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ANCIENT THEATRES - ANCIENT THEATRES' IDENTITY
MINOAN
PALACE OF
KNOSSOS -
THEATRAL
AREA
Information
|
Description
of the Monument
|
Photo
gallery
|
Scientific
report
 |
The theatre area of Knossos lies outside and
northwest of the palace, and was built during the
Neopalatial period. It is a structure consisting of two
L-shaped wings, the east and the south wing, with wide,
shallow steps. |
|
|
|
Description of the Monument
The Knossos archaeological site is located in Heraklion Municipality. The
theatre area of Knossos lies outside and northwest of the palace, and was built
during the Neopalatial period. It is a structure consisting of two L-shaped
wings, the east and the south wing, with wide, shallow steps. In the southeast
corner, at the point where the two wings meet, is a square space, the official
gallery, where it is thought that the royal family might have sat to watch the
events. The other spectators, standing on the low steps of the wings, would have
watched, along with the royal family, religious ceremonies, athletic games or
dances.
The capacity of the theatre is estimated at 500 people. A rainwater drainage duct ran alongside the seats. From the theatral area, a wide, paved road, known as the Royal Road or Processional Way, ran westwards through part of the Minoan town to the Little Palace, the largest and most complex of the peripheral or satellite monuments of the Palace of Knossos.
Structures dated to earlier phases of the Protopalatial period have been identified in the theatre area.
The monument was revealed during A. Evans’s excavations at Knossos at the turn of the 20th century (1900-1905). It is in a good state of preservation and forms part of the archaeological site open to the public.
Maria Bredaki
Archaeologist
Photo
gallery
 |
General view |
 |
General view |
Scientific
report
| Monument Name |
Minoan
Palace
of
Knossos
-
Theatre
Area |
| Category |
Theatre
area |
| Brief Description |
The
theatre
area
of
Knossos
lies
outside
and
northwest
of
the
palace,
and
was
built
during
the
Neopalatial
period.
It
is a
structure
consisting
of
two
L-shaped
wings,
the
east
and
the
south
wing,
with
wide,
shallow
steps. |
| Images - Plans |
23rd
Ephorate
of
Prehistoric
and
Classical
Antiquities
and
British
School
at
Athens. |
| Documentation - Bibliography |
1. A. Evans, The Palace of Minos at Knossos, London 1921-1935. 2. Κ. Δαβάρας, Το ανάκτορο της Κνωσού. Σύντομος εικονογραφημένος αρχαιολογικός οδηγός, Αθήνα 1987. |
| Location |
The
Knossos
archaeological
site
is
located
in
Heraklion
Municipality. |
| Dating |
Built
during
the
Neopalatial
period. |
|
General Description of Monument
|
The theatral area of Knossos lies outside and northwest of the palace. It is a structure consisting of two L-shaped wings, the east and the south wing, with wide, shallow steps. In the southeast corner, at the point where the two wings meet, is a square space, the official gallery, where it is thought that the royal family might have sat to watch the events. The other spectators, standing on the low steps of the wings, would have watched, along with the royal family, religious ceremonies or athletic games, dances, etc.
The capacity of the theatre is estimated at 500 people. A rainwater drainage duct ran alongside the seats. From the theatral area, a wide, paved road, known as the Royal Road or Processional Way, ran westwards through part of the Minoan town to the Little Palace, the largest and most complex of the peripheral or satellite monuments of the Palace of Knossos. Structures dated to earlier phases of the Protopalatial period have been identified in the theatre area. |
| Current Situation |
Good
state
of
preservation. |
| Excavations - Interventions |
Revealed during A. Evans’s excavations at Knossos at the turn of the 20th century (1900-1905).
An
extensive
conservation
programme
has
been
implemented
at
the
palace
in
recent
years,
as
part
of
the
3rd
Community
Support
Fund
by
the
Knossos
Credit
Management
Fund
for
Archaeological
Works
(TDPEAE)..
|
| Permitted Uses |
Archaeological
site
open
to
the
public. |
|
History of Modern Uses |
- |
| Further Information |
- |
| Intellectual Rights |
- |
| Jurisdiction |
The
monument
belongs
to
the
jurisdiction
of
the
Ministry
of
Culture
/ 23rd
Ephorate
of
Prehistoric
and
Classical
Antiquities. |
|
Latitude |
- |
| Longitude |
- |
| Altitude |
- |
| Google Earth |
Link |
