Ancient Phaistos: The Revelation of Important Aspects of Ancient Greek Civilization
Lila Williams
Ancient Cultures AC5
Ms. Day
Due 2/28/18
Although the Palace of Phaistos is one of the gems of Ancient Minoan Civilization, it is largely unknown compared to the more famous Palace of Knossos. The Ancient Civilization of Phaistos is located on the Island of Crete, south of Heraklio. The site was first inhabited in late Neolithic times and lasted until the Minoans, which is around 2600-1500 BCE. Around 1500 BCE, this Minoan civilization on Ancient Crete ended with very little information as to why. Excavations of Ancient Phaistos were done by The Italian Archaeological School. The main excavators at Ancient Phaistos were Federico Halbherr, Luigi Pernier, and Doro Levi. The excavations took place during the 1900’s, and is currently still being excavated. The Palace of Phaistos has revealed possible reasons as to why it ended, and also very important aspects of life. The archaeological site at Phaistos reveals that the Ancient Minoans created elaborate architecture, advanced infrastructure, and innovative writing systems.
The first important aspect of Minoan civilization revealed at Phaistos is their elaborate architecture. A great example of this is at the Palace of Phaistos, which is the second largest palace on Crete. The construction of the palace took so long, that it was spread out over multiple generations. To allow expansion over a small hill, hundreds of tons of dirt was removed so that terraces could be built to support the palace. The palace was mostly constructed with a substance similar to modern cement, which created a strong and long-lasting structure. Covering the walls, floors, and benches in the palace was a thick layer of plaster which was made out of limestone and clay. The plaster was applied so that the surfaces were smooth, like one continuous surface. The palace facades were built with orthostates, which are large blocks of limestone, and also siderópetras (iron stone), which are chunks of hard, gray limestone. By the end of its construction, the palace took up about nine-thousand square meters of land. When building the palace, the Minoans made sure that it had an aesthetically pleasing environment so that the residents could live in a peaceful and calming place. It had the best view of its surrounding land, sitting on top of a low hill and overlooking the Messara Plain. Phaistos was also so well designed that it became the model for other Minoan palaces. The construction of the Palace of Phaistos shows the use of elaborate architecture in the Ancient Minoan society.
Another aspect of the Ancient Minoan’s elaborate architecture is revealed in the Palace of Phaistos’s complex layout. For example, they created open areas similar to courtyards which were surrounded by the palace walls or mountains. Out of all the buildings, it had the most sophisticated and complex architectural design. The palace was composed of long halls and many rooms spread out over three stories. The entrance to the palace was just one of the amazing sights held within. It was decorated with massive columns and two large doorways. When going through the entrance, the first thing to see was the grand staircase. There was one staircase on each side of the entrance, both leading to an upstairs hallway. Located the top of the staircase, where rooms dedicated to storing grain. According to the Italian Excavator L. Pernie, “above the storage rooms was not one but two stories: the first perhaps used for grain storage, but the second containing a grand suite of rooms for the reception of important visitors or foreign representatives.” The upper floors were very well lighted because of the use of windows. There was most likely a window in every room, and down each hallway. Many of the walls were lined with benches and storage spaces carved into the walls. The benches were covered in plaster, as well as the storages spaces, walls, and ceilings. The layout of this palace shows how difficult it must have been to design it. The Palace of Phaistos and its complex layout shows the elaborate architecture in the Ancient Minoan society.
A second important aspect of Minoan civilization revealed at Phaistos is their advanced infrastructure. Specifically, their water management systems were very sophisticated. They had drainage systems, wells, cisterns, and even flushing toilets. Many canals were dug around the palace to collect run-off from rain. The canals were dug around stairways, and they drained into the main courtyard to fill cisterns. The original evidence of drainage systems was the use of terracotta pipes and stone canals. The sewers at the palace inspired architecture that is still being used today. According to scholar Andreas Angelakis, the sewers were so large so that men could fit inside of them. This inspired the creations of ‘manholes’ so that the men could easily get in and out of the sewers. The invention of these water management systems show the advanced infrastructure created by the Ancient Minoans.
Finally, the Phaistos Disc and Linear A tablets uncovered at Phaistos reveal the innovative writing systems of the Ancient Minoans. The disc was found in the Palace of Phaistos in 1908. The disc is made out of clay and contains sources of very early writing. There were 45 symbols on the disc, and they resembled “common subjects as human heads, animals, insects, plants, weapons, tools, and containers”. The writing found on the disc is similar to hieroglyphics because the common subjects are the same subjects chosen in hieroglyphic symbols, but is seen nowhere else on Crete. The intended use of the disc is not known, but it could’ve been a game board or a calendar. Others say that the disc could have been from the mythical island of Atlantis. The Phaistos Disc was most likely a written document because of the way the symbols were arranged on the disc. The Phaistos Disc is a significant example of the innovative writing systems of the Ancient Minoans.
Linear A tablets and seals recovered at Phaistos provide additional examples of their advanced writing systems. At Phaistos, a sealing archive was found with over 6500 seals and multiple Linear A tablets. The excavators have been able to identify 325 seal types, which are classified by the design on the seal, not the shape. Imprinted on the seals are goats, linear patterns or circles, floral designs, and detailed abstract designs. Also, different animals, landscapes, and images from supernatural worlds are depicted on the seals. If humans were depicted on the seals, they were normally conducting some sort of activity such as hunting, fishing, and weaving. These seals were made out of clay, stone, semi-precious stone, or metal. There are speculations that the seals had multiple uses. The seals made out of semi-precious stone and metal could have been worn as jewelry, or some seals might have been passed down as heirlooms. Another example of the Minoan’s advanced writing system is found on Linear A tablets. Inscriptions of archaic Linear A were found on tablets at Ancient Phaistos. During excavations, one of the Linear A tablets was found in the same room as the Phaistos Disc. The tablets were made of clay, and were written on with a stylus. Linear A hasn’t been deciphered yet due to its complexity. Compared to Linear B, which has been found on over 2,000 documents consisting of over 30,000 signs, Linear A has been found on less than 1,500 documents consisting of only 7,500 signs. Since Linear A is the origin of Linear B, experts have tried to compare their symbols but the results are indecipherable. The many examples of seals and tablets found at Ancient Phaistos show the advanced writing systems of the Ancient Minoans.
The archaeological site at Ancient Phaistos reveals many aspects of the Ancient Greek Civilization. Specifically, it reveals that the Ancient Minoans created elaborate architecture, advanced infrastructure, and innovative writing systems. Examples of their elaborate architecture can be found at the Palace of Phaistos through its interior and its structure. Examples of their advanced infrastructure can be found in the palace’s complex water management systems. Finally, examples of their innovative writing systems can be found on the notorious Phaistos Disc, Linear A tablets, and seals. Ancient Phaistos is recognized as one of the sites that best represents the Ancient Minoans, and therefore represents Ancient Greek Civilization.