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Places near Church
The large pits, known as "Kouloures" (rings), with stone-lined walls were built in the West Court during the Old Palace period (1900-1700 B.C.). The excavation workmen gave them their name and Arthur Evans kept it.
Archaeological site of KnossosThe function of the circular pits is not clear. They have been interpreted as rubbish dumps either for all the refuse from the Palace or just the left-overs from sacred offerings. Support has also been given to the idea that they were for storing grain.
In two of them, it is possible to see the remains of houses of the Pre-Palatial period (3200-1900 B.C.). In the New Palace period (1700-1450 B.C.), the "Kouloures" were covered over and went out of use.
An open air passage linked the Central Court with the North Entrance. It was paved and sharply inclined towards the north.
The passage is narrow. Right and left were two raised colonnades known as "Bastions".
Arthur Evans reconstructed the "Bastion" on the west side. He also placed a copy of a restored relief fresco of a bull here. The wall painting may have formed part of a hunting scene.
The passage ends in a large hall with ten square pillars and two columns. The pillars and columns probably supported a large hall on the upper floor.
Evans suggested that, due to its position on the seaward side, it was here that the produce of seaborne trade would have been checked when it reached the Palace. It was therefore named the "Customs House".
The room before you resembles a cistern. Its floor is lower than the surrounding area is reached by steps. The "Lustral Basin" was surrounded by columns and was lined with slabs of gypsum giving it a luxurious appearance. In its present form, the area has been completely reconstructed by Evans.
Areas with a similar arrangement have been found in other parts of Palace of Knossos, as well as at other palaces and in importance of Minoan buildings of the period (1700 - 1450 B.C.).
It is known how these places were used. However, from their construction it seems that they were used in purification ceremonies and therefore called these places "Lustral Basins".
Evans also believed that the Palace was a sacred place. That is why, in his opinion, the "Lustral Basins" in question was used to purify visitors going into the Palace via the neighboring North Entrance.
It is crossed by the torrent Kairatos (or Katsampas) that is going through Saint Eirini and Knossos and ends to the sea in the Katsampa area. The area of the gorge, which is also named Paradise, has been characterized as a place of particular natural beauty and has been included in the network Natura 2000.
The flora in the GorgeDiversity of flora species in the area is low because of shading from the dominant “platani” and “vatos” species. There are 120 species of plants present in the gorge. Forty are found in the watercourses of the rivers and the rest are in close distance. Endemic species are present only in the gorges (11 species) from which 2 are infrequent and 9 are common endemic species of Crete. The infrequent species are Campanula tubulosa that sprouts in Western Crete and Nepeta melissifolia that is an endemic of Crete and Milos and is found in small populations.An Important element of the gorge’s flora is the presence of an important population of “ftelia” tree Ulmus minor ssp. Canescens. This tree is found in small numbers in the Chania area and it is considered as imported. The existence of an important population in the Knosano gorge proves that this tree is indigenous of Crete, a remaining of a previous cold season, when glaciers existed in continental Europe.
The fauna in the GorgeTwo migratory species of birds that are met in the gorge are “mygochaftes” and “tsalapeteinoi”. Jackdaws and certain mountainous species like “galazokotsyfas” also exist. The majority of the remaining species are those that are found in bushy vegetation. Where swamps of fresh water and trees exist a great variety of small birds is found, as “spizes” and ladybirds. In addition, inside the gorge the water turtle and the amphibian green “frynos” and tree frog exist.
It is an antechamber of a complex rooms that Evans named the "Throne Rooms". Its name comes from stone seat found in the room behind the antechamber.
Stone Benches are preserved in the antechamber, and between them were discovered traces of a burnt wooden construction. Today, a wooden seat has been placed which is a copy of the stone one in the neighboring chamber.
After the antechamber is the central room of the complex. Right and left of the stone seat are yet more stone benches. Pieces of fresco depicting plants and griffins, mythical beasts with a lion's body and bird's head were found in the same room. The restored fresco is in Herakleion Museum. Evans put a copy in its place.
Stone vases for oil, often connected with rituals, were found on the floor. The stone basin you see was actually found in a neighboring corridor and placed here. To the left, a low partition wall with a column creates a small area like a cistern since it has a sunken floor. Evans thought that areas with a similar form were used for purification ceremonies and therefore called them "Lustral Basins".
The central room connects at the back with series of small, dark rooms which were lit by lamps, as the finds illustrate.
The function of the complex is difficult to determine. Evans believed that the rooms were used for ceremonies with the main figure being the king of Knossos in his religious capacity. However, it seems unlikely to have been a "Throne Room" in the modern sense of the word.
Stratigraphic Museum at Knossos shows archaeological material excavated in the area by archaeologists working for the British School at Athens over the course of a century: from Sir Arthur Evans’s famous excavations at the Palace to material collected over the last few years. With its extensive comparative collection it makes it the perfect place to study pottery.
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