Knossos Photographs Knossos Knossos was undeniably the capital of Minoan Crete. It is grander, more complex, and more flamboyant than any of the other palaces known to us, and it is located about twenty minutes south of the modern port town of Iraklio. Knossos was inhabited for several thousand years, beginning with a neolithic settlement sometime in the seventh millennium BC, and was abandoned after its destruction in 1375 BC which marked the end of Minoan civilization. The first palace on the low hill beside the Krairatos river was built around 1900 BC on the ruins of previous settlements. It was destroyed for the first time along with the other Protopalatial palaces around Crete at 1700 BC, probably by a large earthquake or foreign invaders. It was immediately rebuilt to an even more elaborate complex and until its abandonment was damaged several times during earthquakes, invasions, and in 1450 BC by the colossal volcanic eruption of Thera, and the invasion of Mycenaeans who used it as their capital as they ruled the island of Crete until 1375 BC.

Arthur Evans, the British Archaeologist who excavated the site in 1900 AD restored large parts of the palace in a way that it is possible today to appreciate the grandeur and complexity of a structure that evolved over several millennia and grew to occupy about 20,000 square meters. Walking through its complex multi-storied buildings one can comprehend why the palace of Knossos was associated with the mythological labyrinth. According to Greek mythology, the palace was designed by famed architect Dedalos with such complexity that no one placed in it could ever find its exit. King Minos who commissioned the palace then kept the architect prisoner to ensure that he would not reveal the palace plan to anyone. Dedalos, who was a great inventor, built two sets of wings so he and his son Ikaros could fly off the island, and so they did. On their way out, Dedalos warned his son not to fly too close to the sun because the wax that held the wings together would melt.

In a tragic turn of events, during their escape Ikaros, young and impulsive as he was, flew higher and higher until the sun rays dismantled his wings and the young boy fell to his death in the Aegean sea. The Labyrinth was the dwelling of the Minotaur in Greek mythology, and many associate the palace of Knossos with the legend of Theseus killing the Minotaur . The Greek myth associated with the palace about Theseus and the Minotaur is fascinating, but walking around the ruins of Knossos today it is hard to imagine it to be a place of torment and death. Instead, the palace radiates with joyous exuberance through the elaborate architectural planes and volumes that were clustered around the central courtyard over time. The elegant wall frescoes which decorated the walls speak of a people who approached the subtleties of life and the splendor of nature with a joyous disposition. For the visitor today, the area around the ramp which leads to the main palace, immediately exposes the rich strata of ruins that span millennia. To the left of the entrance ramp three large kouloures in the shape of large round pits reveal in their deep bottom the remains of Prepalatial building ruins .

The palace of Knossos was the center of administration of the entire island during Minoan times, and its position as such allowed for unprecedented growth and prosperity as witnessed by the plethora of storage magazines, workshops, and wall paintings. The Throne room with its gypsum throne and benches to accommodate sixteen persons, the central courtyard, and the theater, along with the royal chambers paint a portrait of Knossos as a forum of elaborate rituals and extraordinary historical occurrences. The restorations performed by Evans have been criticized as inaccurate, and there is a feeling that many of the details were reconstituted (to use Evans' term) utilizing at best "educated guesses". For the visitor however, the restorations render the incomprehensible strata of ruins along with their past grandeur a bit more obvious, and bring the majesty of Minoan life at the palace a little closer. The ruins of a prepalatial building at the bottom of one the Koulouras. Picture of Knossos Palace. Looking NE towards the Hypostyle Hall (or Customs House). The Knossos Grand Staircase leading to the royal chambers. The Shield frescoes are visible behind the characteristic Minoan columns.

Knossos Crete | Greece.com On a journey 4000 years in the past Show Map All destinations in Crete > General Information on Knossos Knossos is the largest Bronze Age archaeological site of Crete , probably the ceremonial and political centre of the Minoan civilization and culture. It is larger, more complex, and more flamboyant than any of the other palaces known to us, and it is located about twenty minutes south of the port town of Heraklion . According to tradition, Knossos was the seat of legendary king Minos. The palace is also connected to thrilling legends, such as the myth of the Labyrinth and the Minotaur, and the story of Daidalus and Icarus. The ruins at Knossos were discovered in 1878 by Minos Kalokairinos, a Cretan merchant and antiquarian. He conducted the first excavations, and resurfaced part of the storage magazines in the west wing and a section of the west façade.

