RADIOCARBON DATING AND CALIBRATION AND THE ABSOLUTE OF LATE NEOLITHIC AND EARLY MINOAN CRETE

by PETER WARREN

I Early Minoan Absolute Chronology In the determination of Aegean and thus, to some extent, south-east European chronology Minoan Crete has always played a crucial part. This has been so because, through Egyptian and Near Eastern links, Minoan chronology is fairly secure from the beginning of Middle Minoan around 2000 B.C. But the dating of the period before 2000 B.c., the Early Minoan or pre-palatial period, has been subject to much discussion. The writer, among others 1, has argued for a long chronology, based chiefly on two independent classes of evidence, the many links between Early Minoan I pottery and that of the Troy I and immediately preceding north-west Anatolian cultures 2 and imported and imitated Egyptian stone vases in EM contexts '.

1 S. Weinberg, Aegean Chronology: Neolithic Period and Early Bronze Age, AJA 51 (1947) 165-82. The Relative Chronology of the Aegean in the Stone and Early Bronze Ages, in in Old World (ed. R.W. Ehrich. 1965) 306-8. M.S.F. Hood, The Early and Middle Minoan Periods at Knossos, BICS 13 (1966) 110-1. e. Renfrew, Crete and the Cyclades before Rhadamanthus, Kr. Khron. IH' (1964) 125-30. 2 Weinberg, AJA 51 (1947) 178-9. A. Furness, Some Early Pottery of Samos, Kalimnos and Chios, PPS 22 (1956) 173-212. Renfrew, Kr. Khron. IH' (1964) 117. P. Warren, The Flirst Minoan Stone Vases and Early Minoan Chronology, Kr. Khron. le' (1965) 37-8. The Early Bronze Age Chronology of Crete, Actes du VIIe Congres Inter­ national des Sciences Prehistoriques et Protohistoriques, Prague, 21-27 aout 1966 (ed. J. Filip. 1970) 609-10. Crete, 3000-1400 B.e. Immigration aoo the Archaeological Evidence, in Bronze Age Migrations in the Aegean Region (ed. R.A. Crossland and A. Birchall. 1973) 41-50. 3 Warren, Kr. Khron. le' (1965) 28-36, Id., Minoan Stone Vases (1969) 2, 106, 110 no. C 1, 111-2 no . G 4. The Early Bronze Age Chronology, supra n. 2, 608-9. 206 Peter W!l>l.1ren

A date of c. 2800 B.c. for the beginning of Troy I would be accepted by most archaeologists today on the basis of south-east European, radiocarbon­ dated ceramic links 4 and imported Early Helladic II or contemporary Early Cycladic painted fragments in middle and late Troy I contexts s. EH II will have begun around or somewhat before the middle of the third millennium on the evidence of the calibrated EH II dates from Eutresis and Lerna 6. Accordingly, with Troy I beginning around 2800 B.C. and some EM I links being with pre-Troy I material, the beginning of full EM I (ceramically pattern-burnished and the earliest red-on~buff and white-on-red painted wares) may be set around 3000 B.C. The second line of evidence, imported and imitated Egyptian stone vases, gives some confirmation of the length of the EM period. A pyxis of Chephren diorite (therefore probably Vlth Dynasty or earlier) from the large circular tomb at A. Triadha 7, which was in use from EM ll-MM I Bill, and a fragment of an early Dynastic or Old Kingdom diorite bowl from EM II houses at Knossos 8 demonstrate by their contexts links between Crete and Egypt during the island's Early Bronze Age 9. Next there is the evidence of

~ J. Mellaart, Anatolia and the Balkans, Antiquity 34 (1%0) 273-5 (pottery). G.!. Georgiev, Beitrage zur Erforschung des Neolithikums und der Bronzezeit in Siid­ bulgarien, Archaeologia Austriaca 42 (1967) 90·144, especially Section H. E. Neustupny, Absolute Chronology of the Neolithic and Aeneolithic Periods in Central and South­ East Europe H, Archeologicke rozhledy 21 (1969) 783-810, especially 802-3 and 805, with Tables 2-3. It is quite dear that Troy I is early in view of the caJibrated C-14 dates for the beginning of classical Baden (c. 3350 B.C.) and Rivnac (c. 299'0 B.c.). c. Renfrew, The Autonomy of the South-East European Copper Age, PPS 35 (1969) 12-47, especially 24-8 (pottery and dates). Sitagroi, radiocarbon and the prehistory of south-east Europe, Antiquity 45 (·1971) 275-&2, especially 27'8-8,1 (dates). 5 C.W. Blegen, J.L. Caskey, M. Rawson and J. Sperling, Troy I (1950) 54 & figs. 251-2. Cf. approximately contemporary pieces from Poliochni, L.B. Brea, Poliochni I (1964) 553, 585, 650 & pIs. LXXXa (Blue Phase), CXXIXc & CXXXg (Green Phase), and from Thermi, W. Lamb, Excavations at Thermi in Lesbos (1936) 90 & fig. 524. Cf. Renfrew, Kr. Khron. IH' (1964) 128-9. 6 Infra n. 48. For calibratioc. see p. 2-11·213. 7 L. Banti, La Grande Tomba a Tholos di Haghia Triada (Creta), Annuario 13-14 (1930-1) 182 fig. 46 (HM 666). Warren, Kr. Khron. le' (1965) 33-4 no. 29 & pI. A 4. MSV 111-2 no. G 4. 8 Warren, MSV 106, 110 no. C 1. It is possible that the thirty-one other Predynastic­ VIth Dynasty stone vases from Crete (op. cit. 108-12) arrived at the of thcl'r floruit in Egypt, i.e. throughout EM, rather than later when the types had long passed out of use. 9 On certain Egyptian stone vases from Crete two important negative points must be noted. The famous IHrd Dynasty syenite bowl found in the South Propylaeum at Knossos (Evans, PM I 65 & fig. 28. Warren, Kr. Khron. le' (1965) 36. MSV 109 no. A 7) has been used as evidence for the approximate contemporaneity of the HIrd Dynasty with the subneolithic of Crete (F. Matz, Zur agaischen Chronologie der frohen Bronzezeit, Historia 1 (1950) 192-4. Cf. F. Schachermeyr, Die orientalisch-mittelmeeri- 207

