The Annual of the British School at Athens, Nov 1, 1986
The probable extent of the Late Cycladic town at Akrotiri is discussed, and the original geograph... more The probable extent of the Late Cycladic town at Akrotiri is discussed, and the original geographical setting reconstructed. The principles on which the town and its buildings were constructed are elucidated; emphasizing the compact accumulation of rooms and other units of space. Buildings are generally multi-storied, and there is no evidence for courtyards or light walls within them. Access is generally limited to a single entrance, lighting and ventilation are provided by windows. Drainage systems are provided. The three types of streets: main streets, narrow alleys, and blind alleys are described, and the factors behind their arrangement and form discussed. Orientation of the streets is approximately north to south and east to west. The phenomenon of dentation in the construction of walls is discussed. The conclusion is that the town plan reflects a building operation based on a well-organized community with strong traditions and unwritten laws.
The aim of this chapter is to address the so-called Minoan Palace as a design object. To detect a... more The aim of this chapter is to address the so-called Minoan Palace as a design object. To detect and unfold, in other words, the design logic that produced this hybrid configuration standing somewhere between a large building and an urban compound. As a starting point, it is pertinent to emphasize that the production of built space is a dynamic process involving poly-parametric problem solving. It requires formulating the tasks, checking requirements versus constraints, evaluating tolerance and capacity, and finally making choices and decisions based on optimization. Planning and designing architectural space, in other words, is a nebulous task, notoriously difficult to capture, describe, or teach for that matter. In Rowe’s (1982: 18) lucid account, it has ‘“wicked problems”: they have no definitive formulation, no explicit “stopping rule”, they have more than one plausible explanation, and their solutions cannot be strictly correct or false’. Moreover, this procedure does not take place once and for all. It is re-enacted every time one interferes with a work of architecture, even if only to whitewash a wall or block a door. Since buildings, as a rule, survive their original creators and users by several generations, such interventions are frequent and vary in scale, in compliance with the life cycles that the building will serve till it exists nomore or has become the object of archaeological investigation. With such variety of intertwined and obscured parameters at play, one wonders: what sort of answers do archaeologists expect to find from the surviving remnants of the architectural palimpsest they are dealing with? Is it because of the innate difficulties in capturing and analysing the dynamic process of architectural production that we have lingered for too long over the static data of the end product (see chapter 1)? The situation however is not that hopeless, for ‘architecture is not the field of creative freedom some have imagined it to be, but a system of rules for giving society what it expects in the way of architecture’ (Eco 1997: 194).
Αελλόπος. Τιμητικός τόμος για την Ίριδα Τζαχίλη, 2023
Prehistoric urban landscapes in art
Clairy Palyvou
This paper draws from Iris Tzachili’s book Ar... more Prehistoric urban landscapes in art Clairy Palyvou
This paper draws from Iris Tzachili’s book Artistic Landscapes (Εικαστικά Τοπία) focusing on the way urban landscapes are represented in Minoan art. The agent, the human gaze, is discussed in its plurality, for artists reflect the gazes not only of their time but also of all who preceded, while future generations will add more perceptual layers through their various ways of seeing and experiencing art and reality. The definition of a landscape as urban follows Tzachili’s observations in regard with the process of cognitive categorization: “the human gaze isolates, brings together in one entity and ultimately provides a theme”. Some of the issues discussed are: abbreviation and symbolism; scale as analogy and in need of systems of reference; the human gaze in interchangeable roles of viewer and viewed; the importance of the frame and its spatiality. The ‘three rules’ –discussed in Iris’ book– that provide a conceptual construal based on cognitive codes, are tested in relation to urban landscapes. These are: a) contextual concentration through exclusion; b) repetition; c) asymmetrical composition. In most pictures nature and manmade environment coexist in alternating roles as figure and background (sometimes architecture serves primarily as a background to emphasize outdoor activities). Almost all images are populated: the posture, the gaze and the scale of the humans depicted in various actions play an important role in informing of the narrative and guiding the gaze of the viewer through the picture.
What is the social role of images and architecture in a pre-modern society? How were they used to... more What is the social role of images and architecture in a pre-modern society? How were they used to create adequate environments for specific profane and ritual activities? In which ways did they interact with each other? These and other crucial issues on the social significance of imagery and built structures in Neopalatial Crete were the subject of a workshop which took place on November 16th, 2009 at the University of Heidelberg. The papers presented in the workshop are collected in the present volume. They provide different approaches to this complex topic and are aimed at a better understanding of the formation, role, and perception of images and architecture in a very dynamic social landscape. The Cretan Neopalatial period saw a rapid increase in the number of palaces and ‘villas', characterized by elaborate designs and idiosyncratic architectural patterns which were themselves in turn generated by a pressing desire for a distinctive social and performative environment. At t...
