Megaron

The megaron (; grc, μέγαρον, ), plural ''megara'' , was the great hall in very early Mycenean and ancient Greek palace complexes. Architecturally, it was a rectangular hall that was surrounded by four columns, fronted by an open, two-columned portico, and had a central, open hearth that vented though an oculus in the roof.

The megaron also contained the throne-room of the '' wanax'', or Mycenaean ruler, whose throne was located in the main room with the central hearth. Similar architecture is found in the Ancient Near East though the presence of the open portico, generally supported by columns, is particular to the Aegean. Megara are sometimes referred to as "long-rooms", as defined by their rectangular (non-square) shape and the position of their entrances, which are always along the shorter wall so that the depth of the space is larger than the width.. There were often many rooms around the central megaron, such as archive rooms, offices, oil-press rooms, workshops, potteries, shrines, corridors, armories, and storerooms for such goods as wine, oil and wheat. Evidence suggests that the megara of ancient Greece were often created using the construction techniques of “Wattle-and-Daub” and “ Pisé”.

The megaron is thought to have been used for sacrificial processions,. as well as for royal functions and court meetings. However, parts of the megaron functioned as habitable spaces, and were utilized as living quarters prior to the eighth century BC.

Historical Use and Purpose

Numerous sources indicate that the megaron was used in two central ways: first and foremost, it was used for religious ceremonies, while also being used to support residents as a dwelling space. Additionally, according to Valentin Müller, there is evidence for 32 different types of megaron throughout Greece and parts of Europe and Russia. Their use varied significantly depending on the time periods and locations in which they were built. Remnants of structures related to the traditional Greek Megaron style buildings can be found in Thessaly and Russia dating back to the Neolithic Era. Müller asserts that these are some of the first known megaron, classifying them with the designation "Type 1" megarons. These initial structures were somewhat similar in design to those found in ancient Greece, but different in their material and roofing style and complexity. Müller has classified and archived a number of megaron "typing's" which existed through the first, second and third periods of history, and shows how a number of ethnic groups participated in creating the original and archetypal model which later evolved into the classical Greek megaron structure.

Eventual Reworking & the Oikos

The Greek Megaron style building was initially structurally designed to allow for religious ceremonies to be held in the central room of the building, while the other rooms supported residence dwelling. However, during the eighth century BC, the base layout of the Megaron evolved into what is understood to be the traditional structural design: where the central configuration of the building became more strictly associated with worship. The inhabited sections of the structure grew as a subsidiary structure from the traditional megaron design, and became what was later known as an " oikos" in ancient Greece.

Structure

Rectilinear halls were a characteristic theme of ancient Greek architecture.. The Mycenaean megaron originated and evolved from the ''megaroid'', or large hall-centered rectangular building, of mainland Greece dating back to the Late Neolithic and Early Bronze Age. Furthermore, it served as the architectural precursor to the Greek temples of the Archaic and Classical periods.. With respect to its structural layout, the megaron includes a columned entrance, a pronaos and a central naos (cella) with early versions of it having one of many roof types (i.e., pitched, flat, barrel). The roof, specifically, was supported by wooden beams and since the aforesaid roof types are always destroyed in the remnants of the early megaron, the definite roof type is unknown. The floor was made of patterned concrete and covered in carpet. The walls, constructed out of mud brick, were decorated with fresco paintings. There were wood-ornamented metal doors, often two-leaved, and footbaths were also used in the megaron as attested in Homer's ''Odyssey'' where Odysseus's feet were washed by Eurycleia. The proportions involving a larger length than width are similar structurally to early Doric temples.

Construction Techniques

Wattle-and-Daub and Pisé

The construction of the megaron style structure differs depending on the location and the specific example. Recent excavations of the small town of Karataş Turkey has led to the discovery of structural evidence that survived the ages, allowing archeologists and scholars to piece together theories as to how they were created. Some of the most prominent theories to come from this unearthing are the “Wattle-and-Daub” and “ Pisé” construction techniques. In the ancient remains of the Karataş houses, archeologists analyzed the surviving foundations and walls of the megaron framework and observed that within each brick foundation were tightly packed tree saplings. The mudbrick surrounding these saplings provided for a dense and well taught structural foundation in which the megaron could be assembled. In other instances, the inner wood-work of the foundation was held in place with soil and rock, rather than mudbrick. Archeologist are unsure whether to call this a pure “Wattle-and-Daub” technique, or rather Pisé, as there is no indication that the inner saplings were woven together in order to help keep the wall's shape, or if the walls were rather held together by the surrounding mud, as done in typical Pisé fashion.

Widely Accepted Roofing Theories

There is much to debate over what the style of roof would have looked like on the ancient Greek megaron. Some scholars believe that the roof would have been either flat or sloped based on the recovered ground-plans of megara found in ancient Greece, while other argue that there is possibility that these roofs were either pitched or gabled. As of now archeologists are unable to provide a conclusive answer to this contentious debate.

Counterclaim to Said Theories

There are a number of different theories about the architectural design of megaron roofing; consequently there is much contention as to what type of roofing was actually used in ancient Greece. Some scholars suggest that the traditional megaron roof was flat, while others, prominently Baldwin Smith and Dinsmoor respectively, believe there is more evidence towards a pitched or gabled design. A lot of these theories have gained popularity and are widely accepted in the effort to reconstruct the ancient megaron; however, some scholars such as Carl W. Blegen have argued that both the arguments presented by the lead supporters for the pitched and gabled roofs (Smith and Dinsmoor) provide insufficient evidence for determining what the actual roofing might have looked like and asserts that more pertinent studies need to be done before any conclusive judgements can be made. As it stands, conceptualization of the megaron style roofing rendered an overall inconclusive understanding among the archeological community and has led to nothing but speculation.

Examples

Megaron of Tiryns

A famous megaron is in the large reception hall of the king in the Bronze Age palace of Tiryns, the main room of which had a raised throne placed against the right wall and a central hearth bordered by four Minoan-style wooden columns that served as supports for the roof. The Cretan elements in the Tiryns megaron were adopted by the Mycenaeans from the palace type found in Minoan architecture. Frescoes from Pylos show figures eating and drinking, which were important activities in Greek culture. Artistic portrayals of bulls, a common zoomorphic motif in Mycenaean vase painting, appear on Greek megaron frescoes such as the one in the Pylos mega