Middle Minoan III burial customs at Knossos: a pianissimo intermezzo?

Pou brivsketai h Mesominwikh v III; Ev na keno v ston Muvrto-Puvrgo -- kai allouv; Ti shmaivnei autov; Eivnai duvskolo, eavn ovci aduvnato, na tautivsoume MM III apoqevte~ ston Muvrto-Puvrgo, en antiqevsei pro~ tou~ plouvsiou~ apoqevte~ th~ MM IIB (Puvrgo~ III) kai UM I (Puvrgo~ IV) kai th dhmovsia arcitektonikhv pou scetivzetai me autouv~. jEna~ piqanov~ apoqevth~ th~ MM III suzhteivtai edwv -- kai upobibavzetai en tevlei sthn MM IIB. H amfibovlou diavrkeia~ egkatavleiyh tou oikismouv eivnai idiaitevrw~ piqanhv sth MM III metav thn katastrofhv tou oikismouv tou Puvrgou III. Arketoiv avlloi oikismoiv sthn anatolikhv Krhvth egkataleivpontai epivsh~ gia kavpoio cronikov diavsthma, hv parousiavzoun meiwmevnh drasthriovthta, wvste na upoqevtoume thn uvparxh mia~ periovdou egkatavleiyh~, se sunduasmov ivsw~ me thn katavrreush twn perifereiakwvn dioikhtikwvn susthmavtwn· allav h eikovna eivnai avnish. Oi epiptwvsei~ autev~ exetavzontai edwv.

Middle Minoan III burial customs at Knossos: a pianissimo intermezzo? The main aim of this paper is to examine the small amount of evidence for funerary practises in MM III at Knossos. The paper focuses on the Mavro Spelio necropolis, for which the closed assemblage of tomb IX, chamber E, known for the gold ring with the Linear A inscription and for a very early dog interment, is analysed and compared with other contemporary burial contexts. The pottery sets identified are suggestive of food offerings left inside the tombs or used for symposia rituals performed by the participants at the funeral.