Architectural Context and Aspects of Ritual Behavior at Late Minoan IIIC Kavousi Vronda Kevin T. Glowacki Nancy L. Klein The Late Minoan IIIC settlement at Kavousi Vronda, located in the northern foothills of the Thriphti mountain range in eastern Crete, consisted of ca. twenty houses clustered in complexes around the slopes and summit of the ridge, a large “special status” building on the summit where communal feasting and drinking rituals took place, a shrine or temple on the southwest slope in which were dedicated numerous terracotta figures of the “goddess with upraised arms,” and a kiln. Evidence suggests that the settlement may have been inhabited for four generations (or around 120 years, ca. 1170– Fig. 1. View of Kavousi Vronda from the south (2003). 1050 B.C.E.) before being abandoned at the end of the LM IIIC period. As an extensively excavated and published settlement site, Kavousi Vronda has provided insight into domestic activities, architecture, religion, and social organization of a small community during the Late Bronze Age to Early Iron Age transition on Crete. In this poster, we use the Vronda shrine (Building G) as a case study to focus on the contribution of the constructed space to our understanding of Fig. 2. 3D Model of the LM IIIC Vronda settlement from the south. ritual activities and the archaeological correlates for cult activity. In association with terracotta figures and other cult equipment (e.g., snake tubes, kalathoi, plaques) found within and around it, the architecture of Building G provides important evidence for understanding the ritual behavior and religious practices of the Vronda community, especially in terms of the construction of space for dedication and display, attention focusing devices, and the potential for participation by members of the community both inside and outside of the building. Fig. 3. 3D visualization of Building G from the northwest. Fig. 4. Excavation of cult equipment in Room G2 (1988). Fig. 5. Examples of terracotta figures, snake tubes, and kalathoi. Archaeological Institute of America 121st Annual Meeting, Washington, DC, January 2-5, 2020 Site Analysis Building G is located on the southwest slope of the Vronda ridge at an elevation of 421–423 m asl. During the Late Minoan IIIC period, there were no other structures in the immediate vicinity (Fig. 6-7). Building C-D stands ca. 15 m to the north and at a higher level (424–426 m asl), while Building E is ca. 10 m to the southeast around the southern end of the Vronda ridge, also at a higher elevation (423–425 m asl). As seen in the LM IIIC settlement plan (Fig. 7), Building A-B, at the top of the Vronda ridge (427 m asl), appears to be the closest structure, at less than 10 m away, but is at a significantly higher level and the steepness of the slope prevented direct to Building G. Instead, a pathway to the south of Building C provided a longer but easier route from Building G to the top of the hill. A LM IIIC kiln stood ca. 10 m to the west. Fig. 7. Schematic plan of the LM IIIC settlement at Kavousi Vronda. Hypothetical circulation routes are indicated in light green. Fig. 6. 3D visualization of the summit, west, and southwest slopes of Vronda. View from the west. (S.K. Dafedar). Building G, the large open space to its west, and the kiln are visible at right. Building G is situated so that the western side of the building, with a long exterior bench, faces an open area at the periphery of the settlement. Although there are no preserved LM IIIC surfaces to the west of Building G, due to the effects of erosion and subsequent building activities, the construction of several enclosure graves (LG–EO), and agricultural terraces Fig. 8. View of Building G (with modern agricultural terraces in and field walls (Medieval–Modern) (see Figs. 8-9), the foreground) from the west. (2016). Kavousi Kastro is visible in distance. topographic contour lines suggest that the slope to the west was more gradual than at the edges of the summit. As a result, the west facade of Building G with its exterior bench would have been the most visible side of the structure facing a broad open area sloping down to the west. When viewed from this open area (see Figs. 6 and 8), Building Complexes C–D and A–B would have been visible above and behind Building G to the north and northeast, respectively. Fig. 9. LEFT: Orthographically corrected aerial view of Building G and LG-EO enclosure graves to the west. RIGHT: Digital surface model (0.50 meter contours indicated). (J.A. Botero Besadalombana) Archaeological Institute of America 121st Annual Meeting, Washington, DC, January 2-5, 2020 Architectural Morphology ”niche” Building G is a rectilinear, two-room structure oriented roughly north to south (Figs. 10-12). A central doorway in the north wall provided access to Room G2 (14.63 m2 of interior