The study presents the preliminary results of the architectural study on the Minoan Palace of Monastiraki in Amari valley, Crete, carried out by the “Missione Monastiraki”, result of the cooperation between Università Suor Orsola Benincasa of Naples, Italy, and The Archaeological Institute for Cretological Studies, Greece.The Architectural study analysed the complex of the visible masonry structures of the eastern part of the site with the aim to describe the architectural components and to identify the architectural modifications or variations to be ascribed to the final phase. The walls constituted the so-called socles of the walls, made of rubble held in place with clay which, resting on the soil, formed the lower part of the vertical structures. The surviving masonry therefore traces the final architectural layout at ground level. The study has been developed trough the analysis of the building techniques, the identifying of the masonry classes, and the compilation of analytical files for each single masonry structure. The distinctions between masonry structures were detected both in terms of slight variations in construction (they way the stones are set, their average size) and in the modifications made to the layout caused by some of the masonry structures. The acquisition of a ‘grammar’ underlying the construction and the definition of the various classes of masonry provided the tools for an architectural interpretation of the complex. The identification of the construction characteristics and the recognition of the types of joins between contiguous masonry walls, viewed in relation to the architectural layout of the site, represented the distinctive qualities of the walls; this information was used to define the architectural elements and to work out a diachronic interpretation of the constructional development of the architectural complex of phase II. The study made it possible to shed light on the architectural logic underlying the complex, leading to the definition of five sub-phases carried out during phase II. In the case of a modification, the alteration of a previous structure with its own independent logic clearly points to the existence of a temporal sequence whereas, in the case of an enlargement that did not affect the architectural layout, the alteration may have been carried out at a later date or simultaneously, even though a different typological class is identified. The architectural study therefore took the form of a chrono-typological analysis of the masonry structures.
Nel contributo vengono presentati i risultati preliminari dello studio architettonico del palazzo minoico di Monastiraki, (valle di Amari, Creta), svolti all’interno della Missione Monastiraki, frutto della cooperazione tra l’Università Suor Orsola Benincasa di Napoli e l’Archaeological Institute for Cretological Studies. Lo studio architettonico, sviluppato attraverso l’analisi delle tecniche costruttive delle strutture murarie, l’individuazione delle classi murarie, e la schedatura delle singole murature dell’area orientale (implementata nel GIS complessivo del sito), ha condotto alla distinzione delle parti componenti il complesso architettonico. Queste sono riconducibili a sub-fasi di modificazione e/o espansione di una struttura preesistente riconosciuta nell’impianto architettonico. Tale approfondimento della conoscenza del complesso palaziale è stato denominato “lettura crono-tipologica” delle strutture murarie dell’area orientale.
Architectural Investigation of the Protopalatial Site of Monastiraki, Crete
COMO, Maria Teresa
;Marazzi M
Project Administration
;
2009-01-01
Abstract
The study presents the preliminary results of the architectural study on the Minoan Palace of Monastiraki in Amari valley, Crete, carried out by the “Missione Monastiraki”, result of the cooperation between Università Suor Orsola Benincasa of Naples, Italy, and The Archaeological Institute for Cretological Studies, Greece.The Architectural study analysed the complex of the visible masonry structures of the eastern part of the site with the aim to describe the architectural components and to identify the architectural modifications or variations to be ascribed to the final phase. The walls constituted the so-called socles of the walls, made of rubble held in place with clay which, resting on the soil, formed the lower part of the vertical structures. The surviving masonry therefore traces the final architectural layout at ground level. The study has been developed trough the analysis of the building techniques, the identifying of the masonry classes, and the compilation of analytical files for each single masonry structure. The distinctions between masonry structures were detected both in terms of slight variations in construction (they way the stones are set, their average size) and in the modifications made to the layout caused by some of the masonry structures. The acquisition of a ‘grammar’ underlying the construction and the definition of the various classes of masonry provided the tools for an architectural interpretation of the complex. The identification of the construction characteristics and the recognition of the types of joins between contiguous masonry walls, viewed in relation to the architectural layout of the site, represented the distinctive qualities of the walls; this information was used to define the architectural elements and to work out a diachronic interpretation of the constructional development of the architectural complex of phase II. The study made it possible to shed light on the architectural logic underlying the complex, leading to the definition of five sub-phases carried out during phase II. In the case of a modification, the alteration of a previous structure with its own independent logic clearly points to the existence of a temporal sequence whereas, in the case of an enlargement that did not affect the architectural layout, the alteration may have been carried out at a later date or simultaneously, even though a different typological class is identified. The architectural study therefore took the form of a chrono-typological analysis of the masonry structures.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
