KNOSSOS URBAN LANDSCAPE PROJECT - 2012

Knossos Urban Landscape Project. T. Whitelaw (BSA/UCL), A. Vasilakis (for the ΚΓ’ ΕΠΚΑ) and M. Bredaki (Institute of Cretan Studies) report on a study season focused on the detailed study and documentation of 2,940 Prehistoric and Early Iron Age sherds collected in 2005 (considerably refining initial dating and characterizations), with in addition, refinement to the dating of diagnostic sherds from 2,370 collection units of the 2007-8 seasons. The more refined dating of the units north and east of the city strengthens the patterns previously noted. One focus of attention was the conical hill of Prophitis Ilias which had an extensive but low density distribution of Prehistoric sherds (mostly coarseware but with an anomalously large component of LBA pithos sherds). It is suggested that other extensive but low density scatters of sherds on and flanking the Kephala-Isopata ridge represent extensive cemeteries.