the Palace of Knossos lie some 5km south of Herakleion. Excavated by the British archaeologist, Sir Arthur Evans, it is an amazing site which shows the degree of technical ability which was achieved on the island by 1900 B.C.The civilisation, which Evans called Minoan, after the legendary King Minos of Crete, dominated trade in the eastern mediterranean and colonised other islands. Many of the frescos and artefacts are to be found in the Archaeological Museum of Herakleion. |
| Knossos |
| The Legends Many legendary tales are associated with Knossos. The complex building, with its maze like corridors, is believed to be the origin of the Labyrinth. The Minoan symbol of power was the double headed axe and this was called the Labrys, which may have given rise to the name. The bull was another potent symbol in this society and the half-man/half-bull Minotaur lived in the labyrinth and was reputedly fed 7 youths and 7 maidens from Athens once every year. This may be a reference to the taxes paid by Athens to the, then, more powerful, Minoan society. Daedelus and his son Icarus were imprisoned (if you want to know why they were in prison, ask Steve) in the Labyrinth, from which they escaped by making wings from feathers and wax. Icarus flew too close to the sun and the wax on his wings melted, resulting in his death. The origin of this story is uncertain but may be a fable warning that man should not try to communicate with the sun god without the intermediary of the priests. It could also be a lesson that older men are wiser than foolish youths. It has now been established that the Minoans had a working solar and lunar calendar and could predict eclipses as far back as 1700 B.C The fate of this advanced civilisation is unclear. Some theories suggest that the devastating Tsunami caused by the volcanic eruption, in 1450 B.C, on the nearby island of Santorini and the resulting ash in the atmosphere caused a "nuclear winter" effect. The society was unable to grow crops or keep animals and became weaker. They were then invaded by Mycaenean forces from the mainland, who burned their palaces, and the refugees may have fled to the middle-east where they are identified by some as the biblical Philistines (of Goliath fame). Whatever the truth is, (and we are still no closer to deciphering their written language ), the Minoans were one of the most advanced ancient civilisations, trading with the ancient Egyptians and possibly developing the techniques used for mummification. |
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