Kommos, Crete
Joseph W. Shaw – Excavation Director
Costas Nikakis – Conservation Contractor
The 1998 plan had received partial review and approval from KAS in Athens and in 2002, Professor Joseph Shaw, excavation Director at Kommos, contracted with Sifas Fasolakis to enact some treatments. In 2003 Shaw was able to contract with Costas Nikakis and experienced conservation treament contractor based in Ayios Nikolaos, Crete to implement a plan by conservation architect Clairy Palyvou. Nikakis and Shaw had worked together at Kato Zacharos years earlier and Palyvou, Shaw and Stratis had walked the site and reviewed the 1998 conservation and development plan in August of 1997.
I.a.) Well and Sump Pump and/or Roof
In the east central area of the Minoan road, south of Building V there is an excavation trench prone to filling with rain water and surface drainage in the winter. The 1998 plan considered roofing over the area or installing a sump and drain. The action steps proposed in the June 2005 plan called for local contractor collaboration and the excavation director to locate and dimension the sump well, sump pump piping length and route to the concrete reinforced daylight delta location. During a June 2005 meeting between J. Shaw and J. Stratis, this plan was abandoned for a reburial option. The reconsideration is based on the limited interpretive benefit over the other two portions of exposed Minoan Road, the important structures adjacent to the road in the locations to the west and east. The remaining west center section of the exposed road is adjacent to what may be considered to be the largest (1m x 3m) single stone orthostate component, (Building T), discovered on the entire Island. The western most section of road is adjacent to Building J, is also a more interesting interpretive area and provides better drainage that that on the excavation’s eastern side.
I.b.) Translucent Poly-Carbonite Shed Roof Structures
The Action Ste outlined in the June 2005 plan was undertaken for in situ conservation through review of protective shelters at the five Cretan sites. The Mallia roofs have weathered surprisingly well, although there is clearly evidence of deferred maintenance through weather darkened deterioration to the wood finish outside of the roof covering. The simple shed roofs installed at Knossos, Phaistos and Hagia Triada are confirmed as the least visually impactive to the site and its beautiful shoreline context. They are the least expensive and are readily installed and maintained. Plans and budget information for the approved replacement roofing for Phaistos site will be requested again in October. However, the expense, character and common vernacular tradition for shelters at Phaistos will have departed from the 1998 Kommos design criteria that sought to draw from an archaeological shelter form, tradition and philosophy, that produced an easily recognized cultural environment of protective stewardship.
I.c.) Concrete Lined Swale
Improvements to the road through the town of Pitsidia since 1997, have positively resulted in a earthen bank on the west edge of the beach access road on the eastern side of the site. The long term solution of a maintainable drainage curb, similar to that on the highway to Mallia from Heraklion is still necessary.
I.d.) Regrade Non Compatible Modern Stone Lining
In conversations with the Ephor of Crete and her office subsequent to the 1998 Conservation and Development Plan, the drainage improvement to this area will now been re-addressed within a separate plan for the southern area adjacent to the archaeological park. This beach recreation park was schematically illustrated in figures 003 and 023 within the 1998 plan after conversations with the local town mayor.
I.e.) Outlet Protection
The origin of the unmanaged drainage evident in photograph 60 -62 is no longer addressed in this Kommos updated conservation treatment plan. This will continue to be discussed with the local town of Pitsidia, but the treatment will be removed from the Scope of work and budget for this plan. Consultation with numerous professionals indicated in the attached meeting notes altered the June 2005 Action Steps, eliminating all the budget development steps.
II.a.) Natural Wind Fence
In 2000 ck? a water line was brought down from the town of Pitsidia municipal supply to the east of the site. Excavation Director Joseph Shaw was able to have local workmen plant indigenous tamarisk trees inside the southern fence line.
II.b.) Reinforced Synthetic Start-up Screen
As an alternative to the II.b. design - a synthetic start –up screen west and outside of the perimeter fence, local workmen under the finance and direction of the University of Toronto’s J. Shaw, erected a low cost natural screen of branches against portions of the existing southern area’s west fence. The aeolian deposition has been significantly blocked by this successful, less technological and expensive treatment, than that originally planned. Note comparison photographs #107 attached.
Many of the palm fronds have dried, become brittle and have deteriorated to the extent that the entire length of approximately 30 m. should now be replaced. The deposition now occurs on the west side of the fence, unfortunately lowering its effectiveness as a perimeter barrier against the public.
