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A Neopalatial Court-Centered Building at Sissi (Northeastern Crete)?1

Simon Jusseret, F.R.S.-FNRS Postdoctoral researcher, Université catholique de Louvain, Aegean

Interdisciplinary Studies Research Group (AegIS-CEMA-INCAL), Place B. Pascal 1, L3.03.13, 1348

Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.

Simon.Jusseret@uclouvain.be

Reference:

Jusseret S. A Neopalatial court-centered building at Sissi (northeastern Crete)? 115th

AIA and

APA Joint Annual Meeting, Chicago (Illinois, USA), 2-5 January 2014.

1 This short paper, presented at the 115

th AIA-APA Joint Annual Meeting (Session 7B “Recent Excavations on

Crete”, chaired by Angus Smith), is based on observations and preliminary interpretations reported in : Jusseret S. 2012. The excavation of Zone 6. In Excavations at Sissi III. Preliminary Report on the 2011 Campaign, Driessen J., Schoep I., et al. Aegis 6. Presses Universitaires de Louvain: Louvain-la-Neuve, 135-154. (Also available on Academia.edu) The excavation results and interpretations here presented benefited greatly from the guidance (both in the field and at the office) of my mentor, Jan Driessen, for which many thanks. A detailed architectural survey carried out in the summer of 2012 with Quentin Letesson also helped to refine my views on the Neopalatial architectural evidence of Zone 6. Last, I am thankful to Ilaria Caloi for allowing me to mention here the preliminary results of her work on the Neopalatial pottery from Zone 6. Discussions with Christina Tsoraki on the lithic tool evidence from Zone 6 are likewise much appreciated. All remaining mistakes and misinterpretations are my own.

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Abstract

Since 2007, the Belgian School at Athens has brought to light the remains of a Minoan settlement

and associated cemetery at Sissi, northeastern Crete. The site, located only 4 km to the east of the

palatial center of Malia, occupies a low coastal hill locally known as the Kephali. The strategic

location of Kephali Hill, at the crossroads of important Minoan communication routes, as well as its

proximity to Malia, offers a unique opportunity to study the relationship between a major palatial

center and its immediate hinterland. Excavations on Kephali Hill hence allowed us to suggest that

Sissi was probably the second most important settlement after Malia from 2600 to 1450 B.C.E. and

the most important center of the Malia Plain from 1450 to 1200 B.C.E.

Our understanding of the interactions between Sissi and Malia took a major turn in 2011 when

excavations on the southern slope of Kephali Hill revealed extensive Neopalatial (ca. 1700–1450

B.C.E.) architectural remains suggesting the presence of a small court-centered building. The east

wing of the building—the only one excavated thus far—was apparently built on top of Protopalatial

(ca. 1900–1700 B.C.E.) structures showing a series of long, parallel spaces. Unfortunately, extensive

Postpalatial (Late Minoan IIIA2/B, ca. 1370–1200 B.C.E.) occupation of the sector led to the loss of

most original contexts.

Nevertheless, localized soundings allowed us to identify a large rectangular pebble court (9.7 x at

least 20 m) forming the core of the Neopalatial complex. The court is oriented 16.5° to the east of

north and aligns with the top of the nearby mountains. An approximately 19 m long limestone plinth

or euthynteria faces the court to the east. To the west, a sandstone ashlar wall running parallel to the

euthynteria may represent another facade lining the pebble court. Although the function(s) of the

court remain unclear, a large kernos and a bench made of limestone slabs with hollowed-out

depressions suggest ritual activities.

If confirmed by future investigations, the presence of a small Neopalatial court-centered building at

Sissi may invite reconsideration of the role of this settlement in the political geography of the

assumed Malia state. Interestingly, the close distance between Sissi and Malia parallels situations

encountered elsewhere on Crete, such as between Knossos and Archanes or between Phaistos and

Hagia Triada.

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Introduction

Since 2007, the Belgian School at Athens has uncovered the remains of an extensive Minoan

settlement at Sissi, a small harbor village on the north-east coast of Crete. Located only 4 km to the

east of the palatial site of Malia and 3 km to the west of Milatos, Sissi belongs to the Malia Plain, a

land of rolling limestone hills bounded to the south by the Selena Mountains and to the north by the

Sea of Crete. The site, sitting on a low coastal hill locally known as the Kephali, is nestled in a pebbly

cove isolated from Malia and Milatos by the Arkovouno and Andronikos Hills, respectively. The

strategic location of Sissi, at the crossroads of major communication routes linking East Crete to West

Crete on the one hand, and Malia to Milatos on the other, as well as its proximity to the major

palatial center of Malia, provided important rationales for the start of new excavations on the

Kephali.

During the five excavation campaigns carried out thus far at Sissi (2007-2011), extensive remains

were brought to light in various sectors of the Kephali and provided evidence for an almost

continuous Bronze Age occupation of the hill since Early Minoan IIA. Although the majority of

architectural remains nowadays visible on the summit date to the very last, LM IIIA2/B, occupation of

the Kephali, Neopalatial remains are well represented on the lower slopes. It is, however, likely that

one or several Neopalatial buildings existed on top of the hill during this period as well. Although the

topography of the Neopalatial settlement remains largely unknown, there is evidence that the north

slope of the hill carried a small group of LM IA buildings fulfilling semi-industrial functions involving

the manufacture of textiles. At the south-west foot of the hill, close to the modern entrance to the

site, remains of an L-shaped Neopalatial wall constructed of megalithic blocks were also identified.

The wall, preliminarily dated to MM IIIB/LMIA, may have belonged to a defensive structure guarding

the south-west slope of the hill, here easily accessible from the nearby valley.

Based on excavation evidence, it has been possible for us to conclude that Sissi was probably

subordinate to Malia during most of the Bronze Age. It is only during the Postpalatial period (LM

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IIIA2-B) that Sissi may have outgrown its formerly palatial neighbor and was part of a wider prestige

economy evidenced by ceramic exchanges with west Crete and possibly other parts of the island and

the Aegean. The discovery of a clay fragment bearing a possible Linear B inscription in an LM IIIB level

may likewise suggest the existence of a local form of administration during the Postpalatial period.

Our view on the Neopalatial occupation of the Kephali was, however, dramatically transformed in the

course of the 2011 excavation campaign when an extensive Neopalatial complex was brought to light

on the south slope of the hill, in an area named by us “Zone 6”. Although only a small part of the

building has been cleared thus far, there is little doubt that the excavated remains belong to a large

architectural complex organized around a north-south-oriented rectangular court.

In this paper, I will propose an overview of the Neopalatial remains brought to light in Zone 6 in the

course of the 2011 excavation campaign. Although the preliminary nature of my observations will

prevent any firm conclusions as to the exact nature and function of the building, I will attempt to

show that clear parallels exist between the Neopalatial complex of Zone 6 and Minoan palatial

architecture.

Neopalatial evidence in Zone 6: discovery and interpretation

Zone 6 is located on the south edge of the Kephali Hill, an area of gently sloping ground interrupted

by steep cliffs to the east and south. There, the 2008-2010 campaigns allowed us to identify the

remains of a building of which, however, only the last, LM IIIA2/B, occupation phase appeared

preserved. The building, named by us “Building F”, covers a surface of c. 120 m² and comprises at

least 8 identifiable spaces. The main part of the building, a square construction of c. 10 m by 10 m, is

occupied by five rooms. Adjacent to the south of this structure is an east-west oriented construction

divided into three compartments and entered from the east and west. The west entrance is made

remarkable by its fine limestone threshold and by the nearby presence of an unusually large kernos,

c. 0.9 by 0.4 m.

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Although the architecture of Building F does not depart from local LM IIIA2-B standards (i.e. rubble

walls made of local limestone boulders, ammouda blocks – some of them cut – and quartzite

cobbles), the north-south oriented west façade of the structure quickly caught our attention by the

quality of its construction, made of carefully cut limestone slabs. By the end of the 2010 season, a 5

m stretch of wall was already brought to light, and the existence of another 5 m-long section north of

it was likely, based on the expected location of the northwest angle of Building F, then obscured by a

large stone heap. The 2011 excavations not only met those expectations but even exceeded them.

Clearing of the northwest corner of Building F indeed revealed a well-built plinth or euthynteria

supporting an ashlar wall made of ammouda. Although none of the ashlars survived in situ, some

slabs still bore the rubble backing of the façade and fragments of ammouda were found immediately

west of it. A large doorway indicated by a monumental limestone threshold was apparently present

at the northern end of the wall. To our surprise, we were moreover able to trace this rectilinear

façade for another 9 m south of Building F, bringing its total length to 19 m. In the area south of

Building F however, the wall was built of large limestone boulders and did not show any evidence of

having once supported an ashlar superstructure. Interestingly, superficial excavation of the space

adjacent to the west of the façade did not reveal any trace of architecture, thus opening the

possibility that an open area might have once existed here.

With two weeks left before the end of the first five-year excavation program at Sissi, this unusual

discovery called for a slightly adapted excavation strategy. Three targeted soundings were therefore

opened against the northern and southern stretch of the wall in the hope of finding more

information about the date and architectural context of the construction. In the southernmost

sounding, we excavated a 35 cm-thick layer of mostly sterile soil before hitting a well-preserved

pebble floor covering the whole surface of the test. Significantly, the floor, made of pebbles set in

clay and occasionally in lime, also corresponds to the level of foundation of the façade and this

observation may suggest contemporary construction. We obtained similar results in other soundings

opened along the wall and this led us to assume the existence of a large pebble court west of

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Building F. Remarkably, in one of the trenches, a vase fragment with bull’s head applique was found

in the deposits covering the court. Although the date of the fragment is uncertain, it is worth noting

that MM IIB and LM IB parallels exist at Malia Quartier Mu and House Zβ, respectively. Based on the

latest sherds found beneath the level of the court, we were moreover able to preliminarily suggest a

Neopalatial date for the construction of the façade and associated court. Interestingly, excavations

carried out along the façade also demonstrated that the large kernos already mentioned most likely

belonged to the original Neopalatial design of the court. The slab was indeed found resting on top of

a carefully built rubble installation resting on the court surface.

In the face of these promising discoveries, we soon directed our attention to a group of shrubs –

incidentally our snack and storage area for the last years of excavation – covering the sector where

the northern end of the court might have reasonably been expected. Cleaning of the vegetation

immediately revealed large limestone boulders aligned in an east-west direction, perpendicular to

the west façade of building F, as well as two limestone ashlars forming a setback. Although the rough

appearance of the construction made its function as a façade for the court uncertain, removal of the

topsoil south of it soon dispelled our doubts. Indeed, we discovered against the south face of the

wall a series of at least seven limestone slabs, each bearing up to three hollowed-out depressions.

Although the function of these slabs remains unclear, preliminary examination of their surface by our

lithic tool specialist, Christina Tsoraki, points to their possible use as grinding slabs, although cut

marks are also clearly visible. In any case, only small quantities of raw materials could have

realistically been processed on such slabs – individual depressions are no more than 2.5 cm deep –,

which could indicate the preparation of special food products or toxic substances. Here again, a test

trench opened along the row of slabs revealed the presence of the pebble court at a depth of c. 30-

40 cm and showed that the slabs, resting on a mixture of earth, limestone slabs and shapeless

cobbles, formed a bench-like structure rising above the northern end of the pebble court. West of

the bench, superficial excavation of the topsoil allowed us to follow the north façade for a distance of

about 2 m before encountering a small jut, after which point it continues again for another 3.5 m.

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Where the façade juts, we identified the top of a north-south oriented ammouda ashlar wall and

followed it south for a distance of c. 2 m. This wall, parallel to the west façade of Building F, might

have also served as a façade for the court. If this hypothesis is correct, the ashlar wall could be here

preserved to a height of c. 1.4 m, while the court’s width could reach an impressive 9.7 m. Combined

with a minimum length of 19 m, this would give us a north-south oriented rectangular court smaller

than that of the palace of Zakros but almost twice as large as that of Petras! Although the area west

of the ashlar façade was barely touched, the outline of a spacious room could already be traced. A

cut block in ammouda, possibly part of a pier-and-door system, was retrieved in this area and may

signal the proximity of a fine, Neopalatial building.

Pressing time constraints and the necessity of undertaking cleaning operations facilitating site

conservation eventually led us to open our last trenches of the 2011 season along the north and

southeast façades of Building F.

North of Building F, these cleaning operations brought to light a square recess closing off the

northeast angle of the court. Although two sides of this recess were built of limestone ashlars

suggestive of Neopalatial architecture, it is unlikely that this construction formed part of the initial

design of the court. The presence of a threshold of ammouda surrounded by limestone slabs to the

south of the recess could indeed signal the presence of a later construction, the western part of

which was apparently built on top of an L-shaped paved area lining the north façade of Building F.

The fine quality of the pavement, constructed of large limestone slabs, as well as its association with

the pebble court and north façade of Building F, suggests a Neopalatial date for this feature. Two U-

shaped terracotta drains found resting on the pavement may represent rainwater collection devices.

The presence of a stone base immediately north of the pavement could, on the other hand, point to

the presence of some kind of portico covering the north entrance to the building, here indicated by a

monumental limestone threshold. That the pavement appeared better preserved and constructed of

smaller slabs in front of the threshold could also indicate the presence of a cobbled street heading

north.

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Outstanding as it were at this stage, the Neopalatial architectural evidence of Zone 6 also stood

remarkably devoid of any associated primary stratigraphic context that might have helped us

interpret its exact nature and function. Much to our surprise, a glimpse into such functions was

provided by cleaning operations along the southeast angle of Building F. There, removal of the

topsoil brought to light a good Neopalatial pottery deposit consisting mostly of conical cups, several

S-profile cups, one closed vase, one amphora, one globular rhyton painted with brownish red spirals

and tortoise-shell ripple, and one figurine in the shape of a snake head, possibly a cobra, bearing

traces of red paint. The deposit was apparently placed in a box-like structure constructed against the

southwest façade of the building. According to Ilaria Caloi, in charge of the study of the deposit, this

mode of deposition is reminiscent of the so-called bench deposits at Protopalatial Phaistos and the

ceramic assemblage could likewise represent the memory of a feasting event, perhaps related to the

construction (or renovation) of Neopalatial Building F. On present evidence, and still according to

Ilaria Caloi, the deposit can tentatively be dated to MM IIIB based on good parallels with pottery

from Phaistos and Knossos (KS 178 Group).

Concluding remarks

Time to conclude. The close of the 2011 excavations in Zone 6 at Sissi left us with puzzling

Neopalatial evidence including a large, 9.7 by at least 19 m, rectangular, pebble court, apparently

faced to the east and west by ashlar façades. To the north, a bench-like structure was set against a

façade constructed of limestone boulders and a paved area was also constructed against the north

façade of Building F. What happens to the south of the court remains uncertain, but standing

architectural remains are clearly visible on the southwest slope of the Kephali. Based on this

evidence, it may not be too rash to suggest the existence of a Neopalatial court complex in Zone 6.

The east wing, the only one excavated thus far, has unfortunately suffered from an important LM

IIIA2/B reoccupation, leading to the loss of most original contexts. The west wing might, on the other

hand, be more promising for future excavations, since erosion appears to have been less severe in

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this area. In this respect, the nearby presence of a massive plastered ashlar angle block does allow

optimism. Although it is perhaps too early to decide whether a small Neopalatial court-centered

building may have once existed at Sissi, we note that the building features key characteristics of

palatial architecture and consumption practices, including:

-a rectangular court with proportions very close to the “canonical” palatial proportions of 1:2;

-a rectangular court with a long axis oriented along the north-south direction, precisely 16.5 degrees

to the east of north, a value comparable to the orientation of the long axis of the central court of the

palace of Malia;

-the alignment of the court with the peak of the Selena Mountains;

-the short distance between Sissi and Malia (4 km), reminding the distance separating important

Minoan centers such as Knossos and Archanes or Phaistos and Agia Triada;

-elaborate architectural features including ashlar, ammouda doorjambs and a hypothetical double

door system;

-the association between the rectangular court and pierres à cupules of remarkable manufacture;

-evidence for feasting activities involving a large number of participants, and possibly taking place in

a peripheral court.

Although the existence of a Protopalatial predecessor to the Neopalatial court-building of Sissi is

purely conjectural at this stage, we note that a series of parallel Protopalatial rooms were discovered

beneath the east wing of the Neopalatial building, hinting at the possible presence of some kind of

magazines or storage spaces.

As a final note, I may add a word on the post-Minoan fate of the building. If our interpretation of the

Neopalatial evidence in Zone 6 proves correct, the discovery of three fragments of “Postminoan”

animal figurines, possibly horses, in the surface layers covering the north end of the court might be

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relevant. Indeed, the installation of cults in the ruins of former Minoan palaces or other monumental

structures such as Knossos, Phaistos, Agia Triada, Kommos, Amnissos and Palaikastro is a well-known

phenomenon, especially from the Protogeometric period on, and the deposition of the Sissi figurines

might relate to the same interest for ancient sites of special importance.

These Iron Age (?) depositional activities and a few historical sherds aside, the site seems to have

been largely abandoned during the following millennia. Only during World War II, when the hill may

have formed the frontier between the Italians and the Germans on Crete, was Zone 6 reoccupied and

the pebble court area tastefully chosen by local troops to build a machine-gun nest.