Focus on The Palace at and

Notes for teachers

Objects from Knossos and Crete at the Ashmolean

• Most of the objects linked to Crete and The Palace at Knossos are on display in Gallery 20: Aegean World. • Displays cover finds from the excavations of from the early 1900s of the Palace at Knossos, and also explore his interpretation of the site. • Other displays include Mycenaen objects and ancient objects from the Cyclades, including carved Cycladic figures from cist graves. • The gallery can also be used to explore objects related to Crete’s most famous myth: and the

Other galleries containing objects:

Gallery 16 : The Greek World Gallery 18 : Ancient Cyprus Gallery 14 : Cast Gallery Gallery 7 : Money Gallery 21: Greek and Roman Sculpture

Gallery 20: Aegean World Gallery 20: Aegean World

1. Attic red-figure cup, attributed to the 2. jar, 1450-1400 BC Apollodoros Painter, Chiusi, c500 BC

The illustration shows Crete’s most famous This partially restored jar is from the Palace myth. Confined by King in the , at Knossos, Crete. It is decorated with a six the Minotaur, half- man, half-bull, survived by tentacled octopus, using purple red dye from devouring youths and maidens sent as tribute murex shells, a popular colourant for murals from Athens until it was finally slain by Theseus. across the east Mediterranean. The design AN1896.1908.G.261 reflects a society with a close relationship to the sea. AN1911.608 Gallery 20: Aegean World Gallery 20: Aegean World

3. Ancient Greek coin (stater) 300-200 BC 4. , Palace at Knossos,1700-1400 BC

The coin shows a labyrinth with a tiny Minotaur Storage jar from one of eighteen store rooms in inside, illustrating the myth of Theseus and the the west wing of the Palace at Knossos, revealing Minotaur. Found at the Palace at Knossos. Gods, the grand scale of life at the Palace. The site was heroes, famous people and myths were often once known as ‘The Jars’ from the many similar depicted on ancient coins. The labyrinth was pots found there during early excavations. depicted on coins minted at Knossos. AN1896.1908.AE1126 HCR 4579

Gallery 20: Aegean World Gallery 20: Aegean World

5. Clay drain pipe, Palace at Knossos, 6. tablet, c 1375 BC 1800-1400 BC

This burnt clay tablet records women workers The control of water resources and the provision and children. These clay tablets were only of sanitation are often associated with power used for administratation, bureaucracy, book and administration. The Knossos drainage system keeping, land tenure, agricultural production or still remains the most expensive and elaborate craftsmen. They give a voice to people living and known from a Minoan site. It consists of clay working at the time. Around 100 scribes wrote pipes of various types and stone channels. the surviving over 4,000 tablets. AN1910.280 AN1910.218 Gallery 20: Aegean World Gallery 20: Aegean World

7. Marble figurine of a woman. Early Cycladic II 8. Lentoid , Gythion, mainland period c2800-2300 BC Greece1400-1300 BC

One of the largest intact marble figures of the The seal made from lapis lacedaemonius, shows early Cyclades. It represents a pregnant woman a man leaping over a bull which is attacked by a with her arms folded, perhaps cradling her future dog. Bull leaping was a popular sport in ancient baby. The eyes were originally painted and some Crete and is illustrated on a range of objects. There are many examples of votive figures pigment remains. Figures like these were found representing bulls on display. in shallow graves, their significance and meaning AN1938.10741908 AE.176 is not fully known. AN1896-1908 AE.176

Gallery 20: Aegean World Gallery 20: Aegean World

9. Kamares Ware, Old Palace Period, 1800-1700BC 10. ‘’ , Palace at Knossos 1450-1375 BC (original). Plaster cast, 1902

Premier table ware, found in the Room of Olive Full size replica of the so called ‘ Throne of Minos’ Press, Palace at Knossos. This vase, with its as named by Arthur Evans during his excavations extremely thin walls appears to imitate a metal in the early 1900s. Where the throne was bowl. Its elegantly bent edge and two pouring excavated there was some wall plaster still intact lips make it both rare and valuable. which has been recreated in the gallery display. AN1930.645 AE.2396 Lines of enquiry: Working with objects: key questions

• Who made it? • • Palaces,Palaces, withwith specialspecial emphasisemphasis onon thethe PalacePalace • Where and when was it made? atat Knossos:Knossos: theirtheir functionfunction andand useuse • What materials is it made from? • • TombsTombs andand andand burialburial practicespractices • How was it made? • • MaterialsMaterials andand :technology: frescoes,frescoes, pottery,pottery, • What was it used for? How was it used? jewellery,jewellery, metalworkmetalwork • Who used / owned it? • • BuildingBuilding andand engineering:engineering: waterworks,waterworks, • How might it be interpreted by different palaces,palaces, buildingbuilding materialsmaterials people? at different times? • • MinoanMinoan cultureculture andand itsits significancesignificance forfor tradetrade • • EconomyEconomy andand society:society: LinearLinear BB tablets,tablets, content,content, discovery,discovery, interpretationinterpretation andand significancesignificance • • EarlyEarly CretanCretan hieroglyphhieroglyph andand LinearLinear AA • • TheThe mythmyth ofof TheseusTheseus andand thethe MinotaurMinotaur • • ExcavationExcavation andand archaeologicalarchaeological methods:methods: comparecompare andand contrastcontrast withwith approachesapproaches todaytoday • • ExploreExplore thethe stylesstyles ofof potterypottery fromfrom differentdifferent palacepalace ‘phases’‘phases’ fromfrom thethe PalacePalace atat Knossos.Knossos. LearnLearn aboutabout howhow theythey werewere usedused toto datedate excavations.excavations.

Chest shaped Larnax (coffin) cemetery at Knossos, 1375-1300BC AN1896.1908 AE583

Lines of enquiry: Art & Design

• Explore different design motifs from ancient Further resources Cretan pottery and create new designs to Further information about Arthur Evans and the reflect Minoan culture. Palace at Knossos is available at: • Research how myth and legend have been represented in art across different times and www.odl.ox.ac.uk/collections/evansknossos.htm cultures through objects and artworks. sirarthurevans.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/collection/

Cross curricular links Education Department • History: rise and expansion of the Beaumont Street Minoan culture and its influence in the Oxford OX1 2PH Mediterranean T. 01865 278015 • English: explore myths and legends E. [email protected] • Maths: currency and coinage in the ancient world www.ashmolean.org/learn