Rethinking the Tomb of the Double Axes at Isopata, Knossos

Following the islandwide disturbances at the end of the Late Minoan IB period, considerable changes are evident in the archaeological record of Crete.1 New types of tombs, burial customs, and rituals were introduced, apparently spreading from the Knossos area to cover much of the island. The multichambered and collective Minoan tombs of the Neopalatial period were replaced during the Final Palatial period (Late Minoan [LM] II-IIIA1) by single-chambered tombs of the mainland type, designed for small groups of individuals. For the first time, also, tombs with single burials appeared. These changes might be viewed as an indication of the passage from a society with a collective orientation to one in which individuals assumed a more specific importance. The new burials were characterized by rich assemblages, remarkable for the presence of weapons and bronze vases. The "Tomb of the Double Axes" (hereafter TDA), discovered in 1913 by Evans, belongs to this new burial type. It is exceptional relative to other tombs, however, in the great number of religious symbols present. Evans long ago underlined, in both architectural and archaeological terms, the outstanding quality of the nature and contents of this tomb. In his opinion, the TDA was not only a simple burial chamber, but also a sort of shrine dedicated to the Minoan Goddess.