After Kalokairinos, several people attempted to continue the excavations, but it was not until March 16, 1900 that archaeologist Arthur Evans, an English gentleman of independent means, was able to purchase the entire site and conduct massive excavations. Top Things to Do in Knossos Numerous rooms, corridors, dogleg passages, nooks and crannies, and staircases prohibit a detailed walk-through description of the palace. However, the site, thanks to Evan’s reconstruction, is very easy to explore. The most significant parts of the complex are instantly recognisable. The Palace of Knossos : The great palace was built gradually between 1700 and 1400 BC, with periodic rebuilding after destruction. It is the largest of the preserved Minoan palatial centres. The palace has an interesting layout, but the original plan can no longer be seen because of subsequent modifications. Also, there are not several main hallways. Instead, 1300 rooms are connected to corridors of varying size and direction. Four wings are arranged around a central courtyard, with royal quarters, workshops, shrines, storerooms, repositories, throne room, and banquet halls.

The storerooms contained pithoi (large clay vases) with oil, grains, dried fish, beans, and olives. Many of the items were created at the palace itself, which had grain mills, oil presses, and wine presses. Under the pithoi were stone cylinders used to store more valuable objects, such as gold. The palace was created using advanced architectural techniques; for example, part of it was built five levels high. To the west of the main palace lies the Little Palace. It has all the features of palatial architecture with scraped wall masonry, reception rooms, a prestyle hall, a double megaron with polythyra and a lustral basin- shrine. To the northeast of the grand palace lies the Royal Villa. This construction is strongly religious in character and might have been the residence of an aristocrat or a high priest. Its architectural form is distinguished by the polythyra, the pillar crypt and the double staircase, with two flights of stairs. To the northwest side of the grand palace is located the House of the Frescoes. It is a small urban mansion with rich decoration on the walls. To the south of the palace, visitors may see Caravanserai.

This building was interpreted as a reception hall and hospice. Some of the rooms are equipped with baths and decorated with wall paintings. Another building, the “Unexplored Mansion”, is situated northwest of the palace. This building was probably private or had some industrial function. It is rectangular, with a central, four-pillared hall, corridors, storerooms and remains of a staircase. The so-called House of the High Priest lies 300m south of Caravanserai and contains a stone altar with two columns, framed by the bases of double axes. Connected to this building –via a paved street– was the Temple Tomb, located 600m south of the palace. It seems that one of the latter kings of Knossos (17th – 14th centuries BC) was buried here. Typical features of its architecture are the hypostyle, two-pillar crypt, the entrance with the courtyard, the portico and the small anteroom. The centrepiece of the Mycenaean habitation of Knossos is the so-called Throne Room. This chamber has an alabaster seat identified by Evans as a “throne” built into the north wall.

On three sides of the room are gypsum benches. An anteroom gave access to this one through two double doors. The anteroom in turn was connected to the central court, four broad steps up through four doors. Both rooms are located in the ceremonial complex west of the central court. The actual use of the room and the throne is unclear. According to one theory the building was the seat of a priest-king or his consort, the queen. This is the older theory by Evans. The second main theory is that a room was reserved for the epiphany of a goddess, who would have sat in the throne, either in effigy, impersonated by a priestess, or in imagination only. Villa of Dionysos is another private, peristyle house that belongs to the Roman period. It is decorated with splendid mosaics by Apollinarius, depicting Dionysus. The house contains special rooms employed for the Dionysiac cult. How to Reach Knossos Regular buses operate from Heraklion . The No2 bus departs every 10min for Knossos from Bus Station A. Weather in Knossos The climate of Crete is the mildest of Greece and maybe of Europe.

