 Author: Eiji OKUBO Sales Network: Amazon.com / Amazon.co.jp   |
Author: Eiji OKUBO Sales Network: Amazon.com / Amazon.co.jp |
| Written by Eiji Okubo, Printed books and e-books Heritage of Minoan and Mycenaean civilizations Detailed data on Ruins and Excavated items |
| Legacy of the Minoan Civilization Excavated 450 Items (v. 1) |
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| subtitle: Touring to Minoan civilization with precise illustrations of
excavated artefacts language: English format: e-book / Web-download to Amazon-kindle, PC, e-book-reader, tablet-device, mobile-phone size: 423 pages (kindle screen) / capacity: 499Mb sales: Amazon Network / Amazon.com / Amazon.co.uk |
| Sumary: This e-book is a “Precise Illustrations & Data Book” of excavated main items from the prehistoric Minoan Civilization ruins in Crete, and some finds from mainland Greece and Santorini Island. This e-book is picking up carefully selected “Excavated 450 Items” unearthed in important large to small archaeological sites in Crete, including the Knossos Palace and surroundings ruins, where were the center of the Minoan Civilization. More than 90% of the excavated items in this e-book explained are depicted in Precise Illustrations, and the rest are shown in Photographs, and including Detailed data and Descriptions of each individual find, along with associated data on the sites where they were unearthed. This e-book will invite you to the “World of Crafts and Arts” of the Minoan Civilization through carefully selected important works from among the excavated items on display at the Heraklion Archaeological Museum and other museums in Crete, and the National Archaeological Museum of Athens. Contents: What is the Minoan Civilization? I Jewelry Goods I-1 Gold Signet Ring I-2 Necklace & Pendant I-3 Gold Cup I-4 Gold & Silver Jewelry and Stones II Fresco II-1 Limestone, Stucco/Plaster, Fresco techniques II-2 Minoan Fresco II-3 Fresco Geometric Pattern II-4 Fresco Expressing Persons II-5 Fresco Expressing Animals II-6 Fresco Floral Expressing III Pottery III-1 Early Minoan Pottery III-2 Middle Minoan Pottery, Kamares style III-3 Middle Minoan Pottery, General Purpose III-4 Late Minoan Pottery, Palace style III-5 Late Minoan Pottery, Marine Design style III-6 Late Minoan Pottery, Floral Design style III-7 Late Minoan Pottery, Abstract & Geometric III-8 Late Minoan Pottery, General Purpose III-9 Ritual Rhyton III-10 Pottery Rhyton for Decoration III-11 Pottery for Daily Life IV Seal and Clay Imprint IV-1 Stone Seal IV-2 Ivory & Bone Seals IV-3 Clay Imprint V Stone Working V-1 Rhyton for Decoration V-2 Ritual Rhyton V-3 Stone Figurine V-4 Stone Building Structure V-5 Lamp & Daily Goods VI Minoan & Mycenaean Linear & Hieroglyph VI-1 Linear A VI-2 Linear B VI-3 Hieroglyph & Special Sign VII Bronze Work VII-1 Bronze Adorned Sword & Weapon VII-2 Bronze Double Axe VII-3 Bronze Adorned Vessel VII-4 Bronze Figurine & Daily Life VIII Terracotta Figurine & Larnax Coffin VIII-1 Votive offerings, Terracotta Figurine VIII-2 Terracotta Larnax Coffin IX Ivory Work IX-1 Ivory Works IX-2 Animal Bone & Fang Works X Agriculture & Fishing & Everyday Life X-1 Agriculture & Breeding & Costal Fishing X-2 Everyday Life |
| Sample Page：(excerpt) ---------- I-1-02 Gold Signet Ring, “Gold Isopata Ring”  Site: Royal Tomb, Chamber Tomb 1, Isopata Shape & Decoration: Gold Signet Ring, oval-shaped seal face Epiphany: Goddess, two snakes, four dancing women, meadow with violets blooming Era: LMI, 1550-1450 BC Museum: HAM, inv. No. 424 / L26mm Local: Central North, Crete Drawing: Eiji OKUBO The Chamber Tomb 1 of the Royal Tomb at Isopata site, which has the long Dromos/Passage stretching more than 55m in the northward direction, and the sides of the burial Chamber room and the Fore room were perfectly constructed with exquisite masonry of cut stones and had the sturdy design.  