two Egyptian mInIature stone vase forms popular in the Vlth Dynasty . (c. 2347-2182 B.c.), through the VIlth and VIllth Dynasties (2182-c. 2160 B.c.) and First Intermediate Period to the end of the Xlth Dynasty (c. 2160- 1991 B.c.) 10 and early Middle Kingdom. These two forms are imitated contemporaneously in Crete during later EM Il to MM r 11. Hence later EM Il, EM III and MM I A must run roughly parallel with the Vlth Dynasty through the First Intermediate Period into the early Middle King­ dom. Since the Vlth Dynasty ended c. 2182 B.c. and the F.l.P. began c. 2160 B.c. EM III may have begun about this time. Approximately 2170 B.C. is a reasonable date for the transition from EM Il to EM Ill. A new piece of evidence has recently been published by V.E.G. Kenna which seems to give another fix to the chronology at a slightly earlier point. A silver cylinder from Mochlos Tomb I, where the pottery and other datable

schen Grundlagen der vorgeschichtlichen Chronologie, Praehistorische Zeitschri/t 34-35 (1949-50) 24-6, for the similar argument, that no Egyptian stone vessels in Crete are earlier than the IIIrd Dynasty, which may be roughly synchronized with the subneolithic of Crete. This argument rests on Reisner's analysis of the stone vessels (Antiquity 5 (1931) 200-12). But there are now three as many stone vases as were available to Reisner, and the earliest are certainly predynastic. See MSV 106-12. Recently the IIIrd Dynasty bowl has been used again, with untypical obtuseness, by V. MiJ:ojcic, Die absolute Chronologie der Jungsteinzeit in Siidosteuropa und die ErgebIllisse der Radiocarbon - (C 14) - Methode, Jahrbuch des Romisch-Germanischen Zentralmuseums Mainz 14 (1967) 16-7). From this starting point the entire EM and subsequent Aegean absolute chronology has been constructed (cf. Milojcic, ibid.). It must therefore be stated empha­ tically and, I hope, finally (see Warren, Kr. Khron. le' (1965) 36. MSV 109 no. A 7. The Early Bronze Age Chronology, supra n. 2, 609) that this piece had no stratigraphical context whatever (cf. J.D.S. Pendlebury, The Archaeology of Crete (1939) 54), nor was any claimed for it by mans. The bowl was found" on the borders of the Neolithic and Subneolithic clay deposit" (Evans, PM I 65), not in the deposit. If one were to guess at its o!)iginal context it was probably part of the rich deposit of complete stone vessels from the CentraI Shrine deposit near the South Propylaeum, forming part of the Palace final destruction material (Evans, PM II 820 sqq.). Secondly there are the three fragments of stone vessels from the latest Neolithic houses just below the Centra:! court at Knossos (Evans, PM II 15-17 & figs. 6, 7a, 7c. Warren, MSV 105-6, 108-12 nos. A 5, A 10, G 6. For the houses see now J.D. Evans, Neolithic Knossos; the Growth of a Settlement, PPS 37 Part H (Contributions to Prehistory Offered to Grahame Clark) (1971) 110-3 & pI. VII). They are highly proble­ matical and I think one must finaUy (in MSV ibid. I had inolined towards accepting them as Egyptian) conclude that they are valueless as chronological ev,idence. Two cannot now be found and studied, the material of the third is not certainly Egyptian and the context of the two from the upper house is far from pure final Neolithic (or earliest EM) (see MSV 109 n. 1). 10 w.e. Hayes, Chronology. Egypt - To End of Twentieth Dynasty, CAH 13 Part I (1970) 174, 179. 11 Warren, Kr. Khron. le' (1965) 34-5. MSV 71-2, 75-6. One VIth Dynasty jar was actually imported into Crete, MSV 75, 111 no. F 1. See Addendum Ultimum. I'

208 Peter W,arren

objects are EM Il, is considered by him Akkadian and dated c. 2300 B.c. by the evidence of the Akkadian period 12. 2300 B.c. for a point in EM II fits well with the chronology presented above and later (p. 212-214) from the radiocarbon evidence. Finally there are the imported Xlth-XIlth Dynasty scarabs, whose earliest clear contexts are MM I A 13, showing that MM I A has begun by 2000 B.c. Definite Minoan features among the silver cups of the Tod treasure 14 confirm the sequence since the cups themselves, if they are Minoan, or the imitated features, elaborate arcades and grooves, cannot be earlier than MMIB. This indicates a beginning for MM I B or MM II A before 1903 or 1895 B.c. (death of Amenembat Il, with whom the treasure was buried). Other evidence for the length of the Early Minoan period comes from the stratigraphical sequence and that of homogeneous deposits each distinct from one another and present on the same site, particularly at Knossos.