It is a temperate Mediterranean climate with hot and dry summers moderated by northern winds, and mild rainy winters in the plains. In the mountains of Crete , winters are quite harsh and it snows during the period from January to the end of February. Autumn is the mildest season in Crete, because temperatures are often higher than in spring and lower than in summer time. Because the island is very mountainous, the changes of weather can be sudden and the mountains, as a barrier, create different weather conditions in northern and southern Crete. Map of Knossos Knossos - Ancient History Encyclopedia Knossos by Joshua J.

Mark published on 15 October 2010 Knossos (pronounced Kuh-nuh-SOS) is the ancient Minoan palace and surrounding city on the island of Crete , sung of by Homer in his Odyssey: “Among their cities is the great city of Cnosus, where Minos reigned when nine years old, he that held converse with great Zeus .” King Minos, famous for his wisdom and, later, one of the three judges of the dead in the underworld, would give his name to the people of Knossos and, by extension, the ancient civilization of Crete: Minoan. The settlement was established well before 2000 BCE and was destroyed, most likely by fire (though some claim a tsunami) c. 1700 BCE. Knossos has been identified with Plato ’s mythical Atlantis from his dialogues of the Timaeus and Critias and is also known in myth most famously through the story of Theseus and the Minotaur .

It should be noted that King Minos’ character in the story, as the king who demands human sacrifice from Athens , is at odds with other accounts of him as a king of wisdom and justice who, further, built the first navy and rid the Aegean sea of pirates. The Myths According to the myths surrounding the early city, King Minos hired the Athenian architect, mathematician, and inventor Daedelus to design his palace and so cleverly was it constructed that no one who entered could find their way back out without a guide. In other versions of this same story it was not the palace itself which was designed in this way but the labyrinth within the palace which was built to house the half-man/half-bull the Minotaur. In order to keep Daedelus from telling the secrets of the palace, Minos locked him and his son Icarus in a high tower at Knossos and kept them prisoner. Daedelus fashioned wings made of wax and bird's feathers for himself and his son, however, and escaped their prison but Icarus, flying too close to the sun, melted his wings and fell to his death.

The Minotaur, the monster-child of Minos' wife, thrived on human sacrifice and Minos demanded the tribute of the noblest youth of Athens to keep the beast fed. Theseus of Athens, with the help of Minos' daughter Ariadne, killed the Minotaur, freed the young people, and returned triumphant to his home city. Both stories cast King Minos in a very unflattering light while emphasing Athenian heroes which is unsurprising as they are considered Athenian in origin. Remove Ads Advertisement Under Minos’ rule, Knossos flourished through maritime trade as well as overland commerce with the other great cities of Crete. The First & Second Palaces Under Minos’ rule, Knossos flourished through maritime trade as well as overland commerce with the other great cities of Crete, Kato Sakro (Phaestos) and Mallia. Knossos was destroyed and re-built at least twice. The first palace identified in modern times was built c. 1900 BCE on the ruins of a much older settlement. Based upon excavations done at the site, the first palace seems to have been massive in size with very thick walls.

Ancient pottery found throughout Crete, at various sites, indicate that the island was not unified under a central culture at this time and so the walls of the palace were most likely constructed to their size and thickness for defensive purposes. As the writing of this period, so-called `Cretan Heiroglyphs', has not been deciphered, nothing is known about this time save what can be discerned through archaeological evidence. This first palace was destroyed c. 1700 BCE and re-built on a grander, though less massive, scale. Great attention was paid to intricacy of architecture and design with less effort spent on defensive walls. As the pottery of this period shows a unity of culture throughout Crete, it has been determined that the culture of Knossos prevailed at this time and the island was a unified nation under a central government. This palace had four entrances, one from each direction, all leading to the central court. As the corridors within were dark and circuitous, it is thought that this gave rise to the story of the labyrinth of Minos. The throne room was particularly impressive.

