Knossos: View in the Queen's Megaron showing Papyrus Vase from Royal Villa, towards the parapet (man sitting on it) of the Queen's Bath (with fragment of bathtub).
| Department | Archive |
|---|---|
| Collection | BSA SPHS Image Collection |
| Reference No. | BSA SPHS 01/0273.1497 |
| Level | Item |
| Description | Film negative, smaller than half plate size, an original negative. |
| Dimensions | 12 x 9.5 cm |
| Place |
Palace of Minos Knossos |
| Dates | 1903-1904 |
| Donor/Creator |
Caton, Dr Richard C. |
| Scope and Content | Part of a group of images donated by the Argonaut Camera Club, taken on excursions and cruises in Greece and Asia Minor. The original description in the SPHS register reads: "Cnossos: view in Royal villa showing papyrus vase". |
| Notes | The image may come from an Easter cruise of the Hellenic Travellers Club on the S.Y. Argonaut (1901-1904). Since the Papayrus vase was discovered in 1903 in the Grand Staircase of the Royal Villa found in fragments, the probable date for this is either 1903 or 1904. Also, due to the amount of reconstruction of the megaron, it is likely to be 1904 rather than 1903 (pers. comm. V. Fotou 2019). |
| Further information | Hellenic Travellers Club The Hellenic Travellers Club consisted of school teachers and others interested in educational cruises to the Eastern Mediterranean. Initiated by Henry Lunn, the club was formalised in 1905, but grew out of experimental cruises called Argonaut Cruises (after the steam yacht) - first in 1901 and then in 1903 and 1904. Annual spring cruises began in 1905, continued until the First World War and resumed in 1924 before finally halting with advent of the Second World War Many of the passengers from 1901 onward were keen photographers - initially referred to as the Argonaut Camera Club - and a number of their images were donated to the Society for the Promotion of Hellenic Studies or made their way into private collections. The Hellenic Travellers Club produced annual proceedings which published many of the lectures given on board, illustrated with photographs from the tours. See: Harlan, D. 2018. "More than Armchair Travellers" ARGO 8: 19-21. |