The island of Crete, located in the very center of the Eastern Mediterranean, due to its geographical location, connected Europe, Asia and Africa. It was here that ancient sea routes crossed. And therefore it was the main center before Greek culture.
This was proven by the English archaeologist Arthur Evans, who, from 1898 for almost 30 years, conducted archaeological excavations on the northern coast of the island, near modern Heraklion. Here he found the remains of a palace - the residence of the supreme rulers of the early slave state in the city of Knossos.
And this was no less important and sensational discovery than the found tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamun. According to Evans, this palace belonged to the legendary powerful king of Crete - Minos, whose state was 1000 years older than Ancient Greece.
According to ancient folk tales, King Minos founded (in addition to Knossos) the cities of Festus and Kedonia. Under his rule, Crete achieved maritime dominance in the Mediterranean, the dawn of Cretan culture and education, and the introduction of the first legislation in Crete.
And Evans proposed calling the Cretan culture “Minoan” - after King Minos. It was a highly developed culture of the Bronze Age in 3-2 millennia BC. e. In his monumental work The Palace of Minos at Knossos, which was published from 1921 to 1935, Evans divided the history of ancient Crete into three periods:
- Early Minoan (3000-220 BC);
- Middle Minoan (2200-1600);
- Late Minoan (1600-1100).
The dawn of Minoan culture occurs in the Middle Minoan period (17th century BC). It was at this time that the Palace of Knossos was built.
Main Aspects of Minoan Architecture
The architecture of this era is characterized by the following compositional techniques and main elements
- The original layout of the interior space of the palace.
- High level of improvement.
- Creation of a type of two-column portico in the “antes”.
- The premises are plastered and decorated with frescoes and carved reliefs depicting games and harvest scenes.
- Creation of the foundations of landscape architecture.
- Development of new earthquake-resistant structures:
- the columns mounted on a pedestal widen upward, have a wide capital and a large, square abacus;
- the ceilings are made of round beams;
- wooden frame made of ties and filled with adobe and stone blocks.
All this was used in the construction of the palace at Knossos.
Construction of the Palace at Knossos
This amazing labyrinth palace was built by the talented architect, sculptor and artist of that time, Daedalus. He was also an outstanding inventor. He is credited with the creation of a plane, a drill, a plumb line, and the invention of sails for ships. In Greece, many wooden sculptures and wooden buildings were considered his creations.
The architectural wonder of the world, the Palace of Knossos, was located on a low plateau. This is a huge complex with a dungeon and a complex, intricate layout. Its total area was, according to some sources, 16,000 m2; according to others – 20,000 m2.
The center of the palace was a large, rectangular shape, the so-called central courtyard. Its size was 50x28 m, around there were hundreds of rooms for various purposes, courtyards, and a theater. One-story complexes alternated with two-three-story ones, and were connected by numerous staircases, intricate corridors, and passages. But all this was combined into a single whole and the structure picturesquely fit into the surrounding landscape.
The complex layout, chaotic arrangement of rooms, with many doors, light shafts, countless turns, corridors leading to small courtyards with a colonnade - really resembled a labyrinth. And, apparently, it served as a source for the creation of the myth of the labyrinth.
The inner chambers of the palace could be entered through two main entrances. One is from the South-West, had a portico with one column in the middle. The other is from the North of the central courtyard. According to the frescoes found, this entrance was decorated with 536 life-size figures. Apparently, these were participants in the festive procession.
The central courtyard divided the palace into Western and Eastern parts. In turn, the western part of the palace was divided by a long corridor. On one side there were narrow storerooms. Food was stored in them, in huge clay amphoras (pithos) and in stone boxes. And these are: grain, olive oil, dates, beans, wine. The height of the pithos reached two meters, their capacity was up to 185 liters.
According to Evans' calculations, they could store up to 475,000 liters of products, including 80,000 liters of wine. All this would be enough to provide food for a city with a population of 100,000 people.
On the other side of the corridor, a large staircase with a column led to the second floor. To the south of it there was a palace sanctuary. This can be assumed from the various religious objects found here and large square pillars, which were decorated with the symbol of a double axe.
To the north of the stairs was the majestic throne room - one of the famous attractions of the Knossos Palace.
