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43-414: On a hill at its west end are the ruins of Phaistos and Hagia Triada , near the middle are the ruins of the ancient city of Gortys . Since 1500 BC the plain has extended by up to 6 km due to a buildup of alluvial sediment . Clays from Messara have been found to be the source of significant amounts of Minoan pottery ; soil and rock types from the fringes of Messara, particularly the foothills of

86-427: A chronological timeline for past occurrences at the site. Modern archaeologists take care to distinguish material culture from ethnicity , which is often more complex, as expressed by Carol Kramer in the dictum "pots are not people." Artifact analysis is determined by what type of artifact is being examined, the best. Lithic analysis refers to analyzing artifacts that are created with stones and are often in

129-415: A chronological timeline is a crucial part of artifact analysis. The different types of analyses above can all assist in the process of artifact dating. The major types of dating include relative dating , historical dating and typology . Relative dating occurs when artifacts are placed in a specific order in relation to one another while historical dating occurs for periods of written evidence; relative dating

172-490: A large earthquake. Phaistos was interconnected to various other residences, most notably Hagia Triada and Gortyn . Hagia Triada has a smaller palace which may have been connected to the rulers of Phaistos as a vacation residence. Hagia Triada's port and relative closeness to Phaistos may have allowed for long distance trade and shared economic and political activity. Phaistos was one of the 3 largest cities of Minoan Crete along with Knossos and Malia . A road system connects

215-490: A municipality in south central Crete . It is notable for the remains of a Minoan palace and the surrounding town. Ancient Phaistos was located about 5.6 km (3.5 mi) east of the Mediterranean Sea and 62 km (39 mi) south of Heraklion . Phaistos was one of the largest cities of Minoan Crete . The name Phaistos survives from ancient Greek references to a city on Crete of that name at or near

258-513: A part of material culture . Artifacts can come from any archaeological context or source such as: Examples include stone tools , pottery vessels, metal objects such as weapons and items of personal adornment such as buttons , jewelry and clothing. Bones that show signs of human modification are also examples. Natural objects, such as fire cracked rocks from a hearth or plant material used for food, are classified by archaeologists as ecofacts rather than as artifacts. Artifacts exist as

301-408: A result of behavioral and transformational processes. A behavioral process involves acquiring raw materials , manufacturing these for a specific purpose and then discarding after use. Transformational processes begin at the end of behavioral processes; this is when the artifact is changed by nature and/or humans after it has been deposited. Both of these processes are significant factors in evaluating

344-435: A theater. The Minoan Palace at Phaistos was destroyed and rebuilt multiple times. The earliest iteration of the palace was used as a foundation for the newer reconstructions. The new reconstructions of the palace shifted around slightly eastward of the original palace. The reconstructions of the palace expanded on the first build and were made on multiple vertical levels that were interconnected by halls and stairs. The palace

387-464: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Phaistos Phaistos ( Greek : Φαιστός , pronounced [feˈstos] ; Ancient Greek : Φαιστός , pronounced [pʰai̯stós] , Linear B : 𐀞𐀂𐀵 Pa-i-to ; Linear A : 𐘂𐘚𐘄 Pa-i-to ), also transliterated as Phaestos , Festos and Latin Phaestus , is a Bronze Age archaeological site at modern Faistos ,

430-403: Is a general term for an item made or given shape by humans, such as a tool or a work of art, especially an object of archaeological interest. In archaeology , the word has become a term of particular nuance; it is defined as an object recovered by archaeological endeavor, including cultural artifacts (of cultural interest). "Artifact" is the general term used in archaeology, while in museums

473-442: Is when artifacts are dug up from sites and collected in private or sold before they are able to be excavated and analyzed through formal scientific archaeology. The debate is centered around the difference in beliefs between collectors and archaeologists. Archaeologists are focused on excavation, context and lab work when it comes to artifacts, while collectors are motivated by varying personal desires. This brings many to ask themselves

