Kourion Complex Palace

These three pavements [handwritten: xxx xxx] are all extremely well made of small tesselae, about [handwritten: 0x0] 75 millimeters suare. No less than fifteen colours are obtained through the use of various shades of marble, and limestone, fragments of brick, and light occasionally [handwritten: yellow] and green glass and yellow paste. [handwritten: They are laid panels containing]

Handwritten: pleasing

out in intricate but [handwritten: or] [handwritten: or in the southwest hall, panels of all-over]

Handwritten: a

medallions [handwritten: medallions] geometric patterns, divided into patterns. They are all the work of one school [handwritten: and] [handwritten: xxxxx] [handwritten: any], in spite of considerable variety in their plans, and probably date from the first quarter of the fourth century A.D.

The mosaic in the long southwest hall is laid out in five panels, completely surrounded by a running border of interlocking lines [handwritten: done] in various shades of blue, grey, and white, [handwritten: aquatic in feeling, with] a wave pattern along the inside. The first two panels are the same at either end, decorated with curvilinear all-over patterns. These frame a large central panel, three times the length of the others, masterful elaboration This contains a [handwritten: xxxxx] of the octagon and cross pattern which we have already met in the square southeast room. This panel is rectilinear in design, except for the beautiful rosettes in the octagonal panels. From the standpoint of sheer design it is probably the finest panel in the palace.

The floor of the north hall is disposed in four medallion panels, each surrounded by an elaborate quatrefoil border, which is in turn enclosed in a simple border of lozenges. Many brich tesselae are used in this mosaic, [handwritten: fixing it a xxxxxxxx] and make it the gayest of the entire palace. The two end panels are different; the second appears to be the same as the east end panel, and it is perhaps safe to assume that the third duplicated the west one.

The southeast long hall was probably the most important in the palace, and is certainly the most interesting to us. It consists of five or possibly six medallion panels set within an elaborate border, in which are incorporated three inscriptions in verse.