ΟΙ ΑΝΑΣΚΑΦΙΚΕΣ ΕΡΕΥΝΕΣ ΣΤΟ ΑΚΡΩΤΗΡΙ ΘΗΡΑΣ ΕΧΟΥΝ ΑΠΟΚΑΛΥΨΕΙ ΕΝΑΝ ΣΗΜΑΝΤΙΚΟ ΟΙΚΙΣΜΟ ΤΗΣ ΥΣΤΕΡΗΣ ΧΑΛ... more ΟΙ ΑΝΑΣΚΑΦΙΚΕΣ ΕΡΕΥΝΕΣ ΣΤΟ ΑΚΡΩΤΗΡΙ ΘΗΡΑΣ ΕΧΟΥΝ ΑΠΟΚΑΛΥΨΕΙ ΕΝΑΝ ΣΗΜΑΝΤΙΚΟ ΟΙΚΙΣΜΟ ΤΗΣ ΥΣΤΕΡΗΣ ΧΑΛΚΟΚΡΑΤΙΑΣ. ΧΑΡΗ ΣΤΙΣ ΗΦΑΙΣΤΙΑΚΕΣ ΕΠΙΧΩΣΕΙΣ ΠΟΥ ΚΑΛΥΨΑΝ ΤΑ ΕΡΕΙΠΙΑ ΤΟΥ ΤΑ ΚΤΙΡΙΑ ΣΩΘΗΚΑΝ ΣΕ ΠΟΛΥ ΚΑΛΗ ΚΑΤΑΣΤΑΣΗ ΚΑΙ ΜΕ ΥΨΟΣ ΔΙΑΤΗΡΗΣΗΣ. ΕΤΣΙ,ΤΑ ΔΙΩΡΟΦΑ ΚΑΙ ΤΡΙΩΡΟΦΑ ΚΤΙΡΙΑ ΤΟΥ ΑΚΡΩΤΗΡΙΟΥ ΠΡΟΣΦΕΡΟΥΝ ΜΟΝΑΔΙΚΕΣ ΠΛΗΡΟΦΟΡΙΕΣΓΙΑ ΤΗΝ ΑΡΧΙΤΕΚΤΟΝΙΚΗ ΤΗΣ ΕΠΟΧΗΣ ΑΥΤΗΣ. Η ΜΕΛΕΤΗ ΑΦΟΡΑ ΣΤΗΝ ΑΝΑΛΥΣΗ ΤΗΣ ΟΙΚΟΔΟΜΙΚΗΣ ΤΕΧΝΗΣ: ΣΤΗΝ ΠΑΡΟΥΣΙΑΣΗ ΚΑΙ ΤΟΝ ΣΧΟΛΙΑΣΜΟ ΤΩΝ ΔΟΜΙΚΩΝ ΥΛΙΚΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΤΩΝ ΤΡΟΠΩΝ ΔΟΜΗΣΗΣ, ΚΑΘΩΣ ΚΑΙ ΤΗΣ ΓΕΝΙΚΗΣ ΜΟΡΦΟΛΟΓΙΑΣ ΤΩΝ ΚΤΙΣΜΑΤΩΝ ΤΟΥ ΑΚΡΩΤΗΡΙΟΥ. ΠΑΡΑΛΛΗΛΑ, ΓΙΝΕΤΑΙ ΣΥΓΚΡΙΤΙΚΗ ΕΞΕΤΑΣΗ ΤΩΝ ΔΕΔΟΜΕΝΩΝ ΤΟΥ ΑΚΡΩΤΗΡΙΟΥ ΜΕ ΤΑ ΑΝΑΛΟΓΑ ΣΤΟΙΧΕΙΑ ΤΗΣ ΜΙΝΩΙΚΗΣ ΚΡΗΤΗΣ ΚΥΡΙΩΣ, ΑΛΛΑ ΚΑΙ ΤΩΝ ΝΗΣΙΩΝ ΤΟΥ ΑΙΓΑΙΟΥ ΤΟΥ ΕΛΛΑΔΙΚΟΥ ΧΩΡΟΥ ΚΑΙ ΟΡΙΣΜΕΝΩΝ ΘΕΣΕΩΝ ΤΗΣ ΑΝΑΤΟΛΙΚΗΣ ΜΕΣΟΓΕΙΟΥ
ΟΙ ΑΝΑΣΚΑΦΙΚΕΣ ΕΡΕΥΝΕΣ ΣΤΟ ΑΚΡΩΤΗΡΙ ΘΗΡΑΣ ΕΧΟΥΝ ΑΠΟΚΑΛΥΨΕΙ ΕΝΑΝ ΣΗΜΑΝΤΙΚΟ ΟΙΚΙΣΜΟ ΤΗΣ ΥΣΤΕΡΗΣ ΧΑΛ... more ΟΙ ΑΝΑΣΚΑΦΙΚΕΣ ΕΡΕΥΝΕΣ ΣΤΟ ΑΚΡΩΤΗΡΙ ΘΗΡΑΣ ΕΧΟΥΝ ΑΠΟΚΑΛΥΨΕΙ ΕΝΑΝ ΣΗΜΑΝΤΙΚΟ ΟΙΚΙΣΜΟ ΤΗΣ ΥΣΤΕΡΗΣ ΧΑΛΚΟΚΡΑΤΙΑΣ. ΧΑΡΗ ΣΤΙΣ ΗΦΑΙΣΤΙΑΚΕΣ ΕΠΙΧΩΣΕΙΣ ΠΟΥ ΚΑΛΥΨΑΝ ΤΑ ΕΡΕΙΠΙΑ ΤΟΥ ΤΑ ΚΤΙΡΙΑ ΣΩΘΗΚΑΝ ΣΕ ΠΟΛΥ ΚΑΛΗ ΚΑΤΑΣΤΑΣΗ ΚΑΙ ΜΕ ΥΨΟΣ ΔΙΑΤΗΡΗΣΗΣ. ΕΤΣΙ,ΤΑ ΔΙΩΡΟΦΑ ΚΑΙ ΤΡΙΩΡΟΦΑ ΚΤΙΡΙΑ ΤΟΥ ΑΚΡΩΤΗΡΙΟΥ ΠΡΟΣΦΕΡΟΥΝ ΜΟΝΑΔΙΚΕΣ ΠΛΗΡΟΦΟΡΙΕΣΓΙΑ ΤΗΝ ΑΡΧΙΤΕΚΤΟΝΙΚΗ ΤΗΣ ΕΠΟΧΗΣ ΑΥΤΗΣ. Η ΜΕΛΕΤΗ ΑΦΟΡΑ ΣΤΗΝ ΑΝΑΛΥΣΗ ΤΗΣ ΟΙΚΟΔΟΜΙΚΗΣ ΤΕΧΝΗΣ: ΣΤΗΝ ΠΑΡΟΥΣΙΑΣΗ ΚΑΙ ΤΟΝ ΣΧΟΛΙΑΣΜΟ ΤΩΝ ΔΟΜΙΚΩΝ ΥΛΙΚΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΤΩΝ ΤΡΟΠΩΝ ΔΟΜΗΣΗΣ, ΚΑΘΩΣ ΚΑΙ ΤΗΣ ΓΕΝΙΚΗΣ ΜΟΡΦΟΛΟΓΙΑΣ ΤΩΝ ΚΤΙΣΜΑΤΩΝ ΤΟΥ ΑΚΡΩΤΗΡΙΟΥ. ΠΑΡΑΛΛΗΛΑ, ΓΙΝΕΤΑΙ ΣΥΓΚΡΙΤΙΚΗ ΕΞΕΤΑΣΗ ΤΩΝ ΔΕΔΟΜΕΝΩΝ ΤΟΥ ΑΚΡΩΤΗΡΙΟΥ ΜΕ ΤΑ ΑΝΑΛΟΓΑ ΣΤΟΙΧΕΙΑ ΤΗΣ ΜΙΝΩΙΚΗΣ ΚΡΗΤΗΣ ΚΥΡΙΩΣ, ΑΛΛΑ ΚΑΙ ΤΩΝ ΝΗΣΙΩΝ ΤΟΥ ΑΙΓΑΙΟΥ ΤΟΥ ΕΛΛΑΔΙΚΟΥ ΧΩΡΟΥ ΚΑΙ ΟΡΙΣΜΕΝΩΝ ΘΕΣΕΩΝ ΤΗΣ ΑΝΑΤΟΛΙΚΗΣ ΜΕΣΟΓΕΙΟΥ.
The aim of this chapter is to address the so-called Minoan Palace as a design object. To detect a... more The aim of this chapter is to address the so-called Minoan Palace as a design object. To detect and unfold, in other words, the design logic that produced this hybrid configuration standing somewhere between a large building and an urban compound. As a starting point, it is pertinent to emphasize that the production of built space is a dynamic