Knossos Palace

 

https://smarthistory.org/ancient-mediterranean/the-palace-at-knossos-crete/

After reading about the Palace at Knossos, located in Crete, Greece, I decided that it was fitting to write an ethical question post on these partially restored ruins.The structure itself was purely Minoan. However, Sir Arthur Evans, the archaeologist who originally discovered the site, incorporated architectural forms and art styles from other regions and time periods, including the Mycenaean era, during the reconstruction. This meant that the structure itself no longer was historically accurate and the restoration, more accurately a remodel, was almost overshadowed by Evans' own biases and preconceptions. The way that Evans restored the Palace reminded me of old Roman themed movies, too sleek, too modern. This reconstruction is not so much a question of ethics but a question of historical integrity. For example, Evans could have, and should have, taken more time to consult other historians on what would have been a more accurate structure, art style, etc. in order to honorably resurrect this historical site. His improper restoration has impacted both the region, and people's conceptions of the Minoans history. It is good, in a sense, that he restored it because, had he not, the Palace may not have been standing today. However, If anything, he should have just done minor restorations to keep the structure intact. Holding off on full restoration until he had more factual evidence of what the palace looked like, or until we had developed better technology and practice to restore it, would have provided us with a better representation of what this palace truly looked like.

During reconstructions of historical sites, whether it be observational or restoration work, it should be imperative that whoever is working on the project has the proper knowledge and skills. This is very important in order to make sure that the accurate time period, and history of the site, is not strayed from. Sir Arthur Evans was making assumptions, choosing art styles, and deciding how to portray the history of the Minoans based off of his own ideas, with hardly any concrete evidence to support him. Not to mention the overlapping of art styles not even native to the Minoan's island region. "In some cases, what is restored does not accurately reflect what was found. Instead, a grander, and more complete, experience is presented. For example, when you visit Knossos, because of the way it is reconstructed, it is very easy to believe that all that was ever found there was a Late Bronze Age palace" (German). Evans should have focused on the integrity of the structure, saving its form and existence. Reconstruction and restoration sometimes, and in this case, risks recreation based off of what we think we know about the past and what the construction may have looked like. It really can come down to the bias of those who would deem themselves improperly worthy of being an ancient civilizations advocate. I think that full reconstruction and restoration has its time and place. Sometimes it should only be used in small scale or dire situations. If, no matter what you do to conserve it, you can't save it, at least have the decency to reconstruct it as educated as you can. 

        German, D., n.d. The Palace At Knossos (Crete) – Smarthistory. [online] Smarthistory.org. Available at: <https://smarthistory.org/ancient-mediterranean/the-palace-at-knossos-crete/> [Accessed 4 September 2020].