horizontal handle Ware or a Middle

MM IB—II, FINE FABRICS BT 8, Fig. 33 (PS 666; BT 1-2). Carinated cup, body sherd. Max dim 3.9. A fine fabric (pink, 7.5YR 8/4). Dark slip on interior and exterior. Comments and Parallels: See no. BR 28. Date. MM IB-II. BT 9, Fig. 33 (PS 667; BT 1-2). Closed vessel, body sherd. Max dim 3.1. A fine fabric (very pale brown, 10YR 8/4). Almost straight profile. Dark slip on exterior; added white paint: retorted line. Comments: Kamares Ware. Date. MM IB-IIB. BT 10, Fig. 33 (PS 583; BT 1-1). Askos or sidespouted jar, spout sherd. Preserved length 2.6; w 1.6. A fine fabric (reddish yellow, 7.5YR 7/6, with a gray core). Tubular spout. Dark slip on exterior. Date. MM I—II. BT 11, Fig. 33 (PS 578; BT 1-1). Jug, rim sherd. D of rim 4. A fine fabric (very pale brown, 10YR 8/4). Concave neck profile; pointed plastic knob on side of neck. Comments and Parallels: See no. BT 15. Date. MM I—II. MM I—II, COARSE FABRICS BT 12, Fig. 33 (PS 577; BT 1-1)..Jug, rim sherd. D of rim ca. 9. A coarse fabric (reddish yellow, 5YR 6 / 8 ) . Concave neck profile; two plastic knobs beneath edge of exterior of rim. Comments and Parallels: See no. BT 15. Date. MM I—II.

BT 14, Fig. 33 (PS 4203; BT 1-1). Jar, rim sherd. D of rim ca. 40. A coarse fabric (reddish yellow, 5YR 7/6). Thickened rim; almost straight profile. Comments: Burned. Date. MM IB-III. MM-LM I, FINE FABRICS BT 15, Fig. 33 (PS 4222; BT 1-1). Jug, rim sherd with handle. D of rim ca. 12-14. A fine fabric (reddish yellow, 5YR 6 / 6 ) . Handle attached at rim. Comments: Small jugs are extremely common in the pottery of this part of the Gulf of Mirabello. They are difficult to date, but most plain examples and most examples with only a little decoration in fine fabrics are probably from LM I. Parallels: See (among many others) Betancourt and Silverman 1991: nos. 639-657, with additional comments (Gournia). Date. MM-LM I. BT 16, Fig. 33 (PS 4224; BT 1-1). Jug, rim sherd with handle. D of rim ca. 12-14. A fine fabric (reddish yellow, 5YR 6 / 6 ) . Handle attached at rim. Dark line on top of handle. Comments and Parallels'. See no. BT 15. Date. MM-LM I. BT 17, Fig. 33 (PS 4225; BT 1-1). Jug, rim sherd with handle. D of rim ca. 8-10. A fine fabric (yellowish red, 5YR 5/8). Handle attached at rim. Comments and Parallels: See no. BT 15. Date. MM-LM I. MM-LM I, COARSE FABRICS BT 18, Fig. 33 (PS 4223; BT 1-1). Jug, rim sherd with handle. D of rim not measurable; max dim 2.4. A coarse fabric (reddish yellow, 7.5YR 6 / 6 ) . Handle attached at rim. Comments and Parallels: See no. BT 15. Date. MM-LM I. MM IIB-LM IA, FINE FABRICS

MM IB—III, COARSE FABRICS BT 13, Fig. 33 (PS 4202; BT 1-1). Jar, rim sherds. D of rim ca. 48-50. A coarse fabric (reddish yellow, 7.5YR 7 / 6 ) . Thickened rim; almost straight profile. Incised bands at rim and below rim. Parallels: Such rims are used for MM larnakes in this part of Crete (Haggis 1996c: fig. 11, nos. HT 23-25. from Kalo Chorio). Date. MM IB—III.

BT 19, Fig. 34 (PS 582; BT 1-1). Semiglobular cup, body sherd. Max dim 2.7. A fine fabric (very pale brown, 10YR 8/3). Convex profile. Dark slip on interior and exterior; added white paint: spiral. Comments: Although such cups are routinely dated to MM III, their date has never been stratigraphically established within close limits. Parallels: B e t a n c o u r t a n d Silverman 1991: nos. 472-490 (Gournia). Date. MM IIB-LM IA.

181

BUILDING BT

MM III-LM I, COARSE FABRICS

MM-LM I, FOREIGN FABRICS

BT 20, Fig. 34 (PS 4207; BT 1-1). Bowl, rim sherd. D of rim ca. 28-30. A coarse fabric (reddish yellow, 7.5YR 6 / 6 ) . Conical shape; slightly outturned rim. Bands (red) on interior and exterior of rim. Parallels: Compare Betancourt and Silverman 1991: no. 729 (Gournia). Date. MM III-LM I.

BT 26, Fig. 34 (PS 4216; BT 1-1). Closed vessel, base sherd. D of base 4. An atypical coarse fabric (red, 2.5YR 5 / 6 ) , with mica inclusions. Small closed j u g or jar. Comments: Burned. Foreign fabric. Date. MM-LM I.

BT 21, Fig. 34 (PS 580; BT 1-1). Bridge-spouted jar, s p o u t s h e r d . Max dim 7.2; width of spout 7.7. A coarse fabric (pink, 7.5YR 8 / 4 , with a darker core). Thickened, flat rim; large jar with a bridged spout at the rim. Dark slip; added white paint: lines on top of rim; other traces. Comments: Similar flat and thickened rims are used in the pottery workshops at Gournia (Betancourt and Silverman 1991: no. 730). Date. MM III-LM I

MM III-LM I, PHYLLITE FABRICS

BT 22, Fig. 34 (PS 4221; BT 1-1). Jar, rim sherd. D of rim ca. 34. A coarse fabric (very pale brown, 10YR 8 / 4 ) . T h i c k e n e d , p r o n o u n c e d rim (rolled rim); "hole-mouthed" jar. Band below rim; beginning of decoration (spirals?) on shoulder. Parallels'. Compare (among others) Platon 1965: pi. 241B (Kato Zakros); Betancourt and Silverman 1991: no. 617 (Gournia). Date. MM III-LM I. BT 23, Fig. 34 (PS 4197; BT 1-1). Jar, rim sherd. D of rim ca. 24. A coarse fabric (light red, 2.5YR 6 / 8 ) , with stone inclusions including mica. Thickened, pronounced rim. Date. MM III-LM I. BT 24, Fig. 34 (PS 579; BT 1-1). Closed vessel, body sherd. Max dim 9.3. A coarse fabric (pink, 7.5YR 7/4). Straight profile. Lines and painted area. Date. MM III-LM I. BT 25, Fig. 34 (PS 4332; BT 1-1). Pithos, body sherds. Max dim (largest sherd) 8.5. A coarse fabric (from reddish yellow, 5YR 6 / 6 , to yellowish red, 5YR 5 / 6 ) . Large vessel; three raised horizontal clay bands; trickle decoration. Comments: T h e fragment is probably from a large vessel with eight handles and with sets of three raised clay bands placed on the shoulder and low on the body, a class of pithos known from other sites in eastern Crete. Parallels-. Sackett a n d P o p h a m 1970: fig. 19, no. NP70 and pi. 65e (Palaikastro); Davaras 1973: pi. 556, no. 1 (Vasilike). Date. LM I.

BT 27, Fig. 34 (PS 4198; BT 1-1). Jar, rim sherd. D of rim ca. 14. A fabric containing phyllite (reddish yellow, 5YR 6 / 6 ) . Thickened, outturned rim. Comments: Probably a small piriform jar. Date. MM III-LM I. BT 28, Fig. 34 (PS 4199; BT 1-1). Tripod bowl, rim sherd. D of rim ca. 18-20. A fabric containing phyllite (yellowish red, 5YR 5 / 6 ) . Thin, outturned rim. Comments: Burned on the interior. Date. MM III-LM I. BT 29, Fig. 34 (PS 4200; BT 1-1). Miniature tripod vessel, base sherd. D of base ca. 4. A fabric containing phyllite (reddish yellow, 5YR 7 / 6 ) . Conical shape; three small knob feet. Comments and Parallels: See no. BJ 2. Date. MM III-LM I. LM I, FINE FABRICS BT 30, Fig. 34 (PS 4226; BT 1-1). Conical cup, complete profile. D of rim 8; d of base 3.5. A fine fabric (reddish yellow, 5YR 6 / 6 ) . Conical shape; straight rim. Comments'. This shape is the most common Minoan vessel. In central Crete it is used in large numbers by the end of the Early Bronze Age, but in Pseira the large period of popularity is not until LM I. For the implications of the vessel as a diagnostic artifact for Minoan society, see Wiener 1984. Parallels'. See (among many others) Hawes et al. 1908: pi. 2, nos. 13-14 (Gournia); Chapouthier and Joly 1936: pi. 13 (Malia); Sackett and Popham 1970: fig. 13, no. 4 (Palaikastro); Betancourt 1983: no. 25 (Priniatikos Pyrgos); Betancourt and Davaras 1986: fig. 16, no. PS 91 (Pseira); Betancourt and Silverman 1991: no. 556 (Gournia). Date. LM I. BT 31, Fig. 34 (PS 4227; BT 1-1). Conical cup, complete profile. D of rim 8; d of base 4. A fine fabric (reddish yellow, 5YR 6 / 6 ) , coarser than usual. Conical shape; straight rim. Comments and Parallels'. See no. BT 30. Date. LM I.

PSEIRA IV

182

BT 32, Fig. 34 (PS 4228; BT 1-1). Conical cup, rim sherd. D of rim ca. 8. A fine fabric (reddish yellow, 7.5YR 6/6), coarser than usual. Conical shape; straight rim. Comments and Parallels: See no. BT 30. Date. LM I. BT 33, Fig. 34 (PS 4213; BT 1-1). Conical cup, rim sherd. D of rim ca. 8. A fine fabric (reddish yellow, 5YR 6/8). Conical shape; straight rim. Comments and Parallels'. See no. BT 30. Date. LM I. BT 34, Fig. 34 (PS 4212; BT 1-1). Bowl, body sherd. Max dim 3.7. A fine fabric (light brown, 7.5YR 6/6); highly burnished. Straight profile. Bands (red) on interior and exterior. Date. LM I.

BT 40, Fig. 35 (PS 4205; BT 1-1). Basin or grater or beehive, base sherd and non-joining body sherds. D of base ca. 24. A coarse fabric (reddish yellow, 5YR 7/8). Thick wall; incised cross-hatching on interior. Comments: Although the purpose of interior-scored basins is not certain, and Pseira furnishes no real evidence to support the theory, a use as beehives is one possibility for this type of vessel. Beehives with interior scoring are used in Classical times (Jones, Graham, and Sackett 1973:397-412; Geroulanos 1973; Jones 1973; Crane 1983:45-51), and the use has been confirmed by the analysis of beeswax in the interior (Bu'Lock 1973). Parallels: Betancourt 1990a: nos. 467, 1483 (Kommos); Watrous 1992: no. 439 (Kommos). See also no. BC 17. Date. LM I.

BT 35, Fig. 34 (PS 4229; BT 1-1). Chalice (?), body and rim sherds. Max dim 8.9 and 6.7. A fine fabric (reddish yellow, 5YR 7/6); burnished. Slightly everted rim. Date. LM I.

BT 41, Fig. 35 (PS 4206; BT 1-1). Bull-shaped askos, body sherd from the right front shoulder. Max dim 7.3. A coarse fabric (pink, 7.5YR 7/4). Standing bull; opening in the back for filling. White paint on exterior; traces of red paint. Comments'. See no. BQ 6. Date. LM I.

BT 36, Fig. 34 (PS 4211; BT 1-1). Closed vessel, body sherd. Max dim 3.8. A fine fabric (very pale brown, 10YR 8/4; highly burnished. Slightly curved line. Date. LM I.

LM I, PHYLLITE FABRICS

LM I, COARSE FABRICS BT 37, Fig. 34 (PS 4217; BT 1-1). Piriform jar, rim sherd. D of rim ca. 30. A coarse fabric (reddish yellow, 5YR 7/8). Thickened, outturned rim; ridge at base of neck. Wide band (red) on interior of rim and on neck. Parallels'. From a piriform jar like Betancourt and Silverman 1991: nos. 622, 626 (Gournia). Dale. LM IB. BT 38, Fig. 34 (PS 4204; BT 1-1). Pithos, rim sherd. 1) of rim ca. 32. A coarse fabric (reddish yellow, 5YR 7/8; core gray, 5YR 5/1). Thickened, sloped, outturned rim; ridge at base of neck. Parallels-. Betancourt and Silverman 1991: no. 622 (Gournia). Dale. LM I. BT 39, Fig. 35 (PS 4218; BT 1-1). Pithos, body sherds. Max dim of largest sherd 16.7. A coarse fabric (reddish yellow, 5YR 6/6). Convex profile. Trickle decoration. Parallels: Compare Betancourt and Silverman 1991: nos. 618, 620 (Gournia). Date. LM I.

BT 42, Fig. 35 (PS 4201; BT 1-1). Tripod cooking pot, rim sherd. D of rim ca. 18. A fabric containing phyllite (yellowish red, 5YR 5/6; core reddish brown, 5YR 5/4). Thickened rim, slightly outturned. Comments and Parallels: See no. BC 15. Date. Probably LM I.

SPACE BT 7 Seager found a deposit of whole vases under the LM I architecture (Seager 1910:18). MM IB-IIA, COARSE FABRICS BT 43, Fig. 35 (SM 7182, formerly HM 5420). Jug, complete. H 12.3; max d of body 9.5; d of base 5.3. A coarse fabric (reddish yellow, 5YR 7/8). Jug with upturned spout; low maximum diameter to body; one vertical handle with oval section. Dark slip on exterior; added white paint: line at base of neck; circle motifs, connected by lines: cross and concave-sided square inside circle; band at base. Comments'. Marked "37" on the bottom. The low, depressed form is typical of the early years of the Middle Bronze Age (preceding MM IIB); for discussion see Walberg 1983:128-129. Date. MM IB-IIA.

183

BUILDING BT

Bibl: Seager 1910:18, fig. 3; Walberg 1983:128. BT 44, Fig. 35, PI. 29A (HM 5383). Jar, almost c o m p l e t e . H 2V.5; d of rim 13.8; d of base 14. A coarse fabric ( r e d d i s h yellow, 7.5YR 7 / 6 ) . Holem o u t h e d jar; two handles with circular sections on upper shoulder. Band on rim; linked disks; band at base. Parallels: F o r t h e m o t i f see B e t a n c o u r t 1977b:343-344. Jars with this decoration are particularly common from a region that reaches from Malia to Pseira in eastern Crete: C h a p o u t h i e r and Joly 1936: title page and pi. 11 (Malia); Chapouthier and Demargne 1942: fig. 13 (Malia); Hawes et al. 1908: pi. 6, no. 42 (Gournia); Seager 1916:27, pi. 7, nos. 1, 2, 4; pi. 11, u p p e r right, lower left, lower r i g h t (Pacheia Ammos); Hall 1912: fig. 32 (Sphoungaras); Seager 1910: fig. 4, center (Pseira). Date-. MM IB-IIA. Bibl.: Seager 1910: fig. 4; Zervos 1956: pi. 242; Lacy 1967: fig. 18a (mislabeled G o u r n i a ) ; B e t a n c o u r t 1977b:344; Croix and Tansey 1986: pi. 4-3. BT 45, Fig. 36, PI. 29B (SM 7175, formerly HM 5385). Lid, complete. H 7.5; d 29.4. A coarse fabric (reddish yellow, 5YR 6 / 6 ) . Lid with flat top; two handles with circular sections, placed at the sides. Lines and concentric arcs; lines on handles. Comments: Marked "762" on bottom. The East Cretan Middle Minoan Dark-on-Light Style flourished t h r o u g h o u t the Middle Bronze Age ( B e t a n c o u r t 1977b). Covers with this general design are common in this part of Crete. Parallels: C o m p a r e Hawes et al. 1908: pi. 6, nos. 19-20 (Gournia). For the shape see (among others)

Seager 1910: fig. 4 (Pseira); Betancourt 1983: nos. 41-42 (Pseira); Betancourt and Silverman 1991: nos. 393-394 (Gournia). Date. MM IB-IIA (dated by the context). Bibl.: Seager 1910:18, fig. 4, left; Maraghiannis, Karo, and Seager [1907-1921]: II, pi. 22, no. 1; Andreou 1978:105 and fig. 16, no. 10. BT 46, Fig. 37, PI. 30A (SM 7176, formerly HM 5384). Lid, complete. H 7.9; d 32.5. A coarse fabric (reddish yellow, 5YR 6 / 6 ) . Lid with flat top; one handle with circular section, placed at the center. Linked disks; lines on handle. Comments and Parallels: See no. BT 45. Date. MM IB-IIA (dated by the context). Bibl.: Seager 1910:18, fig. 4, right; Maraghiannis, Karo, and Seager [1907-1921]: II, pi. 22, no. 2; Evans 1921-1935: II, fig. 97b; Kantor 1947: pi. 2L; Betancourt 1977b:344; Andreou 1978:105 and fig. 16, no. 12; Zervos 1956: pi. 243.

ROOM BT 5 (9 SHERDS) A few scraps of pottery come from the surface in Room BT 5. They add little information to what is known about the building. Nothing is cataloged. FABRICS Fine Fabrics: 1 sherd; 10 gr Coarse Fabrics: 1 sherd; 10 gr Phyllite Fabrics: 7 sherds; 30 gr

4. The Stone Tools, Building BT Heidi M. C. Dierckx A piece of a saddle quern comes from the cleaning of the front wall of Building BT. It is a typical mem-

ber of this class at Pseira.

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184

Catalog Parallels-. See Pseira I, no. ADC 114. Date. MM-LM I (dated by the context).

SPACE BT 1 GROUND STONE BT 47, Fig. 37, PL 30B (PS 695; BT 1-1). Saddle quern, half preserved. Max preserved length 18.8; max w 13.6; max th 3.5; preserved wt 1 kg, 286 gr. Quartzite (dark grayish brown, 10YR 4 / 2 ) . Narrow and oblong; worn upper surface from abrasion; broken at both ends. Comments: For the material see Myer, Pseira I, p.

QUARTZ BT 48, Fig. 38 (PS 1017; BT 1-1). Quartz crystal, incomplete. Max dim 2.0. Quartz, transparent; singly terminated. Parallels-. See Pseira I, no. AI 3. Date. Minoan.

126.

5. The Stone Vessels, Building BT Philip P Betancourt Seager found three complete and six fragments of stone vessels in the Middle Minoan stratum u n d e r

Building BT. Only one of these vases can be identified in the museum collections today.

Catalog ROOM BT 7 STONE VESSEL BT 49, Fig. 38, PI. 30C (HM 1145). Bowl, intact. H 8.2; d of rim 12.5; d of base 8.8. Mottled serpentinite (greenish black, 5(1 2 / 1 , to olive gray, 5 Y 4 / 1 , to

dark gray, N 3, with irregular patches of light gray, N 7, to very light gray, N 8). Flat, pronounced rim; convex profile; slightly pronounced base. Parallels-. Warren 1969: Type 8K. Date. MM IB-IIA (dated by the context). Bibl.: Seager 1910:18, fig. 15N; Warren 1969:25, 207, fig. P I 46.

6. The Faunal Remains, Building BT David, S. Reese Three marine shells, all limpets, were found in the cleaning of Building BT. They are of a common type at Pseira; they could have been used for food or fish bail.

ROOM BT 5 (LM IB) Marine shells 3 Patella

BUILDING BT

185

7. The Lithic Materials, Building BT Philip P. Betancourt O n e quartz crystal was f o u n d in the deposit in front of Building BT. It is transparent, like the other crystals f o u n d in this part of the town. It is large . f n u j i , enough for a small bead, a sealstone, or some other object.

SPACE BT 1 „ , , nA . Quartz: 1 crystal, 2.0 cm (no. BT 48) '

8. Comments and Conclusions, Building BT Philip P. Betancourt Building BT, at the northwest corner of the Plateia, on the western side, is n o r t h of Building BW and south of Building BC. Like its neighbors to the north and south, its main entrance is on the east. Seager left the building in poor condition, with some LM I rooms excavated away to get to the lower levels, and with some walls buried by debris. Two superimposed levels of architecture are at this location, a building of MM IB-IIA date and a structure last used in LM IB. The finds from Seager's excavation, combined with the few items found in the cleaning of the front facade facing the Plateia, suggest that the building may have been used as a house in both periods. A rich deposit of pottery comes from the space in the Plateia in front of the building. The context is atypical because the p e r c e n t a g e of coarse sherds from storage vessels is particularly high. Among the sherds are many pieces from large pithoi as well as smaller vessels, suggesting a nearby storage room (perhaps o n the u p p e r floor of Building BT overlooking the Plateia). The storage room seems to have

had containers of several sizes including pithoi, large jars, medium-sized jars, and small containers (for an intact assemblage of pottery from such a room compare Betancourt 1970a: "pithos room" deposit). The many b u r n e d sherds in this deposit suggest that Building BT was destroyed by fire. Seager ass u m e d t h a t P s e i r a was s a c k e d by its e n e m i e s (1910:15), but he made only a few references to a possible destruction by fire (an example is Seager 1909:173). That at least part of the architecture was burned, however, has occasionally been suggested (Mountjoy 1972:128 n. 24; H o o d 1986:193). T h e modern project has not uncovered much evidence for destruction by fire, suggesting that a general b u r n i n g of the town is not likely, so the evidence from Building BT is particularly important. Unlike the evidence f r o m the s o u n d i n g in Building BC, where the evidence for burning is from an early part of LM IB, the burned sherds from Building BT are from the end of the period. It seems highly likely that Building BT perished in a conflagration that marked the end of the LM IB town.

20

Building BU

1. Introduction and History of the Excavations Philip P. Betancourt Building BU consists of a group of rooms and spaces on the western side of Area B. It lies immediately north of Building BQ; Building BP is uphill, to the east; the western limits are buried beneath many tons of Seager's backfill. North of the building, separating it from Building BO, are unnamed walls that are mostly covered by Seager's backfill. The architectural layout poses some problems, but at least some of the rooms must have been roofed as interior spaces in LM IB. T h e area was excavated by Richard Seager and recorded on his plan (1910: G 6; see 111. 2). A brief discussion mentioned the building and a few of its finds (1910:17): Early Minoan III The town which occupied a small area during the preceding period [EM IIB] now attained considerable size. The principal deposits of this ware came from rock crevices under Late Minoan I floors in G 6 [Room BU 3] and on the summit of the point. Seager did not illustrate the EM III vases found

under Building BU, but he knew the style well from his previous work at Gournia and Vasilike, and his identification can be trusted. The period was already being defined by the presence of pottery with whiteon-dark linear decoration, without the use of red paint (for the style in detail see Betancourt, ed., 1984). Seager's description of the latest cups in the deposits at Pseira, which were "occasionally decorated with a festoon in red paint" (1910:18), suggests that the EM III period continued without a break at its end, so that the latest pieces in the deposits were from the Middle Bronze Age. In Building BU, Late Minoan floors covered the early remains. The building has not been discussed in print since Seager's excavation. By the 1980s, erosion had obscured many details of its outlines. Many walls were no longer visible. Only limited objectives were planned for this building. T h e architectural remains would be recorded and studied, but no new cleaning or excavation was planned. T h e visible walls were drawn in 1989 by Sharon Rathke under the supervision of John C. McEnroe, who studied the building in 1990. No other work was done.

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2. The Architecture, Building BU John C. McEnroe T o d a y , B u i l d i n g BU is little m o r e t h a n a conven i e n t d e s i g n a t i o n f o r a series of spaces a l o n g the west side of Area B (111. 52). Several factors c o n t r i b u t e to t h e ambiguity of the area. T h e b u i l d i n g u n d e r w e n t at least o n e m a j o r m o d i f i c a t i o n in antiquity w h e n t h e west side of Area BX was built over t h e east side of Building BU. Many of t h e walls a p p e a r to have b e e n

Materials and T h e s o u t h wall of B u i l d i n g BU a p p e a r s to have b e e n built at a b o u t the same time as the west wall of Building BW. T h e two are c o n n e c t e d by a doorway with a t h r e s h o l d 0.92 m l o n g . T h i s wall is b u i l t of large, u n c o u r s e d r u b b l e , with the largest stones used n e a r the exterior angle. T h e p r e s e n t eastern limit of the b u i l d i n g is f o r m e d by t h e west wall of Building BT. This wall is m a d e of u n c o u r s e d large r u b b l e a n d thick slabs. T h e n o r t h wall of R o o m BU 3 is of large

Building T h e east wall of Building BU was clearly a relatively late c o n s t r u c t i o n . T h e o t h e r walls in the a r e a are too widely dispersed for us to unravel the precise c h r o n o logical s e q u e n c e . T h e t h r e e large east-west walls may

Room

relatively early c o n s t r u c t i o n s t h a t c o n t i n u e d to serve as f o u n d a t i o n s f o r t h e LM b u i l d i n g . In this r e g a r d , it is w o r t h r e c a l l i n g t h a t S e a g e r m e n t i o n s f i n d i n g E M III p o t t e r y in s o m e of t h e c r e v i c e s in t h e b e d r o c k (1910:17). In a d d i t i o n to this c o m p l e x b u i l d i n g history, t h e b u i l d i n g has b e e n m a d e even m o r e c o m p l e x by later erosion.

Techniques r u b b l e a n d two m e g a l i t h i c blocks. T h e l a r g e size of the stones suggests t h a t this m a y have originally b e e n a n e x t e r i o r face. T h e west wall of u n c o u r s e d r u b b l e was built against it. T h e n o r t h wall of R o o m B U 4 was also originally a n e x t e r i o r f a c e of m e g a l i t h i c blocks, associated with t h e b u i l d i n g to t h e n o r t h . T h e east e n d of this wall was eventually c o v e r e d with a slab retaining wall s u p p o r t i n g fill o n t h e n o r t h e a s t .

Phases all b e l o n g t o a n e a r l y p h a s e . T h e e a s t a n d s o u t h walls, a n d t h e stairway in R o o m B U 3, m a y b e relatively late.

Descriptions

SPACE BU 1

ROOM BU 3

Space BU 1 may be the sottoscala for a s e c o n d flight of stairs a s c e n d i n g f r o m east to west. T h e n o r t h wall is 3.77 in long, 0.68 m wide, a n d 0.70 m h i g h in 4 courses. T h e south wall is 2.90 m long, 0.63 m wide, a n d 0 . / 6 m high in 4 courses. T h e east wall is 1.37 m long, 0.64 m wide, a n d 1.06 ill high (5 courses).

Seager r e p o r t s f i n d i n g EM III p o t t e r y in t h e r o c k crevices in this r o o m (1910:17). A b e d r o c k l e d g e divides t h e g r o u n d s u r f a c e i n t o two levels. T h e levels are c o n n e c t e d by a stairway o n t h e s o u t h side of t h e r o o m , of which parts of two steps a r e p r e s e r v e d . T h e n o r t h wall of t h e r o o m is 1.35 m l o n g , 0.50 m wide, a n d a b o u t 1.00 m h i g h (4 courses). T h e s o u t h wall is

189

B U I L D I N G BU

0

19 9 2

Illustration 52. Plan of Building BU.

1

2 m

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3.96 m long, 0.68 m wide, and 0.50 m high (2 courses). The east wall is ca. 5.30 m long, 0.68 m thick (one face), and 1.60 m high (6 courses). The west wall is 3.45 m long, 0.58 m thick, and 0.66 m in height (4 courses).

ROOM BU 4 We do not know the complete extent of Room BU 4. The north wall is 4.02 m long, 0.66 m wide, and 0.83 m high (4 courses). The east wall is roughly 3.60 m long and 0.60 m thick (one face), and it stands to a height of 1.06 m (5 courses).

3. Comments and Conclusions, Building BU Philip P. Betancourt Little can be said of the rooms designated Building BU. T h e area is poorly preserved, and the walls which are visible do not constitute a complete building. The description of Seager's excavation implies that the rooms were part of a building used in LM I,

and that they lay over remains dating from as early as EM III. The new project has carefully recorded the visible remains, adding only a little information to what was already known.

21

Building BW

1. Introduction and History of the Excavations Philip P Betancourt, George Mitrakis, Maria Parisi, and, Eleni Velona Building BW, situated n o r t h of Building BN East a n d south of Building BT, was built on the western side of t h e Plateia. S e a g e r u n c o v e r e d m a n y of its walls, b u t except for r e c o r d i n g t h e m on his plan, he m a d e n o r e f e r e n c e to the structure in his publication (1910: p l a n , H - I 6 - 7 ; see Fig. 2). T h e building has not b e e n discussed since Seager's days. A l t h o u g h walls w h i c h w e r e a b o v e g r o u n d w e r e s t r e n g t h e n e d with concrete in 1975 (Davaras 1977), m u c h of t h e b u i l d i n g was n o l o n g e r visible by that t i m e . E r o s i o n h a d o b s c u r e d s o m e of t h e i n t e r i o r walls, a n d the facade facing the Plateia was completely b u r i e d . N o c o m p l e t e r o o m was visible. T h e goals a n d objectives for this building were limited. An u n d e r s t a n d i n g of t h e Plateia r e q u i r e d the r e c o r d i n g of t h e building's eastern facade. A detailed study of the poorly preserved building itself, however, was n o t r e g a r d e d as a priority. A plan of the architecture that would show its relation to the Plateia a n d to n e i g h b o r i n g buildings was the most important objective. Such a drawing would require some excavation o n t h e eastern side of t h e building. Any finds m a d e in the excavation would be cataloged a n d studied by the a p p r o p r i a t e specialists. No major work was p l a n n e d within the building itself. Excavations were m a d e along the eastern facade of B u i l d i n g BW in 1 9 8 7 u n d e r t h e s u p e r v i s i o n of G e o r g e Mitrakis a n d in 1990 u n d e r the supervision of Eleni Velona a n d Maria Parisi. These excavations u n c o v e r e d a large threshold block at the eastern en-

trance to Room BW 2 a n d discovered a small a m o u n t of p o t t e r y , n o n e in c o m p l e t e p i e c e s . A l t h o u g h e n o u g h of the eastern facade was revealed to indicate most of its configuration, the n o r t h part of Building BW's eastern wall was n o t u n c o v e r e d because it lay b e n e a t h Byzantine architecture (Building BM). All of the soil that was removed c o n t a i n e d Byzantine pottery, including the soil immediately over the Minoan walls a n d threshold block. A plan of the building was drawn in 1990 by A n n e Barnosky a n d o t h e r m e m b e r s of t h e a r c h i t e c t u r e team u n d e r the guidance of J o h n C. McEnroe. T h e architecture was studied by M c E n r o e in 1990. A single stratum was removed f r o m over the eastern part of the building: Context Fill of soil a n d stones. Date. Byzantine, with a few Minoan sherds. Spaces: BW 1, BW 2. Excavated units: BW (B0)-1, BW (B0)-2, BW (C2)N1, BW (CB)W-l, BW 1-1, BW 2-1. Soil color, very dark brown, 7.5YR 2 / 2 at the mode r n surface, to grayish brown, 10YR 5 / 2 b e n e a t h the surface. Comments: T h e Byzantine level over the eastern part of B u i l d i n g BW, a s s o c i a t e d with B u i l d i n g BM (of Byzantine date), e x t e n d e d all the way f r o m the mode r n surface to the Minoan threshold a n d walls. A few Bronze Age sherds a n d o t h e r objects were in the stratum.

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2. The Architecture, Building BW John C. McEnroe Building BW appears to be one of the earliest of the buildings in the southern part of Area B still standing at the time of the LM IB destructions (111. 53). It is clearly earlier than Building BN East, which was built against its south side. Building BT was built over a section of its northern wall. Building BW was not, however, the earliest structure in the area. Seager appears to have excavated

Materials and Perhaps the most unusual detail in Building BW is the jog in its southwest angle. This downhill angle of the building is the one area that had to support the most fill inside the room, and the angle needed to be especially strong. This may be the reason for the jog. It has the effect of dividing the fill between two angles, dividing the weight of the fill between them.

Building

Techniques T h e rest of the construction is of a m o r e familiar sort. The exterior face of the south wall is of uncoursed large rubble, with larger stones used on the downhill (west) end. The exterior face of the east wall is of uncoursed rubble, slightly smaller in size. T h e interior walls are of uncoursed rubble and slabs.

Sequence

The fill covering the northeast angle of the building, and the missing northwest angle, creates two major points of ambiguity in the plan. As a result, we cannot be sure of the precise relation of the north

Room

through the floor of Room BW 3, revealing sections of walls below. These walls are only barely visible today, and they are not clear enough to show in plan. In its present state, the building is largely incomprehensible. Little more than the exterior shell remains, and even this lacks its northwest angle. Inside the exterior trace, a single zigzag wall divides the interior into a series of spaces.

wall to the rest of the building. Otherwise, all of the exterior walls were clearly built as a single, b o n d e d unit. The interior walls were added against those of the exterior trace.

Descriptions

SPACE BW 1 Space BW 1 is the area of the Plateia immediately east of Room BW 2.

R O O M BW 2 Rooms BW 2 and BW 3 represent a single continuous space. Room BW 2 is entered by a door from the

street, Space BW 1. The door is fitted with a phyllite threshold 1.20 m long by 0.38 m wide. T h e south wall of Room BW 2 is 6.85 m long, 0.70 m wide, and 0.57 m high in 4 courses. The west wall is 1.15 m long, 0.47 m wide, and 0.40 m high. T h e north wall is 2.45 m long, 0.52 m high (4 courses), a n d only 0.38 m thick.

193

BUILDING BW

1 1.795

BW 1 BUILDING

BN E A S T

11.11

B U I L D I N G BW

19 9 0

Illustration 53. Plan of Building BW.

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194

ROOM BW 3 A deep depression is all that remains of Seager's sounding through the floor of this room. The north wall is 2.52 m long, 0.38 m thick, and 0.V2 m high in 4 courses. The south wall is 0.95 m long, 0.45 m wide, and 0.36 m high (3 courses). The east wall is 0.54 m long, 0.50 m wide, and 0.76 m high in 5 courses. The west wall is 2.60 m long, 0.65 m wide, and 0.55 m high (5 courses).

ROOM BW 4

biguous space. The south wall of Room BW 4 is 1.90 m long, 0.38 m thick, and 0.35 m high (2 courses). The west wall is 1.47 m long and 0.57 m thick, preserved to only a single course (0.17 m).

ROOM BW 5 T h e south wall is 2.96 m long, 0.47 m wide, and 0.42 m high (4 courses). The west wall is 1.60 m long, 0 . 5 9 m wide, and 0 . 3 0 m high (3 c o u r s e s ) . T h e length of the north wall is unclear. It is about 0.43 m wide and 0.42 m high (5 courses).

Rooms BW 4 and BW 5 form a single, rather am-

3. The Pottery, Building BW Philip P Betancourt The pottery deposits at the eastern side of Building BW consist of a mixture of Minoan and Byzantine ceramics. The Minoan sherds cannot be assigned with

Catalog and SPACE BW 1 The stratum just east of Building BW is from the Byzantine p e r i o d . An Early Byzantine building (Building BM), constructed across the lower parts of the Minoan walls of Building BW in the 5th-6th century A.D., is responsible for the thoroughly disturbed Minoan strata. Because of the disturbed condition of the stratum (50% of the sherds are Byzantine), the association of the pottery found here with Building BW is not secure, but the fragments are recorded for their interest in documenting the history of occupation near this location on the site. T h e Minoan sherds are too few in number for their statistics to be meaningful. A few of the sherds are cataloged because they are interesting as ceramics.

FABRICS Fine Fabrics. 10 sherds; 50 gr

certainty to any specific room, but they probably come from the eastern side of Building BW.

Discussion Coarse Fabrics'. 5 sherds; 130 gr Phyllite Fabrics: 2 sherds; 20 gr Byzantine Fabrics-. 18 sherds; 220 gr Byzantine Roof Tiles'. 1 sherd; 40 gr EM III, FINE FABRICS BW 1, Fig. 38 (PS 3357; BW (B0)-2). Teapot, rim sherd. D of rim ca, 12.0-14.0. A fine fabric (reddish yellow, 5YR 6/6), with inclusions. Outturned rim; convex profile. Dark slip on interior of rim and on exterior; added white paint: bands below rim; possible concentric chevrons, pendant from rim (or another motif using diagonal lines). Comments: East Cretan White-on-Dark Ware. Only a few examples of this highly distinctive shape have been published from eastern Crete. Parallels: For the style see Betancourt 1984; for the profile of the rim see B e t a n c o u r t 1984: fig. 1-1C (Vasilike); B e t a n c o u r t and Silverman 1991: nos. 347-348 (Gournia).

BUILDir

195

BUILDING BW

Date. EM III.

FABRICS LM IA, FINE FABRICS

BW 2, Fig. 38 (PS 3372; BW (B0)-2). Closed vessel, body sherd. Max dim 5.9. A fine fabric (reddish yellow, 5YR 7 / 8 ) ; highly b u r n i s h e d . Convex profile. Bands; dots; wavy lines in dark lustrous paint; added white: part of a design. Comments: The wavy motif was created by sponging or f e a t h e r i n g the slip, creating a glossy, attractive area pattern. It is extremely rare in this part of Crete. Parallels: For the motif see Betancourt 1983: no. 23 (Priniatikos Pyrgos). Date. LM IA.

ROOM BW 2 The sherds found inside Room BW 2 were all small and nondescript. Recognizable shapes included the jar, the tripod cooking pot, and various cups. T h e largest category was Byzantine (45%). If the Byzantine pottery is excluded, the other sherds have a typical range for Minoan domestic contexts. Coarse Fabrics account for 51%, Phyllite Fabrics are 29%, and Fine Fabrics are 12% of the Minoan total. An imported sherd (no. BW 3) is a survival from the Early Minoan period.