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516-749: The Asterousia Mountains at the south and the foothills to the north within the Psiloritis Mountains . In the Messara, olive trees , vineyards and horticultural crops are grown. Part of the products grown here are placed on the domestic market. Α substantial part of the produced olive oil is then exported to European markets. The Messara Plain is also home to the indigenous Messara horse . 35°02′14″N 24°50′46″E  /  35.03722°N 24.84611°E  / 35.03722; 24.84611 This Crete location article

559-413: The context of an artifact. The context of an artifact can be broken into two categories: primary context and secondary context. A matrix is a physical setting within which an artifact exists, and a provenience refers to a specific location within a matrix. When an artifact is found in the realm of primary context, the matrix and provenience have not been changed by transformational processes. However,

602-603: The ekdysia , which is a ritual practiced in Phaistos. The temple was built after the Geometric age.   Phaistos was located in 1853 by Thomas Abel Brimage Spratt , a ship captain who surveyed sites around the Mediterranean. Spratt triangulated the location of Phaistos to a hill then known as Kastri ("fort", "small castle") using the locations or Gortyn , Matala , and the coast. A village of 16 houses remained on

645-533: The 400 BCE, the use of small group and family tombs became common practice. A clay model found at one of the larger tombs depicts couples at altars with offerings. The details of this model have been likened to the Hagia Triada sarcophagus . Pottery including polychrome items and embossing in imitation of metal work has been found at Phaistos. This imitation came in the form of making pottery extremely thin, being likened to eggshell. This pottery also mimicked

688-597: The East and an acropolis was built on a hill in the West. The first palace was built in the Middle Minoan IB period, around 2000 BCE. The initial palace was destroyed and rebuilt three times in a period of about three centuries. The palace history is divided into three construction phases because of its reconstructions. The palace was destroyed around 1400 BCE and not rebuilt. This destruction may have been caused by

731-634: The Homeric epics indicate its participation in the Trojan War . The historian Diodorus Siculus indicates that Phaistos, as well as Knossos and Kydonia , are the three towns founded by King Minos on Crete . However, Pausanias and Stephanus of Byzantium indicate that the founder of the city was Phaestos, son of Hercules or Ropalus. The city of Phaistos is associated with the mythical king of Crete Rhadamanthys . Artifact (archaeology) An artifact or artefact ( British English )

774-553: The Middle and Late Minoan periods. Bronze Age works from Phaistos include bridge spouted bowls , eggshell cups, tall jars and large pithoi . Grape pips have been found in storage vessels at Phaistos, indicating the production of wine. The site was reinhabited during the Geometric Age (8th century BCE). Phaistos had its own currency, the stater . The city also created an alliance with other autonomous Cretan cities, and with

817-580: The Minoan site of Hagia Triada , located about 3 kilometers away. Between 1909 and 1922 Antonio Minto excavated on the hill of Christos Effendi, especially the fortification walls there. Between 1950 and 1966 an Italian School of Archaeology at Athens team led by Doro Levi worked at Phaistos. From 2000 to 2004 the effort was led by Vincenzo La Rosa. Beginning in 2007 the Phaistos Project (also Progetto festos), led by Fausto Longo, under

860-550: The aegis of the Italian Archaeological School of Athens has worked at the site, mainly conducting surveys, restorations, and targeted excavations. To date 61 Linear A inscribed items have been found at Phaistos (26 tablets, 35 sealed documents). Also found were 12 sealed roundels (9 inscribed with Linear A characters) and thousands of sealings (including nodules). In 1908, the Phaistos Disc

903-538: The archaeological question, "Who owns the past?" There are also ethical issues over the display of artifacts in museums which have been taken from other countries in questionable circumstances, for example the display of the Parthenon (Elgin) Marbles by the British Museum . The display of objects belonging to indigenous peoples of non-European countries by European museums – particularly those taken during

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946-583: The cities and the road from Phaistos to Knossos seems to the most prominent. This indicates that trade and transportation between the two cities was important, and that Phaistos was a valuable trade partner. Several artifacts with Linear A inscriptions were excavated at this site. The name of the site also appears in partially deciphered Linear A texts and may be similar to Mycenaean 'PA-I-TO' as written on 62 Linear B tablets found at Knossos. Several kouloura structures (subsurface pits) have been found at Phaistos. Pottery has been recovered at Phaistos from in

