Favissae. Feasting Pits in LM III

Driessen, Jan [UCL] Farnoux, Alexandre [Université Paris-Sorbonne (Paris IV)] Langohr, Charlotte [UCL]

The practice of feasting - arguably one of the most important factors for social cohesion in the history of the island of Crete - can be followed from Early Minoan times onwards into the postpalatial phase. Here it is suggested that during the Final palatial period (LM II-IIIA1), feasting was used as a political instrument, and as such attested at Knossos and a few other primary centres. With the disappearance of the Knossos palace, the practice was progressively re-introduced in a series of minor settlements to reinforce local and regional cohesion. We illustrate this with Quartier Nu at Malia dating to the mature Late Minoan IIIA phase. Here a large architectural complex with an elaborate court (including one of the earliest pebble mosaics), seems at least partly to have been used for communal activities. Around the building several pits were found containing a material which suggests that some of it derived from feasting activities that took place in the immediate surroundings. The nature and importance of this material is discussed and compared with other possible cases identified elsewhere on the island. We discuss examples such as the North Rubbish Area at Kastelli Khania, interpreted by the excavators as the debris of activities originally taking place in a not yet uncovered LM IIIB1 sanctuary, or the particular assemblages found in pits and wells at Palaikastro during the LM III period as well as the presence of so-called LM III rubbish pits near other architectural structures, such as on the Kakavella hill at Khamalevri.