Fine Fabrics'. 5 sherds; 30 gr Coarse Fabrics'. 21 sherds; 410 gr Mirabello Fabric, Cooking Class: 2 sherds; 10 gr Phyllite Fabrics: 12 sherds; 170 gr Foreign Fabrics: 1 sherd; 260 gr Byzantine Fabrics: 33 sherds; 260 gr F N - E M III, COARSE FABRICS BW 3, Fig. 38 (PS 562; BW 2-1). Jar, rim sherd. D of rim ca. 33-39. A coarse fabric (reddish gray, 10R 6 / 1 ) , with stone inclusions including mica. Flaring rim. Comments: The unusual fabric and shape suggest this is an import, not necessarily from Crete. Date. Probably FN-EM III. MM IIB, FINE FABRICS BW 4, Fig. 38 (PS 563; BW 2-1). Carinated cup, body sherd with handle. Max dim 4.3. A fine fabric (pink, 7.5YR 8 / 4 ) . Sharp carination. Dark slip on interior and exterior. Comments: See no. BR 28. Date. MM IIB.

4. The Stone Tools, Building BW Heidi M. C. Dierckx As is usual at Pseira, several ground and chipped stone tools come from the substantial deposits near

Building BW. Two ground stone tools and nine flakes of obsidian are present.

Catalog SPACE BW 1 G R O U N D STONE BW 5, Fig. 38 (PS 3366; BW (B0)-2). H a n d tool, broken at one end. Max preserved length 13.6; max w 9.5; max th 4.6; preserved wt 1 kg, 19 gr. Limestone (dark gray, 7.5YR 4 / 0 ) . Oval/flat shape; natural wa-

terworn cobble. Pecking on circumference and edge of broken area. Parallels: See Pseira I, no. AG 9. Date. Minoan. BW 6, Fig. 38 (PS 3367; BW (B0)-2). H a n d tool, broken at both ends. Max preserved length 16.4; max w 10.2; max preserved th 5.8; preserved wt 1 kg, 345

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gr. Limestone (gray, 7.5YR 5 / 0 ) . Oval shape; natural waterworn cobble; o n e e n d broken along both faces producing a sharp edge; other e n d broken f r o m percussion (?). Date. Minoan. CHIPPED STONE BW 7, Fig. 38 (PS 3239; BW (B0)-2). Flake. Max dim 2.9. Obsidian (black, N 1). Cortex present. Comments-. Primary flake. Parallels: See no. BB 3. Date. Minoan. BW 8, Fig. 38 (PS 3335; BW (B0)-2). Flake (core). Max dim 2.0. Obsidian (black, N 1). Platform trimming flake. Date. Minoan. BW 9, Fig. 38 (PS 3436; BW (B0)-2). Flake. Max dim 2.0. Obsidian (black, N 1). Date. Minoan. BW 10, Fig. 39 (PS 3334; BW (B0)-2). Blade, center section. Max preserved length 1.1; max w 1.0; th 0.2. Obsidian (black, N 1). Two ridges. Comments. Chipped f r o m use. Parallels. See Pseira I, no. AI 6. Date. Minoan. BW 11, Fig. 39 (PS 3435; BW (B0)-2). Core, com-

plete. Max length 5.4; max w 2.1; max th 1.7. Obsidian (black, N 1). Pyramidal fluted; one platform, step fracture. Parallels. See no. BB 5. Date. Minoan. BW 12, Fig. 39 (PS 3333; BW (B0)-2). Core, complete. Max length 3.8; max w 1.6; max th 1.4. Obsidian (black, N 1). P y r a m i d a l f l u t e d ; o n e p l a t f o r m ; crested side. Parallels: See no. BB 5. Date. Minoan.

ROOM BW 2 CHIPPED STONE BW 13, Fig. 39 (PS 1804; BW 2-1). Flake. Max dim 2.3. Obsidian (black, N 1). Date. Minoan. BW 14, Fig. 39 (PS 1805; BW 2-1). Flake. Max dim 1.0. Obsidian (black, N 1). Date. Minoan. BW 15, Fig. 39 (PS 697; BW 2-1). Flake. Max dim 2.3. Obsidian (black, N 1). Some cortex present. Comments: Initial flake. Parallels: See Pseira I, no. AI 7. Date. Minoan.

5. Other Cataloged Objects, Building BW Philip P. Betancourt Only a few objects were f o u n d in the cleaning of the eastern facade of Building BW. They add little to

our knowledge of the structure,

Catalog SPACE BW 1 CLAY W E I G H T BW 16, Fig. 39 (PS 3244; BW ( B O ) - l ) . Discoid

weight, almost c o m p l e t e . Max dim 6.4; th 1.3; preserved wt 63 gr. A fabric c o n t a i n i n g phyllite ( r e d , 2.5YR 5 / 6 ) . Flat top; two holes. Comments and Parallels: See Pseira I, no. AG 13. Date. LM IB or earlier.

197

BUILDING BW

ROOM BW 2

Date-. LM IB or earlier. CLAY W E I G H T

COPPER O R BRONZE ARTIFACT

BW 17, Fig. 40 (PS 4193; BW 2-1). Discoid weight, one-quarter complete. Max dim 5.7; preserved wt 72 gr. A fabric containing phyllite (unevenly colored, mostly red, 2.5YR 5 / 6 ) . One large hole. Comments and Parallels: See Pseira I, no. AG 13.

BW 18, Fig. 40 (PS 696; BW 2-1). Unknown object, fragment. Max dim 2.6. Copper or bronze (not analyzed). Flat piece of metal with curved sides. Date. Minoan (?).

6. The Faunal Remains, Building BW David S. Reese T h e small n u m b e r of m a m m a l b o n e s , m a r i n e shells, a n d land snails f r o m this building all came from mixed Minoan-Byzantine contexts. They are all

of common types for the town of Pseira. T h e land snails are modern.

Catalog SPACE BW 1, UNITS BW (B0)-1, BW (B0)-2 (WS) Mammal bones 6 b o n e s — s h e e p / g o a t : 3rd m o l a r ( u p p e r , bit worn down, adult), metatarsus (UF), 1st phalange (F) Marine shells 8 Monodonta—6 open apex; 2 with apex, 1 large 6 Patella 1 Area—broken hinge, left, fresh

Land snails 3 Rumina—with color and gloss

ROOM BW 2, UNIT BW 2-1 Marine shells 3 Monodonta—1 with open apex 1 Patella

7. Comments and Conclusions, Building BW Philip P Betancourt Several buildings f r o n t o n the Plateia along its western side. Building BW, the second structure from the south, is a poorly preserved series of rooms between Buildings BN East and BT. A threshold at the Plateia provides access to the building. In the Early Byzantine p e r i o d Building BM was

constructed directly over the western side of Building BW. T h e Byzantine building was not removed. Because of this later building, and because of the erosion that has taken place since the 1907 excavations, little is visible of the interior a r r a n g e m e n t of the rooms in the Minoan structure.

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PSEIRA IV

Few conclusions can be drawn about the nature of the building as a whole. Finds from the cleaning of the area include animal bones, marine shells, domestic pottery, obsidian tools and flakes, ground stone tools, and clay weights, all compatible with a domestic use in LM I. The earlier history of this part of the site is known only from a few traces of walls and from stray early sherds uncovered in later contexts. Early sherds from this building include a teapot rim from EM III (no. BW 1), a j a r that may be an import of Early Bronze Age date (no. BW 3), and a carinated cup sherd from MM IIB (no. BW 4). They add to the corpus of early pieces, helping to document the early history of the

Plateia area. One interesting aspect of the finds from this building is the large percentage of obsidian flakes among the stone tool assemblage. Several of them are waste pieces that may never have been intended for use, including some primary flakes used to shape a nodule of obsidian in preparation for the manufacture of blades (nos. BW 7, BW 8, and BW 15). They indicate that an obsidian workshop was in the area, but whether all these pieces come originally from Building BY across the Plateia is not certain. The distance seems too large for the obsidian to stray this far, and it is possible that knapping was practiced near this location as well.

22

Area BX

1. Introduction and History of the Excavations Philip P. Betancourt Five w a l l e d s p a c e s a r e visible in a r o u g h l y north-south line west of Buildings BC and BG. Their use is uncertain, and it is likely that at least the southe r n space was an u n r o o f e d o p e n area where the steep slope of the ground made interior rooms difficult to build. T h e walls of Area BX were cleared by Seager. They were included in his plan, without comment (Seager 1910: plan, H 4-5; see 111. 2). Only limited objectives were formulated in regard to this block. No excavation was p l a n n e d within the spaces, and few plans were made aside from a program for careful record-

ing and for surface survey, b u t it was h o p e d that study would lead to suggestions on the relation between the walls of Area BX and nearby buildings. Study of the area began in 1985. A considerable amount of pottery was collected from the surface of Space BX 1 (collected as unit BC 13 during removal of m o d e r n vegetation f r o m the space). Walls were drawn in 1990 by Sharon Rathke and other members of the architecture team, with J o h n C. McEnroe supervising the project. Architecture a n d finds were studied by various specialists.

2. The Architecture, Area BX John C. McEnroe Area BX is a set of spaces located just east of Buildings BC and BG. During LM IB probably only two rooms, BX 2 and BX 3, were roofed (111. 54). Room BX 3 is a vestibule e n t e r e d f r o m the street to the north. A stairway in its southeast corner provided access to the second story above Room BX 2. Most of the other spaces in the area are only loosely related

to the small building, which consists of Rooms BX 2 a n d BX 3. Space BX 1 was an o p e n a r e a b e h i n d Building BC. The poor preservation of Spaces BX 4 and BX 5 makes it impossible to know whether or not they were roofed during the final, main phase of the Minoan settlement.

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PSEIRA IV

Materials and With the exception of a few phyllite stair treads in Room BX 3, nearly all the walls of Area BX were made of local medium-gray limestone. Masonry types used include megalithic masonry (in Room BX 3), uncoursed large rubble, and uncoursed rubble. The most unusual feature of Area BX was the extensive a n d t h o u g h t f u l i n c o r p o r a t i o n of n a t u r a l bedrock into the structure of the architecture. Room BX 2 rests on a natural ledge of bedrock. This ledge established the floor level of the room and its western limit, and it suggested the position of the north wall. A second, higher projection of bedrock fills the narrow east end of the room and defines the northeast corner.

Building

A continuation of this same ledge of bedrock was used as the east side of the stairs in Room BX 3 (PL 30D). Megalithic blocks and small chinking stones were carefully placed to follow the gentle, natural curve of the bedrock, and the stairs were wrapped around the resulting terrace. In the southern part of Area BX, projections of bedrock in the northwest corner of Space BX 4 and the southeast corner of Space BX 5 were taken as the logical b o u n d a r i e s of the spaces. T h r o u g h o u t the area the bedrock was incorporated as an important structural element. In many ways the situation is similar to that in Building BO j u s t to the west a n d in Building BP to the south.

Sequence

Many of the walls of Area BX appear to have been relatively late additions to this part of the site. All of the east-west walls were built against the long wall

Room

Techniques

that defines the west sides of Buildings BC and BT. They must, therefore, post-date Buildings BC a n d BT.

Descriptions

SPACE BX 1 Space BX 1 was an open area behind Building BC. The space was formed by the outer faces of the walls of the surrounding structures. The north wall is 4.70 m long, 0.60 m thick, and 0.53 m high in 3 courses. The south wall is 4.50 m long and 0.40 m thick, and it is preserved to only a single course (0.10 m). The east wall is 5.30 m long and ca. 0.40 m thick. Two courses are preserved to a height of 0.34 m. The west wall is not preserved.

ROOM BX 2 Room BX 2 was apparently a low g r o u n d floor space entered from above. A small landing at the top of the stairs from Room BX 3 indicated the position of the entrance to the upper story and roughly indicates the height of the ground story (ca. 1.50 m). The northeast wall has largely collapsed. It is about 3.50 m long, and it stands to a maximum height of

ca. 1.60 m above the level of the floor. The south wall is 6.40 m long, 0.57 m thick, and 1.46 m high in 11 courses. T h e east wall is ca. 1.40 m long, 0.44 m thick, and 0.88 m high (5 courses). T h e northwest wall is preserved for a length of 2.27 m. It is 0.44 m thick, and it stands 0.69 m high in 7 courses. T h e west wall is not preserved above the level of the floor.

ROOM BX 3 R o o m BX 3 is a small r e c t a n g u l a r r o o m b u i l t against a ledge of bedrock. It is entered by a doorway f r o m the n o r t h s t e p p e d street, Space BE 11. T h e doorway is 1.08 m wide. O p p o s i t e the doorway, a flight of six steps leads u p to a small landing that provided access to the second story above Room BX 2 (PL 30D). Room BX 3 seems to have been at least partly paved with stone slabs. T h e east side of the space is f o r m e d largely by bedrock to which the builders added masonry construction. Because the bedrock curves, this side of

201

AREA BX

the room is difficult to measure. The wall stands 1.86 m high. The north wall is 1.88 m long, 0.44 m thick, and 1.15 m high in 7 courses. The south wall is preserved for a length of 1.86 m. It is 0.40 m thick and 0.33 m high (4 courses). T h e west wall is preserved for a length of 2.64 m, and it is 0.58 m high in 3 courses.

SPACES B X 4 AND BX 5 Spaces B X 4 and B X 5 belong to a different building. Neither space has been completely excavated. Both are filled with rubble and overgrown with vegetation. As a result, it is not possible to discuss them in

any detail. T h e north wall of Space B X 4 is preserved for a length of 3.86 m. It is about 0.40 m thick, and one course is preserved to a height of 0.45 m. The other walls of Space B X 4 are not sufficiently preserved to measure accurately. The south wall is preserved for a length of ca. 2.48 m, and the east wall is preserved for a length of ca. 1.50 m. The walls of Space B X 5 are in only slightly better condition. The north wall is preserved for a length of 2 . 7 0 m, and it stands to a h e i g h t o f 0 . 7 5 m (1 course). T h e south wall is about 4.95 m long and 0.53 m thick. It is not preserved above the level of the floor. Only about 0.77 m of the east wall is preserved. The west wall cannot be measured meaningfully.

3. The Pottery, Area BX Robert B. Koehl Few conclusions can be reached about the use of this block as a whole because very little pottery was found in most spaces. An exception is Space B X 1, a large o p e n courtyard that may have been used,

Catalog and SPACE B X 1 (125 SHERDS) Space B X 1 is an open courtyard adjoining Rooms BC 2 and BC 3 on the west. It was not excavated, but the pottery collected from its surface is one of the most h o m o g e n e o u s groups of material from the vicinity of Building BC. Some later disturbance is d o c u m e n t e d by the presence of three Byzantine sherds, but the pottery allows tentative suggestions regarding the function of the space in the Minoan period. The pottery is composed primarily of sherds from cooking vessels ( 4 9 % ) and closed vessels made of coarse-textured red to yellowish red fabrics (39%). The smaller number of sherds in Fine Fabrics (6%) provides a date in LM IB for the use of the space. All the sherds in Fine Fabrics are burnished, a characteristic of LM I. Some sherds are from LM IA (a sherd

among other things, for the processing and preparation of food. This conclusion is suggested by the number and range of cooking vessel and storage jar fragments found here.

Discussion with tortoise-shell ripple decoration), and others are LM IB (not cataloged). This LM IB date agrees with the tendency for the sherds in Phyllite Fabrics to replace those in Mirabello Fabric, Cooking Class during LM I, a trend that has been documented previously from Pseira. T h e pottery suggests food preparation. Domestic or utilitarian vessels included several cooking dish rims (nos. B X 6 - 7 ) and fragments from cooking trays or lids (nos. B X 8 - 9 ) . Vessels with tripod legs included at least two cooking pots (no. B X 10) and a tripod cup. Other sherds underscore the proposed function: a rim and a handle sherd from a basin (no. B X 3); a body sherd from a strainer (no. B X 1); and the rim and base sherds from conical cups (no. B X 2). A body sherd from a fenestrated stand, a vessel sometimes considered to possess a ritual function, also comes from Space B X 1 (no. B X 12).

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PSEIRA IV

FABRICS Fine Fabrics: 8 sherds; 30 gr Coarse Fabrics-. 54 sherds; 1000 gr Mirabello Fabric, Cooking Class: 5 sherds; 550 gr Phyllite Fabrics: 69 sherds; 3800 gr Byzantine Fabrics: 3 sherds; 150 gr. LM I, FINE FABRICS BX 1, Fig. 40 (PS 42; BC 13-1). Strainer, body sherd. Max dim 5.1. A fine fabric, coarser than usual (pink, 7.5YR 8/4); burnished. Globular closed vessel, closed by a strainer. Band. Parallels: The sherd is from a vessel like Hawes et al. 1908: pi. 9, nos. 1-2 (Gournia). Date-. LM I. LM I, PHYLLITE FABRICS BX 2, Fig. 40 (PS 370; BC 13-1). Conical cup, rim and base sherds. D of rim 8; d of base 3.5. A fine fabric containing phyllite (reddish yellow, 5YR 7 / 6 ) . Straight rim; convex profile. Comments and Conclusions: See no. BT 30. Dale. LM I. LM I, COARSE FABRICS BX 3, Fig. 40 (PS 368; BC 13-1). Basin, rim sherd. D of rim ca. 30-50. A coarse fabric (reddish yellow, 7.5YR 7/6). Convex profile. Dale. LM I (?). BX 4, Fig. 40 (PS 369; BC 13-1). Jar, body sherd with handle. Max dim 10.3. A coarse fabric (reddish brown, 2.5YR 5 / 4 ) . Almost straight profile; large handle; added plastic ridges. Traces of paint. Dale. LM I (?). LM I, PHYLLITE FABRICS BX 5, Fig. 40 (PS 43; BC 13-1). Basin, rim sherd with handle. Max dim 8.5. A fabric containing phyllite (reddish yellow, 5YR 7/6). Straight rim; horizontal handle. Dale. LM I. BX 6, Fig. 40 (PS 48; BC 13-1). Cooking dish, rim sherd. D of rim ca. 36. A fabric containing phyllite (yellowish red, 5YR 5 / 6 ) . Turned up rim. Comments: T h e cooking dish is a h e m i s p h e r i c a l

bowl with thin walls and a thickened rim, with n o clear break between walls and rounded base, without legs (for discussion, including parallels and evidence for a use in cooking, see Betancourt 1980:5-7 and fig. 3). At Pseira, the shape is usually made in coarse red fabrics. Date. LM I. BX 7, Fig. 40 (PS 49; BC 13-1). C o o k i n g dish, spout. Max dim 8.7. A fabric containing phyllite (yellowish red, 5YR 5 / 6 ) . Straight rim, with wide, open spout. Date. LM I. BX 8, Fig. 40 (PS 46; BC 13-1). Cooking tray (or a lid?), complete profile. H 2.6; d of rim ca. 28; d of base ca. 24—25. A fabric containing phyllite (yellowish red, 5YR 5 / 6 ) . Flaring wall; flat base. Comments: A cooking tray is a flat-bottomed shape with a low, almost straight wall. It is sometimes supported by tripod legs. For discussion of the shape, and for evidence for a use in cooking, see Betancourt 1980:7. An alternate possibility is that this is a lid with a flaring edge. Date. LM I (?). BX 9, Fig. 40 (PS 47; BC 13-1). Cooking tray, complete profile. H 3.2; d of rim ca. 22-24; d of base ca. 18-20. A fabric containing phyllite (yellowish red, 5YR 5 / 6 ) . Straight rim and profile; flat base. Comments: See no. BX 8. Date. LM I (?). BX 10, Fig. 40 (PS 44; BC 13-1). Tripod vessel, leg sherd with part of base. Max dim 8.9. A fabric containing phyllite (reddish brown, 5YR 4 / 3 ) . Leg with thick, very wide oval section. Comments: Too little of the profile survives for certainty, but the vessel was probably a cooking pot. Date. LM I (?). BX 11, Fig. 40 (PS 45; BC 13-1). j a r or pithos, body sherd. Max dim 5.4. A fabric containing phyllite (reddish yellow, 5YR 6 / 6 ) . Straight profile; ropework. Date. LM I. BX 12, Fig. 40 (PS 3593; BC 13-1). F e n e s t r a t e d stand, body sherd. Max dim 6.6. A fabric containing phyllite (reddish brown, 2.5YR 5 / 4 ) . Rectangular side between two adjacent openings. Parallels: T h e sherd is f r o m a coarse, u n p a i n t e d stand with vertical openings in the sides like one illustrated by Hawes et al. 1908: pi. 1, no. 16 (Gournia). Date. Possibly LM I.

AREA BX

203

4. The Stone Tools, Area BX Heidi M. C. Dierckx A q u e r n f o u n d in Space BX 1 contributes to the conclusion that this space was used for the prepara-

tion of food, as suggested by the pottery f r o m this location (Koehl, Section 3).

Catalog SPACE BX 1 BX 13, Fig. 41 (PS 73; BC 13-1). Saddle q u e r n , mostly preserved. Max preserved length 30.5; max w 22.0; max th 6.0; preserved wt 5 kg, 990 gr. Quartzite (dark gray, 7.5YR 4 / 0 ) . Narrow and oblong; smooth on u p p e r surface f r o m abrasion. Parallels'. See Pseira I, no. ADC 114. Date. LM IB or earlier.

SPACE BX 3 BX 14, Fig. 41 (PS 2; BC 11-1). Celt, three-quarters preserved. Length 6.0; preserved w 4.9; th 2.5; wt 109 gr. Amphibolite (greenish black, 5G 2 / 1 ) . Oval and flat shape; b o t h faces polished smooth.

Comments'. Found on the surface of the stairs. T h e material was e x a m i n e d as a thin section by G e o r g e Myer at T e m p l e University a n d was f o u n d to be an amphibole with interlocking, fibrous structure. Parallels: Hawes et al. 1908: pi. 3, nos. 1 - 2 (Gourn i a ) ; E. H a l l 1 9 1 4 : 1 2 1 ( V r o k a s t r o ) ; H a z z i d a k i s 1934:98, pi. 2 8 a - e (Tylissos); P e n d l e b u r y , P e n d l e bury, a n d Money-Coutts 1935-1936:114, 116, nos. 43-44, pi. 17 (Trapeza); 1937-1938:125, pi. 30, no. 2 (Karphi); Marinatos 1939-1940:85, pi. 3, no. 3 (Sklav o k a m p o s ) ; W a r r e n 1972a:232, n o . 171, fig. 101 (Myrtos); van Effenterre a n d van Effenterre 1976:53, 57, nos. 221 a n d 201 (Malia); D e m a r g n e a n d de Sant e r r e 1953:94, n o . 4, pi. 55, n o . 7 ( M a l i a ) ; Evely 1984:237, pi. 218, nos. 1 a n d 8, a n d pi. 230, nos. 19-20 (Knossos); a d d i t i o n a l e x a m p l e s are cited in Warren 1964:98, pi. 16f. Date. Final Neolithic or Minoan.

5. Other Cataloged Objects, Area BX Philip P Betancourt Two objects, a piece of a weight and a f r a g m e n t of a large sandstone basin, were f o u n d in Space BX 1.

They both came f r o m the LM I surface as left by Seager.

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PSEIRA IV

Catalog Partitions (see discussion by Betancourt, Farrand, and Myer, Building BC, Section 10). Parallels: Warren 1969: Type 2. Date. LM I.

SPACE BX 1 STONE VESSEL BX 15, Fig. 41 (PS 74; BC 13-1). Basin, complete profile. D of rim ca. 40-46. Aeolian sandstone. Shallow, open basin; flat rim; convex profile, with smooth interior and rough exterior. Comments'. This basin belongs to a class of large o p e n basins m a d e in various m a t e r i a l s ( W a r r e n 1969:6-7, Type 2). The vessels often have distinctive o r n a m e n t s , and this f e a t u r e a n d the difficulty in manufacturing such large vessels from stone led Warren to the inference that they were used in ritual lustrations. The material h e r e is the same sandstone used for the pillar bases in the Building of the Pillar

CLAY W E I G H T BX 16, Fig. 41 (PS 41; BC 13-1). Discoid weight, three-quarters preserved. Max dim 7.1; max th 2.9; preserved wt 151 gr. A fabric c o n t a i n i n g phyllite (pink, 5YR 7 / 4 ) . Irregular, almost oval shape; large hole slightly above center, and not equidistant from left and right edges. Surface worn. Comments and Parallels: See Pseira I, no. AG 13. Date. LM IB or earlier.

6. Comments and Conclusions, Area BX Philip P Betancourt The architectural divisions of Area BX are difficult to interpret. Space BX 1 is probably unroofed space. In its present condition the ground slopes down toward the west, away f r o m B u i l d i n g BC, a n d the drainage situation suggests it probably always sloped in this direction (although not with as steep a gradient as at the present). Spaces BX 2 and BX 3 seem to have been roofed, but they do not form a normal Minoan house by themselves, and they cannot be joined architecturally to any nearby structure on the basis of the surviving situation. It is important to note that they are late additions to this part of the town, built after the completion of Buildings BC and BG (so they cannot be regarded as relics of earlier architect u r e ) . P e r h a p s they f u n c t i o n e d e i t h e r as storage space or as living quarters for servants, slaves, or other members of one of the Pseiran households, or perhaps they formed a modest dwelling for someone

who did not live in one of the grander houses nearby. Details of their architecture do not survive. The surface finds in Space BX 1 provide the only good evidence for the function of a space in Area BX. The area, an unroofed exterior court, is immediately b e h i n d the Building of the Pillar Partitions (Building BC). Although Space BX 1 is eroded, its modern surface yields many pieces of cooking vessels a n d a stone q u e r n . T h e cooking vessel sherds are present in significant numbers, and with the quern they suggest the space was used for food preparation. Perhaps it should be regarded as a work area for one or more of the nearby houses (the adjoining Building BC and the two-room building at the n o r t h of Area BX are the two best candidates). O n e problem with any interpretation is that n o door connects this exterior space with any of the adjacent buildings.

23

Building BY

1. Introduction and History of the Excavations Philip P Betancourt, Eleni Armpis, and Eleni Velona Building BY is at the eastern side of the Plateia, south of Building BS/BV (111. 1 and Pis. 31-32). It is composed of two ground floor rooms arranged on a north-south axis. The two rooms form an independent, interconnected unit with no visible access to any other architectural spaces; their only entrance is at the south, from the Plateia. The building was not excavated by Seager. When work began in 1990, the n o r t h e r n wall was visible above ground level, but no other walls could be seen, a n d the fact that a complete building was located here was not recognized. The main goal of the work in this area was a better understanding of the eastern side of the Plateia. A complete excavation of the area where the two rooms of Building BY proved to be located was planned in order to see the eastern facade of the square. From the beginning, it was recognized that excavation farther to the east would be prohibited because of the steepness of the topography. Specific objectives included an architectural study of the facade of the Plateia, studies of the pottery and any other finds unearthed in the excavation, and a published presentation and interpretation of the discoveries. The area was covered with soil and light vegetation

before work began. It was excavated in 1991 u n d e r the supervision of Eleni Velona and Eleni Armpis. A plan of the architecture was drawn the same summer by Senta German and other members of the arhitecture team, u n d e r the supervision of J o h n C. McEnroe. The appropriate specialists studied the finds in that and future seasons. Only two architectural contexts were excavated in the building. A disturbed level lying over the architecture contained Byzantine as well as Minoan pottery. T h e Byzantine disturbance extended from the modern surface all the way to the LM I floors inside the building. In spite of this disturbance, one could recognize that much of the fill within the building consisted of material from the upper story along with stones a n d soil fallen in f r o m the collapse of the building's walls. A disturbed Late Minoan I floor was in each of the rooms, and a small undisturbed part of the floor in Room BY 2 contained only Minoan material. The undisturbed portion was recognized during excavation, and it was excavated as a separate unit, number BY (C5)-6. Preliminary r e p o r t s f o r Building BY have b e e n published by Dierckx (1995:57-59) and by Dierckx and Floyd (1995).

206

PSEIRA r v

Archaeological Two d i f f e r e n t contexts were r e c o g n i z e d in the building. They are summarized as follows: Context 1: floor levels within the rooms. Date-, mixed Minoan and Byzantine except for an undisturbed part of the floor in Room BY 2; the latest Minoan material is from LM IB. Spaces: BY1, BY 2. Excavated units'. Room BY 1 (disturbed): BY 1 (C5)-6, BY1 (C5)-7 Room BY2 (undisturbed LM IB): BY2 (C5)-6 Soil color, light reddish brown (2.5YR 6 / 4 ) to brown (10YR5/3). Comments'. Few objects were f o u n d on the floors, but the pottery sherds indicate a date in LM IB for the final use of the building. Context 2: disturbed fill within the rooms and near the building (at the east, west, and south), over the Minoan architecture. Date, mixed Minoan and Byzantine. Spaces'. BY 1, BY 2, and outside the building to the west and south (BY3) and to the east (BY4). Excavated units:

Contexts

Room BY 1: BY (C5)-l, BY (C5)-2, BY (C5)-3, BY 1 (C5)-4, BY1 (C5)-5 Room BY 2: BY (B5)-l, BY (B5)-2, BY (B5)-3, BY 2 (C5)-4, BY 2 (C5)-5 Space BY 3 (outside the building to the west and south, in the Plateia): BY (C5)-4 Space BY 4 (outside the building, to the east) BY 3 (C5)-5, BY 3 (C5)-6 Soil color, yellowish brown (10YR 5 / 4 ) to dark grayish brown (10YR4/2). Comments: T h e stratum was dry, loose, and filled with stones. Within the fill inside Room BY 2, a level of flat stone slabs extended across the room in an uneven s t r a t u m , i n d i c a t i n g t h e l i k e l i h o o d t h a t t h e u p p e r story above Room BY 2 had been paved. The level was very uneven, partly because of Byzantine disturbance, but it extended from the LM I floor u p to well within the fill. Many pieces of obsidian were within the fill, associated especially with the fallen slabs. T h e Byzantine disturbance, which could be traced easily by the presence of Byzantine pottery, presumably r e p r e s e n t e d a search for construction materials for the monastery buildings located only a few meters to the southwest.

2. The Architecture, Building BY John C. McEnroe Building BY is a small two-room structure on the east side of the Plateia (111. 55 and Pis. 31-32). It is separated from the most southern room of Building

Materials and The building is mainly of medium-gray limestone with a few phyllite slabs. T h e exterior walls are of

BS/BV (Room BS 1) by a small alley, Space BS 2, and it is contiguous with a building in Area BB.

Techniques large u n c o u r s e d r u b b l e . T h e interior walls are of smaller uncoursed rubble.

BUILDING BY

BUILDING

207

BY

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1 1.9 5 5

A

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Illustration 55. Plan of Building BY.

2 m

208

PSEIRA IV

Building

Sequence

Building BY was built against the west facade of the visible building in Area BB.

Room

Descriptions

ROOM BY 1

ROOM BY 2

Room BY 1 is entered by a doorway 0.65 m wide in the southeast corner. The north wall is 3.03 m long, 0.43 m thick, and 0.62 m high (6 courses). The south wall is 2.20 m long, 0.48 m thick, and 0.44 m high (4 courses). The east wall is shared with Room BY2. It is 0.71 m thick and 0.31 m high.

Room BY 2 is entered by a door in the southwest corner. T h e north wall is 2.47 m long, 0.48 m thick, and 0.32 m high (3 courses). The south wall is preserved for a length of ca. 1.44 m. It is ca. 0.62 m thick and 0.56 m high. T h e west wall is 1.72 m long, 0.48 m thick, and 0.36 m high (4 courses).

3. The Pottery, Building BY Cheryl R. Floyd Building BY had an undisturbed floor level in Room BY 2 and a disturbed floor level in Room BY 1. No undisturbed living surfaces were in the exterior spaces BY 3 or BY 4 (the Plateia area immediately west of Building BY and an area east of the building).

Spaces BY 3 and BY 4 were included with this structure because they contained debris from the destruction of the building. A preliminary report has been published by Dierckx and Floyd (1995).

Floor Levels in the T h e u n d i s t u r b e d f l o o r level i n c l u d e d LM I B sherds, which provided the date for the major period of occupation and the destruction of the structure. The disturbed floor units contained mostly Minoan sherds, ranging in date from MM IB to LM IB, but

Building

also a few Byzantine sherds, which accounted for ca. 6 % of the total. The undisturbed floor has a single intrusive foreign or non-local body sherd from a closed vessel.

209

BUILDING BY

Floor Levels in the ROOM BY 1 Details of the pottery are shown in the Statistical T a b l e s (App. A). T h e f o u r m a j o r M i n o a n fabric groups were present in the three disturbed units as were a few Byzantine sherds, but only a single sherd in Mirabello Fabric, Cooking Class (which is essentially a MM cooking fabric) was recovered. The sherds in Fine Fabrics (43% of the total) were from MM and LM I with numerous examples dating to LM IB. The majority of the sherds in Fine Fabrics can only be assigned a date of LM I, however, owing to their worn nature. T h e identifiable MM sherds included a handle from a carinated cup with dark slip and a body sherd from a straight-sided cup decorated with a rim band in added white paint. Examples of LM I sherds in Fine Fabrics included rims, handles, bases, a n d body sherds f r o m several semiglobular cups decorated with spirals on a burnished ground; two LM IB body sherds from cups decorated with degenerate floral bands and added red bands; and fragments f r o m unpainted conical cups. The sherds in Fine Fabrics were mostly from cups, but a few jugs, o p e n vessels, a n d closed vessels were also present. Notable cataloged ceramics in Fine Fabrics included a nearly complete LM IB semiglobular cup decorated with r u n n i n g spirals and bands (no. BY 3); a body sherd f r o m an LM IB closed vessel decorated with running spirals (no. BY 5); a body sherd from an LM IB closed vessel which was ornamented with a conglomerate pattern (no. BY 4); and a complete, unpainted LM I conical cup (no. BY 2). The overall relatively poor quality and the paucity of the shapes does not detract f r o m the proposed f u n c t i o n of the building as an obsidian workshop which may have b e e n the d o m i c i l e of a h u m b l e craftsman who would not necessarily be expected to own many high-quality objects. The low percentage of closed vessels in Coarse Fabrics versus the high percentage of sherds in Fine Fabrics and Phyllite Fabrics would suggest that this room was most likely utilized for general domestic activities such as cooking and eating, rather than for storage. The presence of a hand tool (no. BY 38) and an obsidian blade (no. BY 39) is not in disagreement with such an interpretation. Few sherds in Coarse Fabrics were found (5% of the total). Uncataloged pieces consisted only of body sherds f r o m painted and unpainted closed vessels. T h e two cataloged pieces in Coarse Fabrics were a scoop that dated to LM I (no. BY 7), and a rim and handle sherd f r o m an unpainted closed vessel (no. BY 6). With the exception of a single rim sherd from a cooking pot, all the sherds from cooking vessels or vessels in cooking class fabrics from the floor units of

Building

Room BY 1 contained phyllite (45% of the total). Represented shapes were few: cups, closed vessels, a kalathos (?), a j a r , cooking pots, and a bowl (?). The predominance of this fabric group supports the LM I date (see Pseira I, pp. 145-146). Cataloged sherds in Phyllite Fabrics included a rim sherd from a cooking dish (no. BY 9) and a rim sherd from an open vessel (no. BY 8). Byzantine ceramic remains accounted for 6% of the sherds, and undoubtedly represent disturbance from the construction of the Byzantine monastery located less than 25 m to the south. A single unpainted sherd from a vessel in a foreign or non-local fabric was also recovered from this floor level (no. BY 10). FABRICS Fine Fabrics: 212 sherds; 1085 gr Coarse Fabrics: 27 sherds; 340 gr Mirabello Fabric, Cooking Class: 1 sherd; 15 gr Phyllite Fabrics-. 222 sherds; 4940 gr Foreign Fabrics: 1 sherd; 5 gr Byzantine Fabrics: 30 sherds; 575 gr LM I, FINE FABRICS BY 1, Fig. 41 (PS 3444; BY 1 (C5)-7). Conical cup, base sherd. D of base 4.0. A fine fabric (pink, 7.5YR 7 / 4 ) , with tiny inclusions. Convex profile. Comments and Parallels: See no. BT 30. Date. LM I. BY 2, Fig. 41 (PS 3445; BY 1 (C5)-7). Conical cup, rim and base sherds. D of rim 8; d of base 3.0. A fine fabric (red, 2.5YR 5 / 8 ) , with tiny inclusions. Convex profile; thin, straight rim. Parallels. See no. BT 30. Date. LM I. LM IB, FINE FABRICS BY 3, Fig. 41 (PS 3510; BY 1 (C5)-7). Semiglobular cup, nearly complete, handle missing. D of rim 10.5; d of base 3.6. A fine fabric (very pale brown, 10YR 8 / 4 ) ; burnished. S-shaped profile; thin, slightly outturned rim. Dark band on interior at rim; band on side wall and bottom of vessel on interior; band at rim; running spirals; thick band; thin band; band at base. Comments: This combination of shape and motif is very popular in the LM I period, especially in eastern Crete. In LM IB the spirals are often hastily painted, as here.

