ARCHAEOMAGNETIC DIRECTIONAL DETERMINATIONS ON VARIOUS ARCHAEOLOGICAL MATERIALS FROM THE LATE MINOAN DESTRUCTION SITE AT MALIA, CRETE

Abstract

An archaeomagnetic directional study of Late Minoan archaeological materials, (burnt mud brick, a clay/ash horizon and hearth material), was carried out at locations within the archaeological complex at Malia, Crete. The study aimed to establish the suitability of materials for archaeomag‐netic sampling and to obtain archaeomagnetic directions for comparison with other Late Minoan “fired” sites on Crete. Results from 42 oriented samples measured on a fluxgate spinner magne‐tometer from homogeneously distributed burnt mud brick (constituting low elevation, in situ, parti‐tion walls), gave precise values of ancient field directions for, Malia Palace (area 13) and Maison Δα. These directions are statistically identical (at a 95% confidence level) and also identical to directions obtained from other Late Minoan archaeological sites, on Crete. This, may suggest, simultaneous ‘fire‐involved’ destruction. Other archaeomagnetic directions obtained from Malia (Quartier  ε), from a ‘clay/ash’ horizon (34 samples) and hearth (19 samples), produced some spurious results, with detrimental consequences for directional accuracy. For the burnt mud brick, small viscous components were easily removed and evidence from coercivity spectra obtained, after step‐wise  alternating field demagnetizations, suggests that, the magnetic carriers are single domain, (low tita‐nium), titanomagnetite.