This report presents the results of excavations in 1993 in the area of the Early Houses and Early Paving by the South Front of the palace at Knossos. It adds to and further clarifies the results of earlier excavations in this area, and provides much-needed new evidence for the history of the Prepalatial and Protopalatial settlements. Principal findings of the 1993 investigation include (1) an EM II B pit deposit, which has important implications for our understanding of this ceramic phase at Knossos; (2) no fewer than three building phases in EM III, comprising the Early Houses including the substantial South Front House; and (3) the dating of the Early Paving and associated structures to MM I B.

Earlier excavations in western Greece, carried out by Dörpfeld in Lefkas and by British archaeologists in Ithaca and Akarnania, were chiefly aimed at answering the ‘Ithaca question’. After these investigations during the first decades of our century the western part of central Greece remained archaeologically unexplored. The newly discovered EH settlement of Platygiali, Astakos, fills a large gap in our knowledge of prehistoric habitation in western Greece, while certain features indicate that the settlement has a distinctive cultural significance.

This article presents conclusions drawn from the results of surface survey and excavation at Agios Georgios, Vouno (Kythera), the peak sanctuary of the nearby Minoan colony at Kastri. Small finds included a black steatite ladle inscribed in Linear A with a name reminiscent of ‘Demeter’, libation tables, some clay and numerous bronze figurines (both anthropomorphic and animal), jewellery, bronze votive offerings in the shape of human limbs, miniature clay horns of consecration, and a small bronze double axe. The pottery includes some MM I B–MM II but is richest in MM III–LM I/I B, particularly fine wares. The finds suggest that the importance of Kastri was greater than hitherto supposed, but they exhibit significant contrasts with assemblages at Cretan peak sanctuaries. The site's proximity to the metallurgical resources of Laconia, and its strategic location overlooking sea passages, are considered. It is suggested that cult activity here was dependent not on West Crete but on Knossos. Parallels are drawn with the sites of Troullos (Kea), Trianta (Ialysos, Rhodes), and Mikri Vigla (Naxos), and possible Minoan elements in later Laconian cult are noted.

Evidence of the Minoan Linear A script in the West Magazines at Knossos is surprisingly thin. Whereas at other important Minoan sites bookkeeping is fairly well attested, and at Hagia Triadha abundantly so, nothing has appeared from Knossos. Of the few graffiti and texts on pithoi published so far, only two are well documented. The others were published by Brice after drafts by Evans. As the latest publication (1982) still relies on Evans's drafts, it seemed reasonable to assume that the pithoi had not been examined for signs since their discovery in 1900–1. In this short article the first, and still tentative, results of such a study are published.

The dating of the Late Phylakopi I (I-ii/iii) has recently been debated warmly among bronze age specialists. The typological correlations in two sealed contexts of Early Cycladic pottery at Akrotiri show Phylakopi I-ii to overlap with the ‘Kastri’ phase and the ‘Amorgos’ group, and thus to follow EC II without interruption and to date to the early part of EC III. Phylakopi I-iii thus belongs to the later part of EC III, though elsewhere it also seems to overlap with the early Middle Bronze Age. These chronological equations appear valid for Phylakopi and Akrotiri but are not to be considered as applying to all Cycladic sites: at Ayia Irini IV and the Phrourion of Paroikia on Paros the situation seems to be different.

It has been suggested that the inscribed bronze sword found at Hattušas in 1991 is a Mycenaean type B sword which may be used as evidence for Hittites fighting in the Trojan war against the Mycenaeans and for a historical background to the Trojan war. The present independent investigation of the sword indicates that it may well be a variant of an Aegean type B sword, but might reflect Mycenaean influence rather than outright manufacture. Moreover, a variety of evidence suggests that the sword must be interpreted in the light of events occurring not during the Trojan war, but some two hundred years prior to that war. It is possible that Mycenaean involvement in the Aššuwa rebellion c.1430 BC was recorded in contemporary Hittite documents and remembered in later Greek tradition as the legendary pre-Trojan war exploits of Achilles and other Achaean heroes in NW Anatolia.

The zooarchaeological remains from a Mycenaean chamber tomb (LH II B–IIIc early) at Apatheia, Galatas, NE Peloponnese, are analysed and discussed. The bones offer evidence for mortuary dining ritual and for the ritual deposition of dog skeletons. The latter practice in Mycenaean burials is discussed and, contrary to previous interpretation, is connected to the social and ideological role of hunting in Mycenaean society.

The study attempts a reconstruction of the fresco, based on a detailed study of the preserved plaster fragments, of which new drawings and photos are provided. Minoan miniature frescoes with architectural façades appear to be the closest iconographically. Representations like those in the Grandstand and Sacred Grove frescoes from the palace of Knossos are examined, both for their possible thematic association with bull-leaping and for their possible role as models for the Ramp House fresco.

In order to explain the different masonry between the E wall of the NE Extension and that used elsewhere in the circuit at Mycenae, a study of the construction between the north and south sally-ports and the E wall of the NE Extension is presented. This suggests the possibility that a similar east sally-port once existed, being sealed either when the structure became unsafe or as a result of a security measure taken at the end of the LBA or in the 5th century BC.

