The Bronze Age site of Phaistos, located in Southern Crete, has been excavated by the Italian Archaeological Mission since 1900. Among the two Minoan palaces of Phaistos, the First Palace is the only palatial building on Crete providing crucial evidence of the Protopalatial period (MM IB – MM IIB: 19th – 17th c. BC), corresponding to the emergence of the palatial societies on the island. Besides the First Palace, Phaistos has also revealed exceptional evidence of contemporary wealthy Protopalatial houses dating to MM IIB.
Among the Protopalatial houses of Phaistos, the House to the West of the Middle West Court of the Palace is unique for its position, its large size (14 rooms) and complex layout (with storage and working spaces), and its exceptional number of ceramic vases (more than 1000). Its publication not only yields a vast body of data on Protopalatial pottery, but also contributes to the broader discussion on the function/s of the Phaistian Houses, shedding new light on of the role of these wealthy houses in the administration and/or promotion of the palatial system in Protopalatial times.
The MAT grant was used for the final review of the pottery from the House and for producing further drawings and photographs of the numerous finds stored in the Stratigraphic Museum at Phaistos, an important step for the publication of the Protopalatial House to the West of the Middle West Court of the Phaistos Palace.
For further information, please contact Dr Ilaria Caloi at icaloi@unive.it, or check her profile at the research institution website https://www.unive.it/data/people/48392.
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