210

PSEIRA IV

Parallels. See (among others) Hall 1914:85, fig. 46, u p p e r row, second from right (Priniatikos Pyrgos); Seager 1916: pi. 20, no. XXI-b (Pacheia Ammos); Betancourt 1983: nos. 30-31 (Priniatikos Pyrgos); Betancourt and Silverman 1991: nos. 569, 571 (Gournia). Date: LM IB. BY 4, Fig. 41 (PS 3574; BY 1 (C5)-6). Closed vessel, body sherd. Max dim 5.5. A fine fabric (pink, 7.5YR 8 / 4 ) , with tiny inclusions. Convex profile. Conglomerate pattern. Comments: The motif is common in eastern Crete from MM III-LM IB. It often occurs as a decorative register on the upper shoulder of closed vessels. Parallels: For the motif see Hawes et al. 1908: pi. 7, no. 40, pi. 8, no. 18 (LM I rhyton from Gournia); Forsdyke 1925: fig. 138, no. A6632 (Cretan, provenance unknown); Betancourt 1983: no. 54 (LM IB piriform jar from Pseira); Betancourt and Silverman 1991: no. 668 (LM IB double vessel from Gournia) and nos 733-734 (LM IB closed vessels from Gournia). Date. LM IB. BY 5, Fig. 42 (PS 3575; BY 1 (C5)-6). Closed vessel, body sherd. Max dim 5.1. A fine fabric (pink, 7.5YR 8 / 4 ) , with tiny inclusions. Convex profile. Band; running spirals; band. Comments: Probably a body sherd from a globular jar or jug. The motif is common on the upper shoulder of closed vessels in the MM-LM I periods on Crete. Parallels: Betancourt 1983: no. 57 (Pseira, LM IB jug); Betancourt and Silverman 1991: no. 612 (Gournia, LM IB side-spouted jar) and no. 614 (Gournia, LM IA jar or strainer). Dale. LM IB. LM I, COARSE FABRICS BY 6, Fig. 42 (PS 3442; BY 1 (C5)-7). Closed vessel, rim sherd with handle. D of rim 6. A coarse fabric (brown, 7.5YR 5 / 4 ) . Handle with thick oval section. Comments: Probably a j a r or an amphora. Parallels: F o r p r o b a b l e s h a p e s see D a w k i n s 1904-1905:281, fig. 12b (LM IB j u g from Palaikastro); Bosanquet and Dawkins 1923:38, fig. 26 (LM IB bridge-spouted j u g f r o m Palaikastro); Betancourt 1983: no. 55 (LM IB bridge-spouted jug from Pseira); Betancourt and Silverman 1991: nos. 504-505 (MM III-LM I j u g from Gournia); nos. 635-637 (LM I jugs from Gournia); nos. 644-646 (LM I jugs with trefoil mouths from Gournia) and no. 660 (LM I amphora from Gournia). Date. LM I. BY 7, Fig. 42 (PS 3443; BY 1 (C5)-7). Scoop, rim,

base and body sherds. D of rim 10; d of base 4.0. A coarse fabric (reddish yellow, 5YR 6 / 6 ) . Convex profile; small handle with circular section on interior. Plastic decoration (rockwork) on exterior below rim. Comments: This shape occurs at many sites in eastern Crete: Gournia, Malia, Mochlos, Palaikastro, Petras, Pseira, the Psychro Cave, and Zakros. Parallels: Dawkins 1903:250, fig. 13 (Zakros); Hawes et al. 1908: pi. 6, nos. 32-33 (Gournia); Bosanquet and Dawkins 1923:129-130, fig. 112, no. 4 (Palaikastro); Betancourt and Silverman 1991: nos. 497-498 (Gournia). Date. LM I. LM I, PHYLLITE FABRICS BY 8, Fig. 42 (PS 3440; BY 1 (C5)-7). O p e n vessel/basin, rim sherd. D of rim 32. A fabric containing phyllite (exterior reddish yellow, 7.5YR 7 / 6 , with core dark gray, 10YR 4 / 1 ) . Straight profile; thickened, slightly outturned rim. Comments'. Dated on the basis of the context and fabric. Parallels: T h e shape could be a large open vessel; many variations exist: C h a p o u t h i e r and Demargne 1942:48, fig. 24 (Malia); Demargne and de Santerre 1953: pi. 41, nos. 1 left and 7 - 8 (MM-LM I, Malia). Date. LM I. BY 9, Fig. 42 (PS 3441; BY 1 (C5)-7). Cooking dish, rim sherd. D of rim 54. A fabric containing phyllite (reddish yellow, 5YR 6 / 6 ) . Thickened, straight rim. Comments and Parallels. See no. BX 6 (PS 48). Date. LM I. BRONZE AGE, FOREIGN FABRICS BY 10, Fig. 42 (PS 3570; BY 1 (C5)-7). Closed vessel, body sherd. Max dim 2.2. A fine fabric (reddish yellow, 5YR 6 / 8 on exterior; core gray, 5YR 5 / 1 ) . Convex profile; thin wall. Comments: Not a local Minoan fabric; color possibly a result of poor firing. Date. Bronze Age.

ROOM BY 2 T h e floor level in this r o o m occurs on bedrock, and unlike the situation in Room BY 1, it was undisturbed. Compared to the floor level in Room BY 1, the floor in Room BY 2 was mostly bare of sherds. Only 65 sherds weighing 650 grams were recovered, with Fine Fabrics and Phyllite Fabrics accounting for approximately 83% of the total n u m b e r of sherds recovered. The percentages, by count, were as follows:

211

B U I L D I N G BY

Fine Fabrics'. 58% Coarse Fabrics: 15% Phyllite Fabrics: 25% Byzantine err Foreign Fabrics: 2%. T h e shapes in Fine Fabrics included carinated cups (MM IB—II), semiglobular cups (LM I), a straightsided cup, u n p a i n t e d conical cups (LM I), a loophandled bowl (no. BY 12), a bridge-spouted jar (no. BY 11), and closed vessels. Vases from the MM period i n c l u d e d several uncataloged pieces including body and rim sherds f r o m carinated cups covered with dark slip on the interior and exterior and with grooves on the exterior above the carination, and a spout sherd f r o m a MM II Kamares Ware bridgespouted jar decorated with a white band and traces of red paint on a dark g r o u n d . Uncataloged LM I sherds came from unpainted conical cups, rims from semiglobular cups, and body sherds from closed vessels, one of which was decorated with a dotted tendril motif. Distinctive LM IB sherds, which served to date the destruction, included a straight-sided cup with a degenerate foliate band motif (no. BY 17), a bell cup with a scale pattern (no. BY 16), and a semiglobular cup with a r u n n i n g spiral motif below a rim band (no. BY 14). Sherds in Coarse Fabrics included a body sherd f r o m a small, painted closed vessel and eight body sherds from a single, large, unpainted closed vase. Although n o sherds in Mirabello Fabric, Cooking Class, were recovered, 16 fragments from unpainted cups or closed vessels in Phyllite Fabrics were found. The general paucity of sherds on the floor in this room and the common character of those that do exist prevent any precise interpretation as to room function based u p o n ceramic remains alone. As with R o o m BY 1, n o t h i n g in the ceramic remains would indicate a more specific function for this ground floor room other than typical domestic activities. Cups were the predominant shape in Fine Fabrics. T h e date of the usage and the destruction of the building is determined by the latest pottery in the stratum, which can be assigned stylistically to LM IB.

and base of spout. Parallels: For the shape see Seager 1910:32, fig. 13 a n d pi. 6C (LM IB vessel f r o m P s e i r a ) ; Evans 1921-1935:264, fig. 195 (LM I A j u g from Knossos); 373, fig. 206 (LM I j u g from Palaikastro); Niemeier 1980:65, fig. 36 (LM I A j u g from Gournia); Betancourt 1985: pi. 17A (LM I A j u g from Priniatikos Pyrgos); pi. 17B (LM I A j u g from Pseira); pi. 18G (LM IB j u g from Pseira). Date. LM I. BY 12, Fig. 42 (PS 3426; BY 2 (C5)-6). Loop-handled bowl, rim sherd. Max dim 5.4. A fine fabric (reddish yellow, 7.5YR 7 / 6 ) , with inclusions. Almost straight profile. Small handle with circular section attached to the rim. Dark slip on interior. Comments: An earlier version of the loop-handled bowl can be seen in PS 980 (MM, f r o m Building BS/BV, PseiraUl, no. 90). Parallels: This vessel is probably a later version of the MM open bowl with two horizontal handles extending above the rim (for example, see the bowl from the Bone-Enclosure at Palaikastro, Bosanquet 1901-1902:293, fig. 7, bottom row, left). It is possible that the vessel is a basket rhyton (Koehl 1981: fig. 26); see also Bosanquet and Dawkins 1923: pi. 8A (MM I straight-sided vessel from Palaikastro). Date. LM I. BY 13, Fig. 42 (PS 3429; BY 2 (C5)-6). Closed vessel, body sherd. Max dim 4.1. A fine fabric (pink, 7.5YR 8 / 4 ) . Convex profile. Band; petals. Comments. Knossian clay. The motif is common on decorative registers above or below the main motif. It is especially used as a subsidiary motif on elaborately decorated vessels. Parallels. See (among others) Seager 1910:30, fig. 11 (LM IB jar from Pseira); Bosanquet and Dawkins 1923: pi. 20a-b (LM I rhyta from Palaikastro); 43, fig. 32 (LM IB j u g from Palaikastro); 46, fig. 35 (LM IB ewer from Palaikastro); Hood 1962:28, fig. 37 (LM IB bridge-spouted jar from Knossos, from the north side of the Royal Road). Date-. LM I.

FABRICS LM IB, FINE FABRICS Fine Fabrics: 38 sherds; 260 gr Coarse Fabrics'. 10 sherds; 70 gr Phyllite Fabrics: 16 sherds; 200 gr Byzantine or Foreign Fabric. 1 sherd; 120 gr LM I, FINE FABRICS BY 11, Fig. 42 (PS 3413; BY 2 (C5)-6). Bridgespouted jug, spout sherd. Max dim 8.1. A fine fabric (very pale brown, 10YR 8 / 4 ) , with tiny inclusions. Thickened, narrow spout (width 1.8). Band on rim

BY 14, Fig. 42 (PS 3414; BY 2 (C5)-6). Semiglobular cup, rim sherd. D of rim 10. A fine fabric (between pink, 7.5YR 8 / 4 , and reddish yellow, 7.5YR 8 / 6 ) ; burnished. Convex profile; thin, everted rim. Dark slip on interior; band at rim; running spirals. Comments and Parallels: See no. BY 3. Date. LM IB. BY 15, Fig. 42 (PS 3415; BY2(C5)-6). Semiglobular cup, rim sherd. D of rim 10. A fine fabric (very pale brown, 10YR 8 / 4 ) ; burnished. Convex profile; thin,

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PSEIRA IV

everted rim. Dark slip on interior; band at rim; running spirals. Comments and Parallels: See no. BY 3. Date. LM IB. BY 16, Fig. 42 (PS 3427; BY 2 (C5)-6). Bell cup, rim sherd. D of rim 12. A fine fabric (very pale brown, 10YR 8 / 4 ) ; burnished. Convex profile; slightly outturned rim. Dark slip on interior of rim; band at rim; scale motif below band. Comments-. This cup shape, which occurs frequently in the LM I period, began in MM I and continued until LM II. The beginnings of the motif can be seen on a MM IIB semiglobular cup with a dotted scale pattern from Phaistos (Levi 1976:66, fig. 74). T h e motif also occurs on semiglobular cups in LM IB (see no. BR 122). A variation of this motif occurs on later cups, such as a LM II example from the Unexplored Mansion at Knossos (Popham 1972-1973:56, fig. 24, top row, center). Parallels: For variations on this motif, see Forsdyke 1925: n o . A657 (LM I bell c u p f r o m K n o s s o s ) ; C a t l i n g 1982:53, fig. 117 (LM IB c u p f r o m Archanes). Also, see LM II examples from Kommos (Watrous 1992: fig. 18, no. 347). Date. LM IB.

BY 17, Fig. 42 (PS 3428; BY 2 (C5)-6). Straightsided cup, rim sherd. D of rim 10-12. A fine fabric (very pale brown, 10YR 8 / 4 ) , with inclusions; burnished. Straight profile. Dark slip on interior; bands; foliate band. Parallels: See ( a m o n g o t h e r s ) B o s a n q u e t a n d Dawkins 1923:31, fig. 19a (LM IA cup from Palaikast r o ) a n d pi. 16D (LM I c u p f r o m P a l a i k a s t r o ) ; Chapouthier and Charbonneaux 1928: pi. 27, fig. 1 left (LM IA cup from Malia); Betancourt 1983: no. 51 (LM IB straight-sided cup from Pseira). Date. LM IB. LM I, PHYLLITE FABRICS BY 18, Fig. 43 (PS 3425; BY 2 (C5)-6). Pithos, handle sherd. Max dim 12.0. A fabric containing phyllite (light red, 2.5YR 6 / 8 ) . Pulled handle; thick oval section. Comments: Pot mark on handle. Parallels: Seager 1916: pi. 5 left (MM III pithos from Pacheia Ammos) and pis. 8, 9A (MM III-LM I pithos from Pacheia Ammos); Bosanquet and Dawkins 1923: pi. 22C, E, F (MM III-LM II pithoi from Palaikastro); Hazzidakis 1934: pi. 22A-B (LM I pithos from Tylissos). Date. LM I.

Disturbed Fill Over the A thick disturbed fill level covered the floor stratum in both rooms of Building BY and nearby spaces (BY 3 and BY 4). This fill level contained Minoan ceramics (EM III-LM IB) as well as a large percentage of Byzantine sherds, indicating extensive Byzantine activity in this area immediately north of the Byzantine monastery. Undoubtedly, the later inhabitants of the island engaged in robbing-out and utilizing the Minoan architectural blocks for their building materials. Evidence for an u p p e r story for this building, at least over Room BY 2, exists in the form of paving stones, which were found scattered throughout the fill level in the building. T h e disturbance was so great, however, that it was not possible to isolate securely this u p p e r story context. Byzantine sherds were found both above and below the upper story's floor paving-slabs, which lay over loosely packed fill from the disturbed floor of the upper story. Evidence for the existence of an obsidian workshop (obsidian flakes, blades and cores) was also found in the fill units from Rooms BY 1 and BY2 (see Section 3).

Building

ROOM BY 1 The majority of the pottery recovered from the disturbed fill level in Room BY 1 was Byzantine in date. Of the Minoan sherds, only 7% were in Fine Fabrics, and ca. 1% were in Mirabello Fabric, Cooking Class. Coarse Fabrics and Phyllite Fabrics were more prevalent, accounting for 10% and 17% respectively. Sherds in Fine Fabrics were largely from cups, but closed vessels, open vessels, a bridge-spouted jar, and a rhyton were also present. Diagnostic sherds were almost exclusively LM I in date, although a few MM sherds were also detected, notably a cup f r a g m e n t with a beveled base and dark slip on the interior and the exterior (no. BY 19), and an uncataloged handle s h e r d f r o m a closed vessel b e a r i n g traces of r e d paint. Cooking vessels f r o m the fill level in Room BY 1 were f o r m e d almost entirely f r o m Phyllite Fabrics, but the actual n u m b e r of sherds from cooking vessels was low. Many more of the sherds in this fabric group were f r o m closed vessels, a n d even an occasional sherd from a cup, a drain (no. BY 84), and a kalathos

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BUILDING BY

were f o u n d . T h e relative scarcity of sherds f r o m c o o k i n g vessels suggests that the f u n c t i o n of the room was probably other than food preparation. T h e Byzantine sherds came from roof tiles, jars, amphorae, cups, and closed vessels. They accounted for ca. 65% of the sherds. FABRICS Fine Fabrics: 20 sherds; 115 gr Coarse Fabrics'. 28 sherds; 110 gr Mirabello Fabric, Cooking Class: 4 sherds; 45 gr Phyllite Fabrics: 48 sherds; 1035 gr Byzantine Fabrics: 187 sherds; 3050 gr MM, FINE FABRICS BY 19, Fig. 43 (PS 4308; BY (C5)-l). Straight-sided cup, base sherd. D of base ca. 6. A fine fabric (very pale brown, 10YR 8 / 4 ) . Beveled base. Dark slip on interior and exterior. Comments: No traces of added paint survive. Parallels: Levi 1956:249, fig. 24 (numerous MM II examples from Phaistos); Betancourt 1978:385, no. 8 (LM IA cup from Priniatikos Pyrgos). Date. MM II. MM I—III, COARSE FABRICS BY 20, Fig. 43 (PS 4315; BY 1 (C5)-4). Closed vessel, handle sherd. Max dim 5.3. A coarse fabric (between pink, 7.5YR 7 / 4 , and light brown, 7.5YR 6 / 4 ) . Horizontal h a n d l e with circular section. Dark slip; added white paint: lines on handle. Parallels: For shape and motif, see Hazzidakis 1934: pi. 19, 2a, b, e (MM I vessels f r o m Tylissos); Demargne 1945: pi. 29, no. 8492 (MM I—II bridge-spouted or side-spouted jar from Malia). The shape of the handle (circular section) can also be seen in later examples, such as Betancourt 1985:99, fig. 72 (MM IIB jar from Knossos). Date. MM I—III.

ROOM BY 2 A total of 617 sherds weighing 12,130 grams was unearthed in this fill, much of which must have come from the second story. T h e pottery included 17% Fine Fabrics, 6% Coarse Fabrics, 1% Mirabello Fabric, Cooking Class, 23% Phyllite Fabrics, 51% Byzantine Fabrics, ca. 1% Foreign Fabrics, and less than 1% Turkish or Modern Fabrics. The Minoan pottery statistics are within the normal range for LM I deposits at Pseira, but the high percentage of sherds in Byzantine Fabrics underscores the disturbed nature of this context. Cups were the most c o m m o n shape in Fine Fabrics. Other shapes included a cup rhyton, open vessels, closed vessels, and conical cups. The percentage of Fine Fabrics was lower in this fill level than the average on floor levels in the building. T e n sherds from vessels in Fine Fabrics were cataloged. A base sherd from a burnished closed vessel in the LM IB Marine Style decorated with an octopus motif was recovered (no. BY 30), as was a body sherd from an LM I cup with a foliate band motif (no. BY 25). The deposit also contained a sherd from a LM IB cup rhyton (no. BY 31) a n d a body sherd f r o m a LM IB closed vessel ornamented with a reed motif (no. BY 29). MM sherds in Fine Fabrics included sherds from carinated cups a n d closed vessels d e c o r a t e d with dark slip. The only cataloged piece from the MM period was a rim sherd from a cup with dark slip on the interior and exterior (no. BY 22). Most sherds in Coarse Fabrics were f r o m closed vessels, although several cup fragments were also recovered. Vessel shapes in Phyllite Fabrics were f r o m the cooking class (cooking pots, cooking dishes, tripod cups, and cooking trays), the d i n i n g class (cups, open vessels, bowls, and conical cups), and the storage class (closed vessels of various sizes), with the greatest percentage being from cooking vessels. O n the basis of the stone finds, the p r o p o s e d upper story above Room BY 2 would appear to have been used as a place to work obsidian into blades and tools (see Dierckx, Section 4), but a second use as a food preparation area is possible.

LM I, COARSE FABRICS BY 21, Fig. 43 (PS 4314; BY 1 (C5)-4). Closed vessel, body sherds. Max dim 4.5 (largest s h e r d ) . A coarse fabric (reddish yellow, 5YR 6 / 6 ) , with inclusions including mica. Almost straight profile. Band; spiral (?). Date. LM I.

FABRICS Fine Fabrics: 107 sherds; 770 gr Coarse Fabrics: 40 sherds; 495 gr Mirabello Fabric, Cooking Class: 6 sherds; 110 gr Phyllite Fabrics: 143 sherds; 3930 gr Foreign Fabrics: 5 sherds; 135 gr Byzantine Fabrics'. 315 sherds; 6580 gr Turkish or Modern Fabrics: 1 sherd; 110 gr

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PSEIRA IV

MM, FINE FABRICS BY 22, Fig. 43 (PS 4322; BY 2 (C5)-5). Rounded cup, rim sherd. D of rim 10. A fine fabric (reddish yellow, 7.5YR 7/6). Almost straight rim. Dark slip on interior; exterior surface missing. Parallels-. For probable examples of the shape see Bosanquet and Dawkins 1923: pi. 5B (MM IA cup without handle from Palaikastro), pi. 6A (MM I cup from Palaikastro), and pi. 9C (MM IB example from Palaikastro); Hazzidakis 1934: pi. 16, no. 2h (MM I—II cup from Tylissos). Dale. MM I—II. MM, MIRABELLO FABRIC, COOKING CLASS BY 23, Fig. 43 (PS 3073; BY (B5)-3). Cooking dish, rim sherd. D of rim ca. 54. Mirabello Fabric, Cooking Class (reddish yellow, 7.5YR 7/8). Convex profile; thickened, straight rim. Dark slip (dark red, 2.5YR 3/6) on interior. Comments: The slipped interior is unusual for this class of vessel. Parallels'. See no. BX 6. Date. MM-LM I. MM III-LM I, FINE FABRICS BY 24, Fig. 43 (PS 4317; BY 2 (C5)-5). Scoop, handle sherd. Max dim 3.3. A fine fabric (reddish yellow, 7.5YR 7/6), with inclusions. Almost straight profile; strap handle on interior. Traces of dark slip on interior. Comments and Parallels: See no. BY 7. Dale. MM III-LM I. LM I, FINE FABRICS BY 25, Fig. 43 (PS 3237; BY 2 (C5)-5). Cup, body sherd. Max dim 5.3. A fine fabric (very pale brown, 10YR 8/4); burnished. Convex profile. Foliate band sections; band. Comments'. The foliate band occurs frequently on cups (for example, Bosanquet and Dawkins 1923: pi. 16, nos. c-d, from Palaikastro), but the motif on no. BY 25 has no central line or "stem," and the motif is painted as a series of isolated sections. Date. LM I. BY 26, Fig. 43 (PS 3279; BY2 (C5)-5). Bell cup, rim sherd. D of rim 8. A fine fabric (pink, 7.5YR 7/4), with tiny inclusions; burnished. Convex profile. Dark slip on interior; band at rim; overlapping foliate chain motif; added white paint: thin band on dark band at rim. Parallels'. Possibly this is a very sloppy version of the

motif on a cup from Palaikastro with a floral chain in a register between bands (Bosanquet and Dawkins 1923: pi. 15A). Date. LM I. BY 27, Fig. 43 (PS 4316; BY 2 (C5)-5). Conical cup, base sherd. D of base ca. 4. A fine fabric (yellow, 10YR 8/6), with tiny inclusions. Straight profile; pronounced base. Comments and Parallels: See no. BT 30. Date. LM I. BY 28, Fig. 43 (PS 4311; BY 2 (C5)-5). Semiglobular cup, rim sherd. D of rim ca. 10. A fine fabric (reddish yellow, 7.5YR 8/6). Slightly everted rim. Dark slip on interior; band below rim; traces of other decoration. Parallels'. For the shape, see Betancourt 1983: no. 52 (Pseira, LM IB). Date. LM I. LM IA, FINE FABRICS BY 29, Fig. 43 (PS 3238; BY 2 (C5)-5). Closed vessel, body sherd. Max dim 7.2. A fine fabric (reddish yellow, 7.5YR 8/6), with tiny inclusions; burnished. Almost straight profile. Reed motif. Comments: The shape is probably a medium-sized jug or jar. The motif is common in LM I and continues into LM II (Popham 1972-1973:57, fig. 38, LM II amphora from the Unexplored Mansion at Knossos). Parallels: For the motif, see (among many others) Dawkins 1903:253, fig. 17 (LM I strainer from Zakros); Hawes et al. 1908:39, fig. 17 (LM I sherd from Gournia); pi. 7, nos. 11 (LM I jar from Gournia), pi. 12 (LM I cup from Gournia), and pi. 31 (LM I rhyton from Gournia); Seager 1909:300, fig. 20 (pithos from Mochlos); Seager 1910:22, fig. 6 (LM IA amphora from Pseira); Bosanquet and Dawkins 1923: pi. 13 (LM IB jar from Palaikastro); Pelon 1970: pi. 13, no. 4, fig. i (cups from Malia); Popham 1977:30d (LM I cup from Knossos). Date. LM IA. LM IB, FINE FABRICS BY 30, Fig. 43 (PS 3236; BY 2 (C5)-5). Closed vessel, base sherd. D of base 5.0. A fine fabric (very pale brown, 10YR 8/4); burnished. Convex profile. Octopus motif. Comments: LM IB Marine Style. This example is rather clumsily painted. The suckers have been filled with dark slip. It is definitely a local product and not Knossian. Parallels: Examples in the Knossian tradition are listed by Mountjoy (1984); they are found all over Crete, including eastern Crete. Another very sloppily

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BUILDING BY

painted octopus occurs on a squat alabastron from Pseira (Betancourt 1983: no. 65). Date. LM IB. BY 31, Fig. 43 (PS 3594; BY 2 (C5)-5). Cup rhyton, base sherd. D of base ca. 4. A fine fabric (reddish yellow, 5YR 7 / 6 ) , with tiny inclusions. Convex profile; pronounced base; one hole off-center in base. Dark slip on interior; two thin bands; thick band at base. Comments: T h e specific base-type on this cup rhyton has so far only been noted from Pseira. It falls into Koehl's Type 4: Cup: Indeterminate Category; no. BY 30 is Koehl's cat. no. 1255 (Koehl, personal communication, 1994). Parallels'. For other examples of cup rhyta with various base types see nos. BR 7, 8, and 40 and Forsdyke 1925: no. A644 (Gulf of Mirabello region); for general information on cup rhyta see Koehl 1981:181, fig. 2a. Date. LM IB. BY 32, Fig. 43 (PS 4325; BY 2 (C5)-5). Jug, spout sherd. Max dim 9.4. A fine fabric (reddish yellow, 7.5YR 7 / 6 ) ; burnished. Wide spout; slightly trefoil rim. Wide band on exterior of rim; added red paint: band on neck. Comments and Parallels. Spout from a jug, perhaps a less graceful version of a j u g from Palaikastro (Bosanquet and Dawkins 1923:48, fig. 36) or a squat pitcher such as a LM I example from Palaikastro (Bosanquet and Dawkins 1923:62, fig. 50a). For additional j u g shapes with such spouts see C h a p o u t h i e r and Joly 1936: pi. 14, nos. g-i (Malia). Date. LM IB. LM I, PHYLLITE FABRICS BY 33, Fig. 44 (PS 4323; BY 2 (C5)-5). Brazier, rim and handle sherd. Max dim 11.1. A fabric containing phyllite (light red, 2.5YR 6 / 6 , with a darker core). Brazier with the handle attached at the rim; handle with thick oval section. Comments: T h e n a m e given here for this vessel is not m e a n t to suggest a function. T h e vessel is the same as what Georgiou calls a "scuttle" (1986:28-30). Parallels: See Forsdyke 1926-1927:292, figs. 44-45 (Mavro Spelio C e m e t e r y at Knossos, MM-LM I); Chapouthier a n d Joly 1936: pi. 17a, b (Malia); Demargne and de Santerre 1953: pi. 42, fig. 6 (Malia). Date. LM I. BY 34, Fig. 44 (PS 4095; BY 2 (C5)-5). Closed vessel, h a n d l e a n d body sherds. Max dim 6.7 (largest sherd). A fabric containing phyllite (reddish yellow, 5YR 7 / 6 ) . Convex profile; circular section handle. Incised slash on handle (pot mark?). Pale slip (pale yellow, 5YR 8 / 3 ) on exterior. Date. LM I.

BY 35, Fig. 44 (PS 4324; BY2 (C5)-5). Tripod cooking pot, rim, handle, leg, and body sherds. D of rim ca. 44. A fabric containing phyllite (red, 2.5YR 5 / 8 , with a darker core). Pale slip (pink, 7.5YR 8 / 4 ) on exterior. Thickened rim; horizontal handles with circular sections attached below rim; legs with thick oval sections. Comments'. This is an example of Betancourt's Type B cooking pot (the more open variety, but it is more open than Central Cretan cooking pots); see Betancourt 1980:2, fig. 1, most c o m m o n l y used in the MM-LM I periods. This example is regarded as LM I based on the fabric. Date. LM I. BRONZE AGE, FOREIGN FABRICS BY 36, Fig. 44 (PS 4318; BY 2 (C5)-5). Closed vessel, body sherds. Max dim 10.1 (largest s h e r d ) . A coarse fabric (red, 2.5YR 5 / 8 ) . Comments: These sherds are not a local product, although they could come from elsewhere on Crete. Date. Bronze Age. BY 37, Fig. 44 (PS 3027; BY (B5)-2). Closed vessel, body sherds. Max dim 4.2 (largest sherd). A coarse fabric (reddish yellow, 5YR 6 / 8 ) , with tiny inclusions. Convex profile. Pale slip (very pale brown, 10YR 8 / 4 ) on exterior. Comments'. Possible Cypriot import? This vessel is possibly an example of Proto-White Slip or White Slip I Ware. Probably a j u g or a tankard. Date. Bronze Age.

SPACE BY 3 Space BY 3 is the area south of Building BY plus a narrow strip of space along the exterior west wall of the building, in the Plateia. It contained remains f r o m the collapsed walls a n d roof of Building BY. The fill level in this area yielded relatively few sherds (208 sherds weighing 2405 grams), but it did possess a number of stone tools and other objects. Although the majority of the sherds in Fine Fabrics dated to LM I, a few earlier sherds were also recovered, representing material that had been incorporated into the LM I walls when the building was constructed. No ceramic remains f r o m this space were cataloged. Datable uncataloged sherds in Fine Fabrics included a h a n d l e sherd f r o m an East Cretan MM IB carinated cup with traces of added white dots and bands, and a body sherd from a MM IB—II carinated cup with dark slip on the interior and exterior. Numerous burnished cups with typical East Cretan LM I motifs were found. The designs included cellular (scale?) m a r i n e motif, floral bands, a n d dark

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bands alternating with red bands. Many of t h e m were f r o m LM IB. LM I s h a p e s i n c l u d e d c o n i c a l c u p s , straight-sided cups, semiglobular cups, a basketshaped vessel, a n d closed vessels. Sherds f r o m vessels in Coarse Fabrics were all f r o m closed vessels. A h a n d l e sherd f r o m o n e of t h e m was an e x a m p l e of EM III East C r e t a n W h i t e - o n - D a r k W a r e . S h e r d s in M i r a b e l l o Fabric, C o o k i n g Class, were conspicuously absent, while s h e r d s in Phyllite Fabrics a c c o u n t e d for 34%. In addition to the usual c o o k i n g vessels (cooking pots, c o o k i n g dishes, a n d tripod cups), f r a g m e n t s of conical cups, a tumbler, a kalathos, a n d painted a n d u n p a i n t e d closed vessels in Phyllite Fabrics were also f o u n d . All of t h e shapes are typical domestic or h o u s e h o l d shapes, s u p p o r t i n g the idea that t h e c r a f t s m a n who worked h e r e may also have c o n d u c t e d many activities normally associated with daily living in this building. T h e high p e r c e n t a g e of Byzantine s h e r d s (30%) shows the disturbed n a t u r e of the stratum.

FABRICS Fine Fabrics'. 48 sherds; 185 gr Coarse Fabrics'. 26 sherds; 165 gr Phyllite Fabrics: 71 sherds; 1050 gr Byzantine Fabrics: 63 sherds; 1005 gr

SPACE BY 4 As with S p a c e BY 3, S p a c e BY 4 r e p r e s e n t s collapsed debris f r o m Building BY. It is east of t h e buildi n g . V e r y little p o t t e r y was r e c o v e r e d (62 s h e r d s weighing 770 g r a m s ) , a n d it was u n r e m a r k a b l e . Except f o r a single s h e r d f r o m an MM II Kamares Ware t u m b l e r with a d d e d red a n d a d d e d white paint, the d i a g n o s t i c s h e r d s in F i n e F a b r i c s d a t e d to LM I. Sherds dating to LM IB i n c l u d e d a body s h e r d f r o m a typical East Cretan closed vessel d e c o r a t e d with altern a t i n g dark a n d red b a n d s a n d sherds f r o m a semiglobular c u p d e c o r a t e d with bands. In this fill level, 31% of t h e sherds were Fine Fabrics, 13% were Coarse Fabrics, ca. 1% was Mirabello Fabric, Cooking Class, 34% were Phyllite Fabrics, a n d 21% were Byzantine Fabrics. T h e single s h e r d f r o m a cooking dish in Mirabello Fabric, C o o k i n g Class can b e e x p l a i n e d , as c a n t h e sole MM s h e r d in a Fine Fabric, as earlier material that was i n c o r p o r a t e d into t h e walls or ceiling of Building BY w h e n it was erected. Again, t h e disturbed n a t u r e of t h e entire area is u n d e r s c o r e d by t h e p r e s e n c e of a high p e r c e n t a g e of Byzantine sherds.

FABRICS Fine Fabrics: 19 sherds; 65 gr Coarse Fabrics: 8 sherds; 50 gr Mirabello Fabric, Cooking Class: 1 sherd; 10 gr Phyllite Fabrics: 21 sherds; 300 gr Byzantine Fabrics: 13 sherds; 345 gr

4. The Stone Tools, Building BY Heidi M. C. Dierckx A total of 28 obsidian pieces came f r o m Building BY. T h e majority were collected f r o m R o o m BY 2 (22 pieces). T h e rest came f r o m R o o m BY 1 a n d the fill near the building. In addition, a n o t h e r 18 obsidian pieces were f o u n d above t h e walls of the a d j o i n i n g b u i l d i n g in Area BB. T h e majority of t h e obsidian f r o m this area consisted of debitage products: cores; flakes (debris, primary flakes, a n d initial flakes); a n d crested blades. Preliminary reports are published by D i e r c k x ( 1 9 9 5 : 5 7 - 5 9 ) a n d by D i e r c k x a n d Floyd (1995). G r o u n d stone tools f o r m e d part of the assemblage as well a n d a m o u n t to 18 pieces f r o m Building BY (of which 8 were recovered f r o m R o o m BY 2), plus an a d d i t i o n a l h a n d tool f r o m Area BB. T h e y i n c l u d e

stones p e c k e d at o n e or b o t h e n d s a n d most of t h e c i r c u m f e r e n c e ; stones with a b r a d e d surfaces, including two pieces of p u m i c e ; a n d a q u e r n . Few o t h e r cataloged finds, e x c e p t f o r pottery, were recovered f r o m this building a n d its vicinity. Because of Byzantine d i s t u r b a n c e of this building d o w n to t h e floor levels, most of t h e c o n t e x t s with s t o n e implem e n t s c o n t a i n e d b o t h M i n o a n a n d Byzantine pottery (the fill in a n d n e a r t h e building a n d t h e d i s t u r b e d f l o o r levels of b o t h r o o m s ) . T h e s t o n e i m p l e m e n t s are most likely to b e of LM I date because the associated M i n o a n pottery is d a t e d to that p e r i o d . T h e pottery f r o m t h e lowest stratum, t h e u n d i s t u r b e d f l o o r level in R o o m BY 2, revealed that t h e final use of t h e structure was in LM IB.

BUILDING BY

T h e evidence strongly suggests that an obsidian w o r k s h o p e x i s t e d in this b u i l d i n g , m o s t likely in R o o m BY 2. T h e c o n c e n t r a t i o n of o b s i d i a n a n d g r o u n d stone tools in the fill of this room, as well as the stone i m p l e m e n t s f r o m the floor level a n d the rest of the area, including Area BB, sustain this suggestion. T h e distribution of obsidian in Building BY is as follows: Debitage Products, Building BY: 5 cores 19 flakes (10 initial flakes of which 3 are worked, 1 primary flake, 8 debris flakes of which 3 are worked) 2 crested blades Blades, Building BY: 2 r e t o u c h e d blades Debitage Products, Area BB: 5 cores 12 flakes (3 initial flakes, 2 primary flakes, 3 debris flakes, 4 r e t o u c h e d debris flakes) Blades, Area BB: 1 blade

217

A d d e d t o g e t h e r , t h e a s s e m b l a g e consists of 10 cores, 31 d e b i t a g e flakes, 2 crested blades, a n d 3 blades. T h e destruction of the buildings in LM IB and later Byzantine disturbance must have displaced the finds to a large extent. T h e bulk of the obsidian at the settlement was f o u n d scattered in nearby areas, in t h e P l a t e i a ( A r e a BR) a n d in t h e B y z a n t i n e monastery (Building AL). Most of the pieces were waste products, supporting the hypothesis of a workshop within this area of the settlement. T h e obsidian assemblage includes pieces ranging f r o m chunks to blades and shows all the stages of the obsidian m a n u f a c t u r i n g process. T h e g r o u n d stone h a n d tools f o u n d together with the obsidian pieces might also have b e e n used in the k n a p p i n g process, as was possibly the q u e r n (as an anvil). If the hypothesis of an LM I obsidian workshop is correct, it is the first o n e identified in LM Crete. Workshops of EM date are already said to have existed at Knossos and Malia (Warren 1972b:393; van Effenterre and van Effenterre 1969:17-21).

Stone Tools from Building BY, Area BB, and Area BR by Room and Context ROOM BY 1: TOTAL 4 (1 GROUND; 3 CHIPPED) Floor Level: 1 pumice h a n d tool—abraded 1 obsidian—crested blade Fill: 2 obsidian—1 primary flake; 1 initial flake

ROOM BY 2: TOTAL 30 (8 GROUND; 22 CHIPPED) Floor Level: 1 pumice h a n d tool—abraded Fill: 5 limestone h a n d tools—5 pecked 1 schist h a n d tool—abraded ends 1 quartzite q u e r n 17 o b s i d i a n — 4 c o r e s ; 5 d e b r i s f l a k e s ; 2 ret o u c h e d debris flakes; 5 initial flakes; 3 retouched initial flakes; 1 crested blade; 2 retouched blades

SPACES BY 3 AND BY 4: TOTAL 12 (9 GROUND; 3 CHIPPED) Fill: 8 limestone h a n d tools—6 pecked; 1 abraded; 1 pecked/abraded 1 limestone p o u n d i n g platform (?) 3 obsidian—1 core; 1 debris flake; 1 r e t o u c h e d initial flake

TOTAL BUILDING BY: 46 PIECES (18 GROUND; 28 CHIPPED) 1 quern 1 p o u n d i n g platform (?) 16 h a n d t o o l s — 1 1 p e c k e d ; 4 a b r a d e d ; 1 pecked/abraded 18 obsidian—5 cores; 19 debitage flakes (6 debris, 2 retouched debris, 1 primary, 6 initial, 4 r e t o u c h e d initial); 2 crested blades; 2 r e t o u c h e d blades

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TOTAL AREA BB: 19 PIECES (1 GROUND; 18 CHIPPED)

TOTAL AREA BR: 39 PIECES (19 GROUND; 16 CHIPPED; 4 QUARTZ)

1 limestone hand tool—pecked 18 obsidian—5 cores; 12 debitage flakes (3 debris, 2 retouched debris, 2 primary, 1 retouched primary, 3 initial, 1 retouched initial); 1 blade

12 limestone hand tools—8 pecked; 3 pecked/abraded; 1 pecked depression on face 1 limestone pounding platform (?) 1 pumice hand tool—abraded 2 amphibolite hand tools—1 polishing; 1 pecking/ polishing/drill holder 1 porphyry hand tool—polishing 1 quartzite quern 1 metacarbonate kernos 16 obsidian—1 chunk; 4 cores; 9 debitage flakes (3 debris, 1 primary, 3 initial, 2 platform trimming flakes); 1 blade; 1 retouched blade 4 quartz crystals

Catalog: Floor Levels in the ROOM BY 1 One crested blade and one pumice tool were found on the LM IB floor level of Room BY1. GROUND STONE BY 38, Fig. 44 (PS 4083; BY 1 (C5)-7). Hand tool, complete. Max dim 6.55; weight 42 gr. Pumice (very light gray, N 8). Natural waterworn cobble; irregular. One face flattened and abraded. Parallels-. See no. BR 153. Date. LM IB. CHIPPED STONE BY 39, Fig. 44 (PS 3437; BY 1 (C5)-6). Blade, center section. Max preserved length 1.54; max w 0.8; max th 0.45. Obsidian (black, N 1). One ridge; re-

Building

touch on one edge. Comments: Crested blade. Parallels'. See Pseira I, no. AB 34. Date. LM IB.

