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The Palace of Knossos

The palace of Knossos is cloaked in mythological tales – stories eulogizing the noble feats of derring-do of imaginary heroes such as Theseus, that great warrior who came here to unlock the secrets of its Labyrinth and to slay the tyrannical Minotaur – the fictional half-man, half-bull monster. It was from Knossos that the legendary king Minos was said to have held sway over the mighty empire of Crete. Yet, our knowledge of the real-life deeds of those leaders who ruled over the Minoan world from their beautifully appointed Cretan palaces is sadly almost non-existent.

The first signs of a palace culture appeared on Crete in around 1950 BC, with Knossos being by far the largest of the four main urban centres on the island. The extent of its grandeur and ostentation are clearly evident from the surviving ruins and from the extensive reconstructions of its principal excavator, Sir Arthur Evans. Its spacious apartments, sumptuously appointed and decorated with beautiful and lively frescoes, were primarily the living quarters for the local rulers. However, this elite complex also served as a highly organized political and economic centre, which would have been at the heart of an advanced network of trade that stretched across the whole of Crete. Equipped with extensive and diverse workshops, the palace would have been at the cutting-edge of technological developments and the production of luxury wares. The output of these home-grown industries quickly found a ready audience far beyond the shores of the island. And soon enough, the tendrils of the Minoan trade routes could be seen reaching out to far flung civilisations, such as territories in the Levant, as well as the rising might of the Egyptian empire. Knossos would also have figured prominently in the religious affairs of the state. With its discrete sacred shrines and sanctuaries, it became the main focus for the performance of the regular arcane ritual ceremonies.