A portico with three pillars led to it. And from it there is a door with a column in the center, directly into the “throne room”. In the center of the northern wall of the throne room, there was a royal throne with a wavy back and a recess for sitting. Kings sat here. The legend even preserved their names - Minos with his brothers Sarpedon and Rhadamanthus.
Light entered the throne room through a light shaft. Bright red stripes were painted on its walls. That is, part of the flat roof and ceiling, which was supported by columns, was removed. Thus, a span was created through which the hall was illuminated. Often, such a span passed through several floors. Since it was located near the internal staircase connecting the floors.
Under this span, in the floor of the throne room, a square depression was discovered. Several steps led up to it. To date, it has not been clarified what this throne room served for Minos. It is believed that it was intended for ceremonial receptions, and the square recess in the floor was used as a pool for performing ritual sacred ceremonies.
From the North-West, a wide staircase connecting all three floors adjoined the Palace of Knossos. It led to a large, spectacular stage - the oldest theater arena in Europe. Evans' colleagues called this arena the "court entertainment theater." She was surrounded by rows of spectator seats. Rising, they formed an amphitheater and accommodated about 500 spectators. This is also where the royal bed was located.
The entire arena was cemented, with a sidewalk crossing it diagonally. Apparently, various kinds of processions moved along it. This is where the “games with the bulls” took place.
On the Eastern side of the palace from the central courtyard there were technical rooms. They contained:
- a complex and sophisticated plumbing system for supplying drinking water to the palace;
- sewer system - drainage channels - stone gutters with a special cleaning device;
- ventilation systems;
- magnificent bathrooms.
It should be noted that such water supply and sewerage systems were not known to the inhabitants of Greece even during the period of the highest dawn of their culture in the 5th century BC. e.
There were also workshops for sculptors and potters. In one of the rooms there was an installation for producing olive oil. Special rooms in this part of the palace, in terms of size and significance, included the “double ax hall.” It was named after the symbolic signs found here on the walls and pillars. This hall consisted of three spatial elements:
- an external portico on columns opening onto an open terrace;
- main room;
- a vestibule with two doors and two columns, opening onto a light shaft.
From the vestibule of this hall, a narrow corridor led to the queen’s chambers, the so-called “queen’s megaron.” The chambers received this name because of their closed, one might say intimate, character. Since they had neither exit nor an open view of the surrounding landscape. But on both sides the chambers were surrounded by light shafts.
There were two doors in the Western wall of the “queen’s megaron”: one led to the bathroom, the other to the bedroom. Here, on a plaster quadrangular platform, stood a bed. From the bedroom the door led to the toilet room, which had all the amenities of modern technology.
Underground rooms were found in the southern part of the Knossos Palace. They contained food storage facilities, palace bedrooms, and bathrooms. Here, in hiding places, the treasures of the king and his family were kept. And this:
- swords decorated with elegant inlay;
- men's belts studded with precious stones;
- gold reserves.
As well as women's jewelry: necklaces, bracelets, tiaras, rings, earrings.
The construction of underground rooms is explained by the fact that ancient architects noticed: it was precisely such rooms that were least destroyed even during very strong earthquakes. They were quite common in this region.
The walls of the palace were made of hollow bricks and plastered. The flat roofs were supported by columns.
Decorations of the Knossos Palace
The walls of the rooms and the interior of the palace were decorated with frescoes, reliefs, and ornamental paintings. The walls of some rooms (including the throne room) were decorated with a peculiar alabaster frieze. It consisted of a continuous alternation of vertical and horizontal elements. Vertical - decorated with spirals; horizontal - consisted of two halves touching circles filled with images of palm leaves.
Some scholars believed that this frieze was similar to the so-called "triglyphic" frieze of the Doric temple with triglyphs and metopes. But the alabaster frieze did not perform any structural functions. It did not have a permanent place on the wall. It could be seen both at the top and bottom of the wall. Therefore, it is a mistake for scientists to see in it the prototype of the Doric triglyph.
Ornamental paintings made in yellow, red, and blue colors adorned the lower parts of the walls of the queen’s megaron. The ornament in the form of an endless ribbon resembled either the contours of clouds or stormy streams of water jets. And moving from one wall to another, as if denying the presence of corners, it creates the impression of space infinite in all directions.