process involving poly-parametric problem solving. It requires formulating the tasks, checking requirements versus constraints, evaluating tolerance and capacity, and finally making choices and decisions based on optimization. Planning and designing architectural space, in other words, is a nebulous task, notoriously difficult to capture, describe, or teach for that matter. In Rowe’s (1982: 18) lucid account, it has ‘“wicked problems”: they have no definitive formulation, no explicit “stopping rule”, they have more than one plausible explanation, and their solutions cannot be strictly correct or false’. Moreover, this procedure does not take p...
In art size and medium matter… Take for example a small griffin depicted on an object that you ca... more In art size and medium matter… Take for example a small griffin depicted on an object that you can hold in your hands–a ring, a seal, a vase–and a large griffin painted on the walls of a room: The two evoke very different feelings and may convey varying messages. In the first case one relates to both the picture and the medium through abstract mental associations (a griffin depicted on a ring, for example, acquires its significance through the combined associations of the griffin as a symbol ..
Skylines partake in the “public image,” as symbols of an urban collective. They are urban signatu... more Skylines partake in the “public image,” as symbols of an urban collective. They are urban signatures that present an abbreviated image of the city’s identity. In the Minoan world skylines can be approached only indirectly: firstly, by inferring how buildings emerged in the vertical and secondly, through the depictions of architectural compounds in Minoan art. Finally, skylines are about visual entities and perception hence some of the basic principles of Gestalt theory can provide valuable tools of thought.In a typical Aegean skyline of the prehistoric era, horizontality and soft gradations prevailed, punctuated with only a small number of vertical elements, such as the projecting tops of the main staircases leading up to the roofs and the Horns of Concecration. Moreover, people depicted on the flat roofs give proof to an inhabited skyline, in close juxtaposition to the life taking place at ground level.