ROOM BY 2 One pumice tool was found on the undisturbed LM IB floor in Room BY 2. GROUND STONE BY 40, Fig. 44 (PS 4088; BY 2 (C5)-6). Hand tool, complete. Max dim 3.8; weight 8 gr. Pumice (very light gray, N 8). Natural waterworn pebble; irregular. One face flattened and abraded smooth. Parallels: See BR 153. Date. LM IB.

Catalog: Disturbed Stratum over and near the ROOM BY 1 Within the fill of Room BY 1, two cortical waste flakes were found.

Building

CHIPPED STONE BY 41, Fig. 44 (PS 3185; BY 1 (C5)-5). Flake. Max dim 2.9. Obsidian (black, N 1). Cortex present. Comments: Primary flake.

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BUILDING BY

Parallels'. See no. BB 3. Date. LM IB or earlier. BY 42, Fig. 45 (PS 3186; BY 1 (C5)-5). Flake. Max dim 3.0. Obsidian (black, N 1). Cortex present. Comments: Initial flake. Parallels'. See Pseira I, no. AI 7. Date. LM IB or earlier.

ROOM BY 2 The obsidian pieces, the majority being waste debris, were mostly associated with the upper slabs from the upper story of Room BY 2. The obsidian consisted of 15 flakes (five of them worked), four cores, and t h r e e b l a d e s , i n c l u d i n g o n e c r e s t e d b l a d e . Six ground stone tools, all pecked at the ends or the circumference, and one quern were also found in this fill. GROUND STONE BY 43, Fig. 45 (PS 3064; BY (B5)-3). H a n d tool, broken on one end. Max preserved length 11.8; max w 6.4; max th 5.7; preserved weight 585 gr. Limestone (gray, 7.5YR 5 / 0 ) . Natural waterworn cobble; oval. Pecking at both ends. Parallels'. See Pseira I, no. AB 33. Date. LM IB or earlier. BY 44, Fig. 45 (PS 3065; BY (B5)-3). H a n d tool, complete. Max length 6.6; max w 5.1; max th 4.1; weight 177 gr. Limestone (gray, 7.5YR 5 / 0 ) . Natural waterworn cobble; triangular r o u n d e d . Pecking at both ends. Parallels: See Pseira I, no. AB 33. Date. LM IB or earlier. BY 45, Fig. 45 (PS 3066; BY (B5)-3). H a n d tool, complete, max length 8.7; max w 4.9; max th 4.2; weight 252 gr. Limestone (gray, 7.5YR 6 / 0 ) . Natural waterworn cobble; oblong. Pecking at both ends. Parallels'. See Pseira I, no. AB 33. Date. LM IB or earlier. BY 46, Fig. 45 (PS 3069; BY (B5)-3). H a n d tool, complete. Max length 7.4; max w 5.8; max th 4.3; weight 274 gr. Limestone (gray, 7.5YR 6 / 0 ) . Natural waterworn cobble; oval. Pecking at both ends. Parallels. See Pseira I, no. AB 33. Date. LM IB or earlier. BY 47, Fig. 45 (PS 3068; BY (B5)-3). H a n d tool, complete. Max length 6.7; max w 5.3; max th 3.9; weight 192 gr. Limestone (gray, 2 . 5 Y 6 / 0 ) . Natural waterworn cobble; oval. Pecking along one edge.

Parallels'. See Pseira I, no. AG 9. Date. LM IB or earlier. BY 48, Fig. 45 (PS 3067; BY (B5)-3). H a n d tool, complete. Max length 10.0; max w 2.6; max th 2.55; weight 111 gr. Schist (gray, 5 Y 5 / 1 ) . Oblong cobble. Both ends abraded smooth at an oblique angle. Date. LM IB or earlier. BY 49, Fig. 45 (PS 3071; BY2 (C5)-4). Quern, half preserved. Max preserved length 18.2; max w 13.8; max th 6.0; preserved weight 2 kg, 510 gr. Quartzite (very dark gray, 7.5YR 3 / 0 ) . Narrow and oblong with one preserved saddle ridge; working surface pecked and abraded smooth. Parallels: See Pseira I, no. ADC 114. Date. LM IB or earlier. CHIPPED STONE BY 50, Fig. 46 (PS 3077; BY (B5)-2). Flake. Max dim 2.45. Obsidian (black, N 1). Cortex present. Date. LM IB or earlier. BY 51, Fig. 46 (PS 3092; BY (B5)-2). Flake (core). Max dim 1.75. Obsidian (black, N 1). Date. LM IB or earlier. BY 52, Fig. 46 (PS 3096; BY (B5)-3). Flake. Max dim 3.0. Obsidian (black, N 1). Cortex present. Comments. Initial flake. Parallels'. See Pseira I, no. AI 7. Date. LM IB or earlier. BY 53, Fig. 46 (PS 3097; BY (B5)-3). Flake. Max dim 2.5. Obsidian (black, N 1). Cortex present. Comments'. Initial flake. Parallels: See Pseira I, no. AI 7. Date. LM IB or earlier. BY 54, Fig. 46 (PS 3094; BY (B5)-3). Flake. Max dim 2.0. Obsidian (black, N 1). Date. LM IB or earlier. BY 55, Fig. 46 (PS 3099; BY (B5)-3). Flake. Max dim 2.1. Obsidian (black, N 1). Cortex present. Use retouch on one edge. Comments: Initial flake. Parallels: See Pseira I, no. AI 7. Date. LM IB or earlier. BY 56, Fig. 46 (PS 3100; BY (B5)-3). Flake. Max dim 2.2. Obsidian (black, N 1). Cortex present. Comments: Initial flake. Parallels: See Pseira I, no. AI 7. Date. LM IB or earlier. BY 57, Fig. 46 (PS 3102; BY (B5)-3). Flake. Max

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PSEIRA IV

dim 2.2. Obsidian (black, N 1). Cortex present. Comments'. Initial flake. Parallels: See Pseira I, no. AI 7. Date. LM IB or earlier. BY 58, Fig. 47 (PS 3137; BY (B5)-3). Flake. Max dim 2.8. Obsidian (black, N 1). Date. LM IB or earlier. BY 59, Fig. 47 (PS 3138; BY (B5)-3). Flake. Max dim 2.1. Obsidian (black, N 1). Date. LM IB or earlier. BY 60, Fig. 47 (PS 3075; BY 2 (C5)-4). Core. Max length 3.6; max w 1.8; max th 1.4. Obsidian (black, N 1). Pyramidal fluted; one platform. Parallels'. See no. BB 5. Date. LM lb or earlier. BY 61, Fig. 47 (PS 3078; BY (B5)-l). Core. Max length 3.6; max w 1.3; max th 0.9. Obsidian (black, N 1). Pyramidal fluted; one platform. Parallels'. See no. BB 5. Date. LM IB or earlier. BY 62, Fig. 47 (PS 3093; BY (B5)-2). Core. Max length 4.0; max w 1.4; max th 0.9. Obsidian (black, N 1). Pyramidal fluted; one platform. Parallels'. See no. BB 5. Date. LM IB or earlier. BY 63, Fig. 47 (PS 3095; BY (B5)-3). Core, fragment. Max preserved length 2.1; max w 1.9; max th 1.1. Obsidian (black, N 1). Pyramidal fluted. Parallels'. See no. BB 5. Dale. LM IB or earlier. BY 64, Fig. 48 (PS 3080; BY (B5)-l). Flake, worked. Max dim 3.7. Obsidian (black, N 1). Cortex present. Retouch on one edge. Comments'. Initial flake. Parallels: See Pseira I, nos. AI 7 and AA 10. Dale. LM IB or earlier.

edge opposite bulb of percussion: denticulated. Comments: Denticulated flake. Date. LM IB or earlier. BY 68, Fig. 48 (PS 3103; BY (B5)-3). Flake, worked. Max dim 2.35. Obsidian (black, N 1). Cortex present. Retouch sporadically around the edge. Comments: Initial flake. Parallels: See Pseira I, nos. AI 7 and AA 10. Date. LM IB or earlier. BY 69, Fig. 48 (PS 3079; BY (B5)-l). Blade, complete. Max length 3.3; max w 1.0; max th 0.4. Obsidian (black, N 1). O n e ridge; retouch at distal end and one edge of dorsal surface. Comments: Blade with end retouch. Parallels: S e f e r i a d e s 1975:114, pi. 35, n o . 10 (Malia). Date. LM IB or earlier. BY 70, Fig. 49 (PS 3090; BY (B5)-l). Blade (core), center section. Max preserved length 2.5; max w 1.5; max th 0.43. Obsidian (black, N 1). Four ridges; retouch on o n e edge, creating a notch and possibly other edge of dorsal surface. Date. LM IB or earlier. BY 71, Fig. 49 (PS 3082; BY (B5)-3). Blade, proximal end. Max preserved length 2.3; max w 1.1; max th 0.5. Obsidian (black, N 1). O n e ridge. Comments: Crested blade. Parallels: See Pseira I, no. AB 34. Date. LM IB or earlier.

OUTSIDE THE BUILDING, SPACE BY 3 O n e core, a worked flake, and seven h a n d tools were found in the Plateia just outside Building BY. GROUND STONE

BY 65, Fig. 48 (PS 3091; BY (B5)-l). Flake, worked. Max dim 1.1. Obsidian (black, N 1). R e t o u c h e d edge: denticulated. Comments'. Denticulated flake. Dale. LM IB or earlier. BY 66, Fig. 48 (PS 3098; BY (B5)-3). Flake, worked. Max dim 4.4. Obsidian (black, N 1). Retouch on entire edge, creating one denticulated edge. Comments'. Denticulated flake and initial flake. Dale. LM IB or earlier. BY 67, Fig. 48 (PS 3101; BY (B5)-3). Flake, worked. Max dim 3.0. Obsidian (black, N 1). Retouch on one

BY 72, Fig. 49 (PS 3074; BY (C5)-4). H a n d tool, broken on both ends. Max preserved length 11.7; max w 6.8; max th 4.1; p r e s e r v e d weight 396 gr. Limestone (dark gray, 2 . 5 Y 4 / 0 ) . Natural waterworn cobble; oblong. Pecking on circumference. Parallels: See Pseira I, no. AG 9. Date. LM IB or earlier. BY 73, Fig. 49 (PS 3122; BY (C5)-4). H a n d tool, b r o k e n on o n e face. Max length 6.25; max w 5.7; max preserved th 3.4; preserved weight 155 gr. Limestone (dark gray, 7.5YR 4 / 0 ) . Natural waterworn cobble; triangular, rounded. Pecking along part of edge

221

B U I L D I N G BY

of broken area. Parallels'. See Pseira I, no. AG 9. Date. LM IB or earlier. BY 74, Fig. 49 (PS 3121; BY (C5)-4). Hand tool, complete. Max length 7.0; max w 6.8; max th 4.7; weight 317 gr. Limestone (dark gray, 7.5YR 4 / 0 ) . Natural waterworn cobble; square rounded. Possibly one or two faces abraded smooth. Parallels. See Pseira I, no. AM 23. Date. LM IB or earlier. BY 75, Fig. 49 (PS 3070; BY (C5)-4). H a n d tool, broken on one end. Max preserved length 6.9; max w 6.5; max th 2.7; preserved weight 192 gr. Limestone (gray, 2.5Y6/0). Natural waterworn cobble; triangular rounded. Pecking on one edge; one face abraded smooth. Parallels'. See Pseira I, no. AB 35. Date. LM IB or earlier. BY 76, Fig. 49 (PS 3072; BY (C5)-4). Hand tool, complete. Max length 8.0; max w 6.8; max th 4.4; weight 345 gr. Limestone (gray, 2 . 5 Y 5 / 0 ) . Natural waterworn cobble; almost round. Pecking at one end. Parallels'. See Pseira I, no. AB 33. Date. LM IB or earlier. BY 77, Fig. 49 (PS 3189; BY (C5)-4). Hand tool, broken on both ends. Max preserved length 7.6; max w 3.25; max th 2.45; preserved weight 115 gr. Limestone (gray, 7.5YR 6 / 0 ) . Natural waterworn cobble; oblong. Possible pecking at both ends. Parallels'. See Pseira I, no. AB 33. Date. LM IB or earlier. BY 78, Fig. 49 (PS 3190; BY (C5)-4). Hand tool, broken on one end. Max preserved length 8.2; max w 7.7; max th 5.2; preserved weight 402 gr. Limestone (gray, 7.5YR 5 / 0 ) . Natural waterworn cobble; oval. Pecking along edge of broken area and on opposite end. Parallels: See Pseira I, no. AB 33. Date. LM IB or earlier. BY 79, Fig. 50 (PS 3171; BY (C5)-4). P o u n d i n g platform (?), c h i p p e d . Max dim 18.0; h 14.4; preserved weight 1 kg, 927 gr. Limestone (white, 10YR 8 / 1 ) . R o u n d e d shape; flat base. Pecked surface to shape the object. Comments'. T h e stone is not local to Pseira. The material was examined as a thin section by George Myer at Temple University and was found to be limestone,

identical with the imported limestone used for slabs in Building BC (Betancourt 1994-96:54). Parallels'. R o u n d e d pieces of limestone f o u n d at Gournia are called sledge h a m m e r s (Hawes et al. 1908: pi. 3, nos. 37-39). Date. LM IB or earlier. Bibl: Betancourt 1994-1996:51, fig. 2B, and 54. CHIPPED S T O N E BY 80, Fig. 50 (PS 3076; BY (C5)-4). Core. Max length 4.3; max w 2.0; max th 1.6. Obsidian (black, N 1). P y r a m i d a l f l u t e d ; two p l a t f o r m s . O n e e n d crushed. Comments'. Possibly used as a percussor. Dale. LM IB or earlier. BY 81, Fig. 50 (PS 3184; BY (C5)-4). Flake, worked (?). Max dim 3.4. Obsidian (black, N 1). Cortex present. Retouched edges (from use?). Comments: Initial flake. Parallels: See Pseira I, nos. AI 7 and AA 10. Date. LM IB or earlier.

OUTSIDE THE BUILDING, SPACE BY 4 A flake and a ground stone hand tool were found just east of Building BY. They both came from the fill around the structure. GROUND STONE BY 82, Fig. 50 (PS 3256; BY 3 (C5)-5). Hand tool, broken on one end. Max preserved length 5.7; max preserved w 9.3; max preserved th 6.15; preserved weight 389 gr. Limestone (gray, 7.5YR 5 / 0 ) . Natural waterworn cobble; rectangular r o u n d e d or r o u n d . Pecking on edge of b r o k e n area and on opposite end. Parallels'. See Pseira I, no. AB 33. Date. LM IB or earlier. CHIPPED S T O N E BY 83, Fig. 51 (PS 3259; BY 3 (C5)-6). Flake. Max dim 3.4. Obsidian (black, N 1). Date. LM IB or earlier.

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222

5. Other Cataloged Objects, Building BY Philip P. Betancourt Although a few miscellaneous finds were discovered outside the building, little aside from pottery and stone tools was found within the two rooms of Building BY. Considering that the building had not

been uncovered by the excavations of Seager, and that substantial excavation was made by the modern campaigns, the paucity of finds must be considered an important aspect of the building's interpretation.

Catalog: Inside the ROOM BY 1, IN THE FILL CLAY DRAIN BY 84, Fig. 51 (PS 4309; BY (C5)-l). Drain, fragment. Max dim 15.8. A fabric containing phyllite

Catalog:

Building

(core dark gray, 10YR 4/1, to gray, 10YR 5/1, with a redder surface). Vertical sides; flat bottom; wide channel. Comments and Parallels: See Pseira I, no. ADN 9. Date. LM IB.

Outside the

Building

SPACE BY 4

SPACE BY 3 S T O N E DISK

CLAY W E I G H T S

BY 85, Fig. 51 (PS 3187; BY (C5)-4). Disk, onequarter complete. D ca. 6.0. Limestone (gray, 5Y5/1, to dark gray, 5Y4/1). Circular, flat disk with beveled edge; hole drilled in center; polished surfaces. Two circular bands composed of small concentric circles (d 0.04 cm) incised on one surface, delimited by incised lines; originally 12 circles in interior circular band and 24 circles in outer circular band. Comments- Possible uses for such disks include lids, spindle whorls, and ornaments. Parallels'. Very similar to a slightly smaller disk found in the roadway between Buildings BC and BS/BV (Pseira III, no. B S / B V 487). Date. LM IB.

BY 86, Fig. 51 (PS 3252; BY 3 ( C 5 ) - 6 ) . Discoid weight, small piece. Max dim 4.1; preserved wt 19 gr. A fabric containing phyllite (reddish yellow, 5YR 6/6). Circular type; flat top; one hole. Comments and Parallels: See Pseira I, no. AG 13. Date. Probably LM I. BY 87, Fig. 51 (PS 3253; BY 3 ( C 5 ) - 6 ) . Discoid weight, small piece. Max dim 4.9; preserved wt 22 gr. A fabric containing phyllite (reddish yellow, 5YR 6/8). Discoid shaped; upper part not preserved. Comments and Parallels: See Pseira I, no. AG 13. Date. Probably LM I.

223

BUILDING BY

6. The Faunal Remains, Building BY David S. Reese Several a n i m a l b o n e s , m a r i n e shells, a n d l a n d snails were collected during the excavations in this building. They are of the usual types found in the settlement. Unfortunately, the disturbed nature of most

of the deposits does not allow the finds to be specifically assigned to either the Minoan or Byzantine periods.

Catalog ROOM BY 1, UNITS BY 1 (C5)-6, EB Y 1 (C5)-7 (DISTURBED LM IB FLOOR) Mammal bones 5 bone fragments—1 sheep/goat-sized bone Marine shells 1 Monodonta—with apex 1 Charonia—body fragment

ROOM BY 1, UNITS BY (C5), BY (C5)-l T O 5 (MIXED MINOAN-BYZANTINE) Marine shells 8 Monodonta—2 with apex, 4 open apex, 4 are fragments 2 Patella 1 Charonia—lip fragment, much bored on exterior Land snails 7 Eobania

ROOM BY 2, UNIT BY 2 (C5)-6 (LM IB FLOOR) Marine shells

1 Patella 1 Glycymeris—fragment, waterworn, ht 46 m m

ROOM BY 2, UNITS BY (B5)-l T O 3, BY 2 (C5)-5 (MIXED MINOAN-BYZANTINE) Mammal bones 4 b o n e s — s h e e p / g o a t : distal r a d i u s / u l n a , F to each o t h e r , width 28; m e t a t a r s u s (F, width 21.5, thickness 13.25); 1st phalange (F, e r o d e d ) ; r o d e n t pelvis Marine shells 15 Patella—1 fragment 14 Monodonta—7 with apex, 7 open apex 2 Murex—1 fresh, 1 worn fragment Land snail 1 Rumina—with gloss

SPACE BY 4, UNIT BY 3 (C5)-6 (MIXED MINOAN-BYZANTINE) Mammal bones 1 bone—sheep/goat—molar upper third, adult Marine shells 1 Charonia—apex fragment, small/medium individual, not bored

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224

7. Comments and Conclusions, Building BY Philip P Betancourt B u i l d i n g BY is o n e of s e v e r a l s m a l l b u i l d i n g s fronting on the Town Square. It is south of Building BS/BV, on the eastern side of the o p e n Plateia. T h e building has two g r o u n d floor rooms with a door between them allowing access between the two spaces. T h e exterior d o o r is on the south, c o n n e c t i n g the b u i l d i n g with a small level a r e a w h e r e t h e Plateia widens slightly to the east. Although no stair or ladder survives in the archaeological record, the presence of a second floor is indicated by the discovery of stone slabs that served as floor paving on the u p p e r story, a situation that is very c o m m o n in the Pseiran town.

Individual

T h e building was built fairly late in the history of Pseira, after the construction of the adjoining Area BB. Pottery f r o m the M i n o a n p e r i o d indicates that the structure was in use until LM IB, when the town was destroyed. Early Byzantine activity h e r e disturbed the remains somewhat, presumably to remove building stones. Building BY seems to have b e e n the location for an obsidian workshop. Most of the obsidian f o u n d h e r e consisted of the discarded debris f r o m the working operations. A few g r o u n d stone tools might also have b e e n useful in the workshop, although o t h e r uses are also possible.

Room

T h e c o m p l e t e excavation of the b u i l d i n g allows s o m e c o n c l u s i o n s o n t h e f u n c t i o n s of i n d i v i d u a l rooms. In spite of Byzantine d i s t u r b a n c e , t h e evid e n c e for specific f u n c t i o n s is localized within the structure so that important differences can be n o t e d between the remains in different parts of the building. Evidence for r o o m f u n c t i o n s may be s u m m a rized as follows:

ROOM BY 1 Architecture, interior room with no special architectural features aside from the door. Pottery on floor, large percentage of cooking fabrics (45% Phyllite Fabrics); large percentage of Fine Fabrics (43%); low percentage of Coarse Fabrics (5%). Pottery in fill: mostly Byzantine. Obsidian on floor. 1 piece. Obsidian in fill. 2 pieces.

Functions

ROOM BY 2 Architecture, s o u t h e r n r o o m , with access f r o m the Town Square; evidence in fill for a paved floor on the story above the ground-floor r o o m . Pottery on floor, h i g h p e r c e n t a g e of Fine Fabrics ( 5 7 % ) ; m o d e r a t e p e r c e n t a g e of P h y l l i t e F a b r i c s (28%); low percentage of Coarse Fabrics (13%). Ground stone tools on floor. 1 pumice tool. Pottery in fill (including remains from upper story): many Byzantine sherds; high p e r c e n t a g e of Phyllite Fabrics (49%); m o d e r a t e percentage of Fine Fabrics (36%); low percentage of Coarse Fabrics (14%). Obsidian in fill (including remains from upper story): many pieces: 15 flakes, 4 cores, 3 blades. Ground stone tools in fill (including upper story): 6 tools for p o u n d i n g / g r i n d i n g ; 1 q u e r n . Other objects in fill (including upper story): clay drain.

Discussion: The Ground Floor T h e summary clearly shows that the small building had two stories, with significant differences between

rooms. A high percentage of fine pottery is f o u n d in b o t h g r o u n d - f l o o r r o o m s , b u t only t h e back r o o m

B U I L D I N G BY

(Room BY 1) also has a high percentage of Phyllite Fabrics (which includes the cooking fabrics). Because n e i t h e r a h e a r t h n o r an i n f o r m a l fire area comes from the room, it is likely that the cooking vessels were either casual debris or pieces that fell into the room from the floor above it. The front room, on the south, gives a slightly different picture. It has doorways opening to the Town Square as well as to the inner room. Few sherds made

Discussion:

225

in c o o k i n g or storage j a r fabrics c o m e f r o m t h e room, but a high percentage of Fine Fabrics is present. Although objects from the upper story had fallen into the room, little evidence for activities on the ground floor survives. The evidence suggests that activities like cooking, craftwork, and food preparation did not occur in the ground-floor rooms. Fine pottery was kept here, but no evidence for large-scale storage was present.

The Upper Story

The presence of an upper floor paved with stone slabs, at least over Room BY 2 at the f r o n t of the building, is proved by the many slabs found in the fill. A drain suggests a bath or toilet. A wooden stair or ladder must have been used to reach the upper story because n o stone staircase is p r e s e n t in the building. Several pieces of evidence help reconstruct some of the activities in the upstairs rooms. Ground stone tools include a quern as well as hand tools used for grinding, implying food preparation, and the high percentage of sherds from cooking vessels suggests a kitchen. Both the cooking dish (a large open bowl probably meant to set in a fireplace or hearth) and

General T h e full p r e s e n t a t i o n of the p o t t e r y f r o m this building, given in Appendix A, demonstrates that the building's contents are almost all from Late Minoan I. The range of pottery shapes and fabrics is typical of mixed debris f r o m this p e r i o d at Pseira. T h e few early sherds can best be explained as stray small fragments included in walls or ceilings rather than as habitation debris. T h e chronological pattern for this pottery is extremely i m p o r t a n t because it demonstrates that the o t h e r finds, including the g r o u n d stone tools and the obsidian, are also from LM I. The obsidian is sufficient to suggest that it was being manufactured into tools at this location, and this is the first obsidian workshop f r o m LM I published from Crete. Building BY is also instructive for the evidence that

the tripod cooking pot are present. Cooking could have been done either on the second story or on the roof, and the concentration of sherds in Room BY 1 suggests that this activity was carried out somewhere toward the north, at the back part of the building. A concentration of obsidian pieces comes from the fill above R o o m BY 2 (at t h e s o u t h , away f r o m t h e kitchen), and many additional examples are f r o m the disturbed fill adjacent to this room. Most of the obsidian consists of the cores and flakes discarded as waste from chipped stone tool manufacture. An obsidian workshop seems to have been upstairs at the f r o n t of the building, above Room BY 2 (see also Dierckx 1995:57-59; Dierckx and Floyd 1995).

Conclusions is not present. It was completely excavated, so (except for Byzantine searches for stone blocks) the picture should be fairly c o m p l e t e . No evidence was f o u n d for weaving, for the importation of foreign goods aside from local East Cretan pottery, for any hint of cult activity, or even for large-scale storage. T h e absence of large-scale storage in a b u i l d i n g where the pottery suggests use as a dwelling is surprising. The resident or residents of Building BY prepared f o o d and cooked a n d served it, stored objects in small vessels, and made obsidian tools. The building did not house a large storage area. Other activities, including those using p u m i c e tools a n d obsidian blades, must have involved perishable materials that do not survive.

24

Building BZ

1. Introduction and History of the Excavations, Philip P Betan court Building BZ is one of the structures in the northeast block of the Minoan town (111. 1). It lies south of Building BAA and north of Building BI, at the top of the steep cliff that marks the eastern boundary of Area B. Like the rest of the block, Building BZ is built of carefully constructed stone walls that form a series of rectilinear rooms and spaces. Richard Seager excavated Building BZ along with its neighbors. He indicated the rooms on his published plan (Seager 1910: K 2-3; see 111. 2), but he offered no comments on the building. No study of the remains has taken place since Seager's investigation. In the 1980s, Building BZ was still partly visible.

Four spaces north of a narrow east-west corridor could be traced on the ground, with a sixth space at the northeast corner and slightly lower, east of the building's main eastern retaining wall. Plans were made to record and study what was visible, but new excavation was not considered a high priority for this structure. T h e visible architecture was drawn in 1990 by Senta German and other members of the architecture team with architect J o h n C. McEnroe supervising the operation. The building was studied the next season.

2. The Architecture, Building BZ John C. McEnroe Like Building BAA to the north, Building BZ is perched precariously on the edge of the cliff that drops off to the sea. Perhaps partly because of that location, the builders chose to construct the east facade in massive megalithic blocks. Most of the interi-

or of the building is filled with rubble, which forms a slope down from west to east. Although parts of six interior spaces can be distinguished (111. 56), they do not provide a very clear picture of the original organization of the building.

228

PSEIRA IV

BUILDING BZ

Materials and T h e massive east facade is of megalithic blocks of medium-gray limestone laid in regular courses (PI. 33). In addition to the impressive size of the masonry, the wall has several other unusual features. At a point about 3 m from the north end of the wall, an interesting j o g is formed by a bonded joint. From the j o g northward the upper course differs in orientation f r o m the lower courses. Although in plan this appears to be a simple rebuilding, the fact that the joint is bonded suggests that, for whatever reason, the jog

Building T h e small Room BZ 6, outside the main east facade of the building, may have been part of an earlier building that preceded the main construction phase of Building BZ. The massive east facade of the main

Room

229

Techniques and the shift in orientation were carried out as a part of the original construction of the wall. At both the north and south ends of the massive facade, openings have been left in the lowest course. The one on the north is 0.36 m wide x 0.28 m high, and the one on the south is 0.61 m wide x 0.28 m high. These openings may have been left intentionally to help drain the fill held in by the massive retaining wall.

Sequence phase was built over Room BZ 6 and against the existing south wall of Building BAA. In the final stage of the building, R o o m s BZ 4 a n d BZ 5 were a d d e d against the south wall of Room BZ 3.

Descriptions

ROOMS BZ 1 - 3

ROOM BZ 5

T h e interior of a large space at the north of the building is mostly filled with rubble.

This long, narrow room may have been a stairway. The west end was formed partly by cutting away the bedrock. A limestone slab forms a single step or part of a pavement. The north wall is 3.78 m long, 0.48 m thick, and 0.30 m high (2 courses). The south wall is 4.20 m long, 0.65 m thick, a n d 0.85 m high in 4 courses.

ROOM BZ 4 Room BZ 4 is the rectangular room built against Room BZ 3. It is not entirely clear how it relates to the rooms to the north. A platform of rubble and slabs stands in its southwest corner. It is ca. 0.90 m x 0.60 m x 0.80 m high. It may have been a stair landing. T h e n o r t h wall is ca. 4 m long and 0.53 m high. The south wall is 3.90 m long, 0.43 m thick, and 0.23 m high in 3 courses. T h e east wall is 1.60 m long and 0.96 m high (6 courses). The west wall is 2.85 m long and 0.78 m thick, and it is preserved only to the level of the interior surface.

ROOM BZ 6 This room may be part of an earlier building.

230

PSEIRA IV

3. Comments and Conclusions, Building BZ Philip P. Betan court Building BZ, near the northeastern limits of the town, is at the edge of the steep cliff that forms the eastern boundary of the site. An impressive megalithic wall is at the edge of the cliff to support the building's terrace on the east. Like many other locations at Pseira, this structure is a testament to the fine knowledge of stone masonry at the town. T h e room arrangement for Building BZ is not completely clear today. Few architectural conclusions

can be made, but the building probably consisted originally o f Rooms BZ 1, BZ 2, BZ 3, and o t h e r spaces to the west that are today covered by eroded soil and stones. The entrance will have been on the west. The building is later than Building BAA, on the north, and it has a predecessor whose only visible remains are Room BZ 6, on the east. It seems to have been standing when the town was destroyed in LM IB.

25

Building BAA

1. Introduction and History of the Excavations Philip P. Betancourt A row of buildings on the edge of the steep cliff at the eastern side of the Pseiran peninsula is exposed because of the excavations of Richard Seager. Five separate structures may be recognized north of the Town Square. From north to south, they are now designated BAA, BZ, BI, BJ, and BS/BV. Building BAA, the most northern architectural construction, marks the landward limit of the town; Building BS/BV, at the south of this block of buildings, fronts on the Town Square at its northeast corner. Only a small part of Building BAA may be traced today. Although about the same amount was visible

in 1907, Seager did not discuss the structure, and, in fact, it has never been mentioned in print except for its inclusion in the plan prepared by Seager's uncle Benjamin Berry (Seager 1910: plan, K 2; see 111. 2). The building is partly buried. Except for recording the visible remains, no work was p l a n n e d f o r t h e b u i l d i n g . It was d r a w n in 1990-1991 by Anne Barnosky and other members of the architecture team u n d e r the supervision of J o h n C. McEnroe. The architecture was studied the next season.

2. The Architecture, Building BAA John C. McEnroe Building BAA is closely related to Building BZ which was a d d e d against its south facade (111. 57). Like Building BZ, it was made of massive, roughly squared megalithic blocks to protect it against the cliff that drops off to the sea immediately east of the

building. Despite some of the most impressive masonry at the site, almost nothing is known about the building. Today only a single i n t e r i o r space can be distinguished. The building is filled with rubble.

PSEIRA IV

232

7m

BUILDING

BAA

Sui» Galium. Illustration 57. Plan of Building BAA.

Materials and The megalithic blocks of the east facade vary in size and shape, but they are laid in impressively regular courses (PI. 33). The megalithic blocks turn the

Techniques corners at both the n o r t h and south ends of the building, continuing a short distance to the west before disappearing into the fill.

233

BUILDING BAA

Room

Descriptions

ROOM BAA 1

1.56 m, and it stands 0.60 m high. The north wall is not preserved.

Only part of a single space is preserved. A section of the south wall can be traced for about 1.90 m. It stands 0.80 m above the level of the interior fill in 5 courses. T h e east wall is 4.04 m long and 0.78 m thick, and it is preserved only to the level of the interior. T h e west wall is preserved for a length of ca.

SPACE BAA 2 This space is outside the building.

3. T h e Pottery, Building BAA Philip P. Betancourt A few sherds were collected in the surface survey of Building BAA, including one fragment from the earliest p e r i o d of the settlement (no. BAA 1). All of them came from just outside the single recognizable

interior space, and they are recorded here because they provide chronological information on the history of this spot at the extreme northern limits of the Minoan town.

Catalog SPACE BAA 2 FINAL N E O L I T H I C T O EM I, COARSE FABRIC BAA 1, Fig. 51 (PS 4117; BAA 2-Surface). Bowl, body sherd. Max dim 7.5. A coarse fabric (dark gray, 5YR 4 / 1 ) ; burnished. Convex profile. Comments: Coarse, burnished, dark-surfaced pottery constitutes the earliest ceramics found at Pseira. It is f o u n d in the cemetery as well as in the town. Bowls like this one are common. Date. Final Neolithic to EM I.

Comments and Parallels: See no. BR 28. Date. MM IIB. BAA 3, Fig. 51 (PS 4118; BAA 2-Surface). Carinated cup, body sherd. Max dim 2.4. A fine fabric (very pale brown, 10YR 8 / 4 ) , with inclusions. Sherd from above the carination; grooves on upper section. Dark slip on interior (reddish yellow, 5YR 7/8) and exterior (dark). Comments and Parallels: See no. BR 28. Date. MM IIB. MM II—III, FINE FABRICS

MM IIB, FINE FABRICS BAA 2, Fig. 51 (PS 4116; BAA 2-Surface). Carinated cup, base sherd. D of base ca. 4. A fine fabric (yellow, 10YR 8 / 6 ) , with i n c l u s i o n s . C a r i n a t e d p r o f i l e ; grooves on upper section. Dark slip on interior and exterior.

BAA 4, Fig. 51 (PS 4115; BAA 2-Surface). Closed vessel, base sherd. D of base ca. 5. A fine fabric (core: pink, 5YR 7/4; exterior: very pale brown, 10YR 8 / 4 ) , with inclusions. Straight profile. Dark slip on exterior; added paint not preserved. Date. MM II—III.

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4. The Stone Tools, Building BAA Heidi M. C. Dierckx A q u e r n , a small piece of an obsidian blade, and a b r o k e n chert n o d u l e were picked u p in the surface

survey of Building BAA.

Catalog SPACE BAA 2

CHIPPED STONE

GROUND STONE BAA 5, Fig. 51 (PS u n n u m b e r e d ; BAA 2-Surface). Q u e r n , three-quarters preserved. Max length 50; max w 23; th 7.5; d of depression 4.8; preserved wt 1 kg, 834 gr. Metacarbonate (greenish gray, 5 G Y 6 / 1 ) . Oblong with r o u n d e d ends. Working surface a b r a d e d smooth. Comments: Basin q u e r n . Found on the Middle Minoan surface as left by Seager. T h e object was left at the site. Date. Middle Minoan.

BAA 6, Fig. 51 (PS 4027; BAA 2-Surface). Blade, c e n t e r s e c t i o n . Max p r e s e r v e d l e n g t h 0.9; m a x w 1.35; max th 0.2. Obsidian (black, N 1). Two ridges. Parallels. See Pseira I, no. AI 6. Date: Minoan.

CHERT BAA 7, Fig. 51 (PS 4028; BAA 2-Surface). Pebble, fragment. Max dim 2.4. Chert (pale red, 10R 6 / 4 to weak red, 10R 5 / 2 ) . R o u n d e d surface. Comments: Not worked; either b r o u g h t in accidentally with building material or g a t h e r e d as potential raw material for tools. Date. Minoan.

5. Other Cataloged Objects, Building BAA Philip P Betancourt O n e f r a g m e n t of a stone vessel was collected from n e a r the b u i l d i n g . T h e vase is m a d e of olive gray limestone which is not native to Pseira, but the material may come f r o m Crete. It was f o u n d on the surface.

SPACE BAA 2 BAA 8, Fig. 51 (PS 4182; BAA 2-Surface). Vessel, body fragment. Max dim 4.4. Limestone (olive gray, 5 Y 5 / 2 ) . T h i n wall; convex profile. Date. MM.

BUILDING BAA

235

6. T h e Lithic Materials, Building BAA Philip P. Betan court A piece of emery and a small nodule of chert were found on the surface next to Building BAA. Neither

Catalog and SPACE BAA 2 Emery, 1 irregular piece, dark colored, 4.5 x 2.8 x 1.0 cm Chert, 1 r o u n d e d piece (no. BAA 6), 0.2 x 1.35 cm Emery is not native to either Pseira or Crete, and pieces like this one must have been imported. The closest location for the material is the island of Naxos and the nearby coast of Asia Minor (see the discus-

one was worked or modified,

Discussion sion by Betancourt 1994-1996:64). Emery is useful both for the manufacture of tools and as a powder to be used in various abrasive actions i n c l u d i n g the manufacture of stone vessels. Several pieces come from the Pseiran town. The chert is native to Pseira. It could have been brought to the settlement either as a piece of raw material or as an accidental piece of stone brought in with soil or building materials. Only a few artifacts of chert are known from Pseira.

7. Comments and Conclusions, Building BAA Philip P. Betancourt Building BAA is the most n o r t h e r n point in the town of Pseira. It is built at the edge of the cliff at the northeastern edge of the town. T h e single interior room visible today is earlier than the nearby Building BZ, built against its southern face. Much of the area is covered with rubble. Little of the architecture is visible today, and no excavation was c o n d u c t e d in the area. Only a single room, plus a nearby space, can be traced. It seems likely that the architecture is f r o m the Middle Minoan period (the date of most of the pottery found on the surface), but a use in LM I cannot be proved

from the small amount of evidence that was collected. A single Final Neolithic to EM I sherd helps document the earliest history of the settlement, known only from stray sherds like this one not associated with any early a r c h i t e c t u r e . Some of the objects found in the surface survey suggest small domestic manufacturing of the type associated with a few other buildings on the site (the piece of emery, for example) ; they do not rule out the use of the rooms as a dwelling even though little direct evidence for a domestic situation is preserved.