The queen's megaron was also decorated with frescoes depicting a seascape with fish and dolphins.
The supreme deity and object of cult Fr. Crete, there was a bull god. Therefore, the themes of many frescoes that decorated the walls, ceilings of rooms and interiors of the palace are associated with the image of a bull and bull horns.
Frescoes of the Knossos Palace were also found depicting a group of women animatedly talking, elegantly dressed, with elaborate hairstyles. Perhaps Ariadne was among them. Apparently, while in the amphitheater, they watched what was happening in the theater arena. We admired the acrobats who either skillfully performed somersaults on a rushing bull, or deftly jumped over the backs of angry animals.
A fresco depicting the king was also found. Long hair is visible from under the crown; on the hands there are massive expensive bracelets; on the neck there are jewelry made of precious stones.
The army was a reliable support, protection and support for the king of Crete. Images of Cretan warriors were also found on the frescoes. They were reliably protected by a figure-eight shield. And the warrior’s offensive weapon was a spear.
Arthur Evans and those found in the ruins of the Palace of Knossos on Crete were amazed by the beauty of stone vessels, golden vases, fragments of magnificent furniture, metal lamps, and figurines of gods. The stone vessels depicted fights with bulls, processions of warriors, and fist fights.
On two gold vases there is a relief depiction of wild bulls being caught among plants (apparently, the action took place in the forest). A round vase was also found, depicting an octopus with glowing eyes.
Its tentacles cover the entire surface of the vase. And between them are corals and algae. And thus, the illusion of a marine environment is created.
All this, found during archaeological excavations, testifies to the former wealth and luxury of the mysterious labyrinth palace.
Features of the columns of the Knossos Palace
Archaeological excavations confirm that one of the structural elements of the Palace of Knossos were columns. And they served as internal support. That is, they supported either the ceiling next to the light shafts, or the flights of countless multi-story staircases.
The columns are atectonic, that is, they seem to be turned upside down. This is their shape, due to the fact that they were made of wood and installed with the rhizome upward. It was convenient to lay the floor beams on it. And, in addition, in the wide upper part, the ligament and fastening are stronger.
The unique capital of the column was made in the form of a double shaft. And, apparently, it served to secure the fabric awning (with a curtain stretched between the columns). Some frescoes show that the capitals had light, unique decorations on their sides. And, therefore, they were taken as a symbol of a double axe.
Another interesting detail. Columns tapering downward were never installed at the corners of the palace. Since they are completely unsuitable for such a location in the building. The columns were installed on flat circular stone bases. This protected the wooden trunk from rotting.
During archaeological excavations, many such round stone bases and charred remains of wooden columns were found. In addition, it was determined that the columns were white, the pilasters were blue, and the bases and capitals were decorated with red stripes.
It is believed that the palace columns were of two types. One type is a twisted column intertwined with a pattern of spiral convex vertical flutes. Its wooden trunk seems to be entwined with plant stems. Another type is a ribbed column.
According to archaeologists, it was the use of columns that made it possible to visually increase the size of the numerous rooms of the palace.
Myths about the Palace of Knossos
The ancient authors composed myths, tales and legends about this amazing, mysterious structure and about the legendary personalities somehow connected with it. Many of them have survived to this day.
The myth of Minos and the Minotaur shows the brutal struggle of oppressed peoples against their oppressors for their independence. Since for centuries Crete, as a powerful maritime power, controlled the entire Eastern Mediterranean. And Athens was completely dependent on Crete.
The myth of Theseus, Ariadne and the Minotaur reflects the fierce struggle with the forces of evil (Minotaur) for personal freedom. In ancient beliefs, the minotaur monster was the personification of dark forces in the heavenly, underground and sea worlds.
A legend has also been preserved that Theseus supposedly took part in the Marathon battle (490 BC). In military armor (with a spear, shield, helmet) he led the battle formation of the Greeks. And the Greeks won a brilliant victory over the Persians. But in reality, according to historians, Theseus is a collective image of a warrior hero. In fact, such a person has never existed in life.
The myth of Minos and the Minotaur.