The study of the history of the first excavations on prehistoric Therasia in the nineteenth centu... more The study of the history of the first excavations on prehistoric Therasia in the nineteenth century, which were carried out in the context of contemporary scientific interest in the volcanic eruptions of Santorini, has led to the systematic archaeological investigation of the island from 2007 onwards. The intensive archaeological surface survey, the geological survey of the geological structure and palaeotopography of Therasia, and geophysical investigations, undertaken in conjunction with the ongoing excavation of the prehistoric settlement at the site of Panaghia Koimisis at the southern end of modern Therasia, have created the conditions for a more comprehensive approach to the archaeological landscape of the island. Based on the results from the excavation trenches in the south and south-east terraces of the Koimisis hill, which have been excavated down to the virgin soil, we present findings on the organisation, architecture and habitation phases of the Koimisis settlement. The...
The probable extent of the Late Cycladic town at Akrotiri is discussed, and the original geograph... more The probable extent of the Late Cycladic town at Akrotiri is discussed, and the original geographical setting reconstructed. The principles on which the town and its buildings were constructed are elucidated; emphasizing the compact accumulation of rooms and other units of space. Buildings are generally multi-storied, and there is no evidence for courtyards or light walls within them. Access is generally limited to a single entrance, lighting and ventilation are provided by windows. Drainage systems are provided. The three types of streets: main streets, narrow alleys, and blind alleys are described, and the factors behind their arrangement and form discussed. Orientation of the streets is approximately north to south and east to west. The phenomenon of dentation in the construction of walls is discussed. The conclusion is that the town plan reflects a building operation based on a well-organized community with strong traditions and unwritten laws.
The Annual of the British School at Athens, Nov 1, 1986
The probable extent of the Late Cycladic town at Akrotiri is discussed, and the original geograph... more The probable extent of the Late Cycladic town at Akrotiri is discussed, and the original geographical setting reconstructed. The principles on which the town and its buildings were constructed are elucidated; emphasizing the compact accumulation of rooms and other units of space. Buildings are generally multi-storied, and there is no evidence for courtyards or light walls within them. Access is generally limited to a single entrance, lighting and ventilation are provided by windows. Drainage systems are provided. The three types of streets: main streets, narrow alleys, and blind alleys are described, and the factors behind their arrangement and form discussed. Orientation of the streets is approximately north to south and east to west. The phenomenon of dentation in the construction of walls is discussed. The conclusion is that the town plan reflects a building operation based on a well-organized community with strong traditions and unwritten laws.
The aim of this chapter is to address the so-called Minoan Palace as a design object. To detect a... more The aim of this chapter is to address the so-called Minoan Palace as a design object. To detect and unfold, in other words, the design logic that produced this hybrid configuration standing somewhere between a large building and an urban compound. As a starting point, it is pertinent to emphasize that the production of built space is a dynamic process involving poly-parametric problem solving. It requires formulating the tasks, checking requirements versus constraints, evaluating tolerance and capacity, and finally making choices and decisions based on optimization. Planning and designing architectural space, in other words, is a nebulous task, notoriously difficult to capture, describe, or teach for that matter. In Rowe’s (1982: 18) lucid account, it has ‘“wicked problems”: they have no definitive formulation, no explicit “stopping rule”, they have more than one plausible explanation, and their solutions cannot be strictly correct or false’. Moreover, this procedure does not take place once and for all. It is re-enacted every time one interferes with a work of architecture, even if only to whitewash a wall or block a door. Since buildings, as a rule, survive their original creators and users by several generations, such interventions are frequent and vary in scale, in compliance with the life cycles that the building will serve till it exists nomore or has become the object of archaeological investigation. With such variety of intertwined and obscured parameters at play, one wonders: what sort of answers do archaeologists expect to find from the surviving remnants of the architectural palimpsest they are dealing with? Is it because of the innate difficulties in capturing and analysing the dynamic process of architectural production that we have lingered for too long over the static data of the end product (see chapter 1)? The situation however is not that hopeless, for ‘architecture is not the field of creative freedom some have imagined it to be, but a system of rules for giving society what it expects in the way of architecture’ (Eco 1997: 194).
Αελλόπος. Τιμητικός τόμος για την Ίριδα Τζαχίλη, 2023
Prehistoric urban landscapes in art
Clairy Palyvou
This paper draws from Iris Tzachili’s book Ar... more Prehistoric urban landscapes in art Clairy Palyvou
This paper draws from Iris Tzachili’s book Artistic Landscapes (Εικαστικά Τοπία) focusing on the way urban landscapes are represented in Minoan art. The agent, the human gaze, is discussed in its plurality, for artists reflect the gazes not only of their time but also of all who preceded, while future generations will add more perceptual layers through their various ways of seeing and experiencing art and reality. The definition of a landscape as urban follows Tzachili’s observations in regard with the process of cognitive categorization: “the human gaze isolates, brings together in one entity and ultimately provides a theme”. Some of the issues discussed are: abbreviation and symbolism; scale as analogy and in need of systems of reference; the human gaze in interchangeable roles of viewer and viewed; the importance of the frame and its spatiality. The ‘three rules’ –discussed in Iris’ book– that provide a conceptual construal based on cognitive codes, are tested in relation to urban landscapes. These are: a) contextual concentration through exclusion; b) repetition; c) asymmetrical composition. In most pictures nature and manmade environment coexist in alternating roles as figure and background (sometimes architecture serves primarily as a background to emphasize outdoor activities). Almost all images are populated: the posture, the gaze and the scale of the humans depicted in various actions play an important role in informing of the narrative and guiding the gaze of the viewer through the picture.