Part II Areas C, D, and F

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Introduction Areas C, D, and F are west of Areas A and B. Area C is on the hillside that overlooks the harbor and the ravine that terminates at the Pseiran beach from the west (PI. 34A). Area D is the western side of the same hillside, and Area F is west of Area D. Richard Seager excavated several of the buildings in Area C and D, but he did not publish his results except for a brief mention in his 1910 volume. Many

of the walls he uncovered are still visible on the bare hillsides that constitute this part of the site. O n e house in Area D, left untouched by Seager, was excavated by the modern project. It provides a good example of the LM III architecture of Pseira. T h e other buildings in this part of the town were not touched by the modern project except for mapping, drawing, and study of the visible remains.

26

Building CA

1. Introduction and History of the Excavations Philip P. Betancourt Building CA is a well-constructed limestone building on a terrace above the ravine dividing Areas B and C. It was uncovered by Richard Seager in 1907, and the walls are shown in a cursory way on his plan (Seager 1910: plan, grid squares D - E , 3 - 4 . No work

was d o n e in this building e x c e p t for mapping and drawing the visible walls. T h e building was surveyed and drawn in 1 9 9 4 - 1 9 9 5 u n d e r the supervision o f Lada Onyshkevych, with consultation from J o h n C. McEnroe in 1995.

2. The Architecture, Building CA John C. McEnroe B u i l d i n g CA is a well-constructed and relatively well-preserved building set into a cutting along the slopes o f the northwestern part o f Area C (111. 5 8 ) .

Materials

and

Building CA is built primarily o f medium-gray limestone. A large phyllite slab (1.40 x 0.60 x 0.12 m) was used for the threshold o f R o o m CA 5. Several styles of masonry were used for the walls. T h e interior walls

Like most o f the buildings in Area C, Building CA was excavated by Seager, and it is r e c o r d e d on his plan in grid squares D 3 - 4 and E 3 - 4 .

Techniques were relatively thin rubble partitions that have largely collapsed. T h e massive south and east facades are o f megalithic masonry, as is c o m m o n at Pseira for walls built

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Illustration 58. Plan of Building CA.

BUILDING CA

on the downhill sides of buildings. The west exterior facade of Room CA 4 is a rare example of a megalithic facade used on an uphill side of a building. It is likely that this facade faced o n t o a street that ran

Building Building CA has three main structural phases. 1. The west, north, and east walls of Rooms CA 1

Room

241

along this part of the site between the main terrace levels. Building CA was set into a cutting that was made into the slope below that street.

Sequence and 2 were built. 2. The east wall of Room CA 4 was added. 3. The interior walls were constructed.

Descriptions

SPACES CA 1 AND CA 2

SPACE CA 4

Spaces CA 1 and CA 2 were essentially one continuous space divided by a partition ca. 2.50 m long. This partition wall is now covered largely with collapsed rubble. A second partition wall in the southeast corner of Space CA 1 corresponds to the jog in the east f a c a d e of the building. T h e west wall of Space CA 2 is the wall with a megalithic facade on the uphill side. It is ca. 2.40 m long, and it is preserved to a height of 1.80 m above the level of the p r e s e n t s u r f a c e in 5 c o u r s e s . T h e n o r t h wall of Spaces CA 1 and 2 is ca. 6.80 m long and is preserved to a height of ca. 1.50 m in the northwest corner of Space CA 2. T h e p r e s e n t surface level inside the space may be ca. 0.50 m below the level of the original surface, to judge from the level of the threshold block in Space CA 5.

The walls of Space CA 4 were of massive megalithic masonry on all but the north side, but they are not well preserved. Most of the room today is filled with a pile of rubble. The south wall is 2.25 m long, 0.60 m thick, and 1.20 m high in 5 courses. The east wall is ca. 6.50 m long on the exterior, and it is preserved only at the surface level. The west wall is 4.50 m long.

SPACE CA 3 Space CA 3 is not well preserved. It is defined by a small rubble east-west partition wall 2.10 m long and 0.50 m high (in 4 courses). An even smaller section of a partition wall ca. 1.20 m long was apparently located along the south side of the space, but today it is too poorly preserved to be clearly recorded in the plan. These rubble partition walls of Space CA 3 may have b e l o n g e d to a stairway t h a t rose f r o m the vestibule, Space CA 5.

SPACE CA 5 Space CA 5 is the area just east of the threshold that marks the main entrance to the building. T h e boundaries of the building are no longer clear.

SPACE CA 6 Space CA 6 is the small area west of the threshold. It was originally an area outside Building CA, which linked the entrance to the building with the street that ran along its west side. Most of the north side of this space was formed by a single massive block, ca. 2.80 m long.

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3. Comments and Conclusions, Building CA Philip P. Betancourt Building CA, uphill from the ravine dividing Areas B and C, is o n e o f the buildings in Area C that is exposed enough for its architecture to be studied in detail. It is important because it documents the building techniques in this part of the Minoan town. Construction o f the buildings in Area C represents an expansion of the Pseiran community, which must have taken place about the end o f MM IIB. Construction methods in Building CA are similar to the LM I building practices in the other parts o f the Minoan town. T h e similarities include techniques

of stone-working (hammer-dressing rather than working with a chisel), methods o f wall construction (with coursed rubble as well as megalithic masonry), and specific choices for architectural e l e m e n t s like threshold blocks. Clearly, this section o f the town is built in the same a r c h i t e c t u r a l tradition p r a c t i c e d elsewhere in the town. T h e building is within the size range for a small Pseiran house. Insufficient evidence is present, however, for any firm conclusions on activities within the structure.

27

Area CB

1. Introduction and History of the Excavations Philip P. Betancourt Area CB is southeast of Building CA. The walls of a building are partly visible here, but so little can be seen that it is difficult to reconcile the remains with the information published by Seager. The 1907 excavations uncovered part of one room, and a schematic plan of the walls was published (Seager 1910: plan, grid square D 5). The room exposed by Seager probably f o r m e d part of a Late Minoan I house. As the early excavator reported (1910:24): There are in all fifteen vases, for the most part cups a n d bowls, which come f r o m D.5, R.l, a new house of which only part of one room has been opened up. This room was filled with thousands of finely d e c o r a t e d LM I sherds, f r o m which the above m e n t i o n e d vases were put together. Twelve baskets of painted potsherds and as many again of coarser vessels represent the breakage of an enormous mass of pottery which

must have formed the stock of a dealer. These vases, though good examples of their class, present no new features, the designs being for the most part plant wreaths and similar motives. None of the vases can be identified among the pottery pieces preserved today. T h e decoration Seager called a "plant wreath" may be the foliate band, suggesting that the room held ordinary LM I vessels. A large breccia rhyton comes from the same room (Seager 1910:37). T h e vessel, one of the best stone vases found at Pseira, is similar to an example from Knossos. No excavation was made in the building during the 1984-1995 project. The visible walls were measured and drawn in 1994-1995 u n d e r the supervision of Lada Onyshkevych, with consultation by J o h n C. McEnroe in 1995.

PSEIRA IV

244

2. The Architecture, Area CB John C. McEnroe the building were shown in Seager's plan, and today little of the building remains to be seen. Area CB is entered by a doorway in the south wall, marked by a large metacarbonate threshold. Inside parts of two rooms can be distinguished.

Area CB contains the poorly preserved remains of a building located to the southeast of Building CA (111. 59). It was apparently separated from Building CA by a narrow exterior passage, which varies from 1.00 m to 1.60 m in width. Only a couple of walls of

Materials

and

Like Building CA, the structure in Area CB was set into a cutting made into the slope. The walls of the structure are poorly preserved. Even the south wall, which served as a retaining wall, has largely collapsed. The exterior facades of the north and south sides of the structure are of coursed large rubble. The interior faces of the north, south, and east walls

Room

Techniques of Space CB 1 are of coursed rubble and slabs. Space CB 1 was entered by a doorway with a large threshold (1.20 x 0.40 x 0.16 m). Percussion marks from hammer dressing are still visible on the threshold and on the stones of the ends of the walls flanking the doorway. Space CB 1 was at least partly paved with large phyllite slabs.

Description

SPACE CB 1

SPACE CB 2

Space CB 1 appears to have been, at least in part, a paved vestibule. The east wall is 1.40 m long, and it stands to a height of 0.60 m in 5 courses. The west wall is 5.90 m long, 0.70 thick, and 1.30 m high in 7 courses. Only a 1.60-m-long segment of the south wall is preserved. Four courses stand to a maximum height of 0.90 m.

Space CB 2 is barely distinguishable today. It is largely filled with rubble and soil, and it is badly eroded on the southwest side. T h e original shape and dimensions of the space an unclear. T h e west wall of the building continues farther down the slope than the east wall. T h e southwest limit of Area CB cannot be clearly defined.

3. The Stone Vessel, Area CB Philip P Betancourt and, Eleni S. Banou A breccia piriform rhyton was found by Richard Seager during his excavation in the building in Area CB (Seager 1910:37, pi. 8). It is similar in material

and in style to a rhyton from Knossos (HM 36; Warren 1969:88). Perhaps the two vessels were made in the same workshop.

245

AREA CB

Catalog CB 1 (HM 1126, PI. 34B). Piriform rhyton, complete. Ht 32.4; d of rim 11.9. Breccia, matrix light red (2.5YR 8/6) with areas and streaks of white (2.5Y 8/0) with dark angular fragments, mostly black (10YR 2/1). Piriform shape; wide, thick rim with incised vertical lines on rim; two sets of two holes drilled into upper shoulder, opposite each other; one hole in base.

Parallels: Warren 1969: Shape 34B2; similar is HM 36 (Knossos), made of the same material and in the same shape. Date-. LM I. BibL: Seager 1910: 37, pi. 8; Maraghiannis, Karo and Seager [1907-1921]: II, pi. 21, below, no. 4; Warren 1969:88, figs. D 259, P 488a.

4. Comments and Conclusions, Area CB Philip P. Betancourt Although little architecture is visible in Area CB today, Seager found substantial amounts of pottery in a room uncovered at this location. The published description of the ceramics suggests a probable date in

LM IB, contemporary with the time of the destruction of other parts of the town. A fine stone rhyton comes from the same spot.

N

Illustration 59. Plan of Building CB.

28

Building CC

1. Introduction and General Comments Philip P Betancourt Building CC is unexcavated. It consists of a few walls that are visible at the present ground level, with additional buried remains. T h e structure is in the northwest part of Area C. It is probably a large Minoan building. T h e visible walls were measured and drawn in 1994-1995 under the supervision of Lada

Onyshkevych with consultation from J o h n C. McEnroe in 1995. Although little can be said about Building CC, its measurement helps document the size of the Minoan community of Pseira. No objects are recorded from this location.

2. The Architecture, Building CC John C. McEnroe Building CC is located on the gently sloping surface at the extreme northwest end of Area C on the terrace level above that of Building CA (111. 6 0 ) . Building CC is not shown on Seager's plan. Today

Room SPACE c c 1 The east wall of the space is preserved for a length

only the tops of a single course of stones are visible above the surface, and only parts of two rooms can be distinguished. T h e stones suggest that the construction was originally in large rubble masonry.

Description of 5.03 m at the level of the present surface. T h e south wall is 2.85 m long, and it is also visible only at the surface level. The west wall is 3.15 m long.

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PSEIRA IV

SPACE CC 2 The east wall is 3.15 m long, and the south wall is ca. 3.50 m long. Both are visible only at the level of the present surface.

N

•i? P

°

Q«

16.04

BUILDING C C

Illustration 60. Plan of Building CC.

29

Building CD

1. Introduction and General Comments Philip P Betancourt Building CD is west o f Building CA. Although it was partly excavated by Richard Seager in 1907, little of the structure is visible today. Some o f the walls are noted on Seager's plan (1910: plan, grid square D 3). T h e visible walls were m e a s u r e d a n d drawn in

1 9 9 4 - 1 9 9 5 under the supervision of Lada Onyshkevych with consultation from J o h n C. McEnroe in 1995. No artifacts are recorded from the building.

2. The Architecture, Building CD John C. McEnroe Building CD is located on the higher terrace to the west o f Building CA (111. 6 1 ) . Only two walls are visible today. A roughly 4-m-long section of the east wall o f the building remains, and a single stone o f the south wall indicates the location of one corner of the

building. They appear to have been built o f roughly squared megalithic stones laid in regular courses, and they are among the most carefully constructed walls in the vicinity. T h e s e walls served as retaining walls to support a terrace on the west.

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PSEIRA IV

Illustration 61. Plan of Building CD.

30

Area CE

1. Introduction and General Comments Philip P. Betancourt Some of the architecture in Area CE was excavated by Richard Seager, but the walls are no longer intelligible as a coherent whole (Seager 1910: plan, grid square B - C , 5 - 6 ) . Some of what Seager excavated is no longer above ground (as in grid square B 5). The Minoan builders worked here on several terraces,

using complex retaining walls. The remains may belong to more than one building. No artifacts are recorded from the area. The walls were measured and drawn in 1994-1995 under the supervision of Lada Onyshkevych with consultation from John C. McEnroe in 1995.

2. The Architecture, Area CE John C. McEnroe Area CE is a series of spaces between Building CI and Area CB on the north and Building CF on the south (111. 6 2 ) . T h e seven spaces of Area CE fill a complicated location in Area C where the buildings of the settlement begin to wrap around the point of the peninsula. This required the builders of the

spaces of Area CE to build on surfaces that slope down both from north to south and from east to west. In a d d i t i o n , a tall, massive p r o j e c t i o n o f bedrock in Space CE 3 rises to form a mound projecting above the level of the surfaces of the rooms surrounding it on all sides.

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252

14.20 -tyo

Q 13.69 •A/1 1 . 1 7

N

10.71

11.43

BUILDING CE 10.87 0

1

zm 8.78

19 9 4

Illustration 62. Plan of Building CE.

Materials and Because of the complicated nature of the setting, the spaces of Area CE involve a series of terraces. Spaces CE 1 a n d 2 were set into cuttings on the slope. In Space CE 3, the floor level was formed by raising the surface with an artificial fill to a level above the top of the projecting bedrock mound. In Space CE 4 another smaller projection of bedrock fills the center of the west half of the room. The surrounding floor is at a level approximately 1 m below the top of the bedrock. Yet another line of bedrock slopes down from west to east along the south side of

Techniques Space CE 5. If any wall ever stood over this sloping surface, no trace remains today. Space CE 6 appears to be a solid mass of rubble with a face on the south side. Most of the walls of Area CE appear to be interior walls of medium-gray limestone rubble. Two walls, however, are of unusual construction. The eastern part of the north wall of Space CE 2 i n c o r p o r a t e s at least two large slabs set on edge. These two slabs are massive. (The westernmost is ca. 1.00 m long, 0.90 m high, and ca. 0.18 m thick.) This

AREA CE

sort of construction, which we have called "uncut orthostate" construction, is u n c o m m o n at Pseira. T h e best parallels for it are found in Buildings AD North and AF South, where they are associated with a relatively early phase (late M M - e a r l y LM) o f the main

town period. T h e western section of this same wall is also unusual: built of uncoursed rubble, it may repres e n t a p h a s e o f r e b u i l d i n g . A n o t h e r " u n c u t orthostate" slab was used at the southwest c o r n e r o f Space CE 4.

Building

Sequence

T h e walls o f Area C E were probably constructed over a relatively long period o f time. As mentioned above, the north wall o f Space CE 2 may represent two distinct phases. T h e orthostate slabs on its southeast face originally may have formed part o f the facade o f a building that extended to the north. T h e uncoursed rubble on the west e n d o f the wall may represent a phase o f reuse, when the orthostates became a part o f the inner face o f the present wall. Within the house, the long n o r t h - s o u t h wall that divides the building into two halves (Spaces CE 5, 6,

Room

253

and 7 on the west, and Space CE 2, 3, and 4 on the west) was built against the existing southeast c o r n e r o f Building CI. T h e wall that separates Spaces CE 3 and CE 4 was butted against the long n o r t h - s o u t h wall. Finally, t h e t e r r a c e , S p a c e C E 6, was b u i l t against the existing walls on the west and the north. T h e spaces o f Area CE were apparently among the latest in this part of the settlement. In their present form, they are later than Building CI on the northwest and later than the terrace wall that runs along the west side of Spaces CE 5 and CE 6.

Descriptions

SPACE CE 1

SPACE CE 3

Space CE 1 is the small space between Building CB and Area CE. Because the north wall of the room has an exterior face on its south side, this space appears to have b e e n an unroofed area in its final stage. T h e north wall o f the space is 3.25 m long and 0.60 m thick. It stands to a h e i g h t o f 1.08 m in 5 courses. T h e south wall is 2.89 long, 0.55 m thick, and 0.75 m high in 3 courses.

Space CE 3 is a terrace built around a rise in the bedrock. It appears to have been defined originally by terrace walls on the north, south, and east sides, but these walls largely have collapsed. T h e entire surface o f the space appears to be e r o d e d to a level below that of the original floor level. T h e preserved segment of the south wall is 1.80 m long; the west wall is 3.50 m long.

SPACE CE 2

SPACE CE 4

Space CE 2 appears to have had a complicated history. Its north side is formed by a wall 7.80 m long and 0.50 m thick which is preserved to a maximum h e i g h t o f 1 . 7 0 m . T h e s o u t h side o f the space is formed by a raised terrace supported by a rubble retaining wall ca. 2 . 8 0 m long and 1.10 m high in 9 courses. T h e east and west sides are not preserved.

Space CE 4 forms the lowest terrace level in Area CE. T h e entire east side o f the space has been lost to erosion. T h e north wall is 1.80 m long and 0.90 high in 6 courses. Its width is unclear. T h e south wall o f the r o o m is r e p r e s e n t e d mainly by a single large stone set on edge. T h e stone is ca. 1.00 m long, 0.60 m thick, and ca. 1.00 m high. T h e west wall is 3.25 m long, 0.60 m thick, and 1.20 m high in 3 courses.

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SPACE CE 5

SPACE CE 6

Space CE 5 is the rectangular area between the retaining wall on the west and the terrace called Space CE 6 on the north. It is unclear whether this space should be considered a part of Area CE or whether it should be associated with building CF on the south. T h e n o r t h wall, which is 2.50 m long, stands to a height of 1.20 m in 6 courses. The west wall segment is 1.56 m long and 1.50 m high in 5 courses. T h e south limit of the space is not preserved.

Space CE 6 appears to be a retaining wall formed of a solid mass of masonry. The dimensions are ca. 2.00 m E-W by ca. 2.50 m N-S.

SPACE CE 7 Space CE 7 is the best-preserved space in Area CE. Only its west side is unclear. The north wall is 3.69 m long, 0.60 m thick, and 1.80 m high (4 courses). The south wall is 2.88 m long, 0.52 m thick, and 0.92 m high (5 courses). The south wall is 3.36 m long, 0.63 m thick, and 1.25 m high (7 courses).

31

Building CF

1. Introduction and General Comments Philip P. Betancourt T h e walls of Building CF are south of Area CE, but because the northern part of the building is not completely visible, one cannot distinguish a clear boundary between the two architectural locations. Like several other buildings at Pseira, the structure is built on more than one terrace. T h e walls of B u i l d i n g CF w e r e u n c o v e r e d by

Richard Seager (1910: plan, grid square C 6). T h e modern project recorded the visible architecture, but no excavation was made in the building. T h e walls were drawn in 1994-1995 u n d e r the supervision of Lada Onyshkevych with consultation f r o m J o h n C. McEnroe.

2. The Architecture, Building CF John C. McEnroe B u i l d i n g CF was c o n s t r u c t e d on two terraces: Spaces CF 1 and CF 2 are on the lower terrace level; Spaces CF 3 and CF 4 are on the upper level (111. 63). These built terraces regularized the natural steep slope which is still marked by the bedrock visible in Space CF 4, between Space CF 2 and CF 3, and in the area east of the building. Building CF is defined by a massive retaining wall on the east, a segment of the

south facade, and by a change in the terrace level on the west. On the north, there is no clear separation between Building CF and Area CE. The division suggested here is a purely arbitrary one made for the sake of convenience. Building CF is poorly preserved. The massive east retaining wall stands to 2 courses. T h e rest of the walls have largely collapsed.

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Illustration 63. Plan of Building CF.

Materials and T h e east retaining wall is of medium-gray limestone in megalithic construction. The south facade is of coursed rubble. The other walls are represented only by poorly preserved interior faces.

Techniques In addition to the medium-gray limestone used for the walls, there are traces of a phyllite slab pavement in Space CF 3. This pavement originally continued over the bedrock that is visible on the east side of the

BUILDING CF

space. T h e level of this pavement marks the groundstory level of the upper terrace (Spaces CF 3 and CF

Building The terrace wall on the southwest side of the building appears to represent several phases of rebuildings and repairs. Otherwise, the walls of Building CF

Room

257

4), and the level of the upper story above Space CF 2.

Sequence are too poorly preserved to distinguish building phases.

Descriptions

SPACE CF 1

SPACE CF 3

Space CF 1 is the small space between Area CE and Building CF. It is defined by a poorly preserved wall segment on the south and by the massive orthostate in the south wall of Space CE 4. Only about 0.80 m of the wall is clearly visible.

The west wall of Space CF 3 is 2.37 m long and 0.50 m high in 3 courses. The other walls are no longer clear.

SPACE CF 4 SPACE CF 2 Only the east wall of Space CF 2 is clearly defined today. This megalithic wall can be followed for 6.17 m before it disappears beneath the fill on the north.

Only the general lines of Space CF 4 are visible.

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6.00

Illustration 64. Plan of Area CG.

32

Area CG

1. Introduction and General Comments Philip P. Betancourt Area CG is the most southern structure in Area C excavated by Richard Seager. T h e location has the best-preserved architecture in this area (Seager 1910: plan, grid squares A-B, 6-7). Built on two terraces, the rooms are joined by a well-constructed staircase.

A room with a pebble floor is a notable detail. The only work d o n e in the b u i l d i n g consisted of the preparation of a state plan in 1994-1995 under the supervision of Lada Onyshkevych with consultation from J o h n C. McEnroe.

2. The Architecture, Area CG John C. McEnroe Area CG was excavated by Seager and is shown in his plan in grid squares A 7 and B 7. Today, it is the clearest and best-preserved structure in Area C, and one of the most interesting architectural units at the site. Area CG was constructed on a building site that slopes down f r o m west to east (111. 64). Bedrock in Spaces CG 7, CG 1, CG 2, and outside the east facade mark the direction of the original slope. To accommodate the slope, The building site was divided into

two terraces. Spaces CG 1 - 4 are on the lower terrace; Spaces CG 5 - 7 are on the upper terrace. A stairway, Space CG 3, connects the two levels. To judge from the level of the lowest step in Space CG 3, there was only about 1.30 m difference between the two floor levels, indicating that the ground-floor spaces of the lower terrace were relatively low basement spaces. A second flight of stairs above the sottoscala, Space CG 2, may have climbed from the landing to an upper story.

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Materials

and

Phyllite was used for the slab pavement in Space CG 5 and for the steps in Space CG 3. Unlike most of the phyllite steps at the site, the three middle steps were made from a single block of phyllite that was cut back to form a series of risers and treads. One of the most interesting features in Area CG is the floor pavement in Space CG 4. During the final Minoan use of the room, it was paved with a hard surface of tiny rounded pebbles set into a lime matrix that closely resembles modern concrete. Fragments of a similar floor were found in Space AF 3A, into which they had apparently fallen from an upper story. The pebble pavement in Space CG 4 is the only good example of this sort of surface found in situ at Pseira. The pebble surface stretches across much of the room. Near the center of Space CG 4, where

Building The buildings of Area CG involve at least three distinct building phases. 1. The long terrace wall that runs along the west side of Spaces CG 6 and CG 7 is the earliest element

Room

Techniques some of the pebble pavement has broken away, a portion of an earlier slab pavement is visible beneath it. The walls of Area CG incorporate several masonry styles. Much of the east facade and the southeast corner is of megalithic masonry. T h e terrace wall on the east side of the building is of large rubble. The west wall of Space CG 6 includes one megalithic block and one large stone set on its edge. Most of the other walls are of rubble laid in rough courses. The terrace wall that forms the south side of the street, Space CG 8, is one of the longest relatively straight terrace walls at the site. A segment of this wall, more than 14.5 m long, runs N-S across this section of the town before disappearing into the fill at either end.

Sequence in this part of the site. 2. T h e south and east walls of Space CG 7 were built against the long terrace wall. 3. T h e walls o f Spaces CG 1 - C G 6 were added against the southeast corner of Space CG 7.

Descriptions

SPACE CG 1

SPACE CG 3

Most of Space CG 1 is filled with collapsed rubble. The south wall of the space has collapsed, and the north limit of the room is not defined. The west wall is 7.20 m long and 0.60 m thick. It stands to a height of 1.32 m in 5 courses.

Space CG 3 is the stairway that connects the lower terrace with the upper terrace. It includes the narrow landing at the west end. T h e stairs rise to a height oi 1.34 m in a series of 10 risers.

SPACE CG 2 Space CG 2 appears to have been a sottoscala beneath a return flight of stairs that rose from west to east. The eastern limit of the room is not defined. The north wall is 3.47 m long and 0.40 m high (3 courses). The south wall is 2.66 m long, 0.40 m thick, and 0.50 m high in 3 courses. The west wall is about 1.00 m long and 0.40 m high in 3 courses.

SPACE CG 4 Space CG 4 is the largest room of the lower terrace level. T h e south wall is 4.52 m long, 0.59 m thick, and 0.70 m high in 3 courses. T h e east wall is preserved for a length of 0.70 m. It is preserved only at the surface level of the interior of the building. The west wall is 2.55 m long and 1.15 m high in 6 courses.

AREA CG

SPACE CG 5 Space C G 5 is a rectangular room on the upper terrace level. It was originally paved with phyllite slabs. T h e north wall is 1.87 m long, 0.60 m thick, and 0.60 m high in 4 courses. T h e west wall is 3.20 m long and 0.84 m high (3 courses). T h e inner face of this wall r e p r e s e n t s a relatively late shoring up o f the long E - W retaining wall that runs along the west side of the structure.

SPACE CG 6 S p a c e C G 6 is a r e c t a n g u l a r space between the long north-west retaining wall of Space CG 8 and the stairway in S p a c e C G 3. T h e n o r t h wall is 2.07 m long. A gap 1.07 m wide in the northwest corner may represent a d o o r or simply missing stones. T h e east wall is 3.16 m long and is preserved only at ground level. T h e south wall is 1.80 m long, 0.60 m

261

thick, and 0.70 high in 3 courses. T h e east wall is 3.16 m long. T h e west wall is 2.70 m long and ca. 1 m high in 1 course.

SPACE CG 7 T h e n o r t h limit o f S p a c e C G 7 is u n c l e a r . T h e south wall is 2.60 m long, 0.64 m thick, and 0.90 m high in 3 courses. T h e east wall is 6.62 m long and is preserved only to ground level. T h e west wall is 8.66 m long and 1.20 m high (5 courses).

SPACE CG 8 Space CG 8 appears to have been a street that was l o c a t e d on t h e t e r r a c e above t h e two t e r r a c e s o f Building CG. T h e west side o f the street is marked by a terrace wall 3.12 m long and 0.86 m high.

33

Building CH

1. Introduction and General Comments Philip P. Betancourt Building CH is unexcavated. It is south of Area CG, at the southern side of Area C. The partial outlines of several rooms can be seen on the surface, and the structure appears to be a stone building that is mostly

covered with soil. From what can be seen on the surface, its techniques of construction are typical of Minoan buildings at Pseira.

2. The Architecture, Building CH John C. McEnroe Building CH is located between Area C and Area D. It marks the beginning of the part of the settlement that Seager did not excavate. Today only one large space is sufficiently distinct to be recorded in a plan, t h o u g h t h e r e are indications of additional spaces immediately to the north (111. 65).

T h e g r o u n d level in this part of the site slopes down gently from west to east. On the north, Building CH was built partly against a ledge of bedrock. T h e s o u t h e a s t c o r n e r is b u i l t i m m e d i a t e l y over bedrock. Another projection of bedrock fills much of the northeast corner of Space CH 1.

PSEIRA IV

264

BUILDING CH

UJU.S/lfrnS' 19 9 4

Illustration 65. Plan of Building

Room Today, only the general perimeters of a single architectural space are distinct in Building CH. T h e walls are built of large rubble. Most of the walls have

CH.

Description collapsed and are largely covered. The interior of the space measures roughly 7.25 m x 2.9 m.

34

Building CI

1. Introduction and General Comments Philip P Betancourt A naturally level area on the slope haps m o d i f i e d by h u m a n terracing, Areas C B and CE. A structure on this nated Building CI. Little can be seen

of the hill, peris uphill from terrace is desigof the architec-

ture except for two massive walls that form a corner. T h e walls were drawn in 1 9 9 4 - 1 9 9 5 under the supervision of Lada Onyshkevych with consultation from J o h n C. McEnroe.

2. The Architecture, Building CI John C. McEnroe Building CI is located on the higher terrace immediately west o f Areas C B and CE. Only parts of two massive retaining walls on the north and east sides

Room T h e two extant walls o f Building CI define a single architectural space, Space CI 1. T h e northeast wall is 2 . 2 5 m l o n g , 0 . 5 5 m wide, a n d 0 . 3 5 m high in 1 course. T h e southeast wall is 12.15 m long and 0.68 m thick and is preserved only at the surface level of the upper terrace. T h e length o f the wall implies that

are visible today. Both were built o f megalithic blocks of medium-gray limestone,

Description there were originally more subdivisions within Building CI which are no longer apparent. T h e only interior feature o f Building CI that is visible today is a small rectangular e n c l o s u r e located near the west end of the south wall. T h e bottom o f this enclosure is below the level of the surrounding

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surface. The outer edges of the enclosure are formed by thin slabs of phyllite set on edge. The enclosure is 1.20 m long, 0.65 m wide, and 0.55 m deep. This use

of upright slabs is reminiscent of the slabs used in the area of the bathroom in Building BC and of the upright slabs used in Building BW.

35

Building DA

1. Introduction and History of the Excavations Philip P. Betancourt and Georgia Salapata Building DA is located near the western edge o f the Pseiran settlement. This part o f the town is across a small ravine west o f the main peninsula with its town o f FN to L M I date, on a small coastal hillside b o u n d e d on the east by the ravine that terminates at the Pseiran b e a c h and on the west by a second ravine that runs by the side o f this building. Area D is the western s l o p e o f t h e hillside. B u i l d i n g DA is the n o r t h e r n m o s t structure in a row of buildings facing west, toward the ravine. O n e o f the Late Minoan I dams is directly up the ravine, and it may have held a little water in the spring even as late as LM III. This part o f the site was not excavated by Seager when he worked on Pseira in 1 9 0 6 - 1 9 0 7 , and n o n e o f the buildings was indicated on his plan (Seager 1910: plan). T h e o t h e r buildings in Area D remain unexcavated, but their general outlines can be seen clearly on the rocky and eroded hill. Building DA was discovered in 1986. It was chosen for excavation because it appeared to be located at the e x t r e m e edge o f the Minoan town, and it was excavated that year and in 1987 under the supervision of Georgia Salapata. T h e goals of the excavation included the recovery o f the architectural plan and the retrieval o f the artifacts and other finds within their c o n t e x t s . B o t h dry sieving a n d water sieving were used in the excavation process, and all finds were r e c o r d e d in a c c o r d a n c e with the standard system used at Pseira (the strategy for retrieval o f finds by water sieving is d e s c r i b e d briefly by Snowden and

J o n e s 1995:133). T h e building had a simple plan. It consisted o f two rooms built up against an earlier retaining wall to the east. O n e entrance was on the south, where a doorway led into a small landing at the foot o f three stone steps leading up either to a second story or to the roof. O t h e r entrances were not preserved, but the west wall had been washed away by torrents in the ravine to the west, so the original p r e s e n c e or abs e n c e o f a doorway in this side c a n n o t b e d e t e r mined. T h e pottery indicates that the building was built in LM IIIA. T h e date makes the building important for the history o f Pseira because although a few finds from this period c o m e from other parts o f the site, this is the only building whose construction can be assigned to this period. T h e building was destroyed at the beginning of LM IIIB. T h e following c o n t e x t s were e x c a v a t e d in a n d around the building: Context 1: packing beneath the floor in R o o m DA 1. Date: LM IIIA:1 with a little earlier material. Spacer. Room DA 1. Excavated unit DA 1-5. Sediment color, dry: yellowish brown (10YR 5 / 4 ) ; wet: dark yellowish brown ( 1 0 Y R 4 / 4 ) . Comments'. Excavation into the floor packing inside the building revealed a few sherds whose latest date was LM IIIArl.

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PSEIRA IV

Context 2: fill and floor level in Room DA 1. Date. LM IIIB and earlier. Spaces: Room DA 1. Excavated units: DA 1-2, DA 1-3, DA 1-4. Sediment color, dry: yellowish brown (10YR 5/4); wet: dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4). Comments: The floor was not recognized during excavation because of the disturbed nature of the room and the diagonal inclination of the surface (with the lower part downhill to the west); this level included both the fill above the floor and the whole vases on the floor. Context 3: fill over the stairs in Room DA 2. Date. LM IIIB and earlier. Space. Room DA 2, eastern part. Excavated units: DA 2-2, DA 2-3. Sediment color, dry: yellowish brown (10YR 5/4); wet: dark yellowish brown (10YR3/4). Comments: The debris over the staircase came from casual sherds in the building plus soil and stones that fell on the staircase from collapsed floors and walls when the building was destroyed. Context 4: fill in the landing west of the staircase. Date. LM IIIB and earlier. Spaces: Room DA 2, western part. Excavated units: DA 2, DA 4. Sediment color, dry: yellowish brown (10YR 5/4-6); wet: dark yellowish brown (10YR 3 - 4 / 4 - 6 ) .

Comments'. The material in the landing west of the staircase was similar to that in the rest of the space, but it was collected separately. Context 5: surface over the building. Date. LM I to LM IIIB. Spaces: DA 1, DA 2. Excavated units: DA 1-Surface, DA 2-1. Sediment color, dry: dark brown (10YR 3/3); wet: very dark brown (10YR 2/2). Comments: The surface level included sherds from LM I to LM III. The soil was dark colored from included vegetation. Context 6: on the terrace outside the building to the east. Date. LM I to LM III. Spaces'. Space DA 3. Excavated units: DA 3-1, DA 3-2, DA 3-3. Sediment color, dry: dark brown (10YR 3 - 4 / 3 - 4 ) ; wet: very dark brown (10YR 2/2) to dark yellowish brown (10YR3/4). Comments: T h e space outside the building to the east consisted of an exterior terrace. It was open to the sky when the building was in use. Several preliminary reports have been published ( B e t a n c o u r t and Davaras 1 9 8 8 a : 2 2 0 - 2 2 1 ; ibid. 1988b:35; Betancourt and Myer 1995; Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997).

2. The Architecture, Building DA John C. McEnroe Building DA is the designation given to a structure in the northwest corner of the settlement site. T h e structure is of considerable archaeological interest because it is one of the few buildings to have been excavated completely by the modern team and the finds within it date to the LM IIIB period. This is the

Materials

and

The retaining wall on the northeast side of Building DA is of megalithic masonry (PI. 35). The northwest wall is of large rubble, and the wall between Spaces DA 1 and DA 2 is of rubble laid in courses. Space DA 2b is a stairway. Its treads are made of medium-gray limestone rubble rather than the more

only building of that period known at the site. Two rooms of the structure have been excavated (111. 66 and Pis. 3 5 - 3 7 ) . They were built against the long east-west terrace wall that forms the southwest side of Area DB.

Techniques common phyllite slabs. The threshold is of mediumgray limestone. An inner retaining wall was placed against the northeast wall of Space DA 2b, perhaps as a relatively late reinforcement for the massive retaining wall against which the building was constructed.

269

B U I L D I N G DA

SECTION

A-A

' L 19 9 4

N

B U I L D I N G DA 0 19 9 4

Illustration 66. Plan and section of Building DA.

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PSEIRA IV

Building Three main stages in the building sequence can be identified: 1. The massive retaining wall that runs along the northeast side of Building DA was clearly constructed b e f o r e the m a i n b u i l d i n g p h a s e associated with Building DA (see the corner in PI. 36A). This retain-

Room

Sequence ing wall may be f r o m the LM I period or possibly even earlier. 2. The two rooms of Building DA were built against the retaining wall, apparently in LM IIIA. 3. A secondary retaining wall was built in Room DA 2b against the main northeast terrace wall, and the steps were built.

Description

ROOM DA 1

ROOM DA 2B

Room DA 1 is the larger of the two rooms (Pis. 3 5 - 3 6 ) . Its southeast wall is 2.10 m long, 0.60 m thick, and 1.03 m high in 3 courses. The northeast wall is 2.57 m long and 1.30 m high in 3 courses. The northwest wall is 1.67 m long, 0.58 m thick, and 1.10 m high in 3 courses. T h e southwest wall has collapsed.

Room DA 2b is the stairway in the southeast corner of the building (PI. 37A-B). T h e room is entered by a doorway marked by a large threshold. Most of three steps are preserved (PL 37A). They appear to lead directly to the partition wall that separates Space DA 1 from Space DA 2. It is unclear where the steps originally led or how they originally related to Space DA 1. T h e northeast wall is 1.45 m long and 0.95 m high in 2 courses. The southeast wall is 1.24 m long, 0.65 m wide, and 0.43 m high in 2 courses. T h e northwest wall is 2.36 m long, 0.62 m thick, and 0.54 m high in 3 courses.

ROOM DA 2A Room DA 2a is a poorly preserved room in the southeast corner of the building. Its walls are too poorly preserved to describe in detail.

3. The Pottery, Building DA Eleni S. Banou Building DA, situated on the peninsula west of the main harbor at Pseira, was occupied in LM IIIA. The pottery is mostly local to this part of Crete, but some imports occur from several more distant areas. The ceramics is presented here in connection with its ar-

chitectural contexts. Statistical tables are published for the pottery in Rooms DA 1 and DA 2. A preliminary report on LM IIIC pottery from Pseira includes information about this building (Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997).