Certain wooden fragments from tomb V at Mycenae are identified as parts of two small tripod tables, which constitute the best-preserved furniture from the prehistoric Aegean. As the epigraphic, iconographic, and archaeological evidence demonstrates, wooden furniture was not common in the Aegean area and belonged chiefly to prosperous persons, who rarely provided it to the dead. Statistically rare, though more widely known, are the wooden structures used from the end of MM III to the LH/LM III A2 period for burials, nearly all richly endowed (with weapons, metal vessels, ornaments, even with furniture). In tombs with multiple burials the dead person, placed on a bed or a bier, is isolated and raised above the others. Burial in a coffin, of whatever material, constitutes a means of individualizing the dead: the wooden coffin has additional value. Thus these modes of burial are explained as one of the customs adopted during the New Palace and Early Mycenaean period, in order to demonstrate the social and economic status of the prominent dead.

This paper presents in detail a deposit of metallurgical debris from a small-scale casting operation at Palaikastro, E. Crete. The deposit consists of a selection of discarded metalworking tools, including tuyères (blowpipes), crucibles, and moulds, all of which are indicative of different processes involved in the production of metal objects. The moulds offer rare evidence for the local manufacture of specific object types that can be identified from the fragmentary remains. In addition to moulds for various tool types, such as double axes, there are fragments of moulds for a large decorative stand similar to the ‘rod’ tripod stands found predominantly on Cyprus. This is the first evidence for production of these stands on Crete at such an early date.

Among dark age defensible sites in Crete there exist extensive settlements which in size, significance, and chronology are comparable to Karphi, the best-known example. Representative of this settlement type are Arvi Fortetsa and Loutraki Kandilioro, two LM III C sites investigated in the early 1990s. This article presents a topographical description, an analysis of surface material, and a discussion of their significance for the settlement pattern. Although Arvi Fortetsa represents a coastal settlement and Loutraki Kandilioro is on the high slopes of the Lasithi mountains, both sites suggest a probable threat from the sea in the very late 13th century BC, which completely changed the settlement pattern.

Two cemeteries associated with the early iron age occupation of Kourion have been excavated at the localities of Bamboula and Kaloriziki. In his publications of these cemeteries Benson attempted to demonstrate continuity of occupation at Kourion in the transitional bronze–iron age. A reanalysis of the pottery from both cemeteries has instead shown that the supposed continuity of occupation at Kourion is a result of Benson's erroneous identification of the final Late Cypriot and Initial Cypro-Geometric wares.

All references to Ithaca in ancient authors are in Homeric contexts. The BSA's excavations in the island, here summarized, have shown the importance throughout classical times of the shrines at Aëtos and Polis, indicated by the objects dedicated from many parts of the Greek world. Among these, the twelve tripod-lebetes found in the Polis Cave cannot be dissociated from the Phaeacian tripods given to Odysseus. It is suggested that the dedications preceded, and inspired, that part of the Odyssey, and that the importance of Odysseus in the Homeric poems reflects that of the cults at these shrines. Problems of transmission are considered, with a discussion of Homer's island geography and pre-colonial routes to the West.

This paper summarizes recent excavations in Chalkidike. The ancient city of Mende has yielded evidence of houses and other structures, an archaic cemetery, and Mycenaean to late classical finds. At Polychrono (ancient Neapolis or Aige?) there are archaic and classical structures on terraces, and a cemetery with early infant burials. Three archaic–classical sanctuaries have also been found: (1) at Poseidi, a temple of Poseidon (identified from inscribed votives), robbed and reused in hellenistic and Roman times; (2) at Nea Roda-Sane, a temple to a female deity, with sculptures; and (3) at Parthenonas, a peak sanctuary of Zeus with evidence of animal sacrifice. The implications for Chalkidian relationships with other parts of the Greek world and for the strength of local culture are briefly examined.

The paper describes the continuation in 1993–4 of the investigation into the Canal of Xerxes in the Chalkidiki, N. Greece. Effort was concentrated in the central sector of the isthmus, where geophysical survey using seismic methods revealed a channel-like structure some 14–15 m below the present ground level. Encouraging support for the hypothesis that this structure is a canal came from the analysis of cores from two boreholes in the central sector: there was a marked discontinuity in the sediments at a depth of c.14.6 m. Radiocarbon dates of some sediments from these boreholes provided useful ancillary information.

In recent years several inscriptions, including a deme decree (IG ii2 1181) thought to have been found at Sounion, have been reassigned to Rhamnous. The community of Sounieis dedicated a kouros to Zeus even before it had been incorporated in the Athenian state as a deme. The sole remaining deme decree (IG ii2 1180) suggests that the deme centre must have been about 4 km N of the cape, though there was another centre of population at the cape in classical times. Over time the deme sought to protect its resources, possibly against state mining activities but more certainly against inroads by shepherds or goatherds from other demes. Indeed, this was a surprisingly widespread activity, with some eight series of rupestral boundary inscriptions now known. In some cases, as at Sounion, there seems to have been cooperation between demes or reciprocal hostile responses to incursions by grazing animals. The attribution of this burst of protective activity to the 4th century BC is strengthened by the thorough survey of the region in which one deme (Atene) was situated; this shows that the area was uninhabited between the end of that century and the 4th century AD.