II The Early Minoan Sequence: a Summary

The sequence of EM I, II and III set out by Sir Arthur Evans 15 and followed by Pendlebury 16 has been confirmed and amplified by excavations in the last twenty years. The Kyparissi cave west of Kanli Kastelli con­ tained EM I burials, lasting into early EM II 17. St. Alexiou's Tomb II at Lebena produced a thick burial deposit with many EM I vases on the floor, merging to EM II and MM I above 18. Tomb II A was built against Tomb II. I' I 12 V.E.G. Kenna, Anoient Crete and the Use of the Cylinder Seal, AJA 72 (1968) 322-4 & pI. 105 figs. 1-2. The cylinder does not necessarily date the close of EM ll, as Kenna suggests (ibid. 324), but a point anywhere in the period. 13 J.D.S. Pendlebury, Aegyptiaca (1930) nos. 17-18 (Gournes). St. Alexiou, ILN 6 August 1960 226 fig. 12 . Kr. Khron. IE'-ILT' 1 (1961-2) 91 (Lebena). Warren, Kr. Khron. l@' (1965) 34. Warren, The Primary Dating Evidence for Early Minoan Seals, Kadmos 9 (1970) 37 & ns. 24-5. 14 For references see Warren, MSV 185 n. 1. Ameneml;at III there should read Ameneml;at n. With the EM Ill-MM I chronology proposed in the present article cf. M.S.F. Hood, The Relative Chronology of the Aegean in the Early and Middle Bronze Ages, Actes du VIle Congres International des Sciences Prehistoriques et Pro­ tohistoriques, Prague, 21-27 aout 1966 I (1970) 605-6, who comes to a very similar dating, arguing back from MM I ceramic connexions. 15 Evans, PM I 56-126. 16 Pendlebury, The Archaeology of Crete (1939) 46-93. 17 St. Alexiou, Protominoikoi taphoi para to Kanli Kastelli Herakleiou, Kr. Kbron. E' (1951) 275-94. 18 Alexiou, ILN 6 August 1960 225-7. Oi protominoikoi taphoi tes Lebenas kai e exelexis ton proanaktorikon rythmon, Kr. Kbron. IE'-I:I:T' 1(1961-2) 88-91. Radiocarbon Dating 209

It contained an EM II level on the £loor, a sand level above and an MM I stratum on top 19. M.S.F. Hood's excavations at Knossos in 1957-61 produced a well below the north-east part of the Palace with a large EM I deposit containing much pattern~burnished and painted ware, while stratified deposits of EM II, III and MM I A were recovered alongside the Royal Road north­ west of the Palace 20. More recently J.D. Evans has obtained further stratigra­ phical evidence from the West Court of the Palace, an EM II A house with a £loor deposit stratified over a Late Neolithic-EM II pit (mainly EM I), with Late Neolithic levels below the pit 21. In 1972-3 the writer excavated an EM II A building on the south side of the Royal Road 21a. In western Crete the cave of Platyvola, though unstratified, contained classic pottery of EM I, II and III dates in central Cretan terms 22. In 1971 the writer excavated, jointly with J. Tzedhakis, an Early Minoan I-II open settlement with two stratified phases at Debla, a summit of one of the foothills of the White Mountains of western Crete, south-west of Khania 23. In the east of the island useful deposits of EM III and MM I A were found 24 by L.H. Sackett and M.R. Popham at Palaikastro in 1963 • Lastly the settle­ ment at Myrtos on the south coast west of Hierapetra, excavated in 1967-8, is datable to EM II, phases A and B, and was destroyed at the end of that period 25. In summary there seems no doubt that Evans' traditional phases are correct in substance, though needing modification in details 26. Therefore the virtual abolition of the Early Bronze Age by D. Levi 27 seems unjustified.

19 Alexiou, Kr. Khron. IE'-I:ET' I (1961-2) 90. 20 M.S.F. Hood, Stratigraphic Excavations at Knossos, 1957-61, Kr. Khron. IE'-I:ET' I (1961·2) 92-4. The Early and Middle Minoan Periods at Knossos, BICS 13 (1966) 110-1. 21 P.M. Fraser, Archaeology in Greece, 1969-70, Archaeological Reports for 1969-70 27-8. The writer is grateful to Professor Evans for the opportunity to study and discuss the EM material with him at Knossos. See Evans, The Early Minoan Occupation of Knossos, Anatolian Studies 22 (1972) 115-28. 21n Warren, AAA 5 (1972) 392-8. 22 J. Tzedhakis, ADelt. 22 (1967) Khronika 504·6 & pI. 378 ,(, E (EM I), B (EM Il). ADelt. 21 (1966) Khronika 428-9 & pI. 466 '( (EM HI). 23 Tzedhakis and Warren, Debla. A New Early Minoan Settlement, AAA 5 (1972) 66-72. Warren and Tzedhakis, BSA 69 (1974) 299-341. 24 L.H. Sackett and M.R. Popham, Excavations at Palaikastro VI, BSA 60 (1965) 250·1, 269, 272, 277-8 & pI. 72 b-d. 25 Warren, ILN 17 February 1968 25-7. ILN 8 February 1969 26-7. Myrtos. An Early Bronze Age Settlement in Crete. Briti'sh School at Athens Supplementary Volume 7 (1972). 26 Cf. the discussions of the periods in Renfrew, Kr. Khron. IH' (1964) 114-25. S. Weinberg, The Relaliive Chronology of the Aegean in the Stone and Early Bronze Ages, in Chronologies in Old World Archaeology (ed. R.W. Ehrich. 1965) 306-8. Warren, Kr. Khron. I@' {1965) 14-28. 27 D. Levi, Cronaca d'Arte. Attivita della Scuola Archeologica Italiana di Atene nel-