271

BUILDING DA

Finds in Individual SPACE DA 1, FILL AND FLOOR DEPOSIT Room DA 1 is the largest groundfloor room in the building. Although the floor, which must have been of beaten soil, was not recognized, the nature of the pottery leaves no doubt that it belongs to a floor deposit: it contains c o m p l e t e a n d largely restorable vases of homogeneous character. The pottery ranges chronologically from LM I to the beginning of LM IIIB with nothing later than this date. Several indications of b u r n e d areas and brown marks on sherds suggest that the house was probably destroyed by fire during an early phase of LM IIIB. T h e pottery consists of several Pseiran fabric categories: Fine Fabrics and Coarse Fabrics containing p h y l l i t e a r e in t h e m a j o r i t y ; t h e p e r c e n t a g e of Mirabello Fabric, Cooking Class, is low. Contacts with the Eastern Mediterranean are suggested by several imports from Cyprus and the Syro-Palestinian region. O n e sherd might be f r o m Central Crete, and one may be from the Cyclades. Statistical tables f o r this context (consisting of units DA 1-2, l-2a, 1-3, 1-4, and 2-1) show the great contrast between this pottery a n d that of Central Crete (see the statistics of Watrous 1992). The conical cup, the most popular shape for drinking in LM I, remains the most c o m m o n cup in this period, and Central Cretan shapes (the kylix, champagne cup, and painted cup with one handle) are not common at all. FABRICS Fine Fabrics: 315 sherds; 1816 gr. Coarse Fabrics: 258 sherds; 2380 gr. Mirabello Fabric, Cooking Class: 42 sherds; 1268 gr. Phyllite Fabrics: 173 sherds; 8921 gr. Foreign Fabrics'. 20 sherds; 131 gr.

ROOM DA 1, WHOLE AND RESTORABLE VASES T h e five whole or restorable vessels found in the room represent the latest pottery in use at the time of the destruction. T h e circumstances of discovery indicate that some vases were on the floor and others were slightly higher in the fill, as if they had fallen from shelves or furniture when the room collapsed. All of the pottery is from LM IIIA:2 to early LM IIIB.

Spaces LM IIIA:2-IIIB, FINE FABRICS

DA 1, Fig. 52 (PS 387; DA 1-2). Shallow bowl, intact. H 3.6; d of rim 13.2; d of base 4.4. A fine fabric (light red, 2.5YR 6 / 6 ) , slightly gritty. Convex-concave profile; two horizontal handles at rim; flat base. Comments: Shallow bowls with two horizontal handles are known from LM IIIA:2 (Popham 1970: fig. 7, no. 9) until LM IIIB (ibid.: fig. 17, no. 5). The thick walls and straight rim of this example suggests it is from LM IIIB. Parallels: Popham 1970: fig. 7, no. 9 (Knossos, LM IILA:2, with a slightly outturned rim); ibid., fig 17, no. 5 (Knossos, LM IIIB, with a straight rim); Popham et al.1984: pi. 175, n o . 13 ( K n o s s o s , LM I I I A : 2 ) ; MacGillivray et al. 1987: fig. 6, no. 4 (Palaikastro, LM IIIB); MacGillivray 1997: fig. If (Palaikastro, LM IIIB). Date. LM IIIB. Bibl.: Betancourt and Davaras 1988a:221, fig. 7; Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:59. DA 2, Fig. 52, PI. 38 (PS 396; DA 1-2). Champagne cup, over half complete. D of base 4.8; d of rim 10. A fine fabric (pink, 7.5YR 8 / 4 ) . Goblet with low stem; one vertical round handle; almost straight rim. Comments: This shape is definitive for LM IIIA:2 a n d LM IIIB. In t h e d e v e l o p m e n t s u g g e s t e d by Popham (1969), goblets with splayed feet like this example are not the earliest cups in the sequence. Parallels: An e x t r e m e l y c o m m o n s h a p e . See (among many others) Bosanquet and Dawkins 1923: pi. 28D (Palaikastro); Sackett, Popham, and Warren 1965: fig. 15, no. P22 (Palaikastro); P o p h a m 1970: figs. 16, no. 2, 17, no. 9 (Knossos, LM IIIB); Kanta 1980: pi. 23, no. 5 (Malia); ibid., pi. 54, no. 3 (Milatos); Watrous 1982: fig. 10, no. 51 (Aghia Paraskevi); Popham et al. 1984: pi. 176, no. 15 (Knossos, LM IIIA:2); ibid., pi. 180, nos. 5, 7 - 8 (Knossos, LM IIIB); Watrous 1992: fig. 63, no. 1675 (Kommos, LM IIIB); Mee and Doole 1993: no. 294 (Knossos). Date. LM IIIB. Bibl.: Betancourt and Davaras 1988a: 221, fig. 7; Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:59-60. DA 3, Fig. 52, PI. 38 (PS 402; DA 1-3). Ogival cup, largely restorable. H 6.6; d of rim 11; d of base 4. A fine fabric (reddish yellow, 7.5YR 7 / 6 ) . Straight rim; convex-concave profile; flat base. Monochrome. Parallels: Kanta 1980: fig. 106, no. 2 (Myrsini); Popham et al. 1984: pi. 163, no. 5 (Knossos); Sackett a n d P o p h a m 1970: fig. 22, n o . 6 ( P a l a i k a s t r o ) ; MacGillivray et al. 1987: fig. 6, no. 1 (Palaikastro, LM IIIB); Watrous 1992: fig. 58, no. 1564 (Kommos, LM IIIB).

PSEIRA IV

272

Date. LM IIIB. BibL. Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:61. DA 4, Fig. 52 (PS 403; DA 1-3). Ogival cup, half complete. H 5; d of rim 11; d of base 3.8. A fine fabric (very pale brown, 10YR 7 / 4 ) . Straight, r o u n d e d rim; convex-concave profile; lower shape than no. DA 3. Monochrome. Dale. LM IIIB. Bibl.\ Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:61. LM IIIA:2—IIIB, COARSE FABRICS DA 5, Fig. 52 (PS 447; DA 1-4). Jug, largely restorable. D of base 10. A coarse fabric (very pale brown, 10YR 8.3). R o u n d e d body; cylindrical neck; strap handle; flat base with beveling. Comments: The edge of the spout opposite the handle is not present, so a spout is conjectured but not certain. Parallels: Sackett, Popham, and Warren 1965: fig. 16, no. P 16 and pi. 75e (Palaikastro, with a small spout, LM IIIB). Dale. LM IIIB. BibL Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:61.

ROOM DA 1, CATALOGED SHERDS A number of sherds were cataloged from this deposit. They illustrate the range of ceramics found in the room, representing sherds that were in the floor, walls, and ceiling, and fell into the room when the house collapsed, as well as stray pieces from vessels broken before the room went out of use. The sherds are useful to document the range of pottery used in and near the building over a period of time before it was destroyed. T h e earliest material is f r o m LM I, and the latest is from LM IIIA:2—IIIB.

turned rim on Date. BibL

rim; plastic decoration below rim. Band on interior; band. MM II-LM I. Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:61.

DA 9, Fig. 52 (PS 3804; DA 1-3). Scoop, rim sherd. Max dim 3. A fine fabric (reddish yellow, 7.5YR 7 / 6 ) . Thin, o u t t u r n e d rim; plastic decoration below rim. Band. Date. MM III-LM I. BibL Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:61. DA 10, Fig. 53 (PS 3802; DA 1-3). S c o o p , rim sherd. Max dim 4.8. A fine to medium-coarse fabric (pink, 7.5YR 7 / 4 ) . Slightly convex profile. Plastic decoration. Date. MM II-LM I. BibL Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:61. DA 11, Fig. 53 (PS 3805; DA 1-3). Scoop, body sherd. Max dim 3.6. A fine fabric (pink, 7.5YR 8 / 4 ) . Convex profile; plastic decoration. Dark slip on interior; foliate band without central stem. Date. LM I. BibL. Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:61. DA 12, Fig. 53 (PS 397; DA 1-2). Open vessel, body sherd. Max dim 3.5. A fine fabric (reddish yellow, 7.5YR 8.6). Straight profile. Tortoise-shell ripple. Date. LM I. BibL. Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:61. LM I, COARSE FABRICS DA 13, Fig. 53 (PS 2562; DA 2-1). Cup, rim a n d handle sherd. D of rim 11. A coarse fabric (light red, 2.5YR 6 / 8 ) . Handle; straight, rounded rim. Traces of red paint drips on body. Date. LM I. BibL Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:63.

LM I, FINE FABRICS

LM I—III, FINE FABRICS

DA 6, Fig. 52 (PS 3803; DA 1-3). Scoop, rim sherd. Max dim 4. A fine fabric (very pale brown, 10YR 8.4). Thin, straight rim. Shell decoration; band. Dale. MM II-LM I. BibL Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:61.

DA 14, Fig. 53 (PS 2487; DA 1-2). Conical cup, base and body sherds. D of base 3.0. A fine fabric (light red, 10R 6 / 6 ) . Convex profile. Comments: Probably an ogival cup, n o t f r o m the Gulf of Mirabello area. Date. LM I—III. BibL. Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:63.

DA 7, Fig. 52 (PS 4320; DA 1-4). Closed vessel, body sherd. Max dim 3.9. A fine fabric (reddish yellow, 10YR 7 / 8 ) . Convex profile. Bands; row of dots. Date. LM I. BibL Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:61. DA 8, Fig. 52 (PS 3801; DA 1-3). Scoop, rim sherd. Max dim 5.1. A fine fabric (pink, 7.5YR 8 / 4 ) . Out-

LM I-III, COARSE FABRICS DA 15, Fig. 53 (PS 3978; DA 1-4). Basin (?), rim and handle sherd. D of rim ca. 20. A coarse fabric (very pale brown, 10YR 8 / 3 ) . Flat rim. Traces of dark slip.

273

BUILDING DA

Date. LM IIIA. Bibl.: Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:63. DA 16, Fig. 53 (PS 3979; DA 1-4). Jar, rim sherd. D of rim 30. A coarse fabric (light reddish brown, 5YR 6 / 4 ) . Flat rim. Dark slip on rim. Date. LM I-IILA. BibL: Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:63. DA 17, Fig. 53 (PS 4004; DA 1-4). Oval-mouthed a m p h o r a , h a n d l e sherd. D of inside of rim ca. 10. A coarse fabric (reddish yellow, 5YR 6 / 6 ) . Comments'. A post-LM I fabric. Parallels: MacGillivray et al. 1988: fig. 9, nos. 2 - 4 (Palaikastro). Date. LM IIIA context. BibL: Betancourt, Banou, a n d Floyd 1997:63. DA 18, Fig. 53 (PS 4266; DA 1-2). Oval-mouthed a m p h o r a , handle. Max dim 7.5. A coarse fabric (light brownish gray, 10YR 6 / 2 ) . Oval section. Dark slip. Date. MM III-LM I. BibL: Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:63.

lite (reddish yellow, 5YR 6 / 6 ) . O u t t u r n e d rim. Date. LM I-IIIA. BibL: Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:63. DA 25, Fig. 53 (PS 3973; DA 1-4). Cooking dish, rim sherd. D of rim 32. A fabric containing phyllite (reddish yellow, 5YR 6 / 6 ) . Thickened, straight rim. Date. LM I-IIIA. BibL: Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:63. DA 26, Fig. 53 (PS 3975; DA 1-4). Cooking dish, rim sherd. D of rim ca. 46. A fabric containing phyllite (reddish yellow, 5YR 7 / 8 ) . O u t t u r n e d rim. Date. LM I-IIIA. BibL: Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:63. DA 27, Fig. 53 (PS 4285; DA 1-4). Cooking dish, rim sherd. D of rim ca. 44. A fabric containing phyllite (red, 2.5YR 5 / 6 ) . Date. LM I-IIIA. BibL: Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:63.

LM IIIA1, FINE FABRICS DA 19, Fig. 53 (PS 4319; DA 1-4). Jar, body sherd. Max dim 11.5. A coarse fabric (reddish yellow, 5YR 6 / 6 ) . Straight profile. Drips. Date. LM I—III. BibL: Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:63. L M I - I I I , PHYLLITE FABRICS DA 20, Fig. 53 (PS 3993; DA 1-3). Cooking dish, rim sherd. D of rim ca. 56. A fabric containing phyllite (dark red, 2.5YR 3 / 6 ) . Straight, thickened rim. Date. LM I-IIIA. BibL: Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:63. DA 21, Fig. 53 (PS 2482; DA 1-2). Cooking dish, rim sherd. D of rim ca. 25. A fabric containing phyllite (red, 2.5YR 5.8). Thick, o u t t u r n e d rim. Date. LM I-IIIA. BibL: Betancourt, Banou, a n d Floyd 1997:63. DA 22, Fig. 53 (PS 3986; DA 1-3). Cooking dish, rim sherd. D of rim ca. 40. A fabric containing phyllite (brown, 7.5YR 5 / 4 ) . Thickened rim. Date. LM I-IIIA. BibL: Betancourt, Banou, a n d Floyd 1997:63. DA 23, Fig. 53 (PS 3989; DA 1-3). Cooking dish, rim sherd. D of rim ca. 40. A fabric containing phyllite (brown, 7.5YR5.4). Thickened rim. Date. LM I-IIIA. Bibl.: Betancourt, Banou, a n d Floyd 1997:63. DA 24, Fig. 53 (PS 441; DA 1-4). Cooking dish, rim sherd. D of rim ca. 30-40. A fabric containing phyl-

DA 28, Fig. 53 (PS 443; DA 1-4). L e d g e - r i m m e d cup, rim sherd. D of rim 9. A fine fabric (pale brown, 10YR 8 / 3 ) . Convex profile. Shallow cup. Band on interior at rim. Comments: For the ledge-rimmed cup, see the discussion in P o p h a m 1970:68. Date. LM IIIA:1. BibL: Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:63. DA 29, Fig. 53 (PS 3982; DA 1-4). Ledge-rimmed cup, rim sherd. D of rim 12. A fine fabric (reddish yellow, 7/5YR 8 / 6 ) . Large ledge rim. Band- on rim; fugitive paint. Comments: Soft fabric. Date. LM IIIA:1. BibL: Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:63. DA 30, Fig. 54 (PS 440; DA 1-4). O p e n (or closed?) vessel, body sherd. Estimated d of vessel 5.3. A fine fabric (very pale brown, 10YR 8.3). Convex profile. Band at rim; wavy lines. Date. LM IIIA:1. BibL: Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:63. LM IIIA: 1 - 2 , FINE FABRICS DA 31, Fig. 54 (PS 3974; DA 1-4). Cup, rim sherd with handle. D of rim not measurable; max dim 3.2. A fine fabric (very pale brown, 10YR 7 / 4 ) . Convex profile. H a n d l e with almost circular section. Dark slip (red) on handle. Date. LM IIIA: 1/2. BibL: Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:63.

274

PSEIRA IV

DA 32, Fig. 54 (PS 3980; DA 1-4). Cup or bowl, base sherd. Max dim 6.2. A fine fabric (reddish yellow 7.5YR 8 / 6 ) . Convex profile. Dark slip on interior; bands. Date-. LM IIIA:l/2. Bibb. Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:63. DA 33, Fig. 54 (PS 4284; DA 1-4). Cup or bowl, base sherd. D of base 5.6. A fine fabric (reddish yellow, 7.5YR 6 / 2 ) . Convex profile; flat base. Dark slip on interior; bands. Comments: Central Cretan (?). Date. LM IIIA:l/2. Bibl.: Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:63. DA 34, Fig. 54 (PS 444; DA 1-4). Cup or bowl, base sherd. Max dim 6.2. A fine fabric (reddish yellow, 7.5YR 8 / 6 ) . Convex profile. Dark slip on interior; bands. Dale-. LM IIIA:l/2. Bibl.: Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:63. DA 35, Fig. 54 (PS 3970; DA 1-4). Cup or bowl, base and body sherd. D of base ca. 4. A fine fabric (pink, 7.5YR 8 / 4 ) . Convex profile. Bands on interior; bands at lower center of body. Date. LM IIIA:l/2. Bibl.: Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:63. DA 36, Fig. 54 (PS 3983; DA 1-4). Kylix, rim sherd. D of rim 10. A fine fabric (light brown, 7.5YR 6 / 4 ) . Ledge rim; convex profile. Plain. Dale. LM IIIA:l/2. Bibl: Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:63. DA 37, Fig. 54 (PS 2493; DA 1-3). Kylix, body sherd. Max dim 5.2. A fine fabric (reddish yellow, 5YR 7 / 6 ) ; highly burnished. Convex profile. Very pale brown (10YR 8/4) surface on exterior and interior. Comments: Knossian (?). Date. LM IIIA:l-2. Bibl.: Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:63. DA 38, Fig. 54 (PS 4321; DA 1-4). Stirrup jar (?), body sherd. Max dim 3.2. A fine fabric. Bands. Date. LM IIIA:l/2. Bibl.: Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:63. DA 39, Fig. 54 (PS 4270; DA 1-3). Cup or bowl, body sherd. Max dim 5.8. A fine fabric (pink, 7.5YR 7/4); highly burnished. Convex profile. Bands. Comments: Central Cretan (?). Burned. Dale. LM IIIA:l-2. Bibl.: Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:63.

LM IIIA:2, FINE FABRICS DA 40, Fig. 54 (PS 4269; DA 1-3). J u g or stirrup jar, body sherd. Max dim 9.6. A fine- to medium-coarse fabric (reddish yellow, 5YR 6 / 6 ) . Convex profile. Alternating arcs with concentric arcs; bands. Date. LM IIIA:2. Bibl.: Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:63. DA 41, Fig. 54 (PS 4271; DA 1-3). Pyxis or straightsided alabastron. D of rim ca. 18. A fine fabric (pinkish gray, 7.5YR 7 / 2 to 6 / 2 ) . Carinated profile. Bands at exterior of rim and on shoulder. Date. LM IIIA:2. Bibl.: Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:63. LM IIIA:2, COARSE FABRICS DA 42, Fig. 54 (PS 3981; DA 1-4). Semiglobular cup or bowl, rim sherd. D of rim ca. 12-14. A coarse fabric (pink, 7.5YR 8 / 4 ) . Slightly outturned rim; Sshaped profile. Boss on exterior. Traces of dark slip (red) on exterior. Date. LM IIIA:2. Bibl.: Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:63. LM IIIA:2-IIIB, FINE FABRICS DA 43, Fig. 54 (PS 4268; DA 1-3). Kylix or champagne cup, base sherd. D of base 7-8. A fine fabric (very pale brown, 10YR 8 / 4 ) . Plain. Comments: Kylikes are rare at Pseira, a n d so the sherd is most likely from a champagne cup like that illustrated by Popham 1964: fig. lc. Date. LM IIIA:2-IIIB. Bibl.: Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:63. LM IIIA:2-IIIB, COARSE FABRICS DA 44, Fig. 54, PI. 38 (PS 2490; DA 1-3). Stirrup jar (?), body sherds. Max dim 9. An unevenly colored, mostly dark gray fabric (N 4). Added white: bands or octopus trail. Comments: T h e sherds belong to a stirrup jar with light-on-dark decoration on a dark-fired surface, a class of vessel known from LM IILA:2 (Popham 1970: pi. 41C) until LH IIIB:1 (Haskell 1981: fig. 4a-c). A close dating of this example is not possible because of the poor preservation. The place of manufacture is n o t known, b u t analyses suggest western Crete (Catling etal. 1980). Parallels: Popham 1970: pi. 41c (Knossos); Warren 1982-1983: fig. 39 and 1997:168, fig. 20 (Knossos); Kommos field no. C 7987 (Kommos, House X); Haskell 1981: figs, lb, 2a, 4a-c (Mycenae, Cretan imports); Cading 1984-1985:31, fig. 42 (Gla, Cretan import).

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BUILDING DA

Date. LM IIIA:2-IIIB. Bibl: Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:64. LM IIIA-B, PHYLLITE FABRICS DA 45, Fig. 54 (PS 3971; DA 1-3). Cooking tray, rim sherd. D of rim ca. 32. A fabric containing phyllite (reddish brown, 5YR 4 / 4 ) . Thickened, inturned rim; thick bottom. Parallels'. Sackett, Popham, and Warren 1986: fig. l l m - o (Palaikastro). Date. LM IIIA-B. Bibl.\ Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:64. DA 46, Fig. 54 (PS 3991; DA 1-3). Tripod cooking pot, rim sherd. D of rim ca 17. A fabric containing phyllite (reddish yellow, 5YR 6 / 8 ) . S-shaped profile; outturned rim. Date. LM IIIA-B. Bibl.: Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:64. DA 47, Fig. 55 (PS 3977; DA 1-4). Tripod vessel, leg (complete). Max dim 10.2. A fabric containing phyllite (red, 2.5YR 4 / 6 ) . Thick oval section. Date. LM IIIA-B. Bibl.: Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:64. DA 48, Fig. 55 (PS 4265; DA 1-2). Tripod vessel, leg sherd. Max dim 7.8. A fabric containing phyllite (reddish yellow, 2.5YR 6 / 8 ) . Thick oval section. Date. LM IIIA-B. Bibl.: Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:65. DA 49, Fig. 55 (PS 4263; DA 1-2). Tripod vessel, leg sherd. Max dim 4.2. A fabric containing phyllite (red, 2.5YR 5 / 8 ) . Thick oval section. Date. LM I-IIIA-B. Bibl.: Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:65. DA 50, Fig. 55 (PS 3990; DA 1-3). Disk, rim sherd. D of rim not measurable; max dim 6.3. A fabric containing phyllite (very pale brown, 10YR 7 / 4 ) . Straight profile. Date. LM IIIA-B. Bibl: Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:65. DA 51, Fig. 55 (PS 4264; DA 1-2). Conical cup, rim sherd. D of rim ca. 9. A fabric containing phyllite (light red, 2.5YR 6 / 8 ) . Slightly outturned rim. Date. LM I-IIIA-B. Bibl.: Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:65. DA 52, Fig. 55 (PS 3972; DA 1-3). Conical cup, base sherd. D of base 3.8. A fabric containing phyllite (yellowish red, 5YR 5 / 6 ) . Straight profile. Date. LM I-IIIA-B. Bibl.: Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:65.

275

DA 53, Fig. 55 (PS 3992; DA 1-3). Basin, rim sherd. D of rim 28. A coarse fabric (reddish yellow, 5YR 7/6). Straight profile; ledge rim. Parallels: Sackett, Popham, and Warren 1986: fig. l l e - g (Palaikastro). Date. LM IIIA-B. Bibl: Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:65. DA 54, Fig. 55 (PS 3984; DA 1-3). Basin, rim sherds. D of rim 52. A fabric c o n t a i n i n g phyllite (light red, 2.5YR 6 / 8 ) . Straight profile, slightly tapering inward; flat rim. Diagonal incised slash lines on top of flat area of rim. Date. LM I-IIIA-B. Bibl.: Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:65. DA 55, Fig. 55 (PS 3985; DA 1-3). Basin (?), rim sherd. D of rim 36. A fabric containing phyllite (light red, 2.5YR 6 / 3 ) . Thick, straight, flat rim. Date. LM I-IIIA-B. Bibl.: Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:65. DA 56, Fig. 55 (PS 4275; DA 1-3). Jar (or basin?), rim sherd. D of rim above 20. A fabric containing phyllite (yellowish red, 5YR 5 / 6 ) . Thick, flat, straight rim. Raised band with ropework decoration. Comments: Compare the body sherd no. DA 57. Parallels: Sackett, Popham, and Warren 1965: fig. l i e (Palaikastro). Date. LM IIIA-B. Bibl.: Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:65. DA 57, Fig. 55 (PS 4267; DA l-2a). Basin (or jar or pithos?), body sherd. Max dim 15.2. A fabric containing phyllite (reddish yellow, 5YR 6 / 8 ) . Rope decoration in three bands. Comments: For a rim that may be from such a vessel, see no. DA 56. Date. LM IIIA-B. Bibl.: Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:65. DA 58, Fig. 55 (PS 401; DA 1-3). Brazier, rim sherd. D of rim 12-14. A fabric containing phyllite (reddish yellow, 7.5YR 6 / 6 ) . Sides p u s h e d in f o r h a n d l e . Slightly convex profile; outturned rim. Date. LM IIIA-B. Bibl.: Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:65. DA 59, Fig. 55 (PS 2483; DA 1-2) . Jar, rim sherd. D of rim 35-40. A fabric containing phyllite (very pale brown, 10YR 8/4). Flat rim. Band under rim. Date. LM IIIA-B. Bibl.: Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:65. DA 60, Fig. 55 (PS 3988; DA 1-3). Pithos, rim sherd. D of rim ca. 40. A fabric containing phyllite (reddish yellow, 7.5YR 7 / 6 ) . Thick, rounded rim. Comments: A post-LM I fabric.

276

PSEIRA IV

Date. LM IIIA-B. BibL: Betancourt, Banou, a n d Floyd 1997:65. DA 61, Fig. 55 (PS 3987; DA 1-3). Jar, rim sherd. D of rim 24. A f a b r i c c o n t a i n i n g phyllite (light r e d , 2.5YR 6 / 8 ) . Flat rim. Date. LM IIIA-B. Bibl.: Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:65.

LM IIIA-B, F O R E I G N FABRICS DA 62, Fig. 56 (PS 2486; DA 1-3). Closed vessel, body sherd. Max dim 5.0. A t e m p e r e d fabric (grayish brown, 2.5YR 5 / 2 ) , with mica. Almost straight profile. Comments'. Cycladic (?). Date. LM IIIA-B. Bibl.-. Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:65. DA 63, Fig. 56 (PS 2488; DA 1-3). O p e n vessel, body sherd. Max dim 4.2. A dark gray fabric (10YR 4 / 1 ) . Pale slip. Convex profile. Comments: Cypriot (?). Date. LM IIIA-B. Bibl.: Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:65. DA 64, Fig. 56 (PS 2489; DA 1-3). Closed vessel (?), body sherds. Max dim of largest sherd 3.6. A coarse fabric (dark gray, 10YR 5 / 6 ) . Convex profile. Very pale yellow slip. Comments: Not Minoan. Cypriot (?). Date. LM IIIA-B. Bibl.: Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:65. DA 65, Fig. 56 (PS 2484; DA 1-3). T r a n s p o r t amphora, body sherd. D of body just above base 15. A light red fabric (2.5YR 6 / 6 ) with fine inclusions and p i n h o l e s f r o m b u r n e d - o u t organic matter. Convex p r o f i l e s f r o m a p o i n t low o n t h e body. Very pale brown slip on surface (10YR 8 / 3 ) . Burned marks on interior and exterior. Comments: Canaanite j a r . For the class see Sugerman 1996. Date. LM IIIA-B. Bibl.: Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:65. DA 66, Fig. 56 (PS 2485; DA 1-3). T r a n s p o r t amp h o r a , b o d y s h e r d . Max d i m 7. A r e d d i s h yellow, (SYR 7 / 6 ) fabric. Convex profile. Traces of very pale brown surface (10YR8/4). Comments: Canaanite jar. Date. LM IIIA-B. Bibl.: Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:65.

SPACE DA 1, PACKING UNDER THE FLOOR Excavations at several places below the floor level revealed a small unit of pottery which gives a terminus post quem for the construction of the floor. T h e material f r o m this unit is h o m o g e n e o u s LM I I I A : l / 2 in date (date provided by a ledge-rimmed cup) with the earliest sherds of MM III-LM I date. All Pseiran fabric categories are r e p r e s e n t e d with Phyllite Fabrics having the largest percentage. N o t h i n g seems to be later than LM I I I A : l / 2 , a n d this date is probably the time when the r o o m ' s floor was laid down.

FABRICS (43 SHERDS) Fine Fabrics. 12 sherds; 60 gr Coarse Fabrics. 8 sherds; 150 gr Mirabello Fabric, Cooking Class: 4 sherds; 150 gr Phyllite Fabrics: 19 sherds; 395 gr

LM I, COARSE FABRICS DA 67, Fig. 56 (PS 3875; DA 1-5). S c o o p , base sherd. D of base ca. 5. A coarse fabric (pink, 7.5YR 8 / 4 ) . Flat base; p a r t of h a n d l e on interior of vase. Traces of dark slip (?). Date. LM I. Bibl.: Betancourt, Banou, a n d Floyd 1997:65.

LM IIIA, FINE FABRICS DA 68, Fig. 56 (PS 4288; DA 1-5). Conical cup, rim sherd. D of rim 12. A fine fabric (reddish yellow, 5YR 7 / 8 ) . Thin, r o u n d e d rim. Date. LM IIIA (dated by size a n d fabric). Bibl.: Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:65. DA 69, Fig. 56 (PS 435; DA 1-5). L e d g e - r i m m e d cup, largely restorable. D of rim 14.5. A fine fabric (reddish yellow, 7.5YR 8 / 6 ) . Convex profile; ledge rim. Band on rim; r u n n i n g spirals; dark slip on interior. Date. LM IIIA:1. Bibl.: Betancourt, Banou, a n d Floyd 1997:65. DA 70, Fig. 56 (PS 4289; DA 1-5). Stirrup jar, spout sherd. Max dim 2.6. A fine fabric ( r e d d i s h yellow, 10YR 7 / 1 ) . A funnel-type spout; traces of fake spout preserved. Date. LM I I I A : l / 2 (the shape is c o m m o n in the LM IIIA:2 period).

277

BUILDING DA

LM IIIA, PHYLLITE FABRICS

LM I—III, FINE FABRICS

DA 71, Fig. 56 (PS 4286; DA 1-5). Cooking dish, rim sherd. D of rim ca. 44. A fabric containing phyllite (reddish yellow, 5YR 6/8). Date. LM IIIA. Bibl.: Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:65.

DA 77, Fig. 56 (PS 4381; DA 2-2, 2-3). Cup, handle sherd. Max dim 2.8. A fine fabric (very pale brown, 10YR 8/4). Thin, flat, strap handle. Painted. Date. LM I—III. BibL Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:69.

DA 72, Fig. 56 (PS 4287; DA 1-5). Tripod cooking pot, rim sherd. D of rim 35. A fabric containing phyllite (red, 5YR 6/8 to 2/5YR 5/8). Flaring rim. Date: LM IIIA. BibL Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:65.

ROOM DA 2 (STAIRCASE) The pottery in the southern room did not include any complete vases. It consisted entirely of casual sherds that had fallen into the space from the collapse of walls and ceiling or of casual small pottery fragments left in the space. MM IIA-B, FINE FABRICS DA 73, Fig. 56 (PS 634; DA 2-in wall). Carinated cup, base sherd. D of base 3.5. A fine fabric (reddish yellow, 7.5YR 8/6). Dark slip. Date. MM IIA-B. Bibl.: Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:69. M M - L M I, MIRABELLO FABRIC, COOKING CLASS DA 74, Fig. 56 (PS 678; DA 2-3). Tripod cooking pot, rim sherd. D of rim ca. 26-28. A coarse fabric (unevenly colored, mostly gray). Outturned rim. Date. MM-LM I. Bibl.: Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:69. LM I, FINE FABRICS DA 75, Fig. 56 (PS 4382; DA 2-2, DA 2-3). Cup, rim sherd. D of rim 14. A fine fabric (very pale brown, 10YR 8/4). Almost straight profile, with very slightly outturned rim. Bands (?). Date. LM III. Bibl.: Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:69. DA 76, Fig. 56 (PS 649; DA 4). Cup, body sherd. Max dim 6.1. A fine fabric (reddish yellow, 7.5YR 8/6). Dark slip in interior; bands. Date. LM III. BibL Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:69.

LM I—III, COARSE FABRICS DA 78, Fig. 56 (PS 2494; DA 2-2. 2-3). Basin, complete profile. D of rim 31; d of base 17. A coarse fabric (yellow, 10YR 8/6, with the surface very pale brown, 10YR 8/4, on interior and exterior). Straight rim; wall tapering to base which is slightly pronounced. Date. LM IIIA. Bibl.: Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:69. DA 79, Fig. 57 (PS 601; DA 2-threshold). Closed vessel, rim sherd. D of rim ca. 10. A coarse fabric (reddish yellow, 7.5YR 8/6). Slightly outturned rim. Date. LM I—III. BibL Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:69. DA 80, Fig. 57 (PS 4387; DA 2-3). Tripod cooking pot, leg sherd. Max length 5.9. A coarse fabric (red, 2.5YR 5/8). Thick oval section. Date. LM I—III. BibL Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:69. LM I—III, PHYLLITE FABRICS DA 81, Fig. 57 (PS 4383; DA 2-3). Cooking dish, rim sherd. D of rim ca. 36. A fabric containing phyllite (light red, 2.5YR 6/8). Thickened, straight rim. Date. LM I—III. Bibl.: Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:69. DA 82, Fig. 57 (PS 4384; DA 2-3). Cooking dish, rim sherd. D of rim not measurable; max dim 3.6. A fabric containing phyllite (reddish brown, 5YR 5/6). Thickened rim. Date. LM I—III. BibL Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:69. DA 83, Fig. 57 (PS 3790; DA 2-3). Disk, rim sherd. D of rim not measurable; max dim 4.5. A fabric containing phyllite (reddish brown, 2.5YR 4/4). Almost flat circular disk. Date. LM IIIA. BibL Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:69. DA 84, Fig. 57 (PS 4385). Tripod cooking pot, base sherd with leg. Length of leg 9.8. A fabric containing phyllite (core strong brown, 7.5YR 4/6, with the outer part red, 2.SYR 5/8). Thick oval section.

278

PSEIRA IV

Date-. LM I—III. BibL: Betancourt, Banou, a n d Floyd 1997:69. DA 85, Fig. 57 (PS 677; DA 2-3). Conical cup, base s h e r d . D of base 3.4. A f a b r i c c o n t a i n i n g phyllite (reddish yellow, 5YR 7 / 6 ) . P r o n o u n c e d base. Date. LM I—III. BibL: Betancourt, Banou, a n d Floyd 1997:69.

SPACE DA 3 T h e terrace east of the building (uphill immediately b e h i n d the east wall) was excavated to confirm that the building did not extend in this direction. T h e excavation yielded a n u m b e r of pieces of pottery, mostly in small fragments. Some of the sherds were cataloged in order to illustrate the range of pottery f r o m this location on the site.

LM II—IIIA: 1, FINE FABRIC DA 86, Fig. 57 (PS 598; DA 2-2). Bowl, rim sherd. D of rim 15. A fine fabric (very pale brown, 10YR 8 / 4 ) . Slightly o u t t u r n e d rim. Date. LM II-IIIA:1. BibL: Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:69. LM IIIA: 1, FINE FABRICS DA 87, Fig. 57 (PS 679; DA 2-3). Bowl with ledge rim, rim sherd with handle. D of rim 17. A fine fabric (pink, 7.5YR 8 / 4 ) . Ledge rim; convex profile; horizontal h a n d l e with almost circular section. Undecorated. Date. LM IIIA:1 BibL: Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:69. DA 88, Fig. 57 (PS 4388; DA 2-threshold). Ledger i m m e d cup, rim sherd. D of rim ca. 16. A fine fabric ( r e d d i s h yellow, 7.5YR 7 / 8 ) . Straight p r o f i l e with ledge rim. Date. LM IIIA:1. DA 89, Fig. 57 (PS 633; DA 2-wall 1). Kylix, stem s h e r d . P r e s e r v e d l e n g t h 2.1. A f i n e f a b r i c ( p i n k , 7.5YR 8 / 4 ) . Hollow stem. Date. LM IIIA:1. BibL: Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:69.

LM IIIA-B, FINE FABRIC DA 90, Fig. 57 (PS 602; DA 2-threshold). O p e n vessel, rim sherd. D of rim ca. 12. A fine fabric (pink, 7.SYR 8 / 4 ) . Small, o u t t u r n e d rim; straight profile. Band on rim; vertical lines. Date. LM III. BibL: Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:69.

LM IIIA:2, FINE FABRIC DA 91, Fig. 57 (PS 676; DA 2-3). C h a m p a g n e cup, base sherd. D of base not measurable. A fine fabric (pink, 7.5YR 8 / 4 ) . Dale. LM IIIA:2. BibL: Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:69.

MM I - I I , FINE FABRIC DA 92, Fig. 57 (PS 3998; DA 3-2). Straight-sided cup, base sherd. D of base ca. 7. A fine fabric (very pale brown, 10YR 6 / 3 ) . Straight profile. Dark slip in interior; traces of slip on exterior. Date. MM I-II. BibL: Betancourt, Banou, a n d Floyd 1997:69.

EM I I I - M M II, M I R A B E L L O FABRIC, C O O K I N G CLASS DA 93, Fig. 57 (PS 4397; DA 3-1). T r i p o d vessel, leg sherd. Max dim 4.6. Mirabello Fabric, Cooking Class (red, 2.5YR 5 / 6 ) . Very thin oval section. Date. EM III-MM II. BibL: Betancourt, Banou, a n d Floyd 1997:71.

MM I I - L M I, FINE FABRICS DA 94, Fig. 57 (PS 4 3 8 9 ; DA 3-1). S c o o p , r i m sherd. Max dim 2.8. A fine fabric (core light reddish brown, 7.5YR 6 / 4 ; exterior pink, 7.5YR 8 / 4 ) . Thin, straight rim. Plastic decoration at rim. Date. MM II-LM I. Bibl.: Betancourt, Banou, a n d Floyd 1997:71. DA 95, Fig. 57 (PS 4390; DA 3-1). O n e - h a n d l e d cup, rim s h e r d with h a n d l e . D of rim ca. 14-16. A fine fabric (core light brown, 7.5YR 6 / 6 ; surface reddish yellow, 5YR 6 / 6 ) . Thin, straight rim; h a n d l e with circular section. Date. MM-LM I. Bibl.: Betancourt, Banou, a n d Floyd 1997:71. DA 96, Fig. 57 (PS 488; DA 3-3). Kernos cup, handle sherd. Preserved length of h a n d l e 2.7. A fine fabric (pink, 7.5YR 8 / 4 ) . O p e n vessel, most likely a cup, with a series of tiny cups attached to the vessel just inside the rim; h a n d l e with oval section. Traces of dark slip. Date. MM II-LM I. BibL: Betancourt, Banou, a n d Floyd 1997:71.

