Review of Aegean Prehistory VII: Neopalatial, Final Palatial, and Postpalatial Crete Author(s): Paul Rehak and John G. Younger Reviewed work(s): Source: American Journal of Archaeology, Vol. 102, No. 1 (Jan., 1998), pp. 91-173 Published by: Archaeological Institute of America Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/506138 . Accessed: 23/04/2012 15:44 Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at . http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected]. Archaeological Institute of America is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to American Journal of Archaeology. http://www.jstor.org Review of Aegean Prehistory VII: Neopalatial, Final Palatial, and Postpalatial Crete PAUL REHAK AND JOHN G. YOUNGER Dedicated to our teachers, Machteldj. Mellink and John L. Caskey* INTRODUCTION Some changes have occurred since the earlier re- view and new sources of information have become In an earlier article in this series, Watrous reviewed available:Nestor, a listing of bibliography,has moved the archaeology of Crete from earliest times to the from Indiana University to the University of Cincin- end of the Protopalatial period (MM II).' We con- nati and is published in hard copy and on diskette, tinue from where he left off, focusing on Crete from and will be responsible for future updates of the Inter- MM III to the end of the Bronze Age (ca. 1700-1100 nationalDirectory of AegeanPrehistorians (IDAP). The B.C.). Our main goals are twofold: to summarize crit- electronic mail discussion networkAegeaNet has pro- ically the present state of the field, concentrating vided a public forum for a wide range of Aegean especially on developments of the last 25 years, and topics since 1993. Increasing use is being made of to indicate issues, problems, and areas of investiga- the Internet by archaeologists, and the scholarly ac- tion that need to be addressed in the future. ceptance of electronic publication is steadily gain- * We are grateful to Fred Kleiner and TraceyCullen for Eikon R. Laffineur and J.L. Crowley eds., the invitation to write this article and for their editorial ElxoKcv:Aegean Bronze Age Iconography. assistance. We are also indebted to many individuals who Shapinga Methodology(Aegaeum 8, Liege gave freely of their knowledge,especiallyJ. Bennet, H. Blit- 1992). zer, G. E.H. Cline, L.H. Cole, W Coulson, C. To Epyov rtl Cadogan, Ergon ApXazoioyr•Kjc EraZpeiaC. Davaras,L.P. Day, J. Driessen, T Eliopoulos, G. Gesell, B.P. Gesell G. Gesell, Town, Palace and House Cult Hallager, E. Hallager, B. Hayden, L. Hitchcock, S. Hood, in Minoan Crete (SIMA 67, Goteborg A. Kanta, P. Kienzle, O.H. Krzyszkowska,R. Laffineur, M. 1985). Lee, A. Lembesi, C. Lilyquist,L. Little, C.E Macdonald,J.A. Hallager E. Hallager, The Minoan Roundel and MacGillivray,S.W. Manning, J. Moody, P. Muhly, M. Ni- Other Sealed Documents in the Neopala- kolaidou, B. Olsen, C. Palyvou, I. Pini, G. Rethemiotakis, tial Linear A Administration I-II (Aegae- J. Rutter, L.H. Sackett, I.A. Sakellarakis, E. Sapouna- um 14, Liege 1996). Sakellaraki, M. Schmid, C. Shelmerdine, J. Soles, M. Tsi- Immerwahr S. Immerwahr, Aegean Painting in the popoulou, A.M.P.A.Van de Moortel, L.V.Watrous,J. Wein- Bronze Age (London 1991). garten, and J. Zielinski. Jones R.E.Jones, Greekand CypriotPottery (BSA The following abbreviations have been used: FitchLaboratory Occasional Paper 1, Lon- Aegeanand Orient E.H. Cline and D. Harris-Clineeds., The don 1986). Aegean and the Orient in the Second Mil- Kanta A. Kanta, The Late Minoan III Period on lennium. Proceedings of the 50th Anni- Crete:A SurveyofSites, Pottery,and Their versary Symposium, Cincinnati, 18-20 Distribution (SIMA 58, G6teborg 1980). April 1997 (Aegaeum18, forthcoming). Kommos I J. Shaw and M. Shaw eds., KommosI: The Archanes I.A. Sakellarakis and E. Sapouna- KommosRegion and the Houses of the Mi- Sakellaraki,Archanes (Athens 1991). noan Town,pt. 1 (Princeton 1995); Atlas J.W.Myers, E.E. Myers,and G. Cadogan pt. 2 (Princeton 1996). eds., The Aerial Atlas of Ancient Crete Kommos III L.V.Watrous, KommosIII: TheLate Bronze (Berkeley 1992). Age Pottery (Princeton 1992). Begg I. Begg, Minoan Storerooms in the Late Palaces R. Hagg and N. Marinatos eds., TheFunc- BronzeAge (Diss. Univ. of Toronto tion of the Minoan Palaces (Stockholm 1975). 1987). Cline E.H. Cline, Sailing the Wine-Dark Sea. PGC H.-G.Buchholz and V. Karageorghis, Pre- International Tradeand the Late Bronze historic Greece and Cyprus (New York Age Aegean(BAR-IS 591, Oxford 1994). 1973). CM S. Marinatos and M. Hirmer, Creteand Politeia R. Laffineur and W-D. Niemeier eds., Mycenae (New York 1960). Politeia: Society and State in the Aegean CretCong Ta HIErpay3pva tro AwEOvot5qKpqTro- Bronze Age (Aegaeum 12, Liege 1995). 