What is the social role of images and architecture in a pre-modern society? How were they used to... more What is the social role of images and architecture in a pre-modern society? How were they used to create adequate environments for specific profane and ritual activities? In which ways did they interact with each other? These and other crucial issues on the social significance of imagery and built structures in Neopalatial Crete were the subject of a workshop which took place on November 16th, 2009 at the University of Heidelberg. The papers presented in the workshop are collected in the present volume. They provide different approaches to this complex topic and are aimed at a better understanding of the formation, role, and perception of images and architecture in a very dynamic social landscape. The Cretan Neopalatial period saw a rapid increase in the number of palaces and ‘villas', characterized by elaborate designs and idiosyncratic architectural patterns which were themselves in turn generated by a pressing desire for a distinctive social and performative environment. At t...
ΟΙ ΑΝΑΣΚΑΦΙΚΕΣ ΕΡΕΥΝΕΣ ΣΤΟ ΑΚΡΩΤΗΡΙ ΘΗΡΑΣ ΕΧΟΥΝ ΑΠΟΚΑΛΥΨΕΙ ΕΝΑΝ ΣΗΜΑΝΤΙΚΟ ΟΙΚΙΣΜΟ ΤΗΣ ΥΣΤΕΡΗΣ ΧΑΛ... more ΟΙ ΑΝΑΣΚΑΦΙΚΕΣ ΕΡΕΥΝΕΣ ΣΤΟ ΑΚΡΩΤΗΡΙ ΘΗΡΑΣ ΕΧΟΥΝ ΑΠΟΚΑΛΥΨΕΙ ΕΝΑΝ ΣΗΜΑΝΤΙΚΟ ΟΙΚΙΣΜΟ ΤΗΣ ΥΣΤΕΡΗΣ ΧΑΛΚΟΚΡΑΤΙΑΣ. ΧΑΡΗ ΣΤΙΣ ΗΦΑΙΣΤΙΑΚΕΣ ΕΠΙΧΩΣΕΙΣ ΠΟΥ ΚΑΛΥΨΑΝ ΤΑ ΕΡΕΙΠΙΑ ΤΟΥ ΤΑ ΚΤΙΡΙΑ ΣΩΘΗΚΑΝ ΣΕ ΠΟΛΥ ΚΑΛΗ ΚΑΤΑΣΤΑΣΗ ΚΑΙ ΜΕ ΥΨΟΣ ΔΙΑΤΗΡΗΣΗΣ. ΕΤΣΙ,ΤΑ ΔΙΩΡΟΦΑ ΚΑΙ ΤΡΙΩΡΟΦΑ ΚΤΙΡΙΑ ΤΟΥ ΑΚΡΩΤΗΡΙΟΥ ΠΡΟΣΦΕΡΟΥΝ ΜΟΝΑΔΙΚΕΣ ΠΛΗΡΟΦΟΡΙΕΣΓΙΑ ΤΗΝ ΑΡΧΙΤΕΚΤΟΝΙΚΗ ΤΗΣ ΕΠΟΧΗΣ ΑΥΤΗΣ. Η ΜΕΛΕΤΗ ΑΦΟΡΑ ΣΤΗΝ ΑΝΑΛΥΣΗ ΤΗΣ ΟΙΚΟΔΟΜΙΚΗΣ ΤΕΧΝΗΣ: ΣΤΗΝ ΠΑΡΟΥΣΙΑΣΗ ΚΑΙ ΤΟΝ ΣΧΟΛΙΑΣΜΟ ΤΩΝ ΔΟΜΙΚΩΝ ΥΛΙΚΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΤΩΝ ΤΡΟΠΩΝ ΔΟΜΗΣΗΣ, ΚΑΘΩΣ ΚΑΙ ΤΗΣ ΓΕΝΙΚΗΣ ΜΟΡΦΟΛΟΓΙΑΣ ΤΩΝ ΚΤΙΣΜΑΤΩΝ ΤΟΥ ΑΚΡΩΤΗΡΙΟΥ. ΠΑΡΑΛΛΗΛΑ, ΓΙΝΕΤΑΙ ΣΥΓΚΡΙΤΙΚΗ ΕΞΕΤΑΣΗ ΤΩΝ ΔΕΔΟΜΕΝΩΝ ΤΟΥ ΑΚΡΩΤΗΡΙΟΥ ΜΕ ΤΑ ΑΝΑΛΟΓΑ ΣΤΟΙΧΕΙΑ ΤΗΣ ΜΙΝΩΙΚΗΣ ΚΡΗΤΗΣ ΚΥΡΙΩΣ, ΑΛΛΑ ΚΑΙ ΤΩΝ ΝΗΣΙΩΝ ΤΟΥ ΑΙΓΑΙΟΥ ΤΟΥ ΕΛΛΑΔΙΚΟΥ ΧΩΡΟΥ ΚΑΙ ΟΡΙΣΜΕΝΩΝ ΘΕΣΕΩΝ ΤΗΣ ΑΝΑΤΟΛΙΚΗΣ ΜΕΣΟΓΕΙΟΥ