The legendary King Minos, according to Greek legends, was the son of the Supreme God Zeus, and the beautiful daughter of the Phoenician king, Europa. One day, Zeus saw young Europa among the girls on the seashore. He turned into a huge beautiful bull with golden, curved horns and wool shining in the sun.
He approached the girls, and Europe, jokingly, sat on the back of the wonderful bull. Immediately the bull jumped up and rushed into the sea, and, like a dolphin, quickly, together with Europe, swam to the island of Crete.
Europa became the wife of Zeus, and since then she has never left the island. Years passed, Minos became the King of Crete, married the daughter of the Sun - Pasiphae. One day, Minos, boasting to the sailors, declared that the God of the sea, Neptune, would fulfill his every wish. And he asked Neptune to send him a bull, which he would certainly sacrifice.
When a beautiful white bull emerged from the sea, Minos sent him to his herd and sacrificed another bull. Neptune could not forgive such a deception, and asked Venus to take revenge on Minos. Venus made Pasephae fall madly in love with a beautiful sea bull. From this connection, Pasefaya had a monster son, incredibly fierce and strong, with the head of a bull and the body of a man. They called him the Minotaur, and he ate only human flesh.
Minos demanded that Athens, which at that time was completely dependent on Crete, pay a terrible tribute. Every nine years, Athens had to send seven young men and seven young women from the best Athenian families to Crete to feed the minotaur. The Athenians paid such a terrible tribute to Crete because at the competitions in Athens, the marathon bull killed the son of Minos, Androgeus.
To hide this monster, Minos decided to build a labyrinth palace from which it would be difficult to escape. To do this, he invited the then famous architect who lived in Athens - Daedalus.
The Myth of Daedalus and Icarus
The famous architect, sculptor and inventor was believed by the Athenians to be the son of the King of Athens, Erechtheus. Daedalus's sister, Perdika, had a son, Tal, whom Daedalus taught all the intricacies of his craft. The boy was much more talented than his teacher. He invented the potter's wheel and the saw. Jealous of his nephew, and realizing that he could surpass him in skill, Daedalus decided to kill him.
One day, when they were standing alone, at the very edge of the high Acropolis of Athens, and there was no one around, Daedalus pushed him down. Having fallen from a great height, Tal fell to his death. Hastily descending from the Acropolis, Daedalus decided to secretly bury Tal. But when he was digging a grave, the Athenians saw him. For this murder Daedalus was sentenced to death. Therefore, he gladly accepted the invitation of Minos and fled to the island. Crete.
Daedalus created many masterpieces of art for Minos. Including, he designed and built, at the request of Minos, the labyrinth palace in Knossos.
Daedalus lived in Crete for many years. His son Icarus was also born here (Icarus’s mother was the slave of Minos – Naucrates). Minos did not want to let Daedalus leave Crete. He wanted to have sole use of his art. And when Minos learned that Daedalus had helped Theseus get out of the labyrinth safely after killing the Minotaur, he, along with Icarus, was thrown into Prison.
It was simply impossible to escape from this prison, since it was located on a small sea reef. And there was a sea all around. Watching the flight of birds, the inventive Daedalus realized that the only way to leave the island was by air. Having collected the wings of the birds, he fastened them with linen threads and filled them with wax. From them he made four large wings, giving them a curved shape, like those of birds.
When the wings were ready, Daedalus decided to test them. Having put them on, he took to the sky. And Icarus watched with delight as his father, like a huge bird, soared in the air. Everything was ready to escape. Daedalus warned his son not to get close to the sun. Because its rays will scorch the wings. You can’t fly low over the sea either, since sea salt spray can also damage your wings.
Putting on their wings, Daedalus and Icarus climbed the tower and flew into the sky. At first, Icarus obediently followed his father. They safely flew over the islands of Samos, Delos and Paros. But suddenly Icarus, carried away by the flight, forgetting about his father’s warning, flapping his wings, flew high into the sky. The sun instantly scorched his wings, the wax melted, and Icarus fell into the sea from a terrible height.
For a long time Daedalus called his beloved son until he saw his body washed up on the seashore, and feathers on the sea waves. Since then, in honor of the deceased Icarus, the sea began to be called Icarian (this is part of the Aegean Sea between the islands of Paros, Samas, and the coast of Asia Minor).