279

BUILDING DA

LM I, FINE FABRICS DA 97, Fig. 57 (PS 3800; DA 3-2). Scoop, rim sherd. A fine fabric (pink, 7.5YR 8 / 4 ) ; burnished. Slightly outturned rim; plastic decoradon below rim. Date. LM I. Bibl.: Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:71. DA 98, Fig. 57 (PS 484; DA 3-2). Miniature tripod cup, complete profile (reddish yellow, 5YR 6 / 6 ) . H 3.0, d of rim 8, d of base 5. Date. MM II-LM IB. Bibl.\ Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:71 (misn u m b e r e d PS494). DA 99, Fig. 57 (PS 3799; DA 3-2). Scoop, base sherd. A fine fabric (pink, 7.5YR 8 / 4 ) . Slightly pronounced base; handle inside cup. Date. MM III-LM I. Bibl.: Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:71. LM I, FINE PHYLLITE FABRIC DA 100, Fig. 57 (PS 4398; DA 3-2). Conical cup, rim sherd. D of rim 12. A fine fabric containing phyllite (red, 2.5YR 5 / 6 - 8 ) . Thin, straight rim. Date. LM I. Bibl.-. Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:71. LM I, PHYLLITE FABRICS DA 101, Fig. 57 (PS 4392; DA 3-1). Tripod cooking pot, base sherd with leg. Max length 12. A fabric containing phyllite (red, 2.5YR 4 / 6 ) . Leg with thin oval section. Comments-. T h e thin oval section indicates a date in LM I. Date. LM I. Bibl.: Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:71. DA 102, Fig. 57 (PS 4396; DA 3-1). Tripod cooking pot, rim sherd with handle. Max dim 6.3. A fabric containing phyllite (yellowish red, 5YR 4 / 6 ) . Straight rim; horizontal h a n d l e with circular section at the rim. Date. LM I. Bibl.: Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:71.

DA 104, Fig. 57 (PS 4395; DA 3-1). Cooking dish, rim sherd. D of rim ca. 44-52. A fabric containing phyllite (reddish brown, 5YR 4 / 4 ) . Thickened rim; groove on edge of rim. Date. LM III. Bibl: Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:71. LM III, FINE FABRICS DA 105, Fig. 57 (PS 3994; DA 3-2). Closed vessel, body sherd. Max dim 3.6. A fine fabric (very pale brown, 10YR 8 / 3 ) . Slightly convex profile. Date. LM IIIA-B. Bibl: Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:71. DA 106, Fig. 57 (PS 3995; DA 3-2). C u p , base sherd. D of base ca. 6. A fine fabric (pink, 7.5YR 8/4). Slightly pronounced base. Monochrome. Date. LM IIIA-B. Bibl: Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:71. DA 107, Fig. 57 (PS 2511; DA 3-2). Jug, rim sherd with h a n d l e . D of rim 8. A fine fabric (very pale brown, 10YR 7 / 4 ) ; burnished. Straight rim; handle with circular section; clay "rivet" at junction of handle and rim. Band inside rim; line on outside of handle. Date. LM IIIA-B. Bibl.: Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:71. DA 108, Fig. 58 (PS 3997; DA 3-2). Semiglobular cup, rim sherd. D of rim ca. 10-14. A fine fabric (very pale brown, 10YR 8 / 4 ) . Thin, outturned rim. Dark slip in interior; traces of slip on exterior. Date. LM IIIA-B. Bibl.: Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:71. DA 109, Fig. 58 (PS 4003; DA 3-2). Cup or bowl, rim sherd. D of rim ca. 10-14. A fine fabric (very pale brown, 10YR8/4). Date. LM IIIA-B. Bibl: Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:71. DA 110, Fig. 58 (PS 3996; DA 3-2). Closed vessel, body sherd. Max dim 4.7. A fine fabric (very pale brown, 10YR 8 / 4 ) . Slightly convex profile. Date. LM IIIA-B. Bibl: Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:71.

LM I-III, PHYLLITE FABRICS

LM III, PHYLLITE FABRICS

DA 103, Fig. 57 (PS 4393; DA 3-1). Cooking dish, rim sherd. D of rim ca. 40-44. A fabric containing phyllite (red, 2.5YR 4 / 6 ) . Thickened rim. Date. LM III. Bibl.: Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:71.

DA 111, Fig. 58 (PS 3999; DA 3-2). Amphora, rim sherd. D of rim ca. 12. A fabric containing phyllite (light red, 2.5YR 6/6). Date. LM IIIA-B. Bibl.: Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:71.

280

PSEIRA IV

DA 112, Fig. 58 (PS 4000; DA 3-2). Cooking pot, rim sherd. D of rim ca. 2 2 - 2 4 . A fabric containing phyllite (light red, 2.5YR 6/8). Outturned rim. Date. LM IIIA-B. Bibl.: Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:71. DA 113, Fig. 58 (PS 4001; DA 3-2). Open vessel, rim sherd. D of rim ca. 26-30. A fabric containing phyllite (core gray, 5YR 5/1; surface reddish yellow, 5YR 7/6). Large ledge rim. Date. LM IIIA-B. Bibl.: Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:71. DA 114, Fig. 58 (PS 4002; DA 3-2). Open vessel, rim sherd. D of rim ca. 20. A fabric containing phyllite (brown, 7.5YR5/4). S-shaped rim. Dale. LM IIIA-B. Bibt. Betancourt, Banou, and Floyd 1997:71.

OUTSIDE BUILDING, TO THE SOUTH LM I - I I I , COARSE FABRIC DA 115, Fig. 58 (PS 489; S of DA 1). Oval-mouthed amphora, rim sherd with handle. D of rim ca. 9 x 14. A coarse fabric (reddish yellow, 5YR 6/8). Handle with vertical slash at base of handle. Date. LM I-IIIA-B.

OUTSIDE BUILDING, TO THE WEST MM, FINE FABRIC DA 116, Fig. 58 (PS 644; W of DA 2). Closed vessel, base sherd. D of base 4. A fine fabric (reddish yellow, 5YR 7/6). Thick base. Dark slip on exterior. Date. MM.

4. The Stone Tools, Building DA Heidi M. C. Dierckx Both obsidian pieces and ground stone tools were found in Building DA. They are important for documenting the tools in use in LM III at Pseira.

ROOM DA 1 GROUND S T O N E T O O L S DA 117, Fig. 58 (PS 363; DA l-2a). Quern, fragment. Max preserved length 7 - 8 ; max preserved w 6.7; max preserved th 5.2; preserved wt 147 gr. Sandstone (weak red, 10R 5/4, medium grained and poorly sorted). Rounded edge. Comments-. This small fragment from the edge of a quern is probably a survival from MM-LM I; like the small pieces of early pottery found in this LM III context, it may have been incorporated into the walls or ceiling of the building. Parallels-. See Pseira I, no. ADC 114 (PS 619). Date. Probably MM-LM I. DA 118, Fig. 58 (PS 374; DA 1-2). Dish, half complete. D 18.6; max preserved w 10.4; max th 3.5; preserved wt 911 gr. Depression: d 15.7; depth 0.3. Lime-

stone (dark gray, N 4). Circular shape; raised rim at edge; shallow pecked depression. Comments-. Dish. Cycladic shape, but local raw material. Date. LM IIIA-B. DA 119, Fig. 58 (PS 386; DA 1 2). Hand tool, broken on one end. Max preserved length 16.2; max w 7.4; max th 4.7; preserved wt 716 gr. Quartzite (gray, N 5). Oblong. Comments-. The material is the same as that of most querns. This stone is possibly a grinder for use on a quern. Date. LM IIIA-B. CHIPPED S T O N E DA 120, Fig. 58 (PS 366; DA 1/DA 2-1). Core, complete. Max length 2.5; max w 1.0; max th 1.0. Obsidian (black, N 1). Pyramidal fluted; one platform. Comments: This core is substantially smaller than most Pseiran cores found in MM-LM I contexts. Parallels: See no. BB 5 (PS 3132). Date. LM IIIA-B.

281

BUILDING DA

DA 121, Fig. 59 (PS 505; DA 1-4). Flake (core). Max dim 1.6. Obsidian (black, N 1). Date. LM IIIA-B or earlier.

ROOM DA FLOOR

1,

PACKING UNDER THE

DA 122, Fig. 59 (PS 2161; DA 1-5). Flake. Max dim 1.3. Obsidian (N 1). Cortex preserved. Date. LM IIIA-B or earlier.

5. Miscellaneous Cataloged Objects, Building DA Philip P. Betancourt Several small objects were found in Building DA. They contribute useful information on activities in the house and its predecessors at this location.

Date. LM IIIA-B. Bibl.\ Betancourt and Davaras 1988a:221, fig. 7.

ROOM DA 2

ROOM DA 1 A mold and a bronze pin were in this room, the largest downstairs space in the building. The mold is an unusual piece, without exact parallels.

DISCOID W E I G H T

DA 123, Fig. 59 (PS 506; DA 1-4). Pin, fragment, b r o k e n at b o t h e n d s . Max d i m 2.1. C o p p e r or bronze. Pin with circular section. Date. LM IIIA-B (?).

DA 125, Fig. 59, PL 38 (PS 712; DA 2-threshold). Discoid weight, half preserved. Max dim 5.1; preserved wt 32 gr. A coarse fabric containing phyllite (light red, 2.5YR 6 / 8 ) . Circular weight; o n e large hole. Comments'. This type of discoid weight (presumably used most o f t e n as a weight f o r a warp-weighted loom) is a common find in the LM I strata at Pseira. For discussion see Pseira I, no. AG 13. Date. Most likely LM I.

STONE MOLD

CLAY OBJECTS

DA 124, Fig. 59, PL 38 (PS 376; DA 1-2). Half of a m o l d , c o m p l e t e e x c e p t f o r m i n o r c h i p p i n g . Preserved length 7.8; max w 5.3; max th 2.4; pierced holes 0.5. Chlorite schist (mottled, greenish gray, mostly 5BG 6 / 1 and 5BG 5 / 1 ) . Almost rectangular block, shaped to make one flat side and one convex side; two completely drilled holes and o n e partly drilled hole; channel cut as a sprue from the narrow end of the block, with a contraction in the diameter of the channel near the center of the block; cutting to cast a s q u a r e o b j e c t at the t e r m i n a t i o n of the sprue; cut mark (error?) at one corner of the square. Comments: T h e mold is half of a set of two pieces producing a closed mold, to be used with a matching half attached by means of the two holes. It has no marks of fire.

DA 126, Fig. 59, PL 38 (PS 597; DA 2-2). Stopper, three-quarters complete. Max dim 5.1. A coarse fabric (reddish yellow, 5YR 7 / 6 ) . Circular disk-like clay piece; slightly concave on one side and slightly convex on the other side. Comments: Clay stoppers are not common at Pseira (only one other example has been f o u n d ) . It was most likely used to stop up the mouth of a vessel used for transport. Date. LM IIIA-B.

C O P P E R O R BRONZE PIN

DA 127, Fig. 59 (PS 4391; DA 2-2). Drain, fragment. Max dim 9.6. A phyllite-tempered fabric (reddish yellow, 5YR 6 / 6 ) , with other stone inclusions also. Flat base; raised edge. Date. LM I or later.

282

PSEIRA IV

Discussion Although only a few objects other than pottery were in the building, they are extremely interesting. T h e clay stopper, not a common find from Pseira, would have been used with a vessel, probably sealed in with wax or some other substance. Clay stoppers of different design were used with LM III Cretan stirrup jars (Haskell 1981: pi. 44g); the original use of this example is not known. The weight found in the staircase is most likely a casual fragment that survived from LM I, like the many small LM I sherds found in and around this building. The broken pin might also be a survival, but one cannot be sure, especially because the mold provides evidence for the casting of metal. T h e chlorite schist mold section was found at a high level in the building, and it may have fallen in from the upper floor. It is a shame that almost all of the upper part of this building did not survive, a victim of the floods that must periodically rush down the ravine at this location on the site. If it survived, it might have provided additional information for metalworking and other activities in the structure.

T h e mold is a type designed to be used in two halves, attached together tightly, with half of the obj e c t to be cast in the face of each section. In this case the finished piece was a hollow square object, perhaps an ornament or a square ring to be used with a piece of harness or the like. T h e molten metal would have been introduced into the channel connecting the square ring to the surface (called a sprue). It is likely that this mold is a discarded piece. It has never been in contact with heat, and it was apparently never used. An error in the carving (a slip of the cutting tool making a gash at one corner of the small square that was meant to be cast) may have influenced the decision not to use the piece. The implication is that the mold was being manufactured at Pseira. The material is a chlorite schist. This material has b e e n mistakenly r e c o r d e d from Pseira (Warren 1969:129), but all pieces found here are imported into the island. Many deposits occur on Crete. The material is soft enough to be carved, but it is sufficiently compact to make a serviceable mold.

6. The Faunal Remains, Building DA David S. Reese A few animal bones and marine shells were found in the building. All five bones are probably sheep/ goat. The 59 shells include 35 Patella, 10 Monodonta, 4 Murex trunculus, and 3 Charonia. All but the Charonia (from deeper waters) come from rocky shores in shallow water.

ROOM DA 1, UNITS DA 1-1, DA 1-2, DA 1-3, AND DA 1-4, WS (LM IIIA) Mammal bones 5 bones—sheep/goat sheep/goat molars

sized,

including

1 Euthria 1 Spondylus—lower valve 1 Area Marine invertebrates 1 Paracentrotus—25 spines

ROOM DA 1, UNIT DA 1-5, WS (LM IIIA:2) 2

Marine shells 27 Patella 8 Monodonta 3 Murex—1 waterworn 3 Charonia—1 waterworn fragment, 1 siphonal notch/distal end, and 1 worn and pitted apical end

Marine shells 4 Patella—fragmentary 2 Monodonta—fragmentary 1 Murex—fragment 1 small gastropod Marine invertebrates 1 Paracentrotus—4 spines Land snail 1 Helix

283

BUILDING DA

ROOM DA 2, UNITS DA 2-2, DA 2-3, AND DA 2-3 WALL 4 (LM IIIA) Marine shells 4 Patella—1 waterworn 1 Luria—31 mm

7. The Charcoal Remains, Building DA Werner H. Schock All the charcoal samples from this building were found near the LM III floor level inside the building.

All the fragments are small, and it is likely that they are from cooking fires.

Methodology COLLECTION OF SAMPLES

PROCESSING TECHNIQUES

All the charcoal samples from this house were collected during the process of excavation. They were retrieved in the water sieving, using a water-separation machine (for sampling strategies and for description o f the machine, see Snowden and J o n e s 1995:133).

T h e samples of charcoal were examined at the Labor fur Quartaere Hoelzer, Adliswil, Switzerland. (For the processing techniques used for the charcoal from Pseira and f o r b i b l i o g r a p h y , see S c h o c h 1995:133).

Results of the ROOM DA 1, UNIT DA 1-4 (LM IIIA) olive tree, Olea europaea

4

Total no. of samples

4

Investigation ROOM DA 1, UNIT DA 1-5 (LM IIIA) Bark, unidentified

+

Conclusions Only two specimens, each comprised of four pieces of charcoal, have been recovered. The first samples are unquestionably the remains of Olea europaea. The

second, in which the particles of bark are evident, cannot be identified with certainty, and, therefore, no definite conclusions can be reached.

284

PSEIRA rv

8. The Lithic Materials, Building DA Philip P Betancourt The stones found in the excavation of Building DA consisted mostly of pieces of limestone and phyllite from the walls of the structure and from casual presence in the sediment within the fill of the collapsed building. A few pieces of local Pseiran calcrete were also present. The other stones are presented here.

ROOM DA 1

x 5 x 2.5, and 4 x 3 x 1.5 cm Three pieces of aeolian sandstone in Room DA 1 are very friable fragments of stone. They are similar to the local Pseiran aeolian sandstone, and an outcrop of the material is less than 50 m west of the building. These pieces were probably gathered there and brought to Building DA. They are not worked. Like any sandstone, they would be useful as an abrasive for smoothing, abrading, or cleaning.

Aeolian sandstone: 3 pieces, ca. 7.5 x 2.5 x 2.5, 5.5

9. Comments and Conclusions, Building DA Philip P. Betancourt T h e excavation of a building dating to Late Min o a n III is an i m p o r t a n t discovery for Pseira. Although Seager did not recognize this phase of occupation when he excavated on the site, the period was already known to exist on the island because of LM III pottery from here in the collections of the Herakleion and Philadelphia museums (Betancourt 1983: nos. 68-69). Building DA shows that this pottery represents habitation rather than casual finds. T h e objects f o u n d in the building r e p r e s e n t a surprising amount of trade for such a small, provincial location, suggesting the need for a new evaluation of the international availability of goods in this period even at outlying sites. Building DA had two rooms on the ground floor, a large rectangular space and a smaller cubicle filled mostly with a staircase. The stair indicates the probability that the building was two stories high. T h e structure was built of locally available stone on a small terrace overlooking a ravine on the west, with the eastern part of the building backed up against a massive retaining wall of probable LM I date built of inegalithic limestone blocks. The rooms are rectangular, arranged on a north-south axis with no surviving doorway between them, so that the entrance into the southern room gave the visitor direct access only to the u p p e r floor. T h e n o r t h e r n room was larger than the southern one. Except for a doorway leading

into the southern room from the south, no outside doorways are preserved, but t h e r e may have b e e n one leading into Room DA 1 in either the west or the north wall, neither one of which survives at ground level. T h e pottery furnishes the dates for the building. Packing u n d e r the floor of Room DA 1 shows that the LM III part of the architecture was built in LM IIIA:1. T h e building was destroyed in LM IIIB, apparently by fire, leaving a deposit of a few vessels on the floor. After the building's destruction, erosion removed the upper part of the walls. T h e northwestern corner of Room DA 1 was also destroyed, and much of the floor in this room disappeared as well. When work began a few stones showed above g r o u n d , but the outlines of the building were not clear. Finds from the building provide information on its function and history. The complete vases represent the last period of occupation for the structure, in LM IIIA:2 to LM IIIB. All of the whole vessels are local to this part of Crete. They are not particularly remarkable, and they include neither large storage vessels nor any precious objects, suggesting valuable commodities were removed before the building burned. T h e best date is f u r n i s h e d by a goblet of the type called a champagne cup (no. DA 2). The finds include several other categories in addi-

BUILDING DA

tion to the pottery. T h e presence of animal bones, marine shells, cooking pot sherds, and charcoal from olive wood suggest cooking was performed in or near the building, but the absence of stone tools is a surprising omission for a dwelling. Among the finds are pieces of foreign pottery. T h e pottery comes from several locations in Crete as well as from Cyprus, the Cyclades, and the Syro-Palestinian coast. The conclusion must be that this building imported commodities from far-flung locations.

285

In general, Building DA seems to be a dwelling used by a small household with access to local agriculture and with ties to a widely spread trading network, but without much wealth. The pottery is mostly local to this region of Crete, and it does not include anything that is remarkable. The inventory of ceramic shapes is rather low, and most pieces are simple and utilitarian. A mold for metalworking suggest a degree of local self-sufficiency rather than a workshop engaged in the making of objects for export.

36

Area DB

1. Introduction and General Comments Philip P. Betancourt Several walls can be seen on the surface near Building DA. T h e area is unexcavated, and no work has been d o n e here except for measuring and drawing

the visible walls. T h e work was a c c o m p l i s h e d in 1 9 9 4 - 1 9 9 5 u n d e r t h e s u p e r v i s i o n of L a d a Onyshkevych, in consultation with J o h n C. McEnroe.

2. The Architecture, Area DB John C. McEnroe Area DB is the conventional designation given to a series of spaces that run along the southeast slope of Area D (111. 67). These spaces probably do not repre-

Materials and Most of the walls in Area DB are massive megalithic r e t a i n i n g walls t h a t r u n f o r l o n g distances f r o m northwest to southeast, following and shaping the n a t u r a l c o n t o u r s of the slope. Shorter megalithic

sent a single building, but join with the spaces of Area DA to the west and Area DC to the northeast. In addition, these spaces may represent several periods.

Techniques walls run at right angles to the contour lines dividing Space DB 2 from Space DB 3, and Space DB 4 from Space DB 5.

288

PSEIRA IV

Room

Descriptions

SPACE DB 1 Space DB 1 is a rectangular terrace formed by megalithic retaining walls. The overall dimensions of the terrace are ca. 9.40 m x 2.60 m. It is unclear whether this space and Space DB 4 should be considered along with the spaces of Area DB or with the spaces of Area DC: the division is purely arbitrary.

SPACE DB 2 T h e wall that forms the northeast side of Spaces DB 2 and DB 3 is a megalithic retaining wall that can

be traced pears into Space DB shape and

for a distance of 3.30 m before it disapthe fill. Only traces of the south corner of 2 remain to provide any indication of the size of this terrace.

SPACE DB 3 It is unclear whether Space DB 3 should be considered with the other spaces of Area DB or with the spaces associated with Building DA to the west. Space DB 3 and Spaces DA 1 and 2b were built against the same retaining wall. The southeast wall of Space DB 3 is ca. 4.55 m long. The southwest wall is ca. 3.90 m long.

37

Area DC

1. Introduction and General Comments Philip P. Betancourt Unexcavated rooms at the ridge of the peninsula containing Areas C and D are designated Area DC. No work was done at this location except for a study and recording of the architecture visible on the sur-

face. T h e architectural drawing was completed in 1 9 9 4 - 1 9 9 5 u n d e r the supervision o f Lada Onyshkevych with consultation from J o h n C. McEnroe.

2. The Architecture, Area DC John C. McEnroe T h e dominant feature of Area DC is a long, thin retaining wall that runs for a length of 19.55 m from the northeast to the southwest along the contour of the very gentle slope at the top of the peninsula (111. 68). Shorter wall segments divide the area into three spaces, Spaces DC 1 to DC 3.

Materials

and

Perhaps because the slope in this part of the site is much gentler that in most places in the Minoan settlement, the retaining walls of Area DC are built of

Area DC joins with Area DB on the southwest. The distinction between them is arbitrary. It is not clear, for example, whether Space DC 2 and DC 3 should be considered with Area DC or with Area DB: the division is an arbitrary one.

Techniques much smaller stones than most other retaining walls. Most of the walls of Area DC are of large rubble with a few megalithic stones.

290

PSEIRA IV

Room

Descriptions

SPACE DC 1

SPACE DC 2

Space DC 1 occupies the flat top of the site. Only the retaining walls that define the edges of the area are visible. They stand only one course above the present ground level. The northeast wall segment is 3.72 m long.

Space DC 2 is a rectangular terrace southwest of Space DC 2. Its northeast wall is 7.51 m long. T h e southwest wall is 3.93 m long.

SPACE DC 3 T h e terrace Space DC 3 is too poorly preserved for meaningful description.

38

Area DD

1. Introduction and General Comments Philip P. Betancourt Several retaining walls are designated Area DD. It is possible that some or all o f them are earlier than the period when this hillside was used for habitation, and that they were built originally as terraces for agriculture, but no solid information is available on this

issue. T h e visible walls were drawn and measured in 1 9 9 4 - 1 9 9 5 under the supervision of Lada Onyshkevych with consultation from J o h n C. McEnroe, who made the study of the architecture in 1995.

2. The Architecture, Area DD John C. McEnroe Area DD consists o f a series o f five massive retaining wall segments (111. 6 9 ) . Originally these terrace walls may have been associated with several different buildings and may r e p r e s e n t several different periods. T h e two wall segments on the northeast side of the area are o f megalithic masonry. T o g e t h e r they represent a length o f nearly 8 m and stand to a maximum height o f 0.70 m. T h e south wall is also of megalithic masonry. It is

8 . 2 0 m long. It stands only o n e c o u r s e above the ground level. At the western c o r n e r o f t h e a r e a is a massive megalithic c o r n e r segment. T h e longer wall o f the corner is 3.33 m long, ca. 0.60 m thick, and 0.90 m high above the level o f the surface to the southwest. A second massive terrace corner appears near the center of the northwest side of the building. This wall s e g m e n t includes megalithic blocks and a massive boulder.

292

PSEIRA IV

N

10.9

11.36

1 1 8 r,

1 I

I :

.16

: ?

"

it

r, p

'1

13

c.)

1 1 2 9

AREA

DD

10 0

1

xtri? !)•»-: 19 9 4

Illustration

69. Plan of Area DD.

? m

53 10

9 0

39

Building FA

1. Introduction and General Comments Philip P Betancourt A massive, megalithic retaining wall is all that survives of whatever was constructed on the hillside west of Area D. Pieces of worn pottery and eroded stone tools on the beach downhill from the location sug-

gest that a Minoan house was once located here, but erosion has removed everything except for the megalithic wall.

2. The Architecture, Building FA John C. McEnroe Building FA is located in the ravine between the w e s t e r n s e t t l e m e n t p e n i n s u l a a n d the c e m e t e r y peninsula. Only the east facade of the building and a bit of the south east corner of the building are preserved (111. 70). T h e east wall of Building FA is a retaining wall that cuts across the mouth of the ravine above the small inlet on the shore. About 12 m of the length of this wall remains. Whether the retaining walls supported buildings or retained a soil fill is unclear. The east wall of Building FA is one of the most remarkable structures at the site. T h e medium-gray

limestone boulders used in its construction are by far the most massive building stones used at the site. They average 1 cubic meter in size. Their massive size is probably related to their function of supporting a terrace at the bottom of a steep bedrock slope. Although the sloping bedrock on the west side of the building apparently called for extraordinarily large stones, the same slope provided a ready source of appropriate material immediately at hand. T h e large stones had simply to be broken from the bedrock matrix and rolled downhill into position.

PSEIRA IV

8.52

. 8 3

B U I L D I N G FA .0 2 1

t* Ulmtmtm M Plm qf Building- FA,

2 n

Part III Comments and Discussion

40

Summary and Discussion of Area B Philip P. Betancourt This volume publishes a large section of the Minoan town on Pseira Island. The buildings in Area B are mostly dwellings, but the district also includes the Town Square (Plateia) as well as a number of buildings that may have functioned as more than simple houses. Taken together, the various parts of Area B provide a considerable amount of evidence for the nature of a Minoan town. Brun and Williams have written that "the foundations of the European urban system were laid with city-systems—Greek, Roman, and Medieval—that were characterized by town squares, and this is a feature that has persisted to become one of the key aspects of European urbanization" (1993:102). This aspect of European urbanism can now be confidently traced back to the Minoan period of Crete, with the Pseiran Plateia being one of the key monuments in the tradition. It is hard to overemphasize the impact on urban planning that the town square has had. Because it is so easily adaptable to changing circumstances, it is one of the most enduring legacies transmitted to the Greeks by the Minoans. Seager's failure to recognize the Plateia kept him from any clear understanding of the organization of the town he was the first to excavate. With all of Area A except for Block AF published in Pseira I and II, and with Building BS/BV published in Pseira III, the presentation of most of the Pseiran town is complete. In summary, the locations in Area B consist of the following units:: Building BA: house Area BB: house (?) Building BC: either a house or an accessory building for Building BS/BV Building BD: house (?)

Area BE: two houses (?) Building BF: house (?) Building BG: house Area BH: 2 MM houses LM I house LM I house (?) Building BI: house Area BJ: house Building BK: house Area BL: open area outside the town Building BM: Byzantine building and wall Building BN East: house (?) Area BN West: open terraced area in LM I with walls from before LM I Building BO: house Building BP: roofed structure and open areas Building BQ: house (?) Area BR: Town Square (Plateia) Building BS/BV: mansion: dwelling plus manufacturing plus religious activity Building BT: house Building BU: house Building BW: house Area BX: roofed structures and open area Building BY: house, obsidian workshop Building BZ: LM I house, and part of MM building Building BAA: MM house Most of the evidence, both architectural and artifactual, is from LM I. Earlier buildings are exposed only in a few areas, and the visible town is primarily the layout of LM IB. As the pottery statistics presented in Appendix 1 show, when the total amount of pottery from a mixed deposit is examined in detail, relatively little is from before LM I. Soil is shallow throughout the town, and extensive early deposits

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PSEIRA IV

simply do not exist. Three reasons help explain this situation: 1. Materials for building were never abundant, so older structures were routinely salvaged for stones. 2. T h e rocky and barren topography prevented deep accumulations. 3. Much of the refuse from the town was carried up to the agricultural terraces that are over much of the island, to act as fertilizer (for discussion, see Betancourt and Hope Simpson 1992). Pseira was a farming community, and the houses in the town must be seen as the dwellings of residents whose economy was based largely on agriculture, in spite of the small size of Pseiran agricultural plots. Even on nearby Crete, farmers have always preferred the richer phyllitic soils of the hills to the mineralpoor terra rossa soils of the Kampos Plain (for discussion see Haggis 1996a:188; 1996b:378). T h e town's layout tells us much about the character of such a community. Topography plays a decisive role in this layout, especially in Area B. This part of the peninsula has steep cliffs at the east with a more gradual descent at the west, terminating at the ravine dividing Area B from Area C. The architecture of Area B is constructed in step fashion, with the buildings adjusted to the slopes of the hill. The buildings on the east are on only two or three levels. On the west the rooms step all the way down the hill on successive terraces. Three staircases lead into the part of the town that is on the main peninsula. A stair in Area AS goes to Area A, the Grand Staircase conveys visitors from the beach to the Plateia, and a third staircase, between Buildings BO and BE, leads up from the ravine between Areas B and C. North-south streets divide the town into rough blocks in which the houses touch one another or share party walls. Drainage is carefully controlled. T h e streets and lanes act as water conduits, a role they also play in other Aegean towns (Palyvou 1986:184). Clay pipes (none found in situ) are almost certainly for the drainage from toilets or baths. T h e Pseiran streets were sloping gradients that would have carried rain water to the sea. Drainage from the buildings, including roofs and sanitary facilities, must have connected with the street system, although no clear example of the connection has been excavated. At the north of Area B, the town's boundary is precise. The earliest pottery here, a Final Neolithic to Early Minoan I sherd (no. BAA 1), suggests that the boundary goes back to the town's first settlement. Although the community grew, the new buildings are all between earlier ones, never outside the town's traditional northern boundary. The layout of the streets, however, seems often to have been altered with new constructions. We are not

dealing with personal property in the sense that a family owns a specific plot of land that cannot be extended to intrude on public land or thoroughfares. At Pseira, LM I buildings regularly build over land that was previously open. Examples include Building BY, constructed over the eastern side of the Plateia, and Building BZ, built partly (but not completely) over the Middle Minoan Building BAA. The evidence is even clearer in Area A, where the road system at Area AG was considerably changed in LM I (Pseira I, p. 6). The Plateia must have been the hub of the town. Its bedrock surface was only improved by the addition of paving slabs in a few small areas (e.g., near the entrance to Building BS/BV), and the uneven bedrock served as the living surface over much of the square. Several outcrops jutted up over a meter high, and the surface was far from regular. Considering the skill of Pseiran builders in cutting back bedrock and in making terraces, one must conclude that the town's residents not only tolerated but enjoyed the rocky i r r e g u l a r i t i e s o f t h e i r c o m m u n i t y ' s main square. Streets went out from the square in all four directions. At the southwest, Plateia Road South provided access to the Grand Staircase, and it forked to take traffic along the western side of Area A as well as up to the ridge of the peninsula. Plateia Road North began at the square's northwest corner and led toward Area BH and the houses at the northeast. Smaller lanes led east between Buildings BS/BV and BY and probably west, concealed under Building BM. Hints of religious activities in the Town Square come from several areas. Small pieces of rhyta come from near the south facade of Building BS/BV. A group o f religious objects from the south end of Plateia Road North (published with Building BS/BV) includes a stone chalice base, rhyta, and a complete triton shell. Some additional exotic pottery from just south of the deposit (no. BT 41) may go with the same context. A kernos in the Plateia (no. BR 143), if it is not a game board, may also have a religious connotation. A town the size o f Pseira must certainly have had religious observances and festivals; the evidence suggests that some of them were held in the Town Square. Evidence for other activities in the square is less direct. A concentration of small-scale manufacturing in this part of the town can be documented from the obsidian workshop in Building BY and from a whole series of crafts in Building BS/BV (including stone vase manufacture, lapidary, and weaving). One can probably add commercial activities trading these manufactured goods, some daily household tasks, the administrative activities involved with the running of a town, and the many social and political actions that gravitate to any open location where townspeople gather. Stone benches in the vestibule of Building

SUMMARY AND DISCUSSION OF AREA B

BS/BV, just outside Building BC, and elsewhere in the square, a detail that is not so common in some of the other Minoan towns (McEnroe 1990:198), were obviously built because people gathered in this part of the settlement. A l t h o u g h many of the streets a n d houses were changed when the town was rebuilt after MM IIB, the Plateia remained open. Its continued use is easy to understand because the situation reflects one of the basic principles of urban sites in all periods. As one pair of writers has put it, "once a readable space is established, it has a strong emotional impact" (Lynch and Hack 1984:157). T h e Plateia, established as a strong visual space by the two-story-high buildings that s u r r o u n d e d it, would certainly be one of the most dynamic spots in a community where streets were narrow and most open spaces were small courts or yards tucked between houses. If one adds the social, religious, and civic experiences linked to the spot, the long continuity is not surprising. In spite of the hints of civic, commercial, and religious practices, the majority of the evidence is for domestic activities. Storage, food processing, cooking, and other domestic tasks figure importantly in the surviving evidence. T h e pottery, especially the full statistical record of selected deposits shown in Appendix A, provides a good picture of the domestic

299

nature of the town. A wide variety of shapes suggests cooking, storage, and the consumption of food and liquids. The range of shapes and fabrics is not too different f r o m that of Gournia, Mochlos, and the other Minoan towns of this part of Crete, suggesting that the people of Pseira were typical small-town residents, engaged in farming, the raising of livestock, and the storage and processing of agricultural products. Although this conclusion may seem ordinary and self-evident, it does not support the view that has occasionally been voiced about Pseira, that the town was atypical in that it grew nothing for itself and had an e c o n o m y based almost e n t i r e l y on s e a f a r i n g (Hutchinson 1962:155). The evidence from Area B speaks strongly of a mixed economy based on agriculture as well as trade and the manufacture of small craft items, supplemented by a small amount of local fishing (Betancourt 1996). The situation was probably typical of this part of Crete. The importance of Pseira lies in the new information it provides for the ordinary life of Minoans in a small town away f r o m the palaces. Several of the buildings described in this volume present important new evidence for Minoan archaeology. The most thoroughly investigated structures are at the following locations:

Building BC O n e of the last buildings added to the town, Building BC has a construction date in LM I, probably after the b e g i n n i n g of LM IB. Its architecture has local versions of some of the finer details used in palaces and great villas, including an L-shaped wall c o m p o s e d of doorways a n d pillars (the "Minoan hall"), a sunken paved area, and fine carpentry set on ashlar bases. T h e building is quite outside the local architectural tradition (for discussion of this point, see McEnroe 1990). T h e Pseira P r o j e c t excavated a small s o u n d i n g u n d e r the floor that confirmed the building's date, and it recorded the architecture in a detailed new

plan. Unfortunately, little evidence survived for the use of the structure aside from the highly specialized architecture. The new finds suggest that the building was used as a dwelling, but it may also have had other p u r p o s e s . Its p r o x i m i t y to B u i l d i n g BS/BV, t h e largest building at Pseira and the best candidate for the home of the town's ruler, is probably not accidental. If architectural details like those in Building BC were associated with ceremonies and religious cult, as has been forcefully argued (Marinatos and Hagg 1986), it is likely that these activities were directed from the adjoining Building BS/BV.

The LM I Building in Area BH T h e recognition that a house at the east of Area BH made extensive use of ashlar masonry is a previously unknown aspect of Pseiran architecture. The ashlar blocks, found fallen into the street at the east

of the building, presumably come from the facade facing the road. They consist of rectangular blocks of aeolian sandstone. All of the blocks are broken, and the remains in the road are not sufficient for the size

300

PSEIRA IV

Mochlos, Building B2 had an ashlar facade, pier-anddoor partition walls, and other imitations of palatial features (Soles and Davaras 1994:405-411 and figs. 8 - 1 0 ) . Unfortunately, too little survives of the building in Area BH to reconstruct much of its original form, but it was definitely one of the finer buildings in the community. It demonstrates that architectural niceties were used at several of the towns in eastern Crete.

of the wall. If the facade was torn down by the Byzantine settlers, this location might be the source o f some of the stones (including many sandstone ashlar blocks) used in the Byzantine monastery. Surviving dimensions on the blocks from Area BH show that many sizes were originally present. In eastern Crete, ashlar blocks are used in the more elegant local buildings. At Gournia, they are a regular feature of the large mansion (sometimes called the "palace," for which see Soles 1991). At

Building

BN East

A small building just north of the Grand Staircase has a ground floor area of only 28 m 2 . Its main doorway opens from the Plateia. Evidence for domestic activity indicates that the building was used as a dwelling in LM I, but no evidence was found for

Building The publication of the hoard of elaborate pottery from R o o m B Q 1 f o u n d by the e x c a v a t i o n s o f Richard Seager (1910), with profile drawings as well as photographs, means that the pieces can now be given the scholarly attention they deserve. Although these objects are often cited in the literature on Mi-

Building Building BT was exposed by Seager, but the new excavation of a deposit of pottery and other objects that fell eastward into the Plateia when the building collapsed provides important new evidence. This building is the only one in the Plateia area with evi-

Building The two ground-floor rooms of Building BY were completely excavated. The small building opened only to the Plateia. Its contents were disturbed and scat-

other functions. T h e most remarkable thing about the structure is its small size, as it lacks the architectural details associated with full-fledged Pseiran houses like Buildings BO or BT.

BQ noan Crete, many of their small or less obvious details have been overlooked previously. What particularly from the new study is the extremely meticulous elaboration of the vessels. The vases, mostly rhyta of various designs, may have been in storage in anticipation of a ceremony or procession.

BT dence for a large storeroom with pithoi and jars of various sizes (even Building BS/BV provides no evidence for a room filled with pithoi). T h e storeroom, perhaps on the upper story, must have provided for long-term storage of various commodities.

BY tered about when the area was used as a source of building stones in the Early Byzantine period, but probably nothing besides stones was taken at this time.