III.a.) Replacement Reinforced Cementitious Scarp Coverings with Integrated Indigenous Plantings
Thousands of dollars of funding over the last three summers from the University of Toronto through excavation Director J.W. Shaw has provided necessary structural stabilization and the improved visual blending of the scarp walls into the site. A wire screen was placed over the existing scarp wall then reparge coated with more compatible masonry constituents.
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| 68. Kommos re-consolidation 07/05 |
69. Kommos wire reinforcement 07/05 |
III.b.) Supplimental Rock Walls
The integration of plant materials to soften the impact of the excavation on the landscape was a consideration for section IIIa in the March 1998 Conservation Plan. The reformulation of the stucco coating has abated the contrast and has accomplished a similar objective of reducing the presence of the new scarp wall. This plant reintroduction concept, however, is now within the last eight years well represented on the tall eastern retaining wall.
IIIc.) Ancient wall Stabilization
The experienced Cretan conservators are removing some of the unstable uppermost course of the ancient wall, removing soil and relaying them square and level.
IV.a.) Orientation and Access Control
Heritage tourist orientation is a critical factor for a safe and memorable archaeological park experience. Design and location of certain park amenities must also be planned. The following nine features intend to allow the visitor to know where they are in relation to the entrance and certain artifact features, as well as the amenities for their comfort and enhanced enjoyment. These nine security and orientation amenities must be sufficient in number and situated with the efficient visitor traffic flow in mind. 1. Parking, 2. Gates, 3. Fences, 4. Pathways, 5. Plateas, 6. Lighting, 7. Seating, 8. Trash Receptacles, & 9. Shade. Most orientation and access control were found to be very similar at all 5 sites, with some notable exceptions.
V.a.) Parking:
Knossos - There are several private lots adjacent to the site. The free parking north of the site is under sized and poorly marked.
Mallia – Free paved parking and adequately sized, well paved and engineered with plant screen areas (photo. 19).
Gortyn – The free parking was dangerous and is in the process of being relocated and constructed.
Phaistos – The free paved parking is separated from the road with a planting strip but the pedestrian crossing is not evident and there is a curve in the road at the entrance site that may produce a hazardous combination.
Hagia Triada – The free parking is an extension of the unpaved road, is poorly signed, and without curb and gutter.
V.a.) Gates:
Knossos – The manned entrance gate at Knossos is nondescript and approached through a covered walkway (photo. 4) and past the new retail store and an older structure that also sells items to the visitor. The back gate above the free parking is part of a steel fence with small sections of masonry wall. It appears as a prior front gate with an abandoned ticket booth.
Mallia - The unmanned entrance gate is also arrived at after a brief walk from the parking and is past the ticket building (photo 23).
Gortyn – There are two pairs of gates accessing different parts of the site from the entrance ticket building. The painted welded steel gates are adjacent to the entrance ( photos. 27 & 30) and they appear to be the same as those at Hagia Triada. The ticket seller monitors those that pass, entering and exiting, through the gates. The gates are adjacent to the Entry Building (photo. 27) and are flanked by masonry piers.
Phaistos – There are guards at the entry gates. This second most visited site has considerable visitor traffic entering and exiting from the same gate.
Hagia Triada – The metal gate is unmanned but it is adjacent to the entry building as at Gortyn.
V. Fences:
The fence around the Kommos site has been bent over in several locations. There has been an increased use at the beach since the 1997 site condition recognizance and the metal wire fence has been regularly breached as is evident at the number of niches where toilet paper is scattered. All the sites’ fences surveyed were metal post and chain link or welded wire mesh variations and appeared undamaged. They all have official staffing presence, on-site. Note - Phaistos photo 41.
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| 80.Knossos fence 06/05 |
81. Gortyn fence and trash receptacle 07/05 |
IV.a.) 4 Pathways:
Knossos – Stabilized soil, stone paving, wood ramps with non-slip synthetic covering, well maintained. There is allowance off the treated walkways, even encouraged through the placement of stairs that descends to grade. (Photos. 4,5,8,9,10 & 80)
Mallia – There are diverse pathway types like Knossos, however, particular to Mallia was wood edging on the stabilized soil pathway and a the wood deck bridge in one of the Shelters. (Photos. 16,20 & 24) This is not appropriate for the curved sloped conditions at Kommos.