Daedalus landed on the shore and buried his young son in deep sorrow. Continuing his flight, he landed safely in Sicily. And the King of Sicily, Kokal, invited Daedalus to his palace.
When Minos learned that Daedalus was in Sicily, he went there with a large army and demanded that Daedalus be handed over. But the daughters of King Kokal wanted this artist to stay with them. They persuaded their father to invite and receive Minos in the palace as a guest. And when Minos was taking a bath, they poured boiling water on his head.
Minos died in terrible agony, and Daedalus lived for a long time in Sicily, then returned to his homeland in Athens. And he became the founder of the dynasty of Athenian artists - the Daedalids.
The Myth of Theseus, Ariadne and the Minotaur
Theseus was born in Troezen. This was the city of his mother Ephra. Soon after the birth of his son, his father, the king of Athens, urgently needed to return to Athens. But when he left, he hid his sword and sandals under a huge rock. And he said to Ephra, when the son can move away the rock, he must take the sword and sandals and come to Athens. This way Aegeus will be able to recognize his son.
Until the age of 16, Theseus was brought up in the house of his grandfather, King Trezin Pittheus. He surrounded his grandson with care, love, and attention. By this time, no one could compare with Theseus in strength, dexterity, or mastery of weapons.
He was a tall, slender and handsome young man with a clear look, beautiful eyes, and dark curls. His young, muscular body spoke of powerful strength. Ephra led Theseus to the rock where Aegeus' sword and sandals were hidden. Theseus easily moved the stone block, took the things left there and went to Athens.
At this time there was a feast in the palace. Theseus drew his sword from its scabbard, and the King of Athens, seeing his sword and sandals on the stranger’s feet, recognized and joyfully greeted his son.
As they say, “at a bad time” Theseus came to Athens. It was at this time that ambassadors from Crete arrived to once again receive tribute. The next 7 boys and 7 girls for the minotaur monster. The ship was already ready to sail under black sails as a sign of deep sorrow for the young victims. And Theseus decided to go with them to kill this monster and free Athens forever from this cruel tribute.
Theseus turned to the goddess Aphrodite for help and, having made a sacrifice to her, went to Crete. The ship arrived safely on the island. When the doomed boys and girls were brought to Minos, he immediately drew attention to the slender, handsome young man - it was Theseus. The king’s daughter, the beautiful Ariadne, also noticed him. And the Goddess Aphrodite kindled love for Theseus in her heart. And Areadna decided to save Theseus.
She turned to Daedalus with a question about how Theseus could be saved. And Daedalus gave her a ball of thread, and Ariadne, secretly from her father, took a sharp sword. She gave the ball of thread and the sword to Theseus, and he promised her that after defeating the Minotaur and returning from the labyrinth, they would get married.
When Theseus and the captives were taken into the labyrinths of the Palace of Knossos, he tied the end of a ball of thread at the entrance and walked along the endless, intricate corridors and passages of the palace, gradually unwinding the ball. Finally, he approached the room where the sleepy growl of the minotaur could be heard. The enraged minotaur attacked Theseus, and a fierce struggle ensued.
Several times the minotaur attacked Theseus, but a sharp sword stopped him. Finally, having contrived, Theseus grabbed the Minotaur by the horn and plunged a sharp sword into his chest. Having killed the monster, Theseus, following the thread of the ball, safely left the labyrinth along with the young men and girls (hence the expression “Areadne’s thread”). Ariadne was waiting for them at the entrance and joyfully greeted them.
Now it was necessary to escape as quickly as possible from the wrath of Minos. Theseus quickly equipped his ship, and pierced the bottom of all the ships of the Cretans so that they could not pursue them. And together with Areadna he went to Athens. But, unexpectedly, a strong storm began at sea and Theseus’s ship was forced to land at the island of Naxos.
The tired travelers fell asleep, and in a dream the God of winemaking, Dionysus, appeared to Theseus and told him that, by the decision of the Gods, Areadne should become his (Dionysus’) wife. And therefore, she needs to stay on this island. Theseus woke up; he could not go against the will of the Gods, and, saddened by the loss of his beloved Areadne, he quickly got ready to set off. Theseus completely forgot to change the black sails to white ones, and his father, Aegeus, stood on a high cliff by the sea, waiting for his son.