SUMMARY AND DISCUSSION OF AREA B

T h e building furnishes evidence for a workshop which produced chipped tools from Melian obsidian. T h e workshop, from LM IB, provides evidence for a blade industry in which the nodules were imported as raw material and then manufactured into blades and useful flakes. O t h e r tools (like drills or arrowheads) are extremely rare from Pseira. A full range of

General All buildings used as dwellings seem to have shared certain activities. In all cases where the evidence can be checked, the buildings contain pottery in all the main fabric groups f o u n d at Pseira: fine pottery for serving vessels; coarse fabrics for storage containers; and cooking fabrics for vessels used to prepare food. G r o u n d stone tools used for p o u n d i n g , chopping, and grinding and obsidian flake tools used for cutting are spread t h r o u g h o u t the community. Stone a n d clay weights are also f o u n d at many locations. Marine shells and animal bones are widely dispersed. T h e implication f r o m these finds is that all or almost all households stored at least some commodities and e n g a g e d in t h e activities of f o o d processing a n d cooking. By extension, the households probably participated in the agricultural activities and the fishing and gathering that provided food for the members of the household (on agriculture at Pseira, see Betancourt and H o p e Simpson 1992). Weaving and other household activities like tool repair and at least some craftwork must also have been widespread. In addition to these c o m m o n activities, however, Pseira provides a surprisingly large body of evidence for household diversity. Evidence for industries like obsidian knapping or stone vase manufacture is present from some buildings, but the evidence does not support the conclusion that they were practiced by every household (on the manufacture of stone vases at Pseira, see Betancourt 1990b). Trade, seafaring, and commerce in general seem to have been specialized activities ( n o t e the c o n c e n t r a t i o n of foreign goods in a few localities, such as Building AD Center, as discussed by Betancourt and Banou 1991). T h e character of the buildings in Area B demonstrates that Minoan houses in a town like Pseira varied both in their architectural design and in the activities that took place within the rooms. The architectural range includes the elegant ashlar of the large LM I house in Area BH, the pillar-partitions of Building BC, and the simple, coursed rubble construction of Buildings BN East and BY. Well-planned terracing is visible in B u i l d i n g BO a n d several others, b u t Building BC is on level ground. Some of the activities in Building BC, with its sunken "bath" and L-shaped

301

obsidian pieces occurs f r o m the b u i l d i n g a n d its vicinity, f r o m raw material to finished blades, b u t most of the obsidian here consists of the waste material discarded at the time of m a n u f a c t u r e . A stone pounding platform might also be associated with the obsidian tool industry. T h e pottery and stone tools suggest that the building was also used for habitation.

Conclusions screen of pillars and doorways, could never be duplicated in a house that was not fitted with these structural details. Differences in the basic character of individual households can be recognized a m o n g the houses in Area A as well, for example, in the large quantity of foreign imports f o u n d in Building AD Center (Pseira I, pp. 147-153). This percentage of foreign pottery is not found anywhere in Area B, except for the large mansion (the Plateia Building, Building BS/BV). These d i f f e r e n c e s are n o t based on e c o n o m i c s alone. Buildings BQ and AD Center are not as large as the Plateia Building, but one had a hoard of the most exotic Knossian pottery in the town, and the other had vessels from diverse foreign ports (including the Cyclades, Cyprus, western Asia, many Cretan sites, and several unknown locations). Buildings BN East and BY are about the same size, and they both front on the Plateia. They both have objects indicating a use as dwellings, but Building BY also yields evidence for the manufacture of obsidian tools, and it has little evidence for storage. Building BN East, on the other hand, has a large quantity of the sherds of coarse pottery used for storage vessels. The evidence suggests specialization, but not a simple division by wealth or status. The conclusion from these differences may be that a Minoan town was composed of households that divided the n e e d s of the community as a whole between them. The picture seems to be more complex than a series of different occupations. O n e can suppose a model in which a humble obsidian knapper lived in Building BY and enjoyed too low a status to afford a larger house, but this model does not explain why Building BY (which was completely excavated) had little evidence for storage while Building BT, across the Plateia, yielded abundant storage evidence including both jars and large pithoi from the excavation of only a tiny part of one deposit. A more c o m p l e x a n d i n t e r r e l a t e d m o d e l is necessary. By some means, members of the community assumed or were assigned specific r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s t h a t contributed to the town's continuation and prosperity. O n e possible model is the household-client system.

302

PSEIRA IV

In this model, the head of the household would control a variable n u m b e r of children, other relatives, slaves, and other clients who would be bound to the household by a combination of economic, religious, and traditional ties. Each household might be bound to higher authorities in a hierarchical system culminating in one or more great palaces. As the household-client model is envisioned in a town like Pseira, a client of a great household might live in a separate building but provide the household with storage or specific services or products in return for the use of services and products provided by the other members of the household. In this system a palace would o p e r a t e as a great household on its own, with the heads of lesser households (like those at Pseira) as clients. There are hints that the land tenure system of Iron Age Crete, based on personal property held by individuals, may have developed away from a more communal system in which land was held by the household or community (Willetts 1990:227). Such a communal system is almost necessary to explain the situation at Pseira in which land that was formerly open (as, for example, the plot for Building BY) could be

encroached upon for the building of rather humble architecture. Much of the Pseiran evidence can only be explained by a strong social organization controlling large numbers of individuals, whether the system is called h o u s e h o l d s , clans, e x t e n d e d families, or something else. With this model, the notion of the "house" as the abode of a discreet, self-contained family may not have m u c h m e a n i n g . Clients of large h o u s e h o l d s might live in separate architectural structures but still furnish and receive goods and services. Such a model would explain why long-term storage might be concentrated at a few specific locations (see Building BT), whereas t r a d e would b e a d m i n i s t e r e d f r o m somewhere else (cf. Building AD Center). T h e system, if thoroughly ingrained in religion and other traditions, could knit a region together so that outlying locations were safe, at least from other clients of the same palatial overlord (note that LM I Pseira was not fortified). With the system providing a continuing political structure, disputes would always have a clear chain of command for settlement, and citizens could go about the business of raising their food and living their lives within a stable society.

41

Summary and Discussion of Areas C, D, and F Lada Onyshkevych Across the Minoan harbor, on the hill west of the p r o m o n t o r y of the Late Minoan I town of Pseira, Areas C, D, and F feature a number of Minoan buildings, many of them tentatively identifiable as domestic structures (see Ills. 71-75). Area C was partially excavated by Richard Seager in 1907 (Seager 1910; see 111. 73). Areas D and F, however, remain unexcavated with the exception of the LM III house in Area D (Building DA), which was uncovered by the modern project in 1986. T h e production of architectural drawings a n d t o p o g r a p h i c a l maps of these t h r e e areas in 1994 and 1995 made possible a more accurate picture of the development of the Neo-Palatial town of Pseira. Topographical maps and architectural drawings of Areas C, D, and F on Pseira were produced in the 1994 and 1995 seasons with the aid of electronically surveyed data (Onyshkevych 1996). For this purpose, a Topcon GTS-303 Electronic Total Station was used in conjunction with a laptop computer (a Toshiba 8086 in 1994, and a Gateway 2000 486 in 1995); the software used to collect data was PCAMP, and data was c o n v e r t e d to create topographical maps with Surfer (Topo) software. T h e electronic data was collected by the Total Station from a prism mounted on a pole, held at the point to be measured; the data received was converted by the data collection software into three-dimensional coordinates carried to the t h i r d d e c i m a l place, with a m a x i m u m margin of error of two centimeters. In addition, points measured electronically were used in the production of hand-drawn architectural plans of domestic structures in these areas; these plans were then digitized into an AutoCAD 12 file, and joined with topographi-

cal and other data in layers. The architecture of Areas C, D, and F extends over a total area of approximately 775 m 2 and features at least 13 structures (it was measured at 775.59 m 2 ). Nine architectural locations have been recorded in Area C, directly across the harbor from the main settlement peninsula, and four architectural locations, some of uncertain ground plan and function, have been recorded in Area D, on the other side of the same hill. To the west of Area D, a large terrace in Area F probably once supported an additional structure. T h e architectural p o r t i o n of Area C alone was recorded as 413.85 m 2 , at an average elevation of 10.9 m above sea level (ranging from 7 to 14.4 m, and shown in 111. 74). In the section of this area covered by architecture, the gradient is 1.97 (i.e., a distance of 1.97 m must be traversed before the elevation changes by 1 m); the slope continues at a steeper decline down to the rocky coastline below, at a g r a d i e n t of 1.78. Above the buildings, the slope climbs more gradually to the summit of the hill, at a gradient of 3.15. Most of the structures are found at about the same terrace level in the middle of the hill slope, with upper rooms opening onto the roofs of lower rooms, as in Area B, and stairways (such as the well-preserved one in Building CG) continuing to upper stories or to terraces above the buildings. A long stairway, comparable to the Grand Staircase climbing from the beach to the opposite slope between Areas A and B, may have existed next to and below Area CB (preserved elevation ranging from 7.2 to 9.6 m). Locations CA, CB, CE, CF, CG, and CH are positioned on the main terrace level; buildings

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PSEIRA IV

SUMMARY AND DISCUSSION OF AREAS G, D, AND F

305

306

PSEIRA IV

/Illustration 73. Plan of buildings in Area C on Pseira (modern architectural drawings generated by means of electronic suiveying and AutoCAD) with an overlay of trench outlines excavated by Richard Seager in 1907.

SUMMARY AND DISCUSSION O F AREAS C, D, AND F

Illustration 74. Plan of buildings in Area C on Pseira.

307

308

i

•

c n

J pq(=1

o o

V

309

SUMMARY AND DISCUSSION OF AREAS C, D, AND F

CC, CD, and CI are found farther up the slope. Possibly, a path or walkway ran lengthwise between the main and upper levels. In construction material (limestone and metacarbonate), and in construction technique (incorporation of bedrock into walls, rubble, cut-stone walling, and staircase design), the buildings of Area C resemble the domestic structures found on the main settlement peninsula at Pseira (Areas A and B). T h e size of each building or architectural locus in Area C ranges from 4.7 to 114.12 m 2 (see 111. 76 for sizes). These architectural locations are spaced at an average of 4.42 m from one another (ranging from 0.58 to 8.05 m); even allowing for buried walls, this spacing is greater than that found on the crowded main peninsula (where buildings routinely touch adjacent structures), and it possibly represents a "suburban" expansion of the main settlement of Areas A and B. T h e architecture of Area D covers an area measured as 341.76 m 2 , whereas the lone building in Area F (of which little remains) covers an area of 19.98 m 2 (see 111. 75). The average area of the visible walls at locations in Area D is 85.44 m 2 , ranging from 6.04 to 150.8 m 2 (see 111. 76). These architectural locations are positioned along a gentler slope than in Area C, but they are higher in elevation above the seacoast and incorporate more terrace walling in their design. The slope in this area, where covered by

Approx. Elevation

Location

Approx. Area

Bldg. CA Area CB Bldg. CC Bldg. CD Area CE Bldg. CF Area CG Bldg. CH Bldg. CI Stairway

68.32 23.28 21.04 4.70 69.84 48.83 114.12 44.55 2.52 16.65

10.5 10.5 14.4 13.5 10.5 9.0 7.0 9.25 13.47 7.2 to 9.6

Bldg. DA Area DB Area DC Area DD

6.04 150.80 112.85 72.07

13.0 13.5 15.8 11.13

Bldg. FA

19.98

7.83

architecture, has a gradient of 2.99, and the slope below the buildings has an even gentler gradient of 3.24. T h e elevation of the structures ranges from 11.13 to 15.8 m above sea level (with an average elevation of 13.36 m). Two terrace areas can be found on this slope, with Building DA and Area DB adjoining the same terrace wall, and Area DD continuing along roughly the same slope level. Area DC, which adjoins Area DB below it, is positioned higher up the hill slope, almost at its summit. Because of the lack of clarity in the design of these structures, due to the unexcavated state of all but Building DA, it is difficult to ascertain the spacing and positioning of individual structures in Area D. Areas DC and DB adjoin, and in fact their separate designations are arbitrary. Area DB, however, is separated from Building DA by a distance of 2.68 m, except for the shared terrace wall above them, and DB and DD are located 7.32 m from each other. Area DC is located 5.67 m away from Area DD. Both DD and DC are positioned not far from the end structure of Area C, around the hill slope; DD is located at a distance of 7.26 m from Building CH, while Area DC is located 21.4 m directly upslope from Building CH. Building FA, located 29.28 m from Building DA, across a ravine and beach, is positioned on a slope with a gradient of 2.55. This structure, like most of those in Area D, cannot be assigned a purpose with any confidence.

Distance to nearest structure 3.43 3.43 4.45 3.17 2.34 0.58 3.63 8.05 4.80 3.17

(CB), 4.45 (CC), 3.17 (CD) (CA), 2.34 (CE), 3.17 (Stair) (CA), 6.53 (CC) (CA), 6.53 (CC) (CB), 0.58 (CF),4.80 (CI) (CE), 3.63 (CG) (CF), 8.05 (CH) (CH), 7.26 (DD), 21.4 (DC) (CE) (CB), 1.5 (CE)

2.68 (DB), 29.28 (FA) 2.68 (DA), 0.0 (DC), 7.32 (DD0 0.0 (DB), 5.67 (DD), 21.4 (CH) 7.32 (DB), 5.67 (DC), 7.26 (CH) 29.28 (DA)

Illustration 76. Table showing approximate areas, elevation, and distances to the nearest visible architecture for architectural locations in Areas C, D, and F.

APPENDIX A

Statistical Tables for Pottery Eleni Banou, Philip P. Betancourt, and Cheryl R. Floyd Statistics are presented using the same system used in previous volumes of this series. They are tabulated for the following deposits: Area BB Over Rooms BB 1, BB 2, and BB 3, Disturbed Level Rooms BB 1 and BB 2, Disturbed Level Room BB 3, Disturbed Level Building BC Room BC 3, Sounding under the Floor Building B T Space B T 1, Disturbed Level Building BY Room BY 1, Floor Level Room BY 1, Disturbed Fill Room BY 2, Floor Level Room BY 2, Disturbed Fill

Space BY 3, Disturbed Level Space BY 4, Disturbed Level Building DA Room DA 1, Floor Level The following abbreviations are used in the tables: B, Base sherd Bod, Body sherd cat., cataloged int., interior L, Leg sherd H, handle sherd R, rim sherd S, spout sherd Tot, Total

PSEIRA rv

312

Statistics for Area BB, Disturbed Level over Rooms BB 1, BB 2, and BB 3 Shape a n d cat. examples

R

Fine Fabrics Cup Closed vessel, u n p a i n t e d

H

B

S

L

1

Phyllite Fabrics Closed vessel, painted Byzantine Fabrics Cup Closed vessel, painted Closed vessel, u n p a i n t e d Amphora

1 1 1

Bod

Tot

%

1 4

2 4

7.7 15.4

1

1

3.8

1 1 11

2 1 12 4

7.7 3.8 46.1 15.4

3

Statistics for Area BB, Disturbed Level over Rooms BB 1 and BB 2 Shape a n d cat. examples

R

Fine Fabrics Cup or bowl (?)

H

B

S

L

Bod

1

Tot

%

1

5.0

2

2

10.0

1 1 2

2 2 3

10.0 10.0 15.0

10

10

50.0

Coarse Fabrics Closed vessel, u n p a i n t e d Phyllite Fabrics Cup Piriform j a r Cooking dish Byzantine Fabrics Vessels, various types

1 1 1

APPENDIX A

313

Statistics for Area BB, Disturbed Level in Room BB 3 Shape and cat. examples Fine Fabrics Straight-sided cup, MM Semiglobular cup, LM IB Cup, LM I Cup, LM IB Closed vessel, EM III Cosed vessel, MM, painted Closed vessel, LM I, painted Closed vessel, LM I, unpainted Lid, LM IB (BB 1) Coarse Fabrics Jar, painted Closed vessel, painted Closed vessel, unpainted

R

H

B

S

L

1

Bod

1 1 2

1

Tot

2 1

0

1

3 i 1 2 5 2 j

1

! \ 9

1 1 2 5 2

1 1 8

%

0

19 9 28 09 9 19 47 19 a 9

9 09 8.4

0

Mirabello Fabric, Cooking Class Cooking pot

1

1

0.9

2

1 2 1 1 3 2

o.9 1.9 0.9 0.9 2.8 1.9

2

2

1.9

64

60.4

1

0.9

Phyllite Fabrics Conical cup Cup, unpainted Tripod cup Cooking dish Cooking pot Closed vessel, unpainted

1 1

1 1

1 1

2

Foreign Fabrics Closed vessel, pale slip (Cypriote?) Byzantine Fabrics Vessels, various types Modern Fabrics Plate

1

314

PSEIRA IV

Statistics for Building BC, Sounding in Room BC 3 Shape and cat. examples

R

Fine Fabrics Conical cup, L M I Straight-sided cup, LM I (BC 7) Semiglobular cup, LM I (BC 6) Carinated cup, MM (BC 5) Cup, MM (BC 4) Open vessel Bridge-spouted jar (BC 8) 1 Closed vessel Coarse Fabrics Conical cup Hole-mouthed jar (BC 10 Jar Jug

)

Mirabello Fabric, Cooking Class Basin Tripod cooking pot Phyllite Fabrics Conical cup Tripod cooking pot (BC 9) Jar

H

1

B

2 1

2

S

L

Bod

Tot

%

4 8

7 9 3 1 1 6 1 7

11.7 15.0 5.0 1.7 1.7 10.0 1.7 11.7

2 1 1 1

3.3 1.7 1.7 1.7

1 1

1.7 1.7

5 12

3.3 8.3 20.0

1 1 1 6 1

1 1

6

1 1 1

1 1

1 1 1

1 3

1 3 8

2

APPENDIX A

315

Statistics for Building BT, Disturbed Level Over Space BT 1 Shape and cat. examples

R

Fine Fabrics Conical cup (BT 30-33) 6 Bowl, MM 1 Bowl, LM I (BT 34) Straight-sided cup, MM Semiglobular cup, painted (BT 19) Carinated cup, MM (BT 8) Cup, MM, painted Cup, LM I, painted 3 Cup, unpainted Goblet, EM IIB (BT 2) Chalice ( ? ) , L M I (BT 35) Jug, MM (BT 11-12) 2 Jug (BT 15-17) Askos or side-spouted jar, MM (BT 10) Closed vessel, EM IIB (BT 3) Closed vessel, MM, painted (BT 9) Closed vessel, LM I, painted (BT 36) Closed vessel, LM I, unpainted Coarse Fabrics Bowl (BT 20) Basin with scoring (BT 40) Tripod cooking pot, EM-MM (BT 4) Bridge-spouted jar (BT 21) Piriform jar, LM I (BT 37) Jar, EM-MM (BT 5) Jar (BT 13-14) Jar, thickened rim (BT 23) Jar, rolled rim (BT 22) Jar, LM I Pithos (BT 25, 38-39) Jug (BT 18) Bull-shaped askoid rhyton (BT 41) Closed vessel, EM (BT 1) Closed vessel, trickle motif Closed vessel, bands Closed vessel, dark paint Closed vessel, lines (BT 24) Closed vessel, unpainted Lid (BT 6-7)

H

1 1

1 4

S

L

Bod

4

8

3

1 7

1 4 1

1 3 4

1 1 5

1 3

1

1

1

4

6 8

1 1

1

1 1 2

1

7 1

1 1

1

1

1

2

1

0.4 0.2

3 5 15

12 10 24 1 67

2.5 2.0 4.9 0.2 13.7

1

0.2

24

4.9

4

30 5 20

20

113

2

Foreign Fabrics Closed vessel (BT 26)

1 3 9 1 3 6 7 8

1.6

1

7 3 7 1 3

1

2 1 1 1 9 5 1

1

2 13

1

Phyllite Fabrics Conical cup Cooking dish Tripod bowl and miniature tripod vessel (BT 28-29) Tripod cooking pot (BT 42) Jar (BT 27) Oval-mouthed amphora Closed vessel, unpainted

3.7 0.2 0.2 2.0 0.2 0.4 1.4 1.8 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.6 1.8 0.2 0.6 1.2 1.4 1.6

8

1 1

1 1

18 1 1 10 1 2 7 9 1

5

8

5

1

%

1 33 7 24 1 141 2

1

1

Tot

0.2 0.4 0.2 0.2 0.2 1.8 1.0 0.2 0.2 0.4 3.1 0.2 0.2 0.2 6.7 1.4 4.9 0.2 28.8 0.4

1

1

Mirabello Fabric, Cooking Class Tripod cooking pot

Byzantine Fabrics Amphora

B

1

1 1 1 1 2 6

5

1 1

53

24

2 15 1

1

316

pseiraiv

Statistics for Building BY, Floor Level in Room BY 1 Complete or largely restorable Fine Fabrics Semiglobular cup, LM IB (BY 3)

Shape and cat. examples Fine Fabrics Conical cup, LM I, unpainted (BY 1-2) Straight-sided cup, MM Straight-sided cup, LM I Semiglobular cup, LM I Semiglobular cup, LM IB Carinated cup, MM Cup, MM Cup, LM I Cup, LM IB, painted Open vessel, LM I, painted Jug, LM I, painted Bridge-spouted jar or jug Closed vessel, LM I, painted (BY 4-5) Closed vessel, LM I, unpainted Undiagnostic

R

16 1 5 4 3

S

L

14

1

Bod

Tot

%

30 1

60 2 5 8 11 1 1 32 11 13 4 1

12.0 0.4 1.0 1.6 2.2 0.2 0.2 6.5 2.2 2.6 0.8 0.2

27 19

31 23 8

6.3 4.7 1.6

1

2 2 11 14

0.4 0.4 2.2 2.8

1

0.2

5 39 2 1 8 83 1 1 6 75 1

1.0 8.0 0.4 0.2 1.6 16.8 0.2 0.2 1.2 15.2 0.2

1

1

0.2

6 17

1 8 17 4

0.2 1.6 3.4 0.8

3 3

5

1

3

1

1

1 26 10 11 3

2 1 1 1

3

1

Mirabello Fabric, Cooking Class Cooking pot (?)

1

1 4

1

1 6 2 1 4 5 1 1 2 1

1 2 2

1 1

1 9 9

2

2

2 29

4

1 4

10

4

Foreign Fabrics Closed vessel, unpainted (BY 10) Byzantine Falmcs Open vessel, painted Amphora Closed vessel Roof tiles

B

1

Coarse Fabrics Cup, unpainted Scoop, LM I (BY 7) Closed vessel, painted Closed vessel, unpainted (BY 6)

Fhyllile Fabrics Conical cup Cup, unpainted Bowl, painted Kalathos (?) Cooking dish (BY 9) Cooking pot Open vessel, LM IB (BY 8) Jar (?) Closed vessel, painted Closed vessel, unpainted Undiagnostic

H

1

4

3 60

4 70

APPENDIX A

317

Statistics for Building BY, Disturbed Fill Over Room BY 1 Shape a n d cat. examples Fine Fabrics Conical cup, LM I Straight-sided cup, MM II (BY 19) Cup, LM I Cup O p e n vessel, painted interior Bridge-spouted j u g or jar, MM Closed vessel, MM, painted Closed vessel, LM I, painted Closed vessel, u n p a i n t e d Closed vessel Rhyton, LM I Coarse Fabrics Cup Closed vessel, Closed vessel, Closed vessel, Closed vessel,

R

H

B

S

1 1 2

4 1 1

1 4 2 1 1

1

1 2 3 4

Mirabello Fabric, Cooking Class O p e n vessel (cup?) Cooking dish J a r (?) Closed vessel, u n p a i n t e d

Byzantine Fabrics Vessels, various types Roof tile

Bod

1

painted (BY 20) LM I, painted (BY 21) painted unpainted

Phyllite Fabrics Conical c u p Cup Kalathos (?) Cooking dish Cooking pot Closed vessel, u n p a i n t e d

L

2

1

3 1 10

1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 2

1

1 1

1 23 15

Tot

1 1 5 2 1 1 1 4 2 1 1

0.3 0.3 1.7 0.7 0.3 0.3 0.3 1.4 0.7 0.3 0.3

2 2 3 4 17

0.7 0.7 1.0 1.4 5.9

1 1 1 1

0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3

1 1 1 2 27 16

0.3 0.3 0.3 0.7 9.4 5.6

186 1

64.8 0.3

318

PSEIRAIV

Statistics for Building BY, Floor Level in Room BY 2 Shape a n d cat. examples Fine Fabrics Conical cup, LM I Straight-sided cup, LM I Straight-sided cup, LM IB (BY 17) Semiglobular cup, LM I Semiglobular cup, LM IB (BY 14-15) Bell cup, LM IB (BY 16) Carinated cup, MM II Cup, MM II Cup, LM I Loop-handled bowl, LM I (BY 12) Bridge-spouted j u g or jar, LM I (BY 11) Closed vessel, LM I, painted (BY 13) Closed vessel, LM I, u n p a i n t e d

R

H

4 1 1 1

2

B

Foreign or Non-Local Fabric Closed vessel, u n p a i n t e d

L

Bod

1 6

1.5 9.2

2 1 2 1 9 1

3.0 1.5 3.0 1.5 13.8 1.5

1

1.5

3 1

3 2

4.6 3.0

2 8

2 8

3.0 12.3

2 9

5 1 10

7.7 1.5 15.4

1

1

1.5

2

1

2 1 2 1 8

1

1

3 1 1

% 12.3 1.5

2

1 1

Tot

8 1

2

Coarse Fabrics Closed vessel, painted Closed vessel, u n p a i n t e d Phyllile Fabrics Conical cup Cup Pithos (BY 18)

S

APPENDIX A

319

Statistics for Building BY, Disturbed Fill in Room BY 2 Shape and cat. examples Fine Fabrics Conical cup, LM I (BY 27) Rounded cup, MM (BY 22 ) Semiglobular cup, LM I (BY 28) Semiglobular cup, LM IB Bell cup, LM I (BY 26) Carinated cup, MM Cup, LM I (BY 25) Cup, LM I, painted Cup, LM IB Cup Cup rhyton, LM IB (BY 31) Scoop, MM III-LM I (BY 24) Open vessel, LM I, painted int. Jug, LM IB, painted (BY 32) Closed vessel (jar?), MM Closed vessel, MM, painted Closed vessel, LM I, unpainted Closed vessel, LM I, painted Closed vessel, LM IA, painted (BY 29) Closed vessel, LM IB, painted (BY 30) Closed vessel, painted Closed vessel, unpainted

R

Phyllite Fabrics Conical cup Tripod cup Cup Open vessel, painted interior Cooking dish Cooking tray Cooking pot (BY 35) Cooking pot (?) Brazier (BY 33) Closed vessel, painted (BY 34) Closed vessel, unpainted

S

L

Bod

Tot

%

2

6 1 8 1 4 2 25 1

1 1

3

1.0 0.2 1.3 0.2 0.6 0.3 4.1 0.2 0.3 0.5 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.5

14 11

16 21

0.2 2.6 3.4

1

1

0.2

2

3

4

4

0.5 0.2 0.6

2 1

2 1 1 6 28 2

0.3 0.2 0.2 1.0 4.5 0.3

2 4

0.3 0.6 2.4 0.2 0.5

9 20

15 1 3 1 2 1 88 1 1 10 20

5

5

2

1

4

1 1

2

1

1

1

1

1

2

20 2 3

1

1 1

1

1

1 9

1

1 1 1 2 1 6

1 1

2 1

1

4 27 1

1

3

5 1

1 1 1 9 1

3 1 1

Foreign Fabrics Closed vessel (BY 36-37) Byzantine Fabrics Vessels, various types Turkish or Modern Fabrics Plate

B 1

3 1 6

Coarse Fabrics Cup, unpainted Cup, painted Open vessel (bowl?) Closed vessel, painted Closed vessel, unpainted Closed vessel Mirabello Fabric, Cooking Class Cooking dish (BY 23) Cooking pot

H

1

2 1 1 4

4

68

2 3

1 1 1 1

1

1

0.2 0.3 0.2 14.3 0.2 0.2 1.6 3.2 0.8

315

51.1

1

0.2

PSEIRA IV

320

Statistics for near Building BY, Disturbed Level in Space BY 3 Shape and cat. examples Fine Fabrics Conical cup, LM I Straight-sided cup, EM III Straight-sided cup, LM I Straight-sided cup, LM IB Semiglobular cup, LM I Semiglobular cup, LM I B Carinated cup, MM Cup, LM I Cup, LM IB Cup or tumbler, LM I Basket-shaped vessel, LM I 1 Closed vessel, LM I, painted Closed vessel, LM I, unpainted Closed vessel, LM IB, painted Coarse Fabrics Cup, unpainted Closed vessel, EM III, painted Closed vessel, painted Closed vessel, unpainted Phyllite Fabrics Conical cup Tumbler Kalathos (?) Tripod cup Cooking dish Cooking pot Closed vessel, painted Closed vessel, unpainted Byzantine Fabrics Open vessel (cup?) Closed vessel, painted Closed vessel

R

H

B

S

L

Tot

%

7 1 3 1 3 3 2 14 2 1 1 6 3 1

3.4 0.5 1.4 0.5 1.4 1.4 1.0 6.8 1.0 0.5 0.5 2.9 1.4 0.5

1 1 2 22

0.5 0.5 1.0 10.6

7 26 6 14

7 1 1 1 7 26 7 21

3.4 0.5 0.5 0.5 3.4 12.5 3.4 10.1

1 1 59

1 1 61

0.5 0.5 29.3

Bod

4

3 1 3 1

2 1 1 6 2

1 1

1 1 3

5 1

5 2

1 1 1

1 1 1

2 19

2

1 1

2

4

1 1

4

2

1 2

1

APPENDIX A

321

Statistics for near Building BY, Disturbed Level in Space BY 4 Shape a n d cat. examples

R

Fine Fabrics Conical cup, L M I Straight-sided c u p or tumbler, MM Semiglobular cup, LM 1 2 Semiglobular cup, LM IB 1 Cup, LM I Cup, L M I B O p e n vessel (bowl?), painted Closed vessel, LM I, painted Closed vessel, LM IB, painted

H

B

S

L

Phyllite Fabrics Cup, u n p a i n t e d Cooking dish Cooking p o t Closed vessel, p a i n t e d Closed vessel, u n p a i n t e d Byzantine Fabrics Closed vessel

Tot

1

3

1

5 5 1 1 1 1

1 2 5

1 2 5

1.6 3.2 8.1

1

1.6

1

2 3 3 7

2 3 5 3 8

3.2 4.8 8.1 4.8 12.9

2

11

13

21.0

3 1

1

1

2 1 1

1

1 i

%

1.6 ] (, 4.8 8.1 8.1 1.6 1.6 1.6 1.6

1 1 1 1 1 1

Coarse Fabrics Cup, u n p a i n t e d Closed vessel, painted Closed vessel, u n p a i n t e d Mirabello Fabric, Cooking Class Cooking dish

Bod

3

522

PSEIRA r v

Statistics f o r B u i l d i n g DA, D e p o s i t in R o o m D A 1 Shape and cataloged Whole Fine Fabrics: Open Shapes C u p or Bowl, LM III, flat base (DA 32-35, 39) Shallow bowl, LM III (DA 1) Bowl, LM III, ring base Conical cup, LM I-III (DA 14) Ogival cup, m o n o c h r o m e , LM IIIA:2 (DA 3-4) Cup, MM III-LM I Straight-sided cup, MM III Semiglobular cup, LM I Bell cup, tortoise-shell ripple Scoop, MM II-LM I (DA 6, 8-9, 11) Ledge-rim c u p / b o w l , painted (DA 28-29) Kylix, LM III (DA 36-37, 43) C h a m p a g n e cup, LM III (DA 2) O p e n vessel, LM I, painted (DA 12) O p e n vessel, LM IIIA Fine Fabrics: Closed Shapes Collared jug, LM III Krater, LM III Bridge-spouted j a r , LM I Pyxis or alabastron, LM IIIA (DA 41) Stirrup jar, LM III Closed vessel, MM, painted Closed vessel, LM I-III, painted Closed vessel, LM I-III, u n p a i n t e d Closed vessel, LM IIIA (DA 7) Undiagnostic, LM I-IIIA Coarse Fabrics: Open Shapes Cup, LM I (DA 13) Basin, LM III (DA 53) Basin (?) (DA 15) Scoop, MM III-LM I (DA 10) O p e n vessel, LM I-III Cup or bowl with knobs, LM III (DA 42) O p e n vessel, LM III, painted

1

R

H

B

3

5

examples S

L

Bod

Tot

3

11 2 2

1.0 0.2 0.2

56

97

8.9

4 29 8 18 1

0.4 2.8 0.7 1.7 0.1

4

0.4

3

0.3

4

0.4

1

0.1

14 34

1.3 3.1

1 1 1

0.1 0.1 0.1

1 2 1 6

1 2 2 1 6

0.1 0.2 0.2 0.1 0.6

6 60

6 62

0.6 5.7

1

0.1

1 1

0.1 0.1

1 2

0.1 0.2

1 1

0.1 0.1

1 2 23

18 2

2

3 1

19 8 9

9 6

4 2 1

1

2

1 3 1

2

I

8 33

1 1 1 1 1

2

1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1

%

APPENDIX A

Whole Coarse Fabrics: Closed Shapes Bridge-spouted jar, MM III-LM I Jug, LM I-III Jug, LM III (DA 5) 1 Oval-mouthed amphora, MM II-LM I (DA 17-18) Oval-mouthed amphora, LM I-III Stirrup jar, LM IIIA:2 (DA 44) Jar, LM I-III, unpainted Jar, LM III, painted (DA 16, 19) Jar, LM III, unpainted Closed vessel, MM-LM I, painted Closed vessel, LM I-III, painted Closed vessel, LM I-III, unpainted

R

H

323

B

S

L 1

0.7 0.1

2

2

1

0.2

1

0.1

3

0.3

2

0.2

1 1 1 9

2

0.2

2

0.2

1

0.1

9

0.8

1

29

30

2.8

1

1

2

0.2

97

97

8.9

1.3

3

1

1

1 1

8

1

6

14

17

17

1.6

5

7

0.6

1

0.1

3

0.3

3

0.3

43

4.0

1 1

0.1

45

92

8.5

3

134

156

14.4

4

4

18

1.7

1

1

1

2

3 11

13

19

1 1 47 7 10

10 2

0.1

1

Mirabello Fabric, Cooking Class: Undiagnostic Undiagnostic Phyllite-tempered Fabrics: Open Shapes Basin, flat rim (DA 54-55) Conical cup (DA 51-52) Straight-sided cup Disk, LM III (DA 50) Cooking dish (DA 20-26) Cooking pot (DA 46) Cooking tray (DA 45) Tripod vessel, Thick oval section leg (DA 47-49) Miniature leg Bowl or tripod bowl Brazier, LM I-III (DA 58)

%

8

Coarse Fabrics: Undiagnostic Undiagnostic

Mirabello Fabric, Cooking Class: Other Shapes Lid, (DA 27)

Tot 1

8

Coarse Fabrics, Non-Local Jug or stirrup jar, LM III (DA 40)

Mirabello Fabric, Cooking Class: Open Shapes Cooking dish Cooking pot Cup or bowl

Bod

12

0.1

12

12

1.1

2

2

0.2

10

0.9

2

0.2

PSEIRA IV

324

Whole Phyllite-tempered Fabrics: Closed Shapes J a r (DA 5 6 , 5 9 , 6 1 ) J u g (?) Vessel, r o p e decoration (DA 57) Pithos, large rim (DA 60) Closed vessel

R

H

4

1 8

B

S

L

Bod

%

5 8

0.5 0.7

1

1

0.1

7

1 11

0.1 1.0

172

173

15.9

11

1.0

1 4

Tot

Phyllite-tempered Fabrics: Undiagnostic Undiagnostic

1

Phyllite Fabrics, Non-Local, with pale slip Closed vessel, painted Foreign Grayish Brown Fabric Closed vessel (DA 62)

2

2

0.2

Foreign Dark Gray Fabric O p e n vessel (DA 63-64)

2

2

0.2

Foreign Light Red Fabric Canaanite j a r (DA 65)

2

2

0.2

Foreign Reddish Yellow Fabric Closed vessel (DA 66)

1

1

0.1

1

1 1

0.1 0.1

Other Foreign Fabrics O p e n vessel Closed vessel

1

Bibliographical References

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Chronolo-

Alexiou, Stylianos 1954 «'YoTEpouivcoiKÖs Täcpog TTaxudmiou.» Kretika Chronika 8:399-412.

Baurain, CL, P. Darcque, and C. Verlinden 1982 «MóÁia, NoTioavaxoÁiKÉs TRAPIKPÉS avaKTÓpou.» ArchDelt 37:394-395.

TOU

Aström, Paul, and David Reese 1990 " T r i t o n Shells in East Mediterranean C u l t s . " Journal of Prehistoric Religion 3-4:5-14.

Betancourt, Philip P. 1977a "Marine Life Pottery from the Aegean." Archaeology 30:38-43. 1977b "Some Chronological Problems in the Middle Minoan Dark-on-Light Pottery of Eastern Crete." AJA 81:341-353. 1980 Cooking Vessels from Minoan Kommos. A Preliminary Report. Los Angeles. 1983 Minoan Objects Excavated from Vasilike, Pseira, Sphoungaras, Priniatikos Pyrgos, and Other Sites. (The Cretan Collection in the University Museum, University of Pennsylvania, vol. 1). Philadelphia. 1985 The History of Minoan Pottery. Princeton. 1990a Kommos II. The Final Neolithic to Middle Minoan III Pottery. Princeton. 1990b "The Stone Vessels of Pseira." Expedition 32(3):15-21. 1994-96 «MIVCOIKÓ Euirópio Áí6ov: T a crroixeta a i r ó xr| viíoo f e l p a . » Kpr)TiKií E o x í a 5:47-70. 1995 "Pseira, Crete: The Economic Base for a Bronze Age Town." See Laffineur and Niemeier, eds., 1995:164-167.

Banti, Luisa 1939-40 "Cronologia e ceramica del palazzo minoico di Festòs." ASAtene n.s. 1-2:2-39.

Betancourt, Philip P., ed. 1984 East Cretan White-on-Dark Ware. Philadelphia.

Barlow, Alfred Ernest 1915 Corundum, Its Occurrence, Distribution, Exploitation, and Uses. Ottawa.

Betancourt, Philip P., and Eleni S. Banou 1991 "Pseira and Minoan S e a - T r a d e . " See Laffineur and Bäsch, eds., 1991:107-110.

Alexiou, Stylianos, Nikolaos Piaton, and Hanni Guanella 1968 Ancient Crete. London. Alexopoulou-Baya, P. 1985 'loropia TT]S 'EAeuoivas. Athens. Andreou, Stylianos 1978 Pottery Groups of the Old Palace Period in C r e t e . Ph. D. diss., University o f Cincinnati. Anonymous 1975 Münzen und Medaillen A. G. Kunstwerk der Antike. 14-15 March, 1975. Basel.

326

PSEIRA r v

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