Site: Royal Tomb, Chamber Tomb 1 & 1a, Isopata Situation: Structural drawing, “Gold Isopata Ring” from cist grave in Chamber room Re. information: Papers, Sir Arthur John Evans “Archeology of other regions v. LXV” (1913) Era: LMII, 1450-1400 BC Local: Central North, Crete / 2.8km north from Knossos Palace Drawing: Eiji OKUBO GPS: 35°19'17''N 25°09'19''E / ALT 90m A cist grave approximately 1.7m deep was excavated in an L-shaped on the southeast floor of the square burial chamber, and a magnificent gold signet ring was unearthed from inside, depicting a scene of four Minoan women dancing while being watched by a goddess and two snakes. This is one of the greatest masterpieces of jewelry in Minoan craft art. The four women are wearing thick, Minoan-style skirts; the two on the left and the woman in the center are younger women as they have hair ornaments and swaying long hair, while the woman on the right has her hair tied up and is therefore probably a slightly older woman than the three. As violets are blooming all around the four, it is likely spring, and the location is the grassland such as Gypsades Hill south of the Palace of Knossos. The owner (death) of this gold signet ring was a Minoan queen, a beautiful princess, or a high-ranking aristocrat who lived in the Knossos Palace during the Minoan civilization's most peaceful and prosperous period. It is believed to have been made during the heyday of the “New Palace Era with dancing Flowers,” during the Late Minoan civilization LMIA to LMIB period, 1550 to 1450 BC. I-1-03 Gold Signet Ring of “Princess of Archanes”  Site: Tholos Tomb A, Fourni Common Cemetery, Archanes （Tomb of Princess of Archanes） Shape & Decoration: Gold Signet Ring, oval-shaped seal face Epiphany: goddess, man with sacred stone “Baetylus,” man at shrine with sacred tree, butterfly Era: MMIIIB-LMIA, 1600-1500 BC Museum: HAM, inv. No. 989 / L26mm Local: Central North, Crete Drawing: Eiji OKUBO  Site: Tholos Tomb A, Fourni Common Cemetery, Archanes so called “Tomb of Princess Archanes” Situation: view from Dromos length 18m to Tomb Entrance a) Tholos burial chamber inner diameter 4.5m with burial antechamber 2m square b) Tholos burial chamber floor＝semi-underground type c) Tholos to Dromos=N90° (opening to East) Era: MMIIIB-LMIA, 1600-1500 BC Local: Central North, Crete / 7km south from Knossos Palace Drawing: Eiji OKUBO GPS: 35°14'42''N 25°09'32''E / ALT 430m A gold signet ring excavated from the Tholos Tomb A, believed to be the "Tomb of the Princess of Archanes" at the Archanes Fourni common cemetery, 7km south of the ruins of the Palace of Knossos, is oval in shape, 26mm wide, and a distinctive Epiphany expression. In the center of the seal stands a Minoan goddess wearing a distinctive thick skirt, and to her right is a temple-like building that appears to be a tripartite shrine with a sacred tree that curves upward, with an active young Minoan man carved into it, as if he is about to touch the branches to receive the blessings of the god. On the left side of the seal, on the other hand, there is a Minoan man kneeling at a sacred stone as if he is worshipping something, or perhaps holding a large funerary pithos, looking a little dejected. In the space between the goddess and the kneeling man there are two butterflies, and above the butterflies there are inscriptions that are thought to be from the Egyptian Pillar of Osiris, which represents the death and rebirth of plants, a view of life and death. Related: Goddess of Crafts and Epiphany expression A large number of craftworks with Goddess motifs have been excavated from building remains and tomb remains in both the Minoan and Mycenaean civilizations. The idea of worshiping the Goddess began in the Minoan civilization, which was strongly influenced by the Middle East and Egyptian civilizations, and was also frequently expressed in the crafts of the Mycenaean civilization on the Greek mainland, which was culturally and technologically influenced by the Minoan civilization. In terms of goddess motifs, many works have been found in both the Minoan and Mycenaean civilizations, including gold signet rings, stone seals, and clay imprints, and they were also expressed in frescoes. The form of expression of the goddess, there are few single depictions of the goddess, and most of them are centered around the goddess, with people and animals arranged around her, and scenes in which sacred griffins and sphinxes protect the goddess are particularly notable. In addition, in the Minoan civilization, goddesses are depicted in perspective in the distant (small size) parts of the work, watching over people's actions and behavior from the clouds or the heaven. Researchers call this pattern of goddesses protecting people Epiphany