989-463: The current ruins. Phaistos was first inhabited around 3600 BCE, slightly later than other early sites such as Knossos . During the Early Minoan period, the site's hills were terraced and monumental buildings were constructed on them. Like other large Minoan cities, there was a palace that was built in an area that had been used earlier for communal feasting. The palace was built on a hill in

1032-407: The differences between actual human-made lithic artifact and geofacts – naturally occurring lithics that resemble human-made tools. It is possible to authenticate artifacts by examining the general characteristics attributed to human-made tools and local characteristics of the site. Artifacts, features and ecofacts can all be located together at sites. Sites may include different arrangements of

1075-445: The distribution of goods. The following lab techniques all contribute to the process of lithic analysis: petrographic analysis, neutron activation , x-ray fluorescence , particle-induced x-ray emission , individual flake analysis and mass analysis. Another type of artifact analysis is ceramic analysis, which is based around the archaeological study of pottery . This type of analysis can help archaeologists gain information on

1118-548: The equivalent general term is normally "object", and in art history perhaps artwork or a more specific term such as "carving". The same item may be called all or any of these in different contexts, and more specific terms will be used when talking about individual objects, or groups of similar ones. Artifacts exist in many different forms and can sometimes be confused with ecofacts and features ; all three of these can sometimes be found together at archaeological sites. They can also exist in different types of context depending on

1161-442: The form of animal remains. Just as with lithic artifacts, faunal remains are extremely common within the field of archaeology. Faunal analysis provides insight to trade due to animals being exchanged in different markets over time and being traded over long distances. Faunal remains can also provide information on social status, ethnic distinctions and dieting from previous complex societies . Dating artifacts and providing them with

1204-577: The form of tools. Stone artifacts occur often throughout prehistoric times and are, therefore, a crucial aspect in answering archaeological questions about the past. On the surface, lithic artifacts can help archaeologists study how technology has developed throughout history by showing a variety of tools and manufacturing techniques from different periods of time. However, even deeper questions can be answered through this type of analysis; these questions can revolve around topics that include how societies were organized and structured in terms of socialization and

1247-577: The king of Pergamon Eumenes II . Around the end of the 3rd century BCE, Phaistos was destroyed by the Gortynians and since then has not been present in the history of Crete. Scotia Aphrodite and goddess Leto , who was also called Phytia, were worshiped there. Epimenides , the wise man invited by the Athenians to clean the city after the Cylonian affair (Cyloneio agos) in the 6th century BCE,

1290-417: The later iterations. This left few archaeological remains to be found in the palace. The tombs of the rulers of Phaistos were found in a cemetery near the palace remains. To the southwest of Phaistos, tholos tombs have been found and cemeteries were found to the northwest. Some items found in tombs at Phaistos have been declared as bronze armor scraps. Originally, tombs were built for communal use but after

1333-922: The matrix and provenience are changed by transformational processes when referring to secondary context. Artifacts exist in both contexts, and this is taken into account during the analysis of them. Another important type of context for archeologists, particularly from an art history perspective, is the term provenance , or the more general history of an artifact's ownership, location, and importance. Artifacts are distinguished from stratigraphic features and ecofacts. Stratigraphic features are non-portable remains of human activity that include hearths , roads , deposits, trenches and similar remains. Ecofacts , also referred to as biofacts, are objects of archaeological interest made by other organisms, such as seeds or animal bone . Natural objects that humans have moved but not changed are called manuports . Examples include seashells moved inland or rounded pebbles placed away from

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1376-725: The processes that have acted on them over time. A wide variety of analyses take place to analyze artifacts and provide information on them. However, the process of analyzing artifacts through scientific archaeology can be hindered by the looting and collecting of artifacts, which sparks ethical debate. From the emergence of the Hominids in the Stone Age , humanity has developed a handful of artifacts through time and place. There are archaeological sites and museums that obtain artifacts for physical evidence through past traces of civilizations, as well as norms and rituals, where objects attested