According to The British School at Athens, “Two double doors led into the Throne Room with gypsum benches on three sides and the magnificent throne in the centre of the north wall flanked by the reconstructed Griffin fresco." The scholars of the British School have also speculated that the throne room was not intended for the ruler but, rather, as the seat for the goddess who would receive supplicants and sacrifices there. This theory is based upon wall paintings and other evidence found at the site which suggest the king's throne was most likely in the central court and the throne room was more ceremonial and religious in nature. The Snake Goddess of the Minoans was the supreme deity who may have been an early version of the Greek goddess Eurynome who danced with the serpent Ophion across the chaos of the primordial sea in the act of creation. Images and figures of the Snake Goddess (now at the Iraklion Museum) have been found at Knossos and elsewhere in Crete dating from this period. Further evidence of the goddess is the repetition of the motif of the double axe, most notably in the Hall of the Double Axes in the palace.

There is no doubt that the double axe symbolized an important goddess of the Minoans but it is not clear whether it was the Snake Goddess or another. The End of Knossos & Later Discovery The city of Knossos, and almost every other community centre on Crete, was destroyed by a combination of earthquake and the invading Mycenaeans c. 1450 BCE with only the palace spared. The eruption of the volcano on the nearby island of Thera (Santorini) in c.1600 or 1500 BCE has long been held a major factor in the destruction of the city and second palace. Recent scholarship, however, argues against this theory citing Mycenaean activity at the palace after 1450 BCE. The Mycenaen writing system, known as `Linear B', continues in Crete after the eruption of the Thera volcano and there is further evidence that the Mycenaens re-built the damaged palace. In fact, it appears that Knossos became an important base of operations and capital of the Mycenaeans until it was destroyed by fire and finally abandoned c. 1375 BCE.

The date which traditionally marks the final end of the Minoan civilization is 1200 BCE after which there is no evidence for the culture. Some scholars cite the final date as 1450 BCE with the Mycenaean invasion and others claim c.1375 or c.1300 BCE on account of the fire which destroyed both palace and city. However long the Minoans may have continued on the island, following the fire the ruins of the great metropolis were abandoned and left to decay. Knossos – Iraklio, Greece | Atlas Obscura See more things to do in Greece » According to Greek mythology, King Minos built his palace at Knossos and more famously, his Labyrinth, a maze so complex that no-one could ever find their way out. In the center of the diabolical Labyrinth of Knossos lurked the Minotaur: half-man, half bull, all nightmare. Unfortunately, much of this legend is unverifiable as the Palace of Knossos was destroyed by fire around 1450 BC, and the surrounding town was left deserted and was eventually lost to time.

However, after centuries of existing only in myth, thanks to the work of a British archaeologist Knossos was put back on the map. In 1900 Arthur Evans bought several acres of land near Crete, hoping to find evidence of the historical reign of Minos. He began to dig and over the course of 25 years of work he uncovered layer after layer of finds including the ruins of a spectacular palace. Having decided that this was the palace of Minos, he set about restoring it. It is this restoration which visitors (over a million a year) flock to today. As Mary Beard explored in the New York Review of Books, the restored site is more than a little curious. Very little of the sights are original, such as the famous frescoes of Knossos which are (barring a few corners here and there) entirely modern.

Much of the exhibit is even outrageously wrong, with Evans himself admitting that he had relied on “educated guesses.” The author Evelyn Waugh, visiting in 1930, remarked of the site, “It is impossible to disregard the suspicion that their painters [of the restored frescoes of Knossos] have tempered their zeal for accurate reconstruction with a somewhat inappropriate predilection for covers of Vogue.” Cathy Gere, the author of a recent study of Knossos, noted that this “ancient” palace in fact “enjoys the dubious distinction of being one of the first reinforced concrete buildings ever erected on the island.’ Knossos is a fine place to wander, though less to glimpse the world of ancient myth and more to see how successive generations reinterpret their own past. Photos of the Greek island of Crete: The Fortress of Iraklio, the Palace of Knossos, and the Rethymno Fortress Use the arrow keys to center enlargements Fortress of Iraklio, Crete #8750 The fortress of Iraklio is an interesting castle like structure located at the Iraklio harbor.