Seeing the black sails, and deciding that his son was dead, he threw himself into the sea and the sea waves swallowed him. Since then, the sea began to be called the Aegean. Theseus buried his father with great honors. And after the funeral he became the ruler of Athens. But for a long time he mourned the death of his father, blaming himself for his passing.
Conclusion
Myths of antiquity... What deep meaning is hidden in them? And the legend is closely intertwined with reality. The myth of Daedalus and Icarus expresses, firstly, the desire for freedom. For many years, the King of Crete did not allow the talented Daedalus to leave the island with his son. And, secondly, since ancient times, man’s desire to rise into the sky and fly over the earth like birds.
As for the Minoan culture. She suffered an irreparable, irreparable loss in 1470 BC. e. earthquake. It was caused by an incredibly strong volcanic eruption on the island. Santorini, located in the Aegean Sea.
At the same time, part of the land sank, which caused a strong tsunami, and all the islands of the Eastern Mediterranean (including the island of Crete), which were within a radius of 200 km from Centarina, were covered with ejected volcanic ash. Fires started. The Minoan culture fell into complete decline, and the center of civilization moved to mainland Greece (Mycenae and Tiryns). The era of Mycenaean culture began.
And most importantly... During the Archaeological excavations of the palace in Knossos, Evans found a mysterious stone seal. Strange images were carved on the stone tablets: the head of a wolf, a bird, the head of a ram, the mistress of beasts with two lions and others.
It was a pictorial letter of the ancient inhabitants of Crete. According to the nature of the writing, Evans divided them into two groups: Cretan Linear A; Cretan Linear B. Apparently, they contain the secret of a little-known, almost unstudied culture of Antiquity - the Minoan culture. But neither Evans, nor to this day, has been able to decipher this letter.
This was, perhaps, the only failure of the archaeological scientist. Success always accompanied him. In 1909, Arthur Evans became head of the department of archeology at Oxford University. In 1916 he was elected President of the British Academy of Sciences. 1936 - was awarded the Coplay Medal by the Royal Society. In June 1941 he died, and a month before that, in June 1941, German paratroopers captured Crete.
During the bombing, the museum where the exhibits of the Cretan Palace were kept was destroyed in a fire. But the court at Knossos was already known to the world. And information has been preserved that the architect Daedalus built this fabulous labyrinth palace in ancient times, and the archaeologist Evans restored it from oblivion, describing it in his work “The Palace of Minos at Knossos.”
Currently, the former labyrinth palace is just a local cave, the length of which is 3 km.
Greece is rich in historical monuments and natural attractions. Among this wealth, it is even difficult to decide which region of the country to go to and what to see first. But some attractions, like the icing on the cake, attract the attention of travelers from different countries more than others. So, while vacationing in Crete, almost all tourists visit the Palace of Knossos. After all, this is the very place where the ancient Greek Minotaur lived, placed in the world's largest labyrinth. It’s hard to believe that the mythological story came true and the ruins of the buildings have survived to this day. What will travelers find at the excavations of Knossos today? We’ll find out from the article.
Legends and history of the Knossos Palace
The main attraction of Crete is surrounded by an aura of mysterious stories. Here, all the mythological legends and real facts of the history of Ancient Greece are so closely intertwined that it is almost impossible to separate truth from fiction. But we will try to put all the parts of the mosaic into one whole so that the history of the Knossos Palace and the events that took place in it appears before us in all its glory.
Early period
The history of the most famous palace in Crete dates back to the founding of Knossos. This is the ancient capital city in which the ruler of the island, King Minos, lived. The legendary ruler of Crete, like all powerful people, was vain, greedy and greedy. Which led to tragic consequences.
According to legend, the Olympian Gods themselves blessed to rule over the island of Minos. At the same time, Zeus presented him with a royal scepter, and Poseidon gave him a bull of incredible beauty and the color of snow-white sea wave foam. However, the sea god strictly ordered his gift to be returned at the next prayer: as a sacrifice and a sign of submission to the Gods.