1419-614: The raw materials that were used and how they were utilized in the creation of pottery. Laboratory techniques that allow for this are mainly based around spectroscopy . The different types of spectroscopy used include atomic absorption , electrothermal atomic absorption, inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission and x-ray fluorescence . Ceramic analysis does more than just provide information on raw materials and pottery production; it helps provide insight to past societies in terms of their technology, economy and social structure. Additionally, faunal analysis exists to study artifacts in

1462-425: The ridge, but the vestiges of fortification walls indicated that a city had existed there. In 1894, Antonio Taramelli excavated pottery at Phaistos at the behest of Federico Halbherr . Seal stones and cylinder seals were also found. From 1900 to 1904 Federico Halbherr and his student Luigi Pernier excavated at Phaistos. Occasional work continued at Phaistos until 1908 while Halbherr and Pernier excavated at

1505-467: The royal apartments in the northern section of the palace, with a view of the tops of Psiloritis (Mount Ida). The rooms were constructed from alabaster and other materials. The rooms for princes were smaller and less luxurious than the rooms of the royal departments. A temple to Rhea was found in the palace. The temple is located in the Southern section of the palace. This temple was connected with

1548-480: The shapes that metal items were made in. Many of the pottery items had fluting or embossments. This metallurgy replication was mostly found in small vases and cups. Minoan pottery quality changed around 1800 BCE, and shiny vibrant colors were replaced by multiple dull colors. References to Phaistos in ancient Greek literature are quite infrequent. Phaistos is referenced by Homer , in the Iliad, as "well populated", and

1591-413: The theater area, in conjunction with two staircases, gave access to the main hall of the propylaea through large doors. A twin gate led directly to the central courtyard through a wide street. The floors and walls of the interior rooms were decorated with plates of sand and white gypsum stone. The upper floors of the west sector had spacious ceremonial rooms. The entrance from the central courtyard led to

1634-433: The three; some might include all of them while others might only include one or two. Sites can have clear boundaries in the form of walls and moats , but this is not always the case. Sites can be distinguished through categories, such as location and past functions. How artifacts exist at these sites can provide archaeological insight. An example of this would be utilizing the position and depth of buried artifacts to determine

1677-411: The water action that made them. These distinctions are often blurred; a bone removed from an animal carcass is a biofact but a bone carved into a useful implement is an artifact. Similarly there can be debate over early stone objects that could be either crude artifact or naturally occurring and happen to resemble early objects made by early humans or Homo sapiens . It can be difficult to distinguish

1720-456: Was a Cretan who may have descended from the people of Phaistos. Phaistos is home to one of the structures commonly known as a Minoan Palace . The structure of Minoan palaces differs from actual palaces and have been proven to serve more purposes, but the name has stuck. These structures are complex buildings that have multiple uses. The palace at Phaistos seemed to have religious and political purposes as well as sections for storage, housing, and

1763-538: Was around 2/3 as large as the palace at Knossos. The first level contained the theater area and some shrines. The theater was larger than the one at Knossos. The second level consisted of servant and guest rooms as well as the commissariat quarter. Above this was the primary royal apartments. The fourth and final level was made up of the Hall of the State and balconies that overlooked the palace and its exterior. The levels of

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1806-464: Was found in a basement room (Room 101), along with a Linear A tablet, on the northern side of the palace in a Middle Minoan IIIb level. The disc was found with assorted pottery that dates to approximately 1800 BCE, which was around when the palace could have been reconstructed. Finding artifacts in Phaistos is difficult because the Minoans thoroughly cleaned the original palace ruins before beginning

1849-413: Was the only form of dating for prehistoric periods of time. Typology is the process that groups together artifacts that are similar in material and shape. This strategy is based around the ideas that styles of objects match certain time periods and that these styles change slowly over time. Artifact collecting and looting has sparked heavy debate in the archaeological realm. Looting in archaeological terms

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