Minoan directional archaeomagnetic data from LMIB sites at Mochlos and Kalinomouri, Crete

AF demagnetisation, supported by thermal studies, has shown similar directions of remanence at 2 LMIB kilns on Mochlos beach, similar to that of a kiln at a LMIB structure at Kalinomouri 3 km further East. These 3 kiln site directions are similar to those of vectors established from burnt walls in two different LMIB buildings that were inhabited during and probably after the fall of 'Minoan' ash on Mochlos Island. The within-site scatters (4-9^o) inhibit precise evaluation of the direction of the Earth's magnetic field for this time, but the directions are consistent with previous evidence that the inclination of field was around 60^o at the time of the LMIB fire destructions in eastern Crete. This is 5^o steeper than that established for LMIB sites destroyed by fire in central Crete. This further substantiates the suggestion that LMIB sites in Eastern Crete were destroyed at a distinctly later time, possibly some 20-25 years, than the LMIB sites in Eastern Crete.