Glossary

word (plural) meaning

agrimi (agrimia) Cretan wild goat
agglomerative tending to cluster or heap together
apsidal of houses, with one rounded end
argonaut marine mollusk with a spiral shell
ashlar masonry style with smoothed rectangular cut blocks
basileus (basileis) Homeric and Classical Greek word for ‘king’
baetyl aniconic image of a deity
burnish rubbing or polishing of surface of pot with smooth piece of stone, bone, pottery or wood after it has dried in sun but before fired in the kiln; produced a glossy surface after firing
carinated having a profile where a concave and convex curve meet to produce a ridge or sharp edge
chalice drinking cup
chamber tomb rectangular chamber cut into side of hill and approached by long entrance passage
chthonic adjective meaning "of the earth"
cist grave shallow rectangular grave cut into the earth or rock
corbelled constructed of overlapping courses of blocks, each kept in place by the weight of the blocks above
dāmos (dāmoi) body politic; local administrative entity in Mycenaean states, with authority at least over land allocation
dromos (dromoi) entrance passage of a tholos or chamber tomb
ekphora carrying the bier to the grave site
faience quartz grains fused together and covered with a vitreous glaze (early form of glass)
fibula (fibulae) safety pin-like dress fastener
genius (genii) fantastic creature in Minoan and Near Eastern iconography
gwasileus (gwasileis) Mycenaean official; supervises work groups but range of functions not known
hectare 10,000 square meters; approximately 2.4 acres
horns of consecration Minoan symbol shaped like a pair of abstract bull horns; it may represent a double mountain peak
ingot a plate of metal cast in a mold
inhumation burial
kantharos drinking cup with high swung handles
kernos (kernoi) ritual vessel with small vases attached in a ring, for libations
koine common style or language
kylix Mycenaean stemmed drinking cup
larnax (larnakes) clay coffin
lāwāgetās (lāwāgetai) second-highest official of a Mycenaean state; the title probably means ‘leader of the people’
light well small room open to the sky, allowing light and air to reach lower storeys; a Minoan architectural feature
lustral basin small sunken room of unknown function; a Minoan architectural feature
magazine room in a palace or house used for storage and containing large jars
megaron (megara) axial building unit consisting of a main room with anteroom and/or porch; central unit of Mycenaean palaces
niello black adhesive of copper, silver, and lead sulphides, used with metal inlay
orthostat upright stone slab
pithos (pithoi) large clay storage jar
polity politically organized society
polythyron (polythyra) rectangular room with pier and door partitions, exclusively Minoan
prothesis mourning the deceased on the bier
pyxis (pyxides) small box of clay, stone or ivory
rhyton (rhyta) ceremonial vessel, conical or in animal shape
sealing lump of clay impressed by a seal
snake frame ceremonial Minoan headgear with wide curving horns
stomion (stomia) doorway of a tholos or chamber tomb
tholos (tholoi) round domed tomb
tumulus (tumuli) burial mound
urfirnis of pottery, coated with a semi-lustrous black slip
wanax (wanaktes) Mycenaean Greek word for ‘king’ (also in Homeric and Classical Greek as ‘lord’, used of chief gods and men)