ΟΙ ΑΝΑΣΚΑΦΙΚΕΣ ΕΡΕΥΝΕΣ ΣΤΟ ΑΚΡΩΤΗΡΙ ΘΗΡΑΣ ΕΧΟΥΝ ΑΠΟΚΑΛΥΨΕΙ ΕΝΑΝ ΣΗΜΑΝΤΙΚΟ ΟΙΚΙΣΜΟ ΤΗΣ ΥΣΤΕΡΗΣ ΧΑΛ... more ΟΙ ΑΝΑΣΚΑΦΙΚΕΣ ΕΡΕΥΝΕΣ ΣΤΟ ΑΚΡΩΤΗΡΙ ΘΗΡΑΣ ΕΧΟΥΝ ΑΠΟΚΑΛΥΨΕΙ ΕΝΑΝ ΣΗΜΑΝΤΙΚΟ ΟΙΚΙΣΜΟ ΤΗΣ ΥΣΤΕΡΗΣ ΧΑΛΚΟΚΡΑΤΙΑΣ. ΧΑΡΗ ΣΤΙΣ ΗΦΑΙΣΤΙΑΚΕΣ ΕΠΙΧΩΣΕΙΣ ΠΟΥ ΚΑΛΥΨΑΝ ΤΑ ΕΡΕΙΠΙΑ ΤΟΥ ΤΑ ΚΤΙΡΙΑ ΣΩΘΗΚΑΝ ΣΕ ΠΟΛΥ ΚΑΛΗ ΚΑΤΑΣΤΑΣΗ ΚΑΙ ΜΕ ΥΨΟΣ ΔΙΑΤΗΡΗΣΗΣ. ΕΤΣΙ,ΤΑ ΔΙΩΡΟΦΑ ΚΑΙ ΤΡΙΩΡΟΦΑ ΚΤΙΡΙΑ ΤΟΥ ΑΚΡΩΤΗΡΙΟΥ ΠΡΟΣΦΕΡΟΥΝ ΜΟΝΑΔΙΚΕΣ ΠΛΗΡΟΦΟΡΙΕΣΓΙΑ ΤΗΝ ΑΡΧΙΤΕΚΤΟΝΙΚΗ ΤΗΣ ΕΠΟΧΗΣ ΑΥΤΗΣ. Η ΜΕΛΕΤΗ ΑΦΟΡΑ ΣΤΗΝ ΑΝΑΛΥΣΗ ΤΗΣ ΟΙΚΟΔΟΜΙΚΗΣ ΤΕΧΝΗΣ: ΣΤΗΝ ΠΑΡΟΥΣΙΑΣΗ ΚΑΙ ΤΟΝ ΣΧΟΛΙΑΣΜΟ ΤΩΝ ΔΟΜΙΚΩΝ ΥΛΙΚΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΤΩΝ ΤΡΟΠΩΝ ΔΟΜΗΣΗΣ, ΚΑΘΩΣ ΚΑΙ ΤΗΣ ΓΕΝΙΚΗΣ ΜΟΡΦΟΛΟΓΙΑΣ ΤΩΝ ΚΤΙΣΜΑΤΩΝ ΤΟΥ ΑΚΡΩΤΗΡΙΟΥ. ΠΑΡΑΛΛΗΛΑ, ΓΙΝΕΤΑΙ ΣΥΓΚΡΙΤΙΚΗ ΕΞΕΤΑΣΗ ΤΩΝ ΔΕΔΟΜΕΝΩΝ ΤΟΥ ΑΚΡΩΤΗΡΙΟΥ ΜΕ ΤΑ ΑΝΑΛΟΓΑ ΣΤΟΙΧΕΙΑ ΤΗΣ ΜΙΝΩΙΚΗΣ ΚΡΗΤΗΣ ΚΥΡΙΩΣ, ΑΛΛΑ ΚΑΙ ΤΩΝ ΝΗΣΙΩΝ ΤΟΥ ΑΙΓΑΙΟΥ ΤΟΥ ΕΛΛΑΔΙΚΟΥ ΧΩΡΟΥ ΚΑΙ ΟΡΙΣΜΕΝΩΝ ΘΕΣΕΩΝ ΤΗΣ ΑΝΑΤΟΛΙΚΗΣ ΜΕΣΟΓΕΙΟΥ.
The aim of this chapter is to address the so-called Minoan Palace as a design object. To detect a... more The aim of this chapter is to address the so-called Minoan Palace as a design object. To detect and unfold, in other words, the design logic that produced this hybrid configuration standing somewhere between a large building and an urban compound. As a starting point, it is pertinent to emphasize that the production of built space is a dynamic process involving poly-parametric problem solving. It requires formulating the tasks, checking requirements versus constraints, evaluating tolerance and capacity, and finally making choices and decisions based on optimization. Planning and designing architectural space, in other words, is a nebulous task, notoriously difficult to capture, describe, or teach for that matter. In Rowe’s (1982: 18) lucid account, it has ‘“wicked problems”: they have no definitive formulation, no explicit “stopping rule”, they have more than one plausible explanation, and their solutions cannot be strictly correct or false’. Moreover, this procedure does not take p...
