Published by the Swedish Institute at Athens. Distributed by Astrom Editions.

The function of the Minoan palaces. Proceedings of the Fourth International Symposium at the Swedish Institute in Athens, 10–16 June, 1984

Abstract

Fourty-seven papers on the functions of the palace, the most characteristic phenomenon of the Minoan Bronze Age civilization in Crete, read at an international conference in Athens; the papers are followed by transcripts of the discussion of the symposium. The papers are arranged in eight groups, discussing (1) background (Near Eastern and Egyptian economy), parallels (Mycenaean palaces) and methodology; (2) the emergence of the Cretan palaces; (3) the relations of the palace with town and territory; (4) recent archaeological finds; (5) the palaces as ceremonial and religious centres; (6) the palaces as centres of trade and manufacture; (7) the administrative systems of the Minoans and Mycenaeans; and (8) the function of the frescoes in the palace.

For James Walter Graham and to the memory of Spyridon Marinatos.

‘Preface’, p. 9

Background and methodology

Benjamin R. Foster, ‘The Late Bronze Age palace economy: A view from the East’, pp. 11–16

Wolfgang Helck, ‘The dissolution of the palace economy in the Ramesside period’, pp. 17–19

Klaus Kilian, ‘Zur Funktion der mykenischen Residenzen auf dem Griechischen Festland’, pp. 21–38

Margareta Lindgren, ‘The function of the Minoan palaces—Myth and reality’, pp. 39–42

Antonis A. Zois, ‘The function of the Minoan palace: A contribution to the definition of the main problem or a model for future research (outline)’, pp. 43–44

‘General discussion’, pp. 45–46

The emergence of the Cretan palaces

P.M. Warren, ‘The genesis of the Minoan palace’, pp. 47–56

Stefan Hiller, ‘Palast und Tempel im Alten Orient und im minoischen Kreta’, pp. 57–64

L. Vance Watrous, ‘The role of the Near East in the rise of the Cretan palaces’, pp. 65–70

Gerald Cadogan, ‘What happened at the Old Palace of Knossos?’, pp. 71–73

‘General discussion’, pp. 73–74

The relations of the palace with town and territory

Jean-Claude Poursat, ‘Town and palace at Malia in the protopalatial period (summary)’, pp. 75–76

Stella Chryssoulaki & Lefteris Platon, ‘Relations between the town and palace of Zakros’, pp. 77–84

Henri van Effenterre, ‘The function of monumentality in the Minoan palaces’, pp. 85–87

Alan Peatfield, ‘Palace and peak: The political and religious relationship between palaces and peak sanctuaries’, pp. 89–93

Lucia Nixon, ‘Neo-palatial outlying settlements and the function of the Minoan palaces’, pp. 95–98

‘General discussion’, pp. 98–99

News from the field

Joseph W. Shaw, ‘A “palatial” stoa at Kommos’, pp. 101–110

Yannis Tzedakis & Stella Chrysoulaki, ‘Neopalatial architectural elements in the area of Chania’, pp. 111–115

Yannis Tzedakis & Erik Hallager, ‘A clay-sealing from the Greek-Swedish excavations at Khania’, pp. 117–120

Hermann Kienast, ‘Neue Forschungen im Kopais-Becken (Zusammenfassung)’, pp. 121–122

Palaces as ceremonial and religious centres

Geraldine C. Gesell, ‘The Minoan palace and public cult’, pp. 123–128

Robin Hägg, ‘On the reconstruction of the west façade of the palace at Knossos’, pp. 129–134

Nanno Marinatos, ‘Public festivals in the west courts of the palaces’, pp. 135–143

Christos Boulotis, ‘Nochmals zum Prozessionsfresko von Knossos: Palast und Darbringung von Prestige-Objekten’, pp. 145–156

Ellen N. Davis, ‘The Knossos miniature frescoes and the function of the central courts’, pp. 157–161

Wolf-Dietrich Niemeier, ‘On the function of the “Throne Room” in the palace at Knossos’, pp. 163–168

Erik Hallager, ‘A “Harvest Festival Room” in the Minoan palaces? An architectural study of the Pillar Crypt Area at Knossos’, pp. 169–177

D.J. Ian Begg, ‘Continuity in the West Wing at Knossos’, pp. 179–184

‘General discussion’, pp. 184–186

AnnCharlotte Nordfeldt, ‘Residential quarters and lustral basins’, pp. 187–194

Clairy Palyvou, ‘Circulatory patterns in Minoan architecture’, pp. 195–203

Sinclair Hood, ‘Mason’s marks in the palaces’, pp. 205–212

Immo Beyer, ‘Der Palasttempel von Phaistos’, pp. 213–225

Gösta Säflund, ‘The agoge of the Minoan youth as reflected by palatial iconography’, pp. 227–233