Fortress of Iraklio, Crete #8754 The Iraklio fortress was built in the early 1600's. Fortress of Iraklio, Crete #8760 The defenses of the fortress protected the island from Turkish invaders for decades. Fortress of Iraklio, Crete #8762 Iraklio Fountain #8765 The Mousini Fountain was built in the early 1600's and still operates today. Palace of Knossos #8769 This is the most complete standing structure of the Palace of Knossos. Palace of Knossos #8770 How much of this structure is original construction? Probably very little. Much is obviously modern. The gaudy colors are definitely not original. Maybe we could build a 5-story Anasazi structure in Ivins, Utah and then sell tickets for people to view phoney historical construction. Palace of Knossos #8771 These large vases were behind ropes, probably to give the impression they are original. Palace of Knossos #8772 At last, finally a largely original structure.

Palace of Knossos #8776 Palace of Knossos #8777 Here we see a marvelous example of plastic roofing supported by steel beams planted in the ground alongside 2000 year old ruins. Palace of Knossos #8779 Here is yet another example of perfectly constructed plastic roofing, perhaps to protect Greek workers from the sun while they build artificial construction over original ruins. Palace of Knossos #8781 The murals at Knossos, of which there are several, at least seem to be original. Palace of Knossos #8784 Here is another example of plastic roofing where thousands of people a day are directed like cattle to see. Palace of Knossos #8785 One wonders if this mural wasn't an ancient version of abstract art, surviving as a beautiful work of art even by today's standards. Palace of Knossos #8787 Greek women were beautiful even two thousand years ago. Rethymno Fortress #8791 The Rethymno Fortress is well worth a visit.

Rethymno Fortress #8792 The external walls of the fortress still stand, but most of the interior structures no longer exist. Rethymno Fortress #8794 These are two of the best preserved structures within the fortress - a Christian church and a Muslim Mosque. Rethymno Fortress #8799 Here is another view of the Mosque and other structures still standing within the Retymno Fortress of Crete. Rethymno Fortress #8806 This is a photo of the exterior walls of the Rethymno Fortress of Crete. Rethymno Fortress #8807 This is another view of the exterior of the Rethymno Fortress of Crete. Rethymno Fortress #8809 Rethymno has some very attractive restaurants. Rethymno Sponges #8813 Many shops in Crete sell natural sponges, not the artificial variety now common in the US. Rethymno Street #8810 The old section of Rethymno is a very attractive area to browse with many nice shops and restaurants.

KNOSSOS PALACE CRETE MINOAN CIVILIZATIAN HISTORY Knossos - Knossos Palace - Crete Island Knossos (alternative spellings Knossus, Cnossus, pronounced, also known as the Knossos Palace is the largest Bronze Age archaeological site on Crete and probably the ceremonial and political center of the Minoan civilization and culture. It is also a tourist destination today, as it is near the main city of Heraklion and has been substantially, if imaginatively - restored, making thesite more comprehensible to the visitor than a field of unmarked ruins. Thecity of Knossos remained important through the Classical and Roman periods, but its population shifted to the new town of Handaq (modern Heraklion ) during the 9th century AD. By the 13th century, it was called Makryteikhos 'Long Wall'; the bishops of Gortyn continued to call them selves Bishops of Knossos until the 19th century. Today, the name is used only for the archaeological site situated in the suburbs of Heraklion.

The ruins at Knossos were discovered in 1878 by Minos Kalokairinos, a Cretan merchant and antiquarian. He conducted the first excavations at Kephala Hill, which brought to light part of the storage magazines in the westwing and a section of the west facade. After Kalokairinos, several people attempted to continue the excavations, but it was not until March 16, 1900 that archeologist Arthur Evans, an English gentleman of independent means, was able to purchase the entire site and conduct massive excavations. The excavation and restoration of Knossos, and the discovery of the culture he labelled Minoan, is inseparable from the individual Evans. Nowadays archeology is a field of academic team work and scientific rigour, but a century ago a project could be driven byone wealthy and self-taught person. Assisted by Dr. Duncan Mackenzie, who had already distinguished himself by his excavations on the island of Melos, and Mr.