In art size and medium matter… Take for example a small griffin depicted on an object that you ca... more In art size and medium matter… Take for example a small griffin depicted on an object that you can hold in your hands–a ring, a seal, a vase–and a large griffin painted on the walls of a room: The two evoke very different feelings and may convey varying messages. In the first case one relates to both the picture and the medium through abstract mental associations (a griffin depicted on a ring, for example, acquires its significance through the combined associations of the griffin as a symbol ..
Skylines partake in the “public image,” as symbols of an urban collective. They are urban signatu... more Skylines partake in the “public image,” as symbols of an urban collective. They are urban signatures that present an abbreviated image of the city’s identity. In the Minoan world skylines can be approached only indirectly: firstly, by inferring how buildings emerged in the vertical and secondly, through the depictions of architectural compounds in Minoan art. Finally, skylines are about visual entities and perception hence some of the basic principles of Gestalt theory can provide valuable tools of thought.In a typical Aegean skyline of the prehistoric era, horizontality and soft gradations prevailed, punctuated with only a small number of vertical elements, such as the projecting tops of the main staircases leading up to the roofs and the Horns of Concecration. Moreover, people depicted on the flat roofs give proof to an inhabited skyline, in close juxtaposition to the life taking place at ground level.
The study of the history of the first excavations on prehistoric Therasia in the nineteenth centu... more The study of the history of the first excavations on prehistoric Therasia in the nineteenth century, which were carried out in the context of contemporary scientific interest in the volcanic eruptions of Santorini, has led to the systematic archaeological investigation of the island from 2007 onwards. The intensive archaeological surface survey, the geological survey of the geological structure and palaeotopography of Therasia, and geophysical investigations, undertaken in conjunction with the ongoing excavation of the prehistoric settlement at the site of Panaghia Koimisis at the southern end of modern Therasia, have created the conditions for a more comprehensive approach to the archaeological landscape of the island. Based on the results from the excavation trenches in the south and south-east terraces of the Koimisis hill, which have been excavated down to the virgin soil, we present findings on the organisation, architecture and habitation phases of the Koimisis settlement. The...
The probable extent of the Late Cycladic town at Akrotiri is discussed, and the original geograph... more The probable extent of the Late Cycladic town at Akrotiri is discussed, and the original geographical setting reconstructed. The principles on which the town and its buildings were constructed are elucidated; emphasizing the compact accumulation of rooms and other units of space. Buildings are generally multi-storied, and there is no evidence for courtyards or light walls within them. Access is generally limited to a single entrance, lighting and ventilation are provided by windows. Drainage systems are provided. The three types of streets: main streets, narrow alleys, and blind alleys are described, and the factors behind their arrangement and form discussed. Orientation of the streets is approximately north to south and east to west. The phenomenon of dentation in the construction of walls is discussed. The conclusion is that the town plan reflects a building operation based on a well-organized community with strong traditions and unwritten laws.
Lectures presented at the one-day colloquium, organized by the Centre Culturel hellénique, Paris,... more Lectures presented at the one-day colloquium, organized by the Centre Culturel hellénique, Paris, 30 October 2013
Ο τόμος “Θηρασία Ι, μία διαχρονική διαδρομή” είναι η πρώτη συμβολή στην ιστορία της νήσου Θηρασία... more Ο τόμος “Θηρασία Ι, μία διαχρονική διαδρομή” είναι η πρώτη συμβολή στην ιστορία της νήσου Θηρασίας, από το μακρινό παρελθόν (εποχή του Χαλκού) έως το πρόσφατο (αρχιτεκτονική, κοινωνική ανθρωπολογία) με επιμέλεια Κλαίρης Παλυβού και Ίριδος Τζαχίλη. Πρόκειται για σειρά μελετών που εστιάζουν σε διάφορες ερευνητικές πτυχές (γεωλογία, τεχνολογία των ορυχείων, ανάλυση κεραμεικών υλών κ.λπ), καθώς και στην αναζήτηση αρχαίων τεκμηρίων μέσω της επιφανειακής έρευνας. Ουσιαστικά αποτελεί μία διαχρονική χαρτογράφηση της ανθρώπινης παρουσίας στο νησί, ώστε να αναδειχθούν οι επιλογές, οι περιορισμοί, οι αλλαγές, οι συνέχειες και οι ασυνέχειες και να διερευνηθεί ποικιλοτρόπως το φαινόμενο του νησιωτισμού. Οι παραπάνω έρευνες σε ένα μικρό νησί, τη Θηρασία, απέναντι από τον μεγάλο και πολυσήμαντο γείτονα τη Θήρα, έχει χαρακτήρα παραδειγματικό. Είναι μία περίπτωση για το πώς λειτούργησαν οι σχέσεις, οι επαφές, τα δίκτυα μεταξύ Θήρας-Θηρασίας μεταξύ τους και με τα άλλα νησιά του Αιγαίου, η αλληλεξάρτηση και η σχετική αυτονομία. Φωτίζει τους τρόπους επιβίωσης στα μικρά νησιά, δηλαδή τους τρόπους προσαρμογής των οικιστικών μονάδων στο περιβάλλον, την αξιοποίηση των φυσικών πόρων, τη χωροταξία, τη διαχείριση του νερού και άλλα. Ένας κόσμος ολόκληρος ανοίγεται από μία μικρή χαραμάδα, τη Θηρασία: πεζούλες, πηγάδια, καλλιέργειες, η σκληρή ζωή στα ορυχεία, τα πανηγύρια και ο τρύγος. Η Θηρασία, όπως όλοι οι επισκέπτες της γνωρίζουν, είναι μία όαση ηρεμίας όταν έρχεται κανείς από την πολύβουη Θήρα. Η μελέτη, η γνώση, η ανάδειξη της ιστορίας και της ιδιαιτερότητας του τόπου, μπορεί να συμβάλουν ήπια και ισορροπημένα για να μην χαθεί αυτό. Οι έρευνες στη Θηρασία έγιναν από το Τμήμα Ιστορίας και Αρχαιολογίας του Πανεπιστημίου Κρήτης, το Μεταπτυχιακό Τμήμα της Αρχιτεκτονικής Σχολής και την πρώην ΚΑ Εφορεία Αρχαιοτήτων Κυκλάδων.