area), which contained a hearth, benches along the north, east, and south walls, and a tall, stone- built platform. The face of a large bedrock boulder in the northeast corner of the wall appears to have been trimmed to form a rough niche. When viewed together, these architectural features create a three- sided backdrop framing a clay hearth in the eastern half of the room. A doorway in the southwest corner of Room G2 led into Room G1, a larger, rectangular space (22.75 m2) with a shorter platform in its northeast corner and a long, narrow bench in front of its east wall. A large exterior bench ran along the western 0 5 meters facade of the building—a prominent architectural Fig. 10. Building G. State plan. Fig. 11. Building G. Schematic plan. feature unparalleled elsewhere on the site. While Building G shares many architectural characteristics with the other LM IIIC structures in the settlement, it has other qualities which set it apart. Most of the walls were built of fieldstone and earth mortar, but the selective use of large boulders in foundation levels and corners, and especially in the west wall and exterior bench, is notable; this additional investment in labor and selection of building material may be an indication of the special status of the building. In contrast to the residential complexes at Vronda, Building G does not display evidence of Fig. 12. Building G. Isometric projections from northwest (left) and southwest (right). (R. Collier) agglutinative growth with duplication of architectural and functional units. Its two-room plan remained static over the life of the settlement. Access - Circulation - Visibility In Building G, access, circulation, and visibility were determined by the design and placement of the doorways. An individual approaching the structure from the north could see through the doorway into the southwest portion of Room G2, including most of the hearth, the south wall and bench, and the off-center doorway into Room G1 (Fig. 13A). Once inside G2, however, the interior benches, the platform, and the votive objects placed on top of them would have drawn attention to the eastern half of the room, while visibility into G1 diminishes (Fig. 13B). Circulation A B C within G2 was not linear; the hearth would direct movement around the sides of the room. The doorways leading into and out of G2 are not aligned, so that an individual would have to change direction and proceed along the western side of the room in order to access G1. In fact, the most comprehensive (visually connected or integrated) view of the interior is that of an individual standing beside the western wall of G2, where they would have a complete view of that room and all but the northeast corner of G1 (Fig. 13C). Once within Room G1, however, the view of G2 is increasingly restricted (Figs. 13D-G). In this way, the D E F G variable placement of doorways, which is common Fig. 13. Series of isovists (i.e., representations of all points visible from a throughout the history of Minoan architecture, specific point in space) describing the changing fields of view of an contributes to a circulation pattern that directs individual moving through Building G from just outside the north door participant experience, restricts visibility, and creates a (A), inside the door into G2 (B), on the western side of G2 (C), inside the door into G1 (D), in the southwest corner of G1 (E), in the southeast sense of suspense (see Palyvou 2018, p. 60). corner of G1 (F), and in the northeast corner of G1 (G). Archaeological Institute of America 121st Annual Meeting, Washington, DC, January 2-5, 2020 Interior Space Room G2 has several notable qualities that reflect intentional design and functionality. A hearth in the eastern half of the room, is surrounded by benches and a platform on three sides, a unique design of interior space at Vronda. While the hearth provides heat, illumination, and a locus for ritual activity, the spatial relationship of the central hearth to the benches limits activity and circulation in the eastern half of the room to a single individual or people in single file. Thus, both room size and fixed architectural features define the physical context for ritual activities and must be considered when estimating the number and activities of participants, observers, or attendees (Fig. 14). 0 5 meters 0 5 meters Fig. 14: Schematic plans visualizing hypothetical room occupancies Both Rooms G1 and G2 have built benches and (standing). LEFT: Each circle represents a diameter of 0.73 m (0.42 m2 or platforms. In Building G, where the ceramic 4.5 ft2 per person) = “very dense crowd”; RIGHT: each circle represents a assemblage does not include vessels for production or diameter of 0.97 m (0.74 m2 or 8 ft2 per person) “milling about in a room” consumption of food and drink, it is likely that the (Gesell 1987,p.