Fyfe, the British School at Athens architect, Evans employed a large staff of local labourers asexcavators and within a few months had uncovered a substantial portionof what he named the Palace of Minos. The term 'palace'may be misleading: in modern English, it usually refers to an elegant building used to house a head of state or similar. Knossos was acomplex collection of over 1000 interlocking rooms, some of which served as artisans' workrooms and food processing centres (e.g. wine presses). It served as a central storage point, and a religious and administrative centre. The site has had a very long history of human habitation, beginning with the founding of the first Neolithic settlement circa 7000 BC. Over time and during several different phases that had their own social dynamic, Knossos grew until, by the 19th to 16th centuries BC (during the 'Old Palace' and the succeeding 'Neo-palatial' periods), the settlement possessed not only a monumental administrative and religious center (the Palace), but also a population of 5000 - 8000 people.

Prince of Lilies - Knossos - Crete Knossos Legend The palace is about 130 meters on a side and since the Roman period has been suggested as the source of the myth of the Labyrinth, an elaborate mazelike structure constructed for King Minos of Crete ( Kreta ) and designed by the legendary artificer Daedalus to hold the Minotaur, a creature that was half man and half bull and was eventually killed by the Athenian hero Theseus. Labyrinth comes from the word labrys,referring to a double, or two-bladed, axe. Its representation had areligious and probably magical significance. It was used throughout the Mycenaean world as an apotropaic symbol; that is, the presence of the symbol onan object would prevent it from being - killed. Axe motifs were scratched on many of the stones of the palace. It appears in pottery decoration and is a theme of the Shrine of the Double Axes at the palace, as well as of many shrines throughout Crete and the Aegean . The etymology of the name is not known; it is probably not Greek.

The form labyr-inthos uses a suffix generally considered to be pre-Greek. Minos stands in judgement in Dante's Inferno Canto by Gustave Dore The location of the labyrinth of legend has long been a question for Minoan studies. It might have been the name of the palace or of some portion of the palace. Throughout most of the 20th century the intimations of human sacrifice in the myth puzzled Bronze Age scholars, because evidence for human sacrifice on Crete had never been discovered and so it was vigorously denied. The practice was finally verified archaeologically (see under Minoan civilization ).It is possible that the palace was a great sacrificial center and could have been named the Labyrinth. Its layout certainly is labyrinthine, in the sense of intricate and confusing. Many other possibilities have been suggested. The modern meaning of labyrinth as a twisting maze is based on the myth. Several out-of-epoch advances in the construction of the palace is thought to have originated the myth of Atlantis.

Knossos, Crete Knossos, Crete A Visit to Knossos For many people who come to Crete, and more specifically Heraklion, the question on their minds is "Why are we here?" Of all the beautiful islands and ports in the Mediterranean why is Heraklion on the itinerary of most of the cruises and even people who come to Greece on their own to visit the islands? It is just a city and not a particularly attractive one at that. Whose idea was this anyway? The answer is Knossos. For the last fifty years tourists have been coming to Crete and visiting this ancient site, though few know all that much about it. Most have heard of it and know it is there and that they are supposed to see it and a few have heard about frescoes and the world's first flush toilet. Generally though, most people's knowledge of Knossos begins and ends with their visit to this important archaeological site and perhaps a few forgotten words about it from a childhood history teacher or a brief glimpse of a Discovery Channel documentary while channel-surfing at halftime or between innings.

The Minoans came from Anatolia in what is now Turkey and arrived in Crete some 10'000 years ago. Neither Greek nor Indo-European, their language which has been left in written form on stone, is called Linear A and has never been deciphered. During their stay on Crete they built a number of multi-storied palaces starting at around 1900 BC, which have been excavated and restored and can be visited in Malia, Zakros, Phaistos and most importantly Knossos which was apparently their capital and the largest of these palaces. Between 1420 and 1375 BC the Minoans were either conquered by the Mycenaens or their palaces were occupied by them. The Mycenaens who came from mainland Greece, as you probably remember, are the same guys who fought the Trojans in Homer's Iliad under King Agememnon. But 250 years later the palaces were abandoned and the Greek dark ages began. What happened is a mystery that has been debated by archaeologists and scientists to this day.