Gortyn – Stone pavers and tamped soil. (Photos.27,30,31,32 & 35)
Phaistos – Stone pavers, tamped soil. The sloped entrance is paved in stones that are hazardous as they have become polished with wear. Walkways, depending on their steepness, may be supplemented with hand rails or guardrails. Four of the five sites considered for walkway prototypes for Kommos, were supplemented with railings and care was exercised to place them at stairs and elevated areas (Knossos). The magnificent view of the western Messara remains unencumbered in some places and minimally impacted by perimeter fence in others. Restraint for the Kommos pathway and guard rails will take heed of the prototype treatments at these other sites. (Photos. 39,41 & 81)
Hagia Triada - Sidewalk from the parking area is non-existent, the entrance stairway is too steep without interim landings and too narrow for ascending and descending traffic and without handrail. There is little in the way of pathway once inside the site. Hagia Triada in general suffers from the least amount of staffing and visitor amenities while Knossos has the most developed. This is probably due to visitation numbers and the priorities established at the central management at the Ministry of Culture. The walkways at Hagia Triada in 1997 or in 2005 demonstrates little prototype to benefit the Kommos Park development planning. (Photos. 46,47,48 & 54)
IV.a.5. Plateas
The March 1998 Kommos plan indicates two Plateas one outside at the entry building and the other inside the entry gates. They both serve as a place for visitors to gather, become orientated to the route of travel through the site or to await commencement of organized tours. This type of place was observed at Knossos, Phaistos and at Hagia Triada. Knossos appeared undersized in area, although offered several linear meters of curiously unused wooden bench seating. Hagia Triada was situated at a considerable drop (2 m.) off of a modern retaining wall and provided three wooden benches with a view over the site, these benches can accommodate 9 – 12 visitors.
IV.a.6.) Lighting
Perimeter lighting was observed and photographed at Knossos, Gortyn and Hagia Triada. Walkway lighting, too, was recorded at Mallia, Gortyn and Phaistos. Gortyn had fixtures on the corners of its artifact display and food service buildings. All five sites may have lighting installed; this survey was not thorough enough to document all lighting conditions. As with many other survey questions the personnel were usually not at the site to complete the questionnaire. Should Kommos be developed for visitation some lighting at the southern Platea, the eastern walkway and the parking area may be considered. Security lighting for the perimeter or within the site has not been considered at this phase of design. (Photos 31,52 & 79)
IV.a.7.) Seating
Seating that was available for Park visitors besides that found in the plateas and food service areas were documented at Knossos, Gortyn, and Phaistos. A fairly level area to the side of the visitor traffic to the archaeological features and within shade, are important locational criteria. Seating materials were constructed of stone, metal wire and wood. (photos. 41, 85 & 86)
IV.a.8.) Trash Receptacles
If receptacles are present they will be used and they require regular service. These amenities were either pre-fabricated and made of plastic mounted on steel post or made of wooden surrounds for steel, standard metal, trash cans inserts. How often along the walkways or how many within the park are dependent to some extent on the number of visitors and what is readily available for their consumption. (photos. 30,41,46 & 78)
IV.a.9.) Shade
Trees provided almost all the shade and as stated above are typically benefiting the placement of rest area seating. A need for some respite from the Mediterranean sun during the tourist season and potential Park operations, have produced other shading devises at the five Parks surveyed in 2005. These include fabric awnings found attached to structures at Gortyn and a grape arbor or trellis. A spectacular arbor from Kommos is visible in photo 4. The Kommos Development Plan includes both of these man made comfort amenities. (photos. 4,7,8,27,37,41,48,85,86 & 87)
IV.b.) Sales, Restrooms and Medical First Aid
All five of the sites studied for the Kommos prototype conservation and development components included a building that housed the gate ticket sales which most often combined a security function, toilets and a space for the sale of water, snacks, maps, booklets, etc. The character of these buildings was surprisingly similar and comprises a local vernacular tradition. This tradition is respected and represented in the twin entry building proposed for Kommos. Mallia and the new buildings at Knossos departed from the cladding and fenestration patterning more than the entrance buildings at Phaistos and Gortyn. Those sites also have dissimilar architecture such as the food service building at Phaistos and the Gortyn artifact display building. These depart from the model stone masonry and concrete bond beam ticket sales buildings at Phaistos and Gortyn that directly influenced the Kommos entry buildings character. (photos. 7,8,23,32,45 & 83)
IV.c.) Viewing Areas for archaeological, geo-physical and natural history interpretation
The north south sloped Kommos site with the ever-present Libyan Seacoast and beach on the west offers a unique and remarkable distinction from the other sites. The Entry Platea and the Central Hillside Platea provide areas to pause and reflect on the three excavated areas and their relationship to the topography and the sea. There are other places where specific vantages can be emphasized. The overlook between the Tamarisk/ Almiriki trees to the south and above the stoa and kiln features is planned as a (stone?) paved viewing area from which the site in its entirety ascends the slope to the north, beyond the complex strata of the southern area. A wooden deck walkway with steel rails within a wooden post and handrail system can support the mounting of plaques (photos 8 & 13) containing a variety of interpretive material. This ramp walkway is envisioned as similar to those designed by C. Palvou at Knossos. (photos. 9, 10,12,80,89 & 90)
Across the Kommos southern area just north and above the Minoan road at the western edge is planned another post mounted viewing area. Here the visitor can look on the road to the sea, at the impressive remains of Building J and back across at the agora and the route of travel across the unique hypothesized set of ship storage structures-building group P. A 130 square meter stabilized soil viewing area at the Central Hillside,will be another area large enough to accommodate tour groups, interpretive materials and amenities indicated in Section IVa.
