BETWEEN PEAK AND PALACE.
REINTERPRETATION OF THE MINOAN CULTURAL LANDSCAPE IN SPACE AND TIME.

• S. Soetens (Departement d'Histoire de l'Art et d'Archeologie, Universite Catholique de Louvain, Place B. Pascal 1, B-1348-Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium and Laboratory of Geophysical and Satellite Remote Sensing and Archaeoenvironment, Institute of Mediterranean Studies, Foundation of Research and Technology, Hellas (F.O.R.T.H.), Melissinou and N. Foka 130, P.O. Box 119, Rethymno, GR- 74100, Crete, Greece )
• A. Sarris (Laboratory of Geophysical and Satellite Remote Sensing and Archaeoenvironment, Institute of Mediterranean Studies, Foundation of Research and Technology, Hellas (F.O.R.T.H.), Melissinou and N. Foka 130, P.O. Box 119, Rethymno, GR- 74100, Crete, Greece)
• K. Vansteenhuyse (Department of Art History, Temple University, Ritter Hall Annex, 13th Street and Cecil B. Moore Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA)

The project "Minoan Peak Sanctuaries. Building a Cultural Landscape Model through a GIS approach" is part of the larger framework research project, "A Topography of Power. Studies on the Political Structures of Minoan Crete and Etruria", based on the cooperation between the Institute of Mediterranean Studies (FORTH) and the Universite Catholique de Louvain. Part of this paper also incorporated results from the subproject "A Study of Political Structures in Neopalatial Crete".

Crete is the spatial entity where Minoan history was enacted. Its communities grew, its inhabitants lived, died, built palaces, sanctuaries on mountain peaks, and interacted with each other and with the outside world. It is obvious that the landscape as a whole contains many aspects for the better understanding of this culture. One of the key parameters for capturing the dynamics of the Minoan culture is the specific social, religious and topographic character of the peak sanctuary. In the past, it has been argued that the peak sanctuaries and palatial buildings are related in space and their location depends on the topography of the landscape.

In order to test the validity of the above argument, DGPS was employed for the accurate positioning of the relevant archaeological sites. The topographical and environmental parameters of peak sanctuaries and palaces were extracted from digitized maps and from SPOT stereoscopic satellite images. GIS analysis was systematically applied to investigate the spatial characteristics of these sites and how they relate to each other. Among other techniques, inter-visibility between peak sanctuaries and other sites was simulated through view-shed analysis. Results of the least-cost distance computed from the peak sanctuaries to the near-by environmental and archaeological features was subjected to statistical analysis in order to define the weight of importance of these features as an indication of their relevance to the location of the peak sanctuaries.

The definition of palatial sites was also investigated. Hypothetical territories were suggested, based on these central places of power (palaces, court compounds and expected court compounds), by the application of the most commonly used models, namely Thiessen polygons, Cost Surface Analysis and the Xtent model.

The location of peak sanctuaries within these hypothetical territories suggests a relatively neutral function in the early stages of their existence, amongst a society with low hierarchy level. This picture evolves through time and geographical regions. The origin, acme and decline of peak sanctuaries seem to be strongly related to the development of political formation within the island.

It is furthermore suggested that the function of peak sanctuaries was not limited to religion, but that they were also used as communication beacons, as landmarks for travellers, as neutral meeting places for local leaders, with a more economic, political and social role.