Jennifer Moody, ‘The Minoan palace as a prestige artifact’, pp. 235–241

‘General discussion’, pp. 242–244

The Palaces as centres of trade and manufacture

Keith Brannigan, ‘The economic role of the first palaces’, pp. 245–249

Stylianos Axeliou, ‘Minoan palaces as centres of trade and manufacture’, pp. 251–253

Günter Kopcke, ‘The Cretan palaces and trade’, pp. 255–260

Malcolm H. Wiener, ‘Trade and rule in palatial Crete’, pp. 261–267

‘General discussion’, pp. 267–268

Olivier Pelon, ‘Minoan palaces and workshops: New data from Malia’, pp. 269–272

J.A. MacGillivray, ‘Pottery workshops and the old palaces in Crete’, pp. 273–279

Gisela Walberg, ‘Palatial and provincial workshops in the Middle Minoan period’, pp. 281–285

Karen Polinger Foster, ‘Reconstructing Minoan palatial faience workshops’, pp. 287–292

Colin Macdonald, ‘A Knossian weapon workshop in Late Minoan II and IIIA’, pp. 293–295

Mervyn Popham, ‘The use of the palace at Knossos at the time of its destruction, c. 1400 B.C.’, pp. 297–299

‘General discussion’, pp. 299–300

From Minoan to Mycenaean administration

Thomas G. Palaima, ‘Preliminary comparative textual evidence for palatial control of economic activity in Minoan and Mycenaean Crete’, pp. 301–306

John Bennet, ‘Knossos and LM III Crete: A post-palatial palace?’, pp. 307–312

J.T. Hooker, ‘Minoan and Mycenaean administration: A comparison of the Knossos and Pylos archives’, pp. 313–316

Paul Åström & Karl-Erik Sjöquist, ‘The scribes and their helpers in the palace at Pylos’, pp. 317–319

‘General discussion’, pp. 319–320

The function of frescoes in the palaces

M.A.S. Cameron, ‘The “palatial” thematic system in the Knossos murals. Last notes on Knossos frescoes’, pp. 320–328

‘Final discussion’, pp. 329–333

‘Programme and participants of the symposium’, pp. 335–336

‘Abbreviations’, pp. 337–339

‘Index’, pp. 341–344

‘Index of maps and plans in the text’, p. 344

Bibliographical information

Robin Hägg & Nanno Marinatos, eds, The function of the Minoan palaces. Proceedings of the Fourth International Symposium at the Swedish Institute in Athens, 10–16 June, 1984 (Skrifter utgivna av Svenska institutet i Athen, 4°, 35), Stockholm 1987. ISSN 0586-0539. ISBN 9789185086948. Softcover: 344 pages.

Reviews

The Classical Review 39:2, 1989, 335–338 (Christiane Sourvinou-Inwood) https://doi.org/10.1017/S0009840X00272090

Revista de História 121, 1989 (Norberto Luiz Guarinello) https://doi.org/10.11606/issn.2316-9141.v0i121p141-147

Tags:Administrative centre, Alan Peatfield, AnnCharlotte Nordfeldt, Antonis A. Zois, Benjamin R. Foster, Bronze Age, Christos Boulotis, Clairy Palyvou, Colin Macdonald, Crete, cult centre, D.J. Ian Begg, economic system, Ellen N. Davis, Erik Hallager, frescoes, Gerald Cadogan, Geraldine C. Gesell, Gisela Walberg, Gösta Säflund, Günter Kopcke, Henri van Effenterre, Hermann Kienast, Immo Beyer, International Symposium at the Swedish Institute at Athens, J.A. MacGillivray, J.T. Hooker, Jean-Claude Poursat, Jennifer A. Moody, John Bennet, Joseph W. Shaw, Karen Polinger Foster, Karl-Erik Sjöquist, Keith Brannigan, Klaus Kilian, L. Vance Watrous, Lefteris Platon, Lucia Nixon, M.A.S. Cameron, Malcolm H. Wiener, Margareta Lindgren, Mervyn Popham, Minoan culture, Nanno Marinatos, Olivier Pelon, P.M. Warren, palace, Paul Åström, redistribution, religion, Robin Hägg, Sinclair Hood, Stefan Hiller, Stella Chryssoulaki, Stylianos Axeliou, Thomas G. Palaima, trade, Wolf-Dietrich Niemeier, Wolfgang Helck, workshops, Yannis Tzedakis

ActaAth-4°, 35: The function of the Minoan palaces (1987)