2018

Archeologia (Poland)

Rocznik: 2018 | Tom: 67

artykuł naukowy

angielski

EN The phenomenon of cult places located on hills and mountains in Crete have attracted so much attention during the last fifty years that one might think the subject is well researched and nothing new can be contributed anymore. After intensive field investigations in the 1960s, 70s and 80s it seemed that the general role of those sites in contemporary settlement patterns and their topographical characteristics were well-known, enough to propose solid explanations about the origins and history of peak sanctuaries, and the character of cult behind their origin. Excavations, first at Iouchtas, then Atsipades Korakias and Traostalos, Vrysinas, and more recently at Anatoli Stavromenos, yielded evidence which may help to illuminate these problems. However, each of the excavated sites has its own peculiarity, and all of them suffered much destruction due to the natural elements, as well as ancient and modern human activity. We are eagerly waiting for the excavation publications to be able to put the puzzles together, but it should be clarified here that, however helpful that material will be, many questions will stay unanswered. The central and dominant position of the sanctuary on Iouchtas is beyond doubt, but when exactly the first worshippers came to the place is still an open matter. This is, however, a crucial point for the reconstruction of the spread of the idea throughout the rest of the island. Is the curious distribution pattern, with the circle of peak sanctuaries around Iouchtas in Central Crete and a dense sanctuaries concentration in East Crete, meaningful for the understanding of the expansion of Knossian influence after the EM II destruction horizon? Is the concentration of peak sanctuaries in the Rethymnon district comparable in date and characteristics to the one in East Crete? Are the blank spots on the map of the Cretan peak sanctuaries really regions lacking such type of cult place, or is this the result of less intensified fieldwork? What was the role of the highest mountains, some of which show very poor evidence of Bronze Age activity of non-domestic character which resembles sometimes evidence known from cult places? What was the role of very small sites with only one element of a peak sanctuary “votive offering packet” ̶ pebbles? What was the role of hilltop sites located in the obvious visual relation to the sanctuary on Iouchtas, with a “votive offering packet” lacking pebbles? What was the function of auxiliary sites to peak sanctuaries and were they common feature of all sites? These questions will be addressed in the paper and the arguments will be supported by new evidence from fieldwork undertaken during the last twenty years. Also, new data for the reconstruction of the ritual itself will be discussed in the broader context of the location and arrangement of Minoan peak sanctuaries.

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https://www.academia.edu/38833829/CRETAN_PEAK_SANCTUARIES_DISTRIBUTION_TOPOGRAPHY_AND_SPATIAL_ORGANIZATION_OF_RITUAL

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