But Minos did not want to lose the rare bull, so he sacrificed a calf from his herd. Poseidon was very angry at the insolence of the newly-minted Cretan “king”, and instilled in his wife a passionate craving for the donated animal. The fruit of this sent “love” was a half-man, half-bull, who was named the Minotaur (lit. “ Bull of Minos»).
The monster went into a frenzy immediately after birth: the baby almost killed his own nurse. It was clear that the “heir” had to be isolated. A way out of a difficult situation was suggested to Minos by his friend, Daedalus. He proposed building a huge complex of rooms with an intricate network of passages so that the stupid monster would never get out of its monastery. So in 2000 BC. and the palace of Minos appeared on Crete.
In fact, it was a city within a city. The area, surrounded by high walls, contained a thousand rooms. But the large-scale construction did not last long. The first palace of Knossos was destroyed by a powerful earthquake in 1700 BC.
New Palace
However, a little later, the residents decided to restore the lost complex and soon the Knossos Palace in Crete was rebuilt.
This happened during the golden heyday of this civilization, so the new Minoan palace on the island of Crete was even more luxurious than before. It embodied all the engineering, architectural and creative capabilities of the nation. Unfortunately, this masterpiece did not survive for long: in the 16th century BC. it was severely damaged by a powerful volcanic eruption. The natural disaster was so powerful that it wiped out many ancient cities and palaces on the island of Crete. This makes it even more surprising to realize the fact that the ruins of the Knossos Palace were still able to survive and survive to this day.
Read also: Temple of Zeus in Olympia: history, attractions, statue of Zeus, visit to Olympia
Excavations
A new historical era for the palace came only in 1878, when the Greek Kalokerinos conducted the first excavations in this area. The discovered artifacts attracted the attention of other world scientists and in 1900 the English archaeologist Arthur Evans arrived in Crete. He buys all the land, assembles a team of researchers and begins large-scale excavations.
It was Evans who discovered the complex of the Knossos Palace and its main relics in 1905: the frescoes of the Parisian Woman and the Games with the Bull, household items, tablets with writing, the Throne Room and other buildings. Together with his expedition, the Englishman did a colossal job of restoring the architecture of the Knossos Palace and even became its new architect. And although many now reproach the restored version for incomplete historical correspondence, this does not prevent Evans’ reconstruction from being very popular among tourists who enthusiastically sightsee and take photos of Knossos as a souvenir.
Architecture of the Palace of Knossos
The territory of the palace complex with a total area of 24 thousand m2 was literally restored piece by piece. With each excavated room, the general layout and architecture became clearer to archaeologists: this is how the Palace of Knossos acquired its current restored appearance.
The ancient structure was an intricate network of thousands of rooms that connected various staircases, galleries, and colonnades of corridors. Although the rooms were located in a chaotic manner, the overall center of the composition always remained the courtyard. This shows well the architectural plan of the Knossos Palace. Not all parts of the complex have survived to this day, but the surviving part is definitely worth a visit to the Palace of Knossos.
Palace outside and inside
So, the beginning of the palace complex was laid by the central courtyard. This is a large area, measuring 50 by 50 meters. And along the courtyard perimeter, hundreds of buildings for various purposes were erected, carved into caves and built underground. Including, in the palace there were:
- Theater;
- Throne room;
- Temple;
- Treasures;
- Mills;
- Royal chambers;
- Workshops and storage facilities.
It is noteworthy that the engineers of the Minoan civilization were able to install a kind of modern sewage system throughout the palace. There was also an arena for bullfighting, swimming pools, utility rooms, etc. In total, the multi-storey complex had more than 1,300 rooms. Thanks to A. Evans, the ruins of these premises are today visited by modern tourists.
The walls on which the famous frescoes of the Cretan Knossos Palace were painted deserve special attention. They were carefully excavated and restored to their original form. For example, along the “Processional Road” leading to the central courtyard you can admire the frescoes “Procession” and “Prince with Lilies”. And in the Southern Propylaea, which led to the main premises of the palace and, according to scientists, were part of the “Processional Road”, there is the famous painting “Rhyton Bearer”. Needless to say, the Knossos Palace had a separate large hall for frescoes, which was called the Room of Copies. Today this is one of the most popular premises.