It has been suggested that when Santorini exploded it sent a tremendous wall of water that engulfed the Cretan coast and while there is evidence that this did happen nobody can say for certain that this was the event that wiped out Minoan civilization. Well maybe they can say it but to know it you pretty much had to be there. For all we know they might have been wiped out by plague or moved away because of draught and the enormous tidal wave washed over deserted cities and empty palaces. Some suggest that the Minoans were the ancient people of Atlantis who vanished beneath the waves without a trace. Knossos was discovered and excavated by Sir Arthur Evans when he bought the piece of land where he believed the palace of King Minos, whose wife Pasaphae gave birth to the Minataur, half man, half bull, supposedly stood, just as Heinrich Schleiman had done earlier when he discovered the ruins of ancient Troy in Turkey. Understand that the ancient people of Crete did not call themselves Minoans. That was the name Evans came up with, named for the ancient king. We don't know what the ancient Cretans called themselves.

Though there are walls dating from the Neolithic period 9000 years ago most of what remains is from between 1700 and 1450 BC, built on top of preceding civilizations. Whatever date you decide to choose for the founding of Knossos, it is regarded as Europe's oldest city. Though much of the walls are ancient some of them are reconstructions and the frescos themselves which are controversial, are replicas. The various rooms are given names like "The Queen's Quarters" and "The Throne Room" but whether this is what they were is a matter of opinion and not based on ancient blueprints. Much in the way that Schliemann's find at Mycenae was declared to be the mask of Agamemnon some of what Evans discovered in Knossos was named because that is what he wanted it to be. Like coming up with a theory and looking for evidence to prove it while ignoring facts that may disprove it. In fact some scholars don't believe it was a palace. And the reconstruction of the ancient palace by Evans? Some scholars have objected that Evans and his restorers rather than discover an ancient civilization had created a modern artifact based on contemporary art and architecture.

It has been called the first piece of archaeological evidence that art-deco architecture existed in ancient times, and Evans' idea of what buildings should have looked like was somehow influenced by what they looked like in his day, sort of like imagining Mozart writing a concerto for drums, bass and electric guitar. But rather then let my cynicism interfere with your enjoyment of Knossos, keep in mind that despite Evan's embellishments, this is one of the most important archaeological sites in the world and were it not for Sir Arthur Evan's imagination and discovery we would probably know very little about the so-called Minoans. In fact there would be a whole lot about the ancient world that we would not know since it was through the discovery of the tablets in Knossos that the writing known as Linear B was eventually deciphered by Michael Ventris in 1952. This page is not going to lead you step by step through the site, which is like the ancient labyrinth that was the lair of the Minataur, where young men were thrown in to be sacrificed until the day Theseus killed the monster.

The archaeological site of Knossos is big and complicated and without some idea of what you are looking at you may find yourself not being as impressed as you would have been had you known more. This is easily remedied by using one of the licensed guides at the gate if you can afford one, or following around a group with a guide that is speaking your language or a language you understand. There are also guidebooks available at the gate and in the nearby tourist shops. If you are seriously interested in Knossos and Minoan archaeology in ancient Crete there is no better book than J. Alexander MacGillivray's book Minotaur: Sir Arthur Evans and the Archaeology of the Minoan Myth.

(Available through Greece in Print ) If you are traveling with someone who does not give a damn about Knossos, the Minoans, Minataurs, labyrinths, or ancient flush toilets, whose lack of interest and sensitivity might cause you to be irritated and lessen your enjoyment of Knossos you will be pleased to know that there are tavernas and cafes on the road outside the site where you can leave them with enough money for a beer, an ouzo, or a soft drink if they are children, and a snack and hopefully they will be perfectly happy while you explore Knossos at your leisure. You can get to Knossos by taxi, bicycle or public bus from the terminal in the old harbor. Make sure you visit the Archaeological Museum of Heraklion. Most of the stuff they found in Knossos is there including the famous Dolphin Fresco. The one in Knossos is a reproduction. Oh yes and about the world's earliest flush toilet; it is in the so-called Queen's Bathroom and is pretty much just a hole in the ground that they poured a bucket of water in to take the waste away. I sense your disappointment but if you think about it isn't that what a modern toilet does too?