14 210 Peter Wal'ren

Phaistos in fact has material of all EM periods, though it was for the most part unstratified 28. Of .particular importance is the emerging evidence for the prehistory of western Crete, through the many discoveries of caves by P. Faure 29, the excavations by J. Tzedhakis at Khania and the caves of Platyvola 30 and the Mameluke's Hole at Perivolia 31, and by the writer and Tzedhakis at Debla (see above, and n. 23). Apart from the links of Platyvola with central and east Crete (see n. 22) another class of pottery is particularly common there and on other west Cretan sites 32. This is scored, wiped, brushed or combed ware, where the monochrome red or red/brown smface is wiped or combed over with brushwood or something similar. It occurs on jugs and bowls at Debla and at Platyvola again on jugs 33 and on a type of bowl closely parallel in shape to one in the EM I deposit at Kyparissi~. The close, vertical red-on~buff pattern of the Kyparissi bowl produces a surface appearance very similar to that of the scored Platyvola vessel. Equally good evidence for the date of this ware comes from Knossos where it is common in the Late

l'Anno 1950, Bollettino d'Arte 36 (1951) 340 sqq. L'Archivio di Cretule a Festos, An­ nuario 35-6 (1957-8) 136 sqq. Per una nuova C1assificazione della Givilt?! Minoica, La Parola del Passato 15 (1960) 81-121. Ricerca scientifica e polemic a suU'Evoluzione della Civilt?! Minoica, op. cit. 17 (1962) 206-30. SuI Termine 'Antico-Minoico', op. cit. 18 (1963) 120-5. 28 See A. Zoes, Phaiislliaka, Arkhaiologike (1965) 27-109, especially 53-67. 29 P. Faure, Grottes w:toises, BCH 80 (1956) 98, 102. Speleologie et topographie cretoises, BCH 82 (1958) 500, 501 n. 4. Nouvelles recherches de speleologie et de topographie cretoises, BCH 84 (1960) 208, 213-5. Cavernes et sites aux deux extremites de la Crete, BCH 86 (1962) 43-4, 47-8. Fonctions des cavernes cretoises (1964) 60-1, 68, 71, 200. Recherches sur le peuplement des montagnes de Crete: sites, cavernes et cultes, BCH 89 (1965) 55, 57. Sur trois sortes de sanctuaires cretois, BCH 93 (1969) 187 n. 4, 188 n. 3, 201-4. Antiques cavernes de refuge dans la Crete de l'ouest, AAA 2 (1969) 213-6. M.S .F. Hood, Minoan Sites in the Far West of Crete, BSA 60 (1965) 99-113. 30 Alexiou, Kr. Khron. IZ' (1963) 412. ADelt. 19 {1964) Khronika 446 & pI. 523. Faure, BCH 86 (1962) 44. BCH 89 (1965) 55 n. 3. BCH 93 (1969) 201. AAA 2 (1969) 214. Tzedhakis, Kr. Khron. IH' (1964) 291. Kr. Khron. le' (1965) 297-8. Kr. Khron. K' (1966) 328-30. ADelt. 20 (1965) Khronika 569 & pI. 719. ADelt. 21 (1966) Khronika 428-9 & pIs. 465-6. ADelt. 22 (1967) Khronika 504-6 & pI. 378. ADelt. 23 (1968) Khronika 415-6 & pIs. 375 y-S, 376. 31 Tzedhakis, ADelt. 22 (1967) Khronika 506. Ergon (1968) 102-11. Praktika (1968) 133-8 & pIs. 131-8. Faure, BCH 93 (1969) 203. 32 Faure, BCH 93 (1969) 201 n. 2. AAA 2 (1969) 216. 33 Alexiou, ADelt. 19 (1964) Khronika pI. 5,23 a. 34 Khania Museum, Platyvola Case. Alexiou, Kr. Khron. E' (1951) 279 & pI. lI" tig. 2, 6. Radiocarbon Dating 211

Neolithic 35 and on jugs (cf. Debla and Platyvola) in the EM I well 36, Hence it is of particular interest that this was the type of pottery accompanying the charcoal in the Ledaka Cave at Melidhoni Apokoronou 37, which has provided the first radiocarbon date from western Crete.

III Radiocarbon Dates and Calibration

The evidence presented above for Early Minoan chronology, absolute and relative, is reliable but not as sufficient as could be hoped. The north-west Anatolian ceramic links suggest a date for the start of EM I around 3000 B.c.; but no one would dispute that there is room for more evidence tor the absolute date of Troy I. The Egyptian stone vase links are sound, but cannot be demonstrated by context any earlier than EM II at the earliest. Moreover the imitating types in Crete mostly come from rather widely dated communal burial contexts. The scarabs give no help before c. 2133 B.c. (begin­ ning of the XIth Dynasty). The stratigraphical sequence, particularly from Knossos, Lebena, Myrtos, Palaikastro and Vasilike, is secure, but no single site has all the EM periods superposed level by level. There is therefore ample scope for radiocarbon dates to strengthen the chronology. It is only from very recent excavations that the first results have become available. We have three Middle-Late Neolirthic transition dates from Knos­ sos 38, one date from a Final Neolithic~EM I scored ware context in the Ledaka Cave at Melidhoni Apokoronou 39, seven from Myrtos for the end of EM II 40, one from Knossos from an EM ll-MM I A context 41 and one from

35 ]D. Evans, Excavations in the Neolithic Settlement of Knossos, 1957-60. Part I, BSA 59 (1964) 225. 36 Hood, BICS 13 (1966) 110. Kr. Khron. IE'-I:ET' I (1961-2) 93. 37 The pottery is caUed subneolithic by Faure, BCH 89 (1965) 57, and it included black polished and scored ware, BCH 85 {1962} 43; the scored ware is again taken as subneolithic, BCH 93 (1969) 201 n. 2, where its distribution is set out. 38 Evans, PPS 37 (1971) Part II 117. Stratum II represents a transitional phase from Middle to Late Neolithic at Knossos (Evan~, BSA 59 (1964) 182, 2'25). 39 G. Delibrias, M.T. Guillier and ]. Labeyrie, Saclay Natural Radiocarbon Measure­ ments II, Radiocarbon 7 (1965) 243. Faure, BCH 89 {1<965) 57. 40 V.R. Switsur, M.A. Hall and R.G. West, University of Cambridge Natural Radio­ carbon Measurements IX, Radiocarbon 12 (1970) 597 for Q-950 and Q-953. See also addendum. For full publication and discussion see Warren, Myrtos. An Early Bronze Age Settlement in Crete (1972) Appendix XV. 41 Evans, Anatolian Studies 22 (1972) 118 n. 2. 212 Peller W,ll!11ren

an EM Ill/MM I A context (the immediately pre-palatial level) at Mallia 42. , The dates are tabulated in Fig. 1.

" Archaeological Historical Laboratory C-14 Age b.c. or expected (calibr.ated) Site and context number (5568 half-life) date date B.C.

Knossos: Middle/ BM-571 3686±94 4600-4300 Late Neo. Strata Ill/Il) Knossos: Middle/ BM-585 3638± 145 4600-4360 Late Neo. transition (Stratum Il) Knossos: Middle/ BM-579 3584±76 4450-4370 Late Neo. transition (Stratum Il) Ledaka Cave: Sa-241 2550±300 Later 4th 3660-2950 Late Neo.-EM I millennium - <:.2600 BC Myrtos: end of EM Il Q-953 2192±80 c. 2600- 2960-2530 2170 BC (EM Il) Myrtos: end of EM Il Q-1002 2015±80 » 2750-2230 Myrtos: end of EM Il Q-1003 1957±80 » 2520-2200 Myrtos: end of EM Il Q-951 1885±80 » 2500-2150 Myrtos: end of EM Il Q-950 1855±85 » 2480-2150 Knossos: EM Il-MM lA BM-578 1791±137 c. 2600- 2480-2080 1900 BC Mania: EM IlI/ Gif-254 2080±300 c. 2170- 3100-2140 MM I A 1900 BC

FIGURE 1. Cretan Middle/Late Neolithic and Early Minoan Radiocarbon Dates and Calibrations.

42 G. Delibrias, M.T. Gui:llier and ]. Labeyrie, Gif Natural Radiocarbon Measure­ ments V, Radiocarbon 12 (1970) 441. Radiocarbon Daring 213

With the publication of Dr Hans Suess's latest calibration curve 43, given here as Fig. 2, the historical date ranges can be established. The calibrations are done as follows: to make proper allowance for the range of years in the standard deviation in the radiocarbon dates conversion has been done on the upper and lower limits of the dates and the maximum range thus calculated. For example, Sa-241: first 2850 (2550 + 300) is converted, giving an upper limit of c. 3650 B.c. Then 2250 (2550-300) is converted, giving a lower limit of c. 2950 B.C. Thus the true age range is approximately 3650-2950 B.c., i.e. the true or calendrical date of the sample is likely to fall somewhere within this range. If 2550 itself were converted a rather narrower age range would result 44, though allowance would not have been made for the standard deviation. It must also be emphasised in these early days of the application of to archaeology that the curve should only be taken as a rough guide to true dates. The suggested maximum and minimum calibrations make some allowance for this. The results of the calibrations appear in the final column of Fig. 1. It is at once apparent that the EM calibrated results, though producing a rather wide date range, nevertheless fit well with the Early Minoan absolute chronology determined from archaeological and other radiocarbon evidence (see n. 4 and ns. 48 and 49) in section I above. Secondly, the C-14 evidence, though consisting as yet of only 3 Middle/Late Neolithic and 9 Early Minoan determinations, shows good internal consistency. This is clear from the sequential list in Fig. 1, while behind this list lies the earlier Neolithic range of Knossos, again in good sequence (see n. 38). A chronological table may therefore be presented, combining all the evidence for the Late Neolithic and Early Minoan, Fig. 3. Further confirmation of the correctness of the table at the lower, younger end comes from a group of seven thermoluminescent dates from Myrtos 45. All are from sherds in final destruction contexts in the settlement (end of EM II). The sherds we.re from pots made at some time in the life of the settlement (EM II,c. 2600-2170 RC.), and in all .probability from pots

43 W.F. Libby, Radiocarbon Dating, in Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London, A, Mathematical and Physical Sciences vol. 269 no. 1193 (1970) (A Symposium on the impact of the natura·l sciences on archaeology) 8 fig. 3, and R. Berger, op. cit. 31 fig. 2. In each of these figures the 2000-500 B.C. column is unfortunately numbered 200-500 B.c. Permission to use the curve was kindly granted me by Dr Suess at the Symposium. For his own publication of it see H.E. Suess, Bristlecone pine calibra­ tion of the radiocarbon time scale 5200 B.C. to the present, in LV. Olsson (ed.), Radio­ carbon Variations and Absolute Chronology (1970) 303-12. 44 Conversions are done with Figure 2 on the B.P. dates, i.e. 1950 is first added to the C-14 dates (on the 5568 haM-life). 45 S. Fleming in Warren, Myrtos, supra n. 40, Appendix XIV. 214 Peter Wal'ren

FIGURE 2. The Suess radiocarbon calibration curve. The figures on the left sides are radiocarbon years (B.P.), on the right calendrical or historical dates B.C. Radiocarbon dates are expressed as B.P. (the number of radiocarbon years before A.D. 1950) or b.c. Thus 4000 B.P. = 2050 b.c. (4000-1950). For example, to calibrate a C-14 date of 4000 B.P. (2050 b.c.) follow the 4000 B.P. line to the point where it cuts the curve, then read off, perpendicularly, to the figures on the right side, which produces a or historical date of c. 2500 B.c. Radiocarbon >Dating 215

BC Chronological Table Calibrated C-14 and other dates

3300

3200 Late Neolithic pre-4000 - 3000/2900 B.C. 3100

3000 3660-2950 (Ledaka Cave) 2900 Troy I and earlier north-west Anatolian 2800 links Early Minoan I 2700

2600 Egyptian early Dynastic stone vase frag­ ment in BM II Knossos 2500 2960-2150 (Myrtos calibrated C-14) 2400 Early Minoan II 2580-2170 {Myrtos thermoluminescence)

2300 c. 2300 (Mochlossell'l)

2200 Egyptian stone vase (VIth dynasty or ear­ EM Ill? EM HI lier) from EM II - MM I A. Triadha 2100 large tomb EM III 3100-2140 (Mallia calibrated C-14) 2000 MMIA MMIA F.I.P.-Xllth Dynasty scarabs (Gournes and MM I A Lebena) 1900 MIDDLE MINOAN I B FIRST PLACES BUILT c. 1930 B.C.1903 or 1895 terminus ante quem for start of MM I B (T8d treasure links) SOUTH CENTRE EAST

FIGURE 3. Late Neolithic and early Minoan chronological table.

made in EM II B (c. 2400-2170 B.c.), the second period, at the end of which the site was destroyed. The preferred ages of the seven samples range from 2580-2170 B.c., six out of the seven from 2430-2170 B.C. They therefore fit extremely well with the archaeological and calibrated radiocarbon chronology. il

216 Peter W4U'ren

IV Conclusions

The combined absolute and relative chronological evidences allow the dating of the Late Neolithic and Early Minoan 4th-3rd millennium sequence to be considered fairly secure. This being so a few brief comments may be made on the wider importance of the chronology. 1) The approximate contemporaneity of Ear.ly Minoan Il with the Keros-Syros or Early Cycladic II cuLture is known ,from many links in pottery, metalwork, figurines and stone vases 46. The Keros-Syros culture also has close connexions with Early Helladic II 47. It is therefore instrucdve that the EM II chronology, archaeological and calibrated radiocarbon, fits well with calibrated C-14 dates for EH II Eutresis and late EH II Lerna 48 and that EM II and EH II thus combine to date absolutely the rich Early Bronze 2 of the Cyclades. The approximate contemporaneity of EH II and EM II may now be even more clearly seen with the discovery of imported EH II sauceboats in the EM II A house at Knossos recently excavated by the writer 8 (see n. 21 ). The beginning of EB 2 in the Aegean must be about 2600 B.c. or earlier (note Eutresis especially), while all evidence (-Lerna C-14, Myrtos C-14 and thermoluminescence, and the well-dated Egyptian stone vase forms imitated from late EM II to MM I) combines to suggest a date no later than c. 2170 B.C. for the end of the period through the Aegean. Then in Crete EM Ill-MM I A dates from c. 2170 - pre-1900 B.C., again fitting well the radiocarbon sequence from Lerna 49, with imported MM I A pottery in the earliest Middle Helladic levels so. 2) For the earHer periods, Late Neolithic and Early Minoan I, many more dates are needed. But already the C-14 evidence from Knossos and western Crete and the Troy I connexions suggest a transition from Late Neolithic to Early Minoan in the centuries on each side of 3000 B.C. The EM I period is roughly contemporary with the EB 1 of Greece and the

46 Renfrew, Kr. Khron. IH' (1964) 120-5. Warren, MSV 27, 76-7, 81-2, 94, 101, 182-3, 185. 47 S. Weinberg, The Relative Chronology, supra n. 1, 302-4. J. Caskey, Greece, Crete and the Aegean Islands in the Early Bronze Age, CAH (revised edition voI. I Part 2 (1971)) 781-2, 787-90, 796-9. 48 Eutresis: P-317, 2260±64 b.c. (E.K. Ralph and R. Stuckenrath Jr., University of Pennsylvania Radiocarbon Dates V, Radiocarbolt 4 (1962) 149), calibrating to c. 2960- 2630 ·B.C. Lerna: P-312, P-318, P-319, P321, ranging from 2120 ± 72 b.c. to 1890 ± 72 (Ralph and Stuckenrath, op. cif. 149-50), calibrating to c. 2950-c. 2170 B.C. The Eutresis date suggests that EH Il began before, and perhaps well before 2600 B.C. 49 P-.300, P-299, P-303A (Ralph and Stuckenrath, Radiocarbon 4 (1962) 150), cali­ brating to a range of c. 2510-2120 B.C. From the Greek mainland cf. also a thermolumi­ nescent date of 2{)70 ± 400 B.C. from Lefkandi Phase I (M.J. Aitken, in Philosophical Transactions, supra n. 43, p. 85). Lefkandzi I is contemporary with EH Ill. so ].1. Caskey, Exca·vations at Lerna, 1955, Hesperia 25 (1956) 159-60 & pI. 43 Radiocarbon Da~ing 217

Cyclades. The contemporaneity is now beginning to be confirmed by the calibrated C-14 evidence. Late Neolithic Kephala on Kea has a calibrated 51 date of c. 3680-3530 B.C. ; Early Helladic I Eutresis dates within c. 3410- 2980 B.c. 52, Troy I period Emborio in Chios within c. 2940-2230 S3 and late Troy I period Karata~ within c. 3330-2520 B.c. 54. 3) For the Late Neolithic of Crete calibration of the three dates recently available from Knossos indicates, surprisingly, that full Late Neolithic must have been under way before 4000 B.C., in that the transitional Middle-Late Neolithic phase lies a few centuries earlier. The three dates are likely to be highly reliable in that they are the last in a consistent sequence of thirteen now published for the whole Knossian Neolithic (see n. 38). The calibrated date for Late Neolithic (late in the period), pre-Grotta~Pelos Kephala on Kea confirms the length of the period in the Cyclades, as do the dates for the earlier site of Saliagos 55. Later still, and again in sequence, comes the Ledaka Cave from western Crete. Clearly therefore we have a Late and Final Neolithic development in Crete (and the Cyclades) of at least a thousand years. Equally clearly there is much more to be learnt about these numerous Cretan Late Neolithic communities 56, especially their dating. The Phaistos phases 57, the earliest material from the Eileithyia Cave at Amnisos and perhaps the many west Cretan caves will date to the second half of the 4th millennium. The long transition to full EM I is still not clearly defined but the important Partira group will have come around 3200-2900 B.c. because of its close pattern-burnish links with Lebena and other EM I groups 58. 4) Finally, and most importantly, a long chronological sequence best accords with the great economic and social developments from the predomin- a, c. Greece and the Aegean Islands in the Middle Bronze Age, CAH (revised edition vol. II) (1973) 125. 51 R. Stuckenrath Jr. and B. Lawn, University of Pennsylvania Radiocarbon Dates XI, Radiocarbon 11 (1969) 156, P-1280 (2876±56) b.c.). 52 Ralph and Stuckenrath, Radiocarbon 4 (1962) 149, P-307 and P-306. 53 Ralph and Stuckenrath, Radiocarbon 4 (1962) 151-2, P-273. 54 R. Stuckenrath Jr., W.R. Coe and E.K. Ralph, University of Pennsylvania Radio­ carbon Dates IX, Radiocarbon 8 (1966) 352-3 for the senies. 55 R. Stuckenrath Jr. in J.D. Evans and C. Renfrew, Excavations at Saliagos near Antiparos (British School at Athens Supplementary Volume 5) (1968) 144. 56 S. Weinberg, The Stone Age in the Aegean, CAH 13 Part I (1970) 617-8 and Map 17. Faure, AAA 2 (1969) 213-6. R. Treuil, Les sites neolithiques de Crete occidentale, BCH 94 (1970) 5-25. 57 Cf. now Evans, PPS 37 (1971) Part II 113-4, and, especially, the fundamental study by Dr Lucia Vagnetti, L'Insediamento neolitico di Festos, Annuario 50-51 (1972-3) 7-138. 58 The group is now excellently published by Chr. Mortzos, ITap't'~pl'l, pil'l 'ltPW4J,OC; p.ww~xi) 6p.ac;, 'E'ltE't'lJptC; 'Ema't'lJp.ov~xwv 'EPEUVW\I, 'Eav~xov xat Ka'ltoli~a't'p~axov ITIX.VE­ ma't'1)p.~o',l 'Alh)',Iw',I, r' (1972) 386-421. 218 Peller WaIJren antly troglodytic people of the Cretan Late Neolithic and incipient Early Minoan to the great builders and craftsmen at the dawn of the Palatial Age.

ADDENDUM

After the above text was submitted for publication the results of two more C-14 de terminations for Myrtos were communicated to me by Dr V.R. Switsur from the Cambridge Laboratory. These results complete the Myrtos list and they should be inserted into Fig. 1 above, Q-952 before and Q-1004 after Q-953. The two dates, like the five in Fig. 1, are from samples in the final, burnt destruction of the settlement, which is at the end of EM H. They confirm the chronology of the five Myrtos dates in Fig. 1. The site has produced, from six different final destruction contexts, seven consistent dates within a C-14 range of 2292-1770 b.c. at one standard deviation (average 2023 b.c.) and within 2960-2150 B.C. after calibration. The conclusion may be presented more firmly than in the article above, that the final destruction of the Myrtos settlement, which equals the end of EaIJly Minoan H, lies before (and perhaps at least fifty years before) 2150 B.c. S9

Site and context Laboratory C-14 Age B.C. Archaeologica,l HistorkaJ number (5568 half-life) or expected (calibrated) date date B.C.

Myrtos: end of EM II Q-952 2222±70 c. 2600- 2960- 2170 B.C. 2570 (BM H)

Myrtos: end of EM H Q-lO04 2036±80 » 2760- 2420

ADDENDUM ULTIMUM

This paper was submitted for publication in December 1971 and accepted in January 1972. The text and references have been brought up to date at proof (November 1975), but to avoid major disruption the addendum has been retained since the place of the additional dates in figure 1 is clear. It was also not practicable at proof stage to take full account of a recently published paper by Professor Keith Branigan, The Absolute Chronology of the Aegean Bronze Age, Kr. Khron. KE' (1973) 352-74, a paper largely initiated by the appearance of the Myrtos dates. While I have found much of value in Branigan's

59 For all the Myrtos dates see P. Warren, Myrtos. An Early Bronze Age Settlement in Crete (British School at Athens Supplementary Volume 7) (1972) 344-5. See also n. 40 above for Q-950 and Q-953. For the remaining samples see V.R. Swlitsur and R.G. West, Radiocarbon Dating 219 discussion, which concludes for a somewhat shorter chronology than that proposed here, I am unable to accept his rejection of dendrochronological calibration (with a preference for historical dates approximating to the 5730 C-14 half life). I consider calibration firmly established by the radiocarbon and tree ring scientists, whatever minor adjustments to the curve may yet have to be made. Branigan's actual reason for his rejection and his 5730 preference (and on this reason the whole of the rest of his discussion depends) is that an average of the seven Myrtos dates (2220-2062, on 5730 half life) corresponds best to his date for the end of BM II, 2150-2100 B.C. But this latter date depends on a too precise correlation between Cretan miniature stone amphoras, which begin within EM II, and Egyptian First Intermediate Period (beginning c. 2170 B.C.) and Middle Kingdom forms. The type imitated in Crete goes back at least to the Vth Dynasty (MSV 72 and P 355), so that in fact EM H could end no later than c. 2350 B.C. (end of Vth Dynasty). See also below. On the other hand Branigan is certainly right to emphasize the problem that even within the wide date range produced by caHbration three out of the seven Myrtos dates have lower limits which are roughly 220 - 370 years earlier than the conventional date of their context, 2200/2170 B.C. (end of BM II), while it is hard to believe that this conventional date can be vastly in error. Secondly, Professor WHliam Ward has rendered me the courtesy of a very thorough and critical examination of the two Minoan miniature stone forms imitat­ ing Egyptian miniature stone forms (see above pp. 206-207 and n. 11) in his book, Egypt and the East Mediterranean World 2200 - 1900 RC. (1971) 97-105. A careful reading of his text will show that his conclusions fina'lly emerge as similar to my own, which he sets out to criticize. I had perhaps put a little too much chronological weight on the First Intermediate Period parallels, but I did never­ theless show that the Egyptian miniature amphora with high shoulder occurs from the Vth Dynasty onwards (MSV 72 and P 35.5) and the cylindrical jar with everted rim and disk base from the VIth Dynasty onwards (Kr. Khron. (1965) 35. MSV 75). For the former type Ward (op. cit. 104-5 and fig. 19) simply amplifies my evidence and shows that the series begins with a single example in t:he IVth Dynasty, while for the ,latter type, the specific miniature form with everted rim and disk base, he simply confirms my VTth Dynasty evidence (op. cit. 102, 104 and fig. 17, where it can be clearly seen that it is precisely the VIth - Xth Dynasty examples (Ward's nos. 8-23, cf. MSV D 230 - D 234) which provide the parallels for the Minoan imitations}. In conclusion then we may agree that we have two Minoan forms, beginning in BM II and in contexts down to MM I, copying Egyptian forms whose floruit is from the Vth Dynasty onwards (2492 B.C., Hayes) in one case, miniature am­ phoras, and the VIth Dynasty onwards (2347 RC., Hayes) in the other, cylindrical jars with everted dm and disk base. This suggests an approximate contemporaneity between the Egyptian Vth - XIIth Dynasties and somewhere in EM II to MM 1. This is entirely in harmony with the radiocarbon and thermoluminescent chronology presented in this article.

University of Cambridge Natural Radiocarbon Measurements X, Radiocarbon 14 No. 1 (1972) 245-6. In this list the Myrtos room numbers should be corrected to read as follows: Q-951, Room 76. Q-952, Room 79. Q-954, Building 96. Q-1002, Room 32. Q-1003, Room 22. Q-I004, Room 27. For the rooms see Warren, Myrtos, passim.