The most spectacular viewing area will be at a bridge that spans the upper Hillside surmounting the crown of the slope and affording an expansive view over the site to the south and the shoreline to west. As at Mallia the primary purpose will be to provide a bird’s eye view of the complex residential floor plan, comprised of a maze of unrecognizable small rooms. The published scholarship will provide the interpretive program with a wealth of material and as with the walkway guardrail, interpretive panels can offer the visitor a range of information.
IV.d.) Peripteron (refreshment stand)
The tool storage shed has been well maintained and may serve as an upper hillside source for refreshments. A small seating area may serve this back door area to the parking and disabled access to the upper hillside portion of the excavation.
V.) Future Excavation Allowance
The re-survey, analysis and interviews conducted in June –July by J.C. Stratis and the meetings held with various officials by J. W. Shaw have not altered the plan to pursue its approval by the various officials in Heraklion and Athens. Provisions for the transference of the archaeological collection to the eastern Crete organization INSTAP is presently undergoing negotiation. There is renewed response and participation by DAAM that had originally responded with the approval of the C. Palyvou November 2001 conservation plan (section III of the Stratis-Shaw March 1998 plan) and then languished without comment for the other four sections of the plan. The scarp and ancient wall stabilization by C. Nikakis has now been 75% completed and has been funded by the University of Toronto.
Conclusions - Next Steps
The action steps centered on Crete as outlined within the Conservation Plan updated 14 June 2005, were largely unattainable. During discussions with J.W. Shaw on 02 July the decision was made to abandon the pump option in Section 1a. Maintenance personnel interviews proved infeasible as a centralized authority in Athens and maintenance management was not present at the five sites re-surveyed. Meetings with the architect Theodosis Zacharos at the office of the Cretan Ephor on 04 July and by the conservation architect Clairy Palyvou at her home in Athens on 06 July resulted in both independently recommending to advance the planning. Zacharos also suggested that we seek approval of the plan from KAS as a separate effort from the approval. Palyvou recommended building on the approval for section III of the plan that she had further developed in 2001. In August of this year Joseph & Maria Shaw received an encouraging letter from DAAM perhaps due to a change in the directorship.
Pursuit of funding in order to accomplish the design development phase prior to construction document phase with budget development should also be pursued outside of the Ministry of Culture / European Economic Community. Investigation on the application process for funding from the Getty Conservation Grant Program was commenced by James Stratis in 1996 with Timothy Whalen , Senor Program Officer who in December of 1998 became the Director of the Getty Conservation Institute. In September of 2004 the author attended an invitational International Colloquium, sponsored by the GCI and managed by Leslie Rainer – GCI Senor Program Specialist. Some updated fact finding, by the author in May - July of this year through L. Rainer, led to the GCI’s Francoise Descamps who is in charge of the Hoya de Ceran project in El Salvador. Rainer explained that the GCI was interested in advancing innovations in conservation science involving multi-discipline teams. Descamp’s project is concerned with site management and conservation, participatory and value-driven management planning. There were two individuals in Colorado, Payson Sheets and Anthony Crosby also associated with the Mayan Initiative Project
Contact with both Colorado project contacts lead back to F. Descamps at GCI, whose planning products to date are only available in the Spanish language. In an e-mail dated 14 July 2005, after meeting to discuss the project, A. Crosby additionally recommended speaking with Carolina Avilia Castellanos about the Mayan Initiative. Further inquiry into the project has not occurred to date but additional investigation is planned within the next few weeks. L. Rainer had suggested the other Getty grant program outside of the GCI. A search of the internet uncovered the Architectural Conservation Grants program from the Getty Foundation. This seems vaguely possible but specifically states “historic structures” not archaeological ruins stabilization. Other Getty grant opportunities may be more feasible than the GCI program, but it seems planning must be more developed and budgetary figures are necessary.
11. Kommos south scarp below overlook southern area 1997 
12. Knossos steel & wood walkway
13. Knossos interpretive signage
14. Wood boards seating atop a
stonewall provide rest stop comfort