5Evve5piov. Sanctuaries R. Hdigg and N. Marinatos eds., Sanctu- ,oyzKoto Doumas C. Doumas, The Wall-Paintings of Thera aries and Cults in the Aegean BronzeAge (Athens 1992). (Stockholm 1981). 91 American journal of Archaeology 102 (1998) 91-173 92 PAUL REHAK AND JOHN G. YOUNGER [AJA 102 ing ground.2 Other important tools include the con- plex period and presents a variety of problems, be- tinuing publication of seals and sealings in the CMS ginning with terminology and chronology. There is and its Beihefte,and the compilation of Linear A texts general agreement that the Neopalatial period be- in GORILA. gan after widespread destruction of the Protopala- Since 1987, the Aegaeumseries has provided a timely tial centers at the end of MM II and endured through venue for the publication of conferences and mono- the pottery phases MM III, LM IA, and LM IB. The graphs on Aegean subjects, and the latest Cretolog- beginning of this period and the distinction between ical Congress took place in Herakleion on 10-13 MM IIIA and B remain hazy, however. In particu- September 1996. Authoritative publication volumes lar, little agreement exists about the causes of the for a number of important sites are appearing or MM II destructions. imminent, including Mallia, Mochlos, Chania, Ka- The era following another destruction horizon at vousi, Kommos, Kato Syme, and Pseira. The palace the end of the Neopalatial period in LM IB has been at Knossos, which never received a final report in called "Postpalatial,' based largely on developments the modern sense, is now being published by areas.3 observed at Knossos. In recent years, however, it has Much important information can be gleaned on in- become clear that palatial administrative activity con- dividual sites from the photographs and bibliogra- tinued at Knossos until LM IIIA2-B early (discussed phies in The Aerial Atlas of Ancient Crete (Atlas). An below), and certainly into LM IIIB at Chania. It there- important archaeological resource, the East Cretan fore seems misleading to use the term "Postpalatial" Center, endowed by the Institute for Aegean Prehis- for the pottery phases LM II-LM IIIB early, which tory, was inaugurated on 19 July 1997, and will be represent a period of Mycenaean Linear B admin- used by excavations all over the east end of the is- istration on the island at Knossos and Chania, and land primarily for study and the storage of finds. perhaps elsewhere; we have abandoned it in favor On Crete, the Late Bronze Age is a long and com- of the designation "Final Palatial."5 and L. Nixon Society O.H. Krzyszkowska eds., :J. Raison, Le palais du second millinaire at Knossos 1.1-2: Minoan Society.Proceedings of the Cam- Le quartier nord (Paris 1988); 11.1-2: Lefront ouest et ses mag- bridgeColloquium, 1981 (Bristol 1983). azins (Paris 1993); R. Laffineur, "Habitat egeen et reconstruc- TAW C. Doumas I-III ed., Thera and the Aegean tions: Quelques reflexions methodologiques a propos du WorldI (London 1978);Doumas ed., quartier nord-est du palais de Cnossos," in P. Darcque and Theraand the Aegean WorldII (London R. Treuil eds., L'habitategeen prehistorique (Paris 1990) 3-19; 1980); D.A. Hardy et al. eds., Theraand S. Hood and W. Taylour, The Bronze Age Palace of Knossos. the Aegean World III.1: Archaeology;2: Plan and Sections (London 1981); S. Hood and D. Smyth, Earth Sciences; 3: Chronology(London Archaeological Survey of the Knossos Area (London 1981). 1990). P.P. Betancourt, The History of Minoan Pottery (Prince- Techne R. Laffineur and PP. Betancourt eds., ton 1985) 103; P.M. Warren and V. Hankey, The Absolute TgXvil: Craftsmen, Craftswomen and Chronology of the Aegean Bronze Age (Bristol 1988) 54-60, Craftsmanship in the Aegean Bronze Age 135-37; Warren, 'A New Minoan Deposit from Knossos c. (Aegaeum 16, Liege 1997). 1600 B.C., and Its Wider Relations," BSA 86 (1991) 319-40. Thalassocracy R. Hagg and N. Marinatos eds., The 5"Postpalatial" is used by N. Platon, Crete (Cleveland Minoan Thalassocracy,Myth and Reality 1966) 206-207. See E. Hallager and B.P. Hallager eds., Late (Stockholm 1984). Minoan III Pottery.Chronology and Terminology(Athens 1997); Zakros N. Platon, Zakros:The Discovery of a Lost E. Hallager, "The History of the Palace at Knossos in the Palace Crete ofAncient (New York 1971). Late Minoan Period," SMEA 19 (1978) 17-33; E. Hallager, SL.V. Watrous, "Review of Aegean Prehistory III: Crete "Final Palatial Crete. An Essay in Minoan Chronology," in from Earliest Prehistory through the Protopalatial Period," Studies in Ancient History and Numismatics Presented to Rudi 98 AJA (1994) 695-753; and relevant papers byJ.D.