The reconstruction that the Palace of Knossos underwent affected the famous columns of the sanctuaries and corridors. Red-black columns tapering at the bottom became the hallmark of the complex. Mini-colonnades are located throughout: in the northern entrance corridor, on the grand staircase of the eastern entrance, on the main floor in the Throne Room and along the wall leading to the western bastion, where the famous “Bull” fresco is painted.
But few people know that all these columns were recreated by Evans. The fact is that the Minoans made columns from wood, which did not take much time and made it possible to better preserve the structure in case of a possible earthquake. Wood, thanks to its shock-absorbing properties, can withstand low-power tremors, while stone quickly cracks and collapses. But, of course, not a single tree will survive for thousands of years.
Thanks to the chaotic layout of the premises, many corridors, secret passages and dead ends, it is widely believed that the ruins of the Knossos Palace are the Labyrinth of the Minotaur. Indirectly, this theory is confirmed by the “labros” sign, which can be seen on many walls.
Crete Island, a legendary island according to the myths of Ancient Greece. The setting of famous heroes and gods. But this island owes its greater popularity to the legend of the Minotaur, imprisoned in a labyrinth and slain by the brave Theseus. Research has shown that it is the palace at Knossos that fully corresponds to the mythological description of the Labyrinth.
History and description of the Knossos Palace
According to legend, the gods sent King Minos the son of the half-man, half-bull Minotaur. The Minotaur was placed in a huge palace with a complex structure - the Labyrinth, which was created by the famous architect Daedalus. Anyone who entered the palace could not leave and became a victim of the Minotaur. Once every nine years, the inhabitants of Crete sent seven boys and seven girls as sacrifices. And this continued until the brave Theseus killed the Minotaur. Theseus got out of the labyrinth thanks to a ball of thread donated by Ariadne, the daughter of King Minos.
The legend remained a legend until Arthur John Evans began excavations on the island of Crete in 1900. At that time, he was still an unknown scientist, and no one knew that he would be destined to become the discoverer of the ancient Cretan-Minoan civilization.
On March 23, 1900, Arthur Evans took up the excavation. Literally a few hours later the first outlines of ancient buildings began to emerge. A couple of weeks later, a huge area of unknown buildings opened before his eyes. Work continued for forty years, and the excavation front only grew. Evans sincerely believed and stated that the structure he found was nothing more than the remains of the world-famous Labyrinth.
Huge dimensions, intricate passages, rooms, courtyards, light wells - with every day of excavation, scientists were surprised by new elements. The layout of the rooms and internal passages really made even skeptics believe in the existence of a labyrinth. Over the thousand years of the existence of civilization, the Palace of Knossos on Crete was constantly being completed, acquiring new passages and streets. All this was cleverly intertwined with external buildings, which ultimately made up a whole single complex.
Here, an interesting system was organized to keep the rooms cool. The rooms were made without windows, and a system of light wells was used to illuminate them. Ventilation was also provided through special channels. The presence of a drainage structure is also interesting. In a word, in the palace of Minos at Knossos everything was aimed at maintaining comfortable living conditions.
The excavations also revealed the throne room of King Minos, which Evans later restored. The throne, comfortable for a person, rose on stems carved from stone. The back of the throne, decorated with waves, was attached to the wall. There are images of griffins frozen on the wall. A fascinating sight by the standards of an ancient civilization.
But the main asset of the Knossos Palace is painting and frescoes. Their main plot is the ordinary civilized life of people of that time. Bright colors, ordinary subjects, everything is simple and fascinating. There is something French about them, even one of the discovered images of a young woman was called “Parisian” by Evans. Any other theme of the Knossos creators is the sea. Fish and dolphins reflect the value of marine resources to the island's inhabitants. There is another mysterious theme surrounding the past life of Knossos - the bull image. The bull is everywhere and for everything. Maybe the Minotaur could not have happened here?
Fresco "Parisian"
Fresco "Dolphins"
Crete lived and actively developed until in 1400 BC. something did not happen, after which civilization fell into decay. Scientists suggest that the cause is an earthquake that caused a large tsunami. The tsunami destroