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Geological Society, London, Special Publications | 2000

The eruption of the Santorini Volcano and its effects on Minoan Crete

Jan Driessen; Colin MacDonald

Abstract Sometime in the course of the second millennium BC, an earthquake appears to have triggered a massive eruption of the Santorini volcano. The immediate consequences of the earthquake closely followed by the eruption for Cretan society during the Late Minoan I period are rather difficult to characterize, although physical evidence in the form of Theran ash has shown up at an increasing number of sites. Certain features of the archaeological record, taken in isolation, have hardly been noticed in the past. The long-term effects of the eruption, however, have recently become more comprehensible thanks to a reconsideration of old and new archaeological evidence. The combined picture gives the impression of a period of societal stress following these events. Changes in architecture, storage and food production, artisan output, the distribution of prestige items, administrative patterns and ritual manifestations can be pinpointed archaeologically. These may and should be interpreted as disturbances in the political, economic, cult and security-related domains. It is argued that the inability of the Minoan palatial centres to adapt to changing circumstances caused by a double disaster, an earthquake followed by the eruption of Santorini, led to an increase in crisis-related situations, culminating in the widespread fire destructions which brought this palatial phase of Minoan civilization to an end and opened the way for mainland Mycenaean domination of the Aegean.


The Annual of the British School at Athens | 1988

The Drainage System of the Domestic Quarter in the Palace at Knossos

Colin MacDonald; Jan Driessen

The system is described in detail with reference to the first stone-by-stone plans and photographs of the interior. An analysis of function concludes that the main aim of the system when constructed in Middle Minoan IIA was to drain the Central Court; this remained its primary function until at least Late Minoan I. During the great building programme of Middle Minoan IIIA, the system was expanded to serve new Light Wells, with further additions before the south part of the drains was blocked sometime during Late Minoan I. Next, a stone U-shaped channel was installed to allow the north section to function; the destruction of Late Minoan IIIA:2 is likely to have caused the final blockage of the system.


Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians | 1987

Earthquake-Resistant Construction and the Wrath of the "Earth-Shaker"

Jan Driessen

The writer investigates possible anti-seismic construction techniques used in Minoan architecture on Bronze Age Crete. The frequency of earthquakes in the Aegean seems to imply the presence of such techniques. Starting by noting the methods still in use in Turkey and other dangerous areas, the writer looks at the practice of projections and setbacks, the near absence of windows, room dimensions, roof and floor construction, the presence of partition walls, the size and number of stories, town planning, the presence of cornices and ring beams, and other construction details which helped to improve the anti-seismic capability of Minoan houses. Attention is given to the location of houses and to the question of whether or not the Minoans used these methods consciously. The writer believes they did, not only because of the frequency of these earthquakes but also because of the religious connotations and the existence of an architectural koine in earthquake-stricken areas in the ancient Mediterranean and Near East, in contrast with Egypt.


The Annual of the British School at Athens | 1998

Excavations at Palaikastro, 1994 and 1996

J. A. MacGillivray; L.H. Sackett; Jan Driessen

Work at Palaikastro in the 1994 and 1996 seasons was concentrated in Building 6 in the southern area adjacent to Main Street, where tests had previously been made in 1990–1. It was confirmed that the architectural history of the area ended before the Santorini eruption. Its later use as a walled open space was marked by the construction in LM IB of two wells. These were fully excavated and were very productive of useful stratified material. The principal building complex lay to the SE and comprised a propylon and a small central court with colonnade and surrounding rooms. The most important of these is a paved hall at the south entered by a pier and door system of Knossian type. All these features, as well as unusual decorative elements, including building materials of varying colour, frescoes and horns of consecration, distinguish this building from others at Palaikastro. The date of first construction seems to be MM IIIA (over an earlier MM II building), but this was followed by a destruction and major rebuild in MM IIIB, the period to which many of these decorative elements should belong. A violent destruction by earthquake later in MM IIIB left substantial pottery deposits in several areas of the building, which seems to have been only partially repaired before a final destruction took place. This was followed by deliberate dismantling (LM IA early?) which was far advanced when the tephra fell on an essentially abandoned plot.


The Annual of the British School at Athens | 1988

Excavations at Palaikastro, 1987

J. A. MacGillivray; L.H. Sackett; Jan Driessen; Colin MacDonald; D. Smyth

A second season of new excavations was undertaken at Palaikastro in 1987 in the area of Building 1, partially revealed last year, and in the adjacent fields to the south. Two new structures were denned, Buildings 3 and 4, and most of the plan of Building 1 traced. Features suggesting that Building 1 was public and played a role in the religious life of the town in LM I are the high quality of its construction, a possible grandstand with stone horns of consecration, a large well-built drain at the entrance, its unique orientation, and the discovery of the torso and arms of a male chryselephantine statuette fallen from an upper storey into an open area near the building. The other buildings are not yet well-defined. Building 3 was constructed in LM I and re-occupied in LM III, but no inner partition walls have been found. An area with pier-and-door partitions and mudbrick walls was built against the southwest wall of the building and destroyed in LM IB. Building 4 seems to belong to the LM III period, although we have not yet investigated below the floors of the re-occupation period. Destruction deposits of the LM IIIA2/B period suggest an earthquake.


The Annual of the British School at Athens | 1989

Excavations at Palaikastro, 1988

A. Sarpaki; J. Weingarten; J. A. MacGillivray; L.H. Sackett; Jan Driessen; R. Bridges; D. Smyth

A third season of excavations at Palaikastro was concentrated on the central area of the new site where four main structures have been identified; Buildings 1, 3, 4 and 5. This report highlights the more interesting finds, including the head of the ivory statuette, the torso and arms of which were found last year, and the first evidence for the LM II reoccupation of east Crete in the form of a Palace Style sherd and part of a central Cretan Ephyraean goblet.


American Journal of Archaeology | 2001

Pseira. Vol. 4, Minoan Buildings in Areas B, C, D, and F

Jan Driessen; Philip P. Betancourt; Costis Davaras

This is volume four in the series of final reports on the Bronze Age town of Pseira located on Pseira island just off the coast of Crete. It reports on the architectural remains and associated finds from Areas B, C, D and F, including pottery, stone tools, lithics, fauna and micro-fauna.


American Journal of Archaeology | 2001

The Troubled Island: Minoan Crete before and after the Santorini Eruption

Peter Warren; Jan Driessen; Colin MacDonald


Archive | 2002

Monuments of Minos. Rethinking the Minoan Palaces

Jan Driessen; Ilse Schoep; Robert Laffineur


The Annual of the British School at Athens | 1984

Some Military Aspects of the Aegean in the Late Fifteenth and Early Fourteenth Centuries B.C.

Jan Driessen; Colin MacDonald

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Dive into the Jan Driessen's collaboration.

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Simon Jusseret

Université catholique de Louvain

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Ilse Schoep

Catholic University of Leuven

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Charlotte Langohr

Université catholique de Louvain

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Joachim Bretschneider

Katholieke Universiteit Leuven

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Sylviane Déderix

Université catholique de Louvain

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Aurore Schmitt

Aix-Marseille University

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Cecile Baeteman

Geological Survey of Belgium

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