Expressions, and while it is the sacred and special scene, it is also considered to be something that can occur in everyday life. In the Minoan and Mycenaean civilizations, goddesses are not depicted in the special form, but in the same form as women of the slightly higher rank. However their costumes are special, and most goddesses wear each a long skirt with a slightly thick feel, which characterized by the layered V-pattern made of multiple pieces of fabric sewn together, which was first started in the world history of costumes by female Minoan artisans. Related: Mycenaean Crafts, Epiphany expression, Gold Signet Ring & Stone Seal  Site: Chamber Tomb 91, Panagia, Mycenae Shape & Decoration: Gold Signet Ring, arm (hoop)=granulation technique Epiphany: a goddess watching over, shrine with sacral tree, a man, a pleading woman Era: LHII-LHIIIA1, 1550-1375 BC Museum: NAM, inv. No. 3179 / L29mm Local: Argolis, Peloponnese Drawing: Eiji OKUBO  Site: Chamber Tomb, Mycenae Shape & Decoration: Agate Seal Epiphany: goddess and two obedient lions Era: LHII-LHIIIA1, 1500-1375 BC Museum: Ashmolean Museum, U. Oxford (UK), inv. No. 1938-1050 / L30mm Local: Argolis, Peloponnese Drawing: Eiji OKUBO I-1-04 Gold Signet Ring, “Bull leaping” motif  Site: Chamber Tomb, Archanes Shape & Decoration: Gold Signet Ring Bull leaping by a young Minoan man in a handstand position Era: LMII-LMIIIA1, 1450-1375 BC Museum: Ashmolean Museum, U. Oxford (UK) inv. No. AN1896-1908-AE2237 / L34mm donated by Sir Arthur John Evans Local: Central North, Crete Drawing: Eiji OKUBO During excavations of the chamber tomb at Archanes, 7km south of the Knossos Palace ruins, Sir Arthur John Evans found a gold signet ring with a realistic bull leaping motif, a representative craft motif of the Minoan civilization. The oval gold ring, 34mm wide and 22mm long, was donated to the Ashmolean Museum, University of Oxford (UK) by Evans, where he was once director. The slightly convex surface of the gold signet ring depicts, in intaglio, a powerful scene of the bull leaping, by a young Minoan man with short and curly hair doing the handstand on the back of a galloping bull. The young man's legs, curved and wrapped in a loincloth, are stretched over the bull's tail and behind it by the wind, with his right arm resting near the bull's protruding ribs and his left arm resting on its spine. The depiction is of an extremely dynamic scene, yet it is a wonderful piece of work that captures and carves a moment of changing movement. It is believed to have been made during the latter part of the New Palace Era, during the Late Minoan civilization LMII to LMIIIA1 period, 1450 to 1375 BC. Related: Mycenaean Stone Seal, “Bull leaping” motif  Site: Room of the Idols、Sanctuary, Mycenae Palace Shape & Decoration: Circular lens-shaped Agate Seal, two bulls and a leaping man Era: LHIIIB2, 1250-1200 BC Museum: NFAM, inv. No. 69-813 (currently: MYAM, inv. No. 1861) / L22mm Local: Argolis, Peloponnese Drawing: Eiji OKUBO  Site: Plan of Royal Sanctuary & Shrine, Mycenae Palace a) House of the Great Ramp b) House of the Mycenaean Warrior Vase c) House of the South, Main Building and Annex d) Royal Sanctuary and Shrine e) House of Tsountas Era: Sanctuary built: LHIIIB2, ca. 1250 BC Local: Argolis, Peloponnese Drawing: Eiji OKUBO I-2-06 Gold Pendant, so-called “Bee Pendant”  Site: Chrysolakkos Cemetery, Malia Palace Shape & Decoration: Gold Pendant, so-called “Bee Pendant” Gold granulation technique: two bees facing each other Era: MMIIA, 1800-1700 BC Museum: HAM, inv. No. 559 / H46mm Local: Central North, Crete Drawing: Eiji OKUBO The "Gold Bee Pendant," one of the finest gold jewelry pieces from the Minoan civilization, was excavated from the Malia Chrysolakkos Common Cemetery, 35km east of Heraklion, which is the royal burial facility of the Maria Palace and consists of numerous connected buildings, including the colonnaded structure. The gold pendant found in the 1921 excavation was made in the middle of the Old Palace Era, during the MMIIA period of the Middle Minoan civilization, 1800-1700 BC. The gold pendant, which depicts two bees facing each other, is decorated with intricate gold particles and countless beads (small spheres) on the wings, abdomen, around the eyes, and the collected pollen balls. This intricate jewelry technique is called the “Gold Granulation Technique,” which is said to have been developed by the Babylonian Sumerians in the Middle East 5,500 years ago. I-2-10 Necklace, Gold & Ivory beads and Green Jasper  Site: Tholos Tomb Γ, Fourni Common Cemetery, Archanes Shape & Decoration: Gold and ivory beads Necklace, pendant top = green jasper Era: EMIII, 2200-2000 BC Museum: HAM Local: Central North, Crete Drawing: Eiji OKUBO The Tholos tomb Γ at Archanes Fourni Common Cemetery has a similar structure to the Messara-type Circular Tomb, and the Tholos burial chamber is relatively small, with the inner diameter of 3.6m. A total of more than 50 bodies were found inside the Tholos chamber, including 11 terracotta larnax coffins and many burial pithoi, as well as bodies placed on the floor, including near the entrance to the tomb. The burial dates to the EMIII period of the early Minoan civilization, between 2200 and 2000 BC. The larnax coffins were stacked in the small burial chamber, and many bodies were placed on the floor, so the space in the Tholos chamber was limited. As the result, except for several bronze daggers, there were no large burial items, and most of the 270 small grave goods, including jewelry worn by the deceased individuals, were excavated from in the larnax ceramic coffins and under the bodies on the floor.  Site: Tholos Tomb Γ, Fourni Common Cemetery, Archanes Situation: view from Tholos chamber to Entrance Tholos chamber diameter 3.6m, found over than 50 final burial bodies Era: EMIII-MMIA, 2200-2000 BC Local: Central North, Crete Photo: 1994 III-1-01 Agios Onouphrios style Jug, Fine Line pattern  Site: Circular Tomb, Agios Onouphrios Shape & Decoration: Agios Onouphrios style Jug, elegant vessel shape, fine line pattern Era: EMI, 2700-2600 BC Museum: HAM, inv. No. 5 / H215mm Local: Messara Plain, Crete / 1km north-northwest from Phaestos Palace Drawing: Eiji OKUBO GPS: 35°03'33.50''N 24°48'26.50''E / ALT 35m About 1km north-northwest of the Phaestos Palace ruins and 40m northwest of the Chapel of Agios Onouphrios, which stands beside the main road N97, are the Messara style Circular Tomb in olive farmland. Excavations of the Tomb at the end of the 19th century uncovered stone vessels, jewelry, bronze dagger, stone seals, and the Aegean Cycladic style clay statue. An elegant Agios Onouphrios style jug from the Early Minoan civilization with a graceful shape and decoration of fine reddish-brown lines has also been found.  Sites of Phaestos Palace & Surroundings a) Phaestos Palace b) Royal Tombs of Phaestos Palace c) Common cemetery, Phaestos Kalivia d) Circular Tomb, Agios Onouphrios e) Quasi-palace & Circular Tombs, Agia Triada f) Circular Tombs, Kamilari Local: Messara Plain, Crete Drawing: Eiji OKUBO II-2-09 Kamares style, Piriform Pithos Jar, “Fish” motif  Site: Room 64, “Prince’s Room,” East Wing, Phaestos Palace Shape & Decoration: Kamares style, Piriform Pithos Jar, fish, spiral line, and wavy patterns Era: MMIIB, 1700-1625 BC Museum: HAM, inv. No. 10679 / H495mm Local: Messara Plain, Crete Drawing: Eiji OKUBO  Site: Plan of West-North-East Wings, Phaestos Palace a) New Palace=MMIIIA-LMIB, 1625-1450 BC b) Old Palace=MMIB-MMIIB, 1900-1625 BC (partially) Local: Messara Plain, Crete Drawing: Eiji OKUBO GPS: 35°03'05''N 24°48'51''E / ALT 85m II-4-01 Palace style, Pithos Jar, Honoring Minoan King  Site: West Storerooms, Room 11-13, West Wing, Knossos Palace Shape & Decoration: Palace style, Large Pithos vessel, “limited edition” for Knossos Palace reed clump of Floral design, double axe and rosette patterns Era: LMII, 1450-1400 BC Museum: HAM, inv. No. 7757 / H1,345mm Local: Central North, Crete Drawing: Eiji OKUBO GPS: 35°17'53''N 25°09'47''E / ALT 95m During the Late Minoan civilization LMIB period around 1450 BC, three Minoan palaces, excluding Knossos Palace on Crete, as well as numerous local mansions and towns for commoners, were thoroughly destroyed one after another by the Mycenaeans who invaded from the Greek mainland. Then, during the approximately 75 years until the final collapse of Knossos Palace in around 1375 BC, the skilled artisans of the pottery workshop in the East Wing under the rule of the occupying Mycenaeans established a beautiful pottery style worthy of symbolizing the Minoan civilization, which can be said to be the "last cultural flower" of the New Palace Era. This is the Minoan Palace style, which became the "limited edition of Knossos Palace" and was called the most beautiful pottery in the eastern Mediterranean region at the time. Palace style pottery, which developed in the Knossos Palace, which escaped destruction after the Mycenaean invasion around 1450 BC, has been excavated only from the Knossos Palace ruins, the mansions in the palace area, and the cemeteries and tombs related to the royal family scattered around the area. During the excavations by Sir Arthur John Evans, a decorative large pithos jar measuring 1,345 mm in height, which can be said to be the best work of the Palace style, was found in the West Wing of the Knossos Palace ruins, around Rooms 11 to 13 of the West Storerooms. It can be concluded that the pithos jar undoubtedly fell from the sacred Northwest Sanctuary Hall on the upper floor of the West Wing during the final collapse of the Knossos Palace around 1375 BC. This large Palace style pithos jar was not for storage in a storeroom, but was made as for decoration of the prestigious room. The design is basically the Flora design that gives a calm impression, but the double axe and rosette pattern, which were the highest symbol of worship in the Minoan civilization, are boldly and majestically depicted in the central space. Minoan Palace style pottery, which is a descendant of the Mycenaean civilization on the Greek mainland, has produced many works: including amphora type vessels with beautiful shapes and large jars. However, if we focus only on the design content of the Palace style ware excavated in Crete, we can emphasize that this decorative large pithos jar, which does not depict eight double axes in a simplified and deformed way, but accurately depicts them with intricate thin lines, is the one that honors the ruler of the Knossos Palace with the highest level of prestige. Therefore, no other fine art motif more symbolic of reverence can be found in Minoan pottery. There is no doubt that this large pithos jar was the fine piece of decoration worthy of adorning the sacred Northwest Sanctuary Hall, the most magnificent hall on the second floor of the West Wing, during the final stage of the Knossos Palace. It was made in the latter half of the New Palace Era, during the Late Minoan LMII period, between 1450 and 1400 BC.  Site: Plan of West and Southwest Wing, Knossos Palace a) South Terrace, South Gate, Central Court=ground level b) West Wing and Southwest Wing=2nd floor level Era: MMIIIA-LMIIIA1, 1625-1375 BC Re. information: Papers, Sir Arthur John Evans “The PALACE of MINOS at KNOSSOS v. II” (1928) Local: Central North, Crete Drawing: Eiji OKUBO II-5-01 Marine design style Jar, “Argonaut” motif  Site: West Wing, Zakros Palace Shape & Decoration: Marine design style, Elegant Jar with argonaut pattern Era: LMIB, 1500-1450 BC Museum: HAM, inv. No. 14098 Local: Easternmost, Crete Drawing: Eiji OKUBO II-5-03 Marine design style Stirrup Jar, “Octopus” motif  Site: Block B, Largest Minoan common’s town, Palaikastro Shape & Decoration: Marine design style Lens-shaped Flask type Jar with stirrup spout, octopus spreading 8 legs Era: LMIB, 1500-1450 BC Museum: HAM, inv. No. 3383 / H280mm Local: Easternmost, Crete Drawing: Eiji OKUBO Near the center of the Building B in the Block B Area of the largest Minoan common’s town of Palaikastro in the easternmost part of Crete is called the "Palaikastro Hall" which a paved floor with four columns, and to the northwest of it is Room 22, which has an internal partition wall. In this room, a lens-shaped flask-type jar with a stirrup-shaped spout and the octopus design was found, which representative of the Marine design style, dating back to the Late Minoan civilization LMIB period, 1500 to 1450 BC. In addition, the name "stirrup-shaped" is a reference to the shape of the stirrup (footrest) used in horse harnesses.  Site: Plan of Minoan town, Palaikastro Situation: largest Minoan common’s town in Minoan civilization Town area size: East-west 180m, north-south 200m (including Palap Area) Local: Easternmost, Crete / 11km north from Zakros Palace Drawing: Eiji OKUBO GPS: 35°11'42''N 26°16'32''E / ALT 10m-15m III-7-02 Ephyrean style Goblet, “Curved Petal” motif  Site: Temple Tomb (Royal Tomb), Knossos Palace Shape & Decoration: Abstract and Geometric design, Ephyrean style Goblet, curved petal pattern Era: LMII, 1450-1400 BC Museum: HAM, inv. No. 9062 / H150mm Local: Central North, Crete / 630m south from Knossos Palace Drawing: Eiji OKUBO Several goblets have been excavated from the Temple Tomb on the eastern slope of the Gypsades Hill, south of the Knossos Palace ruins. One of the goblets from the Royal Tomb is slightly smaller than the goblet found at the mansion ruins near the Royal Road. This has the classic ring handle at the mouth/rim, and the body is boldly painted with the abstract flower, with the slender comma-like motif of rotating and curving petals. Additionally, three small U-shapes are depicted on the sides of the handle as an accent. II-9-15 Terracotta Rhyton, “Men having fun playing with bull”  Site: Circular Tomb E, Common Cemetery, Koumasa Shape & Decoration: Terracotta Rhyton, Three Minoan men having fun playing with bull Era: MMIIA, ca. 1800 BC Museum: HAM, inv. No. 4676 / L208mm Local: Messara Plain, Crete / 20km east-southeast from Phaestos Palace Drawing: Eiji OKUBO GPS: 34°59'00''N 25°00'47''E / ALT 360m A terracotta rhyton (bull-playing or bull-riding), which is common to bull leaping, one of the characteristics of Minoan civilization, was excavated from the Circular Tomb E at the Koumasa site in the Messara Plain in the southwest. Three Messara style Circular Tombs and one Square Tomb have been identified in Koumasa site, where burials are believed to have begun in the Early Minoan EMII period, around 2600 BC. In particular, the Circular Tomb E, where the terracotta rhyton (bull-playing or bull-riding) was excavated, was used for burials in the period corresponding to the Old Palace Era, the Middle Minoan MMIIA period, around 1800 BC. III-1-02 Adorned “Type-D Sword” with Gold Decoration  Site: Shaft Grave 36, “Chieftain's Grave,” Zafer Papoura Shape & Decoration: Bronze Sword of the “Type-D,” gold decorated grip-handle a) decorative motif=lion threatening and attacking wild goat b) agate pommel, spiral pattern on blade Era: LMII-LMIIIA1, 1450-1350 BC Museum: HAM, inv. No. 1098 / L610mm Local: Central North, Crete Drawing: Eiji OKUBO III-2-01 Large Double Axe for Rituals from “Mansion of High Priest”  Site: Shrine, South section, House of Nirou Khani so-called “Mansion of the High Priest” Shape & Decoration: Large Bronze Double Axe Era: MMIIIA-LMIB, 1625-1450 BC Museum: HAM / L120cm Local: Central North, Crete Drawing: Eiji OKUBO 11km east of Heraklion city, the remains of the House of Nirou Khani, so-called “Mansion of the High Priest,” on the north coast, behind two columns on the west side of the paved East Courtyard is the Main Entrance, which with the plaster floor, gypsum stone walls and waist-high paneling. Further west, passing through three square columns, that is the Paved Hall, the central spot of the mansion, with gypsum stone paving and waist-high paneling. A stone lamp was discovered in the passage just south of the connecting doorway from the Paved Hall to the mansion's south section. There is a staircase to the upper floor on the west side of the passage, so the mansion was definitely two-story. The Limestone paved Room on the east side of the passage is the most important room in the south section, and in the room next to it was found the most sacred worship symbol of the Minoan civilization, a large bronze double axe measuring 120cm wide at its widest point. The presence of the large double axe for rituals suggests that the south section was the sacred spot, possibly the shrine of the mansion.  Site: House of Nirou Khani (as of 1982) so-called “Mansion of the High Priest” Situation: Two columns–Main Entrance–Paved Hall–narrow Central passage, Main Room with bench a) left=South section, Shrine, South courtyard b) right=North section, Bench Room & Storerooms Era: MMIIIA-LMIB, 1625-1450 BC Local: Central North, Crete / 11km east from Heraklion city Drawing: Eiji OKUBO GPS: 35°19'51.50''N 25°15'03''E / ALT 5m II-10-07 Cylindrical Vessel, Marine Design style  Site: House of Nirou Khani, so-called “House of High Priest” Shape & Decoration: Cylindrical vessel, Marine Design style, triton-shell, reef and seaweed patterns Era: LMIB, 1500-1450 BC Museum: HAM, inv. No. 7572 / H180mm Local: Central North, Crete Drawing: Eiji OKUBO ----------  |