Thanks to Fantasy Travel for these photos. Incidentally they are a terrific travel agency and specialize in Crete and the Greek Islands as well as the mainland and Turkey. They also specialize in Greek Island Cruises, all of which stop in Crete. Help Support Matt's Greecetravel.com Do you enjoy using my site? Have you found it entertaining as well as useful? If so please show your appreciation by booking hotels through the travel agencies and the links found on my Crete Hotels page . The small comission I make on the bookings enable me to keep working and in most cases you won't find them any cheaper by searching elsewhere. You can find hotels, apartments, rooms and even houses through Booking.com's Crete Pages which also contributes to my website when you book. The Minotaur And Knossos: An Ancient Artistic Legacy The Minotaur And Knossos: An Ancient Artistic Legacy Culture Trip The Greek legend of the Minotaur and the city of Knossos have long been the subjects of artistic fascination. Merging history, mythology, and art, we take a closer look at the legacy of the Minotaur in art. How has the legend of the Minotaur survived from the ancient Minoans to modern times?

© Linesinthesand / Flickr The origins of the Minotaur, half bull and half man, lie in the ruins of Knossos; the main city of the bronze Minoan civilization in the Greek island of Crete . A mixture of fact and mythology, this ancient civilization revered the monstrous bull-like creature, and there are many remnants of its presence in Minoan culture. A bust of the Minotaur can be seen in the National Archaeological Museum in Athens. The monster was believed by the Minoans to have lived below the palace of King Minos in a dark labyrinth. This labyrinth was designed by Daedalus, so skilfully that no one could ever escape. The Minotaur lurked among its dark passages waiting to attack his victims. No one ever left the labyrinth alive. A photo posted by Emin Alp Bıyık (@eminalp) on Sep 19, 2016 at 1:42am PDT One idea is that the labyrinth could have been based on the plan of the building. Perhaps there was a labyrinth underneath the palace, but no evidence has yet been found. The plan of the palace itself looks like a labyrinth, and some archaeologists have suggested a connection.

The origin of the Minotaur may also be based on geographical location, as Knossos lies in the center of an earthquake zone. The earthquakes’ roaring sound was rumored to be made by a great roaring bull below the palace, creating loud quakes. Of the many stories of the Minotaur, there is the famous legend that once a year the people of Athens had to send seven boys and seven girls to be fed to the Minotaur. One year Theseus, son of Aigeus the King of Athens, offered to take his place among the young men. He devised a plot to kill the Minotaur. When Theseus arrived at Knossos, Ariadne, the daughter of King Minos, fell in love with him. She gave Theseus two gifts, a sword to kill the Minotaur and a ball of thread. Ariadne told Theseus to fasten one end to the entrance of the labyrinth, hold the ball and after he had killed the Minotaur he could find his way swiftly back to daylight by following the thread. Images of the bull and Minotaur were very popular in Minoan times and the modern day depiction of the Minotaur is borrowed from Minoan artistic creations.

The Minoans were a peaceful, trade faring civilization, as well as being rich and advanced. The Minotaur is not fully human, animal or God. The ambiguity of the figure places him outside the bounds of morals and reason. Images and stories of the Minotaur still influence European writers and artists. Images of the bull and Minotaur were very popular in Minoan times © Scott Rettberg / Flickr An example of this monstrous creature in modern Greek art can be seen in the 1961 work Theseus with Founstanella and the Minotaur by the artist Nikos Engonopoulos . One artist who deeply explored the subject of the Minotaur in his work is Pablo Picasso . Some of his work show the Minotaur as violent; a rapist and a murderer. In other works, he is depicted as a lover rather than a monster, appearing to be in a consensual relationship with women. In some paintings he draws directly on the homage to the myths of Theseus and the Minotaur and also the Minoan tradition of bull-leaping. Sometimes Picasso uses the Minotaur to represent himself or his sexual urges, bringing out the beast in man.

The Minotaur represents man’s animalistic nature. Picasso brings to life the Minoan Minotaur as a man-like beast with a timeless fascination. A photo posted by Настя-путешественница (@nastyapoltorak) on Sep 16, 2016 at 10:52am PDT

Question: On which Greek island are the ruins of Knossos?
Answer: Crete