GALATAS - 2008

Galatas. G. Rethemiotakis (Herakleion Museum) presents an overview of excavation in the Minoan settlement and Palace conducted between 1992–2008.

The Palace, which covers ca 0.6ha, is the largest in Central Crete after Knossos, Phaistos and Malia. Built in MM IIIA, it underwent an episode of destruction in the same period and was then rebuilt much as before in MM IIIB. It gradually fell into disrepair before its final destruction late in LM IA (close to 1500 BC). The building (Fig. 1) had four wings, a central and west court, and a Minoan Hall in the north wing: the walls were built of orthostats and ashlar. A unique feature is a rectangular hall in the east wing, with four pillars surrounding a large rectangular hearth. Focal points for religious purposes include the Hall of the Baetyl in the south wing, and the Hall of the Altar in the north wing which had two associated bothroi and the remains of sacrifices and offerings. The theatral area, in the centre of the complex, had another stone baetyl set in a platform. The excavator suggests that a processional route led from the town to the Palace.

In the surrounding settlement, six structures built between MM IB and LM IIIA2-B have been sampled or completely excavated. The settlement reached a peak in LM IB, with extensive ceramics, including Palatial styles, such as Floral and Marine. Building 6 contained a terracotta shrine model dated to MM IIIA by association: it depicts a seated pregnant female, with her hands on her belly and feet on a raised rest (Fig. 2). This is the earliest such model known, and its private setting is of interest.