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Papers by Clairy Palyvou
Clairy Palyvou
This paper draws from Iris Tzachili’s book Artistic Landscapes (Εικαστικά Τοπία) focusing on the way urban landscapes are represented in Minoan art. The agent, the human gaze, is discussed in its plurality, for artists reflect the gazes not only of their time but also of all who preceded, while future generations will add more perceptual layers through their various ways of seeing and experiencing art and reality.
The definition of a landscape as urban follows Tzachili’s observations in regard with the process of cognitive categorization: “the human gaze isolates, brings together in one entity and ultimately provides a theme”.
Some of the issues discussed are: abbreviation and symbolism; scale as analogy and in need of systems of reference; the human gaze in interchangeable roles of viewer and viewed; the importance of the frame and its spatiality.
The ‘three rules’ –discussed in Iris’ book– that provide a conceptual construal based on cognitive codes, are tested in relation to urban landscapes. These are: a) contextual concentration through exclusion; b) repetition; c) asymmetrical composition. In most pictures nature and manmade environment coexist in alternating roles as figure and background (sometimes architecture serves primarily as a background to emphasize outdoor activities). Almost all images are populated: the posture, the gaze
and the scale of the humans depicted in various actions play an important role in informing of the narrative and guiding the gaze of the viewer through the picture.
Clairy Palyvou
This paper draws from Iris Tzachili’s book Artistic Landscapes (Εικαστικά Τοπία) focusing on the way urban landscapes are represented in Minoan art. The agent, the human gaze, is discussed in its plurality, for artists reflect the gazes not only of their time but also of all who preceded, while future generations will add more perceptual layers through their various ways of seeing and experiencing art and reality.
The definition of a landscape as urban follows Tzachili’s observations in regard with the process of cognitive categorization: “the human gaze isolates, brings together in one entity and ultimately provides a theme”.
Some of the issues discussed are: abbreviation and symbolism; scale as analogy and in need of systems of reference; the human gaze in interchangeable roles of viewer and viewed; the importance of the frame and its spatiality.
The ‘three rules’ –discussed in Iris’ book– that provide a conceptual construal based on cognitive codes, are tested in relation to urban landscapes. These are: a) contextual concentration through exclusion; b) repetition; c) asymmetrical composition. In most pictures nature and manmade environment coexist in alternating roles as figure and background (sometimes architecture serves primarily as a background to emphasize outdoor activities). Almost all images are populated: the posture, the gaze
and the scale of the humans depicted in various actions play an important role in informing of the narrative and guiding the gaze of the viewer through the picture.
Οι παραπάνω έρευνες σε ένα μικρό νησί, τη Θηρασία, απέναντι από τον μεγάλο και πολυσήμαντο γείτονα τη Θήρα, έχει χαρακτήρα παραδειγματικό. Είναι μία περίπτωση για το πώς λειτούργησαν οι σχέσεις, οι επαφές, τα δίκτυα μεταξύ Θήρας-Θηρασίας μεταξύ τους και με τα άλλα νησιά του Αιγαίου, η αλληλεξάρτηση και η σχετική αυτονομία. Φωτίζει τους τρόπους επιβίωσης στα μικρά νησιά, δηλαδή τους τρόπους προσαρμογής των οικιστικών μονάδων στο περιβάλλον, την αξιοποίηση των φυσικών πόρων, τη χωροταξία, τη διαχείριση του νερού και άλλα. Ένας κόσμος ολόκληρος ανοίγεται από μία μικρή χαραμάδα, τη Θηρασία: πεζούλες, πηγάδια, καλλιέργειες, η σκληρή ζωή στα ορυχεία, τα πανηγύρια και ο τρύγος.
Η Θηρασία, όπως όλοι οι επισκέπτες της γνωρίζουν, είναι μία όαση ηρεμίας όταν έρχεται κανείς από την πολύβουη Θήρα. Η μελέτη, η γνώση, η ανάδειξη της ιστορίας και της ιδιαιτερότητας του τόπου, μπορεί να συμβάλουν ήπια και ισορροπημένα για να μην χαθεί αυτό.
Οι έρευνες στη Θηρασία έγιναν από το Τμήμα Ιστορίας και Αρχαιολογίας του Πανεπιστημίου Κρήτης, το Μεταπτυχιακό Τμήμα της Αρχιτεκτονικής Σχολής και την πρώην ΚΑ Εφορεία Αρχαιοτήτων Κυκλάδων.