The ruins of Knossos gives us the best image of Minoan life. Palace of Knossos was excavated by Sir Arthur Evans in the late 19th century. Buildings were decorated with beautiful and colorful frescos. Knossos was not fortified. Knossos had an intricate sewer and plumbing system made out of terra cotta.
Evidence indicates a large and complex maze existed under the palace.
The Minoans appear to have been a serene and happy people. They seemed to have worshiped a religion centered around the Bull. Legends exist about the Minotaur and its eventual death at the hands of Theseus, a legendary Greek hero. A volcanic explosion on the small island of Thera appears to have destroyed the Minoan civilization. Mycenaean culture appears to have been heavily influenced by the Minoans.