5.3. The Excavation of the North-West Wing (Zone 11)

1Zone 11 occupies a broad terrace supported to the east by a sturdy terrace wall (FE107/FE109, fig. 1.11a-b) that separates it from Zone 6 (see §5.2). It is also located immediately north of Zone 10 (see §5.4). Excavations took place here in 2015 with the aim of investigating what was expected to be the upper, North-West Wing of the CCB. Prior to excavation, the altitude of Zone 11 ranged between 18.40 and 19.00masl, that is ca. 1.40 to 2.50 m higher than the lower, North-East Wing of the CCB (Zone 6). The transition between the anticipated North-West and West Wings, i.e. between Zones 11 and 10, was much gentler because of erosion that had turned the area into a relatively steady southward slope. Excavation nevertheless showed that Neopalatial levels in Zone 11 were ca. 1 m higher than the floor of room 6.17 (Zone 10), which itself lies ca. 0.60 m above the Central Court.

2Before excavation started, the terrace formed by Zone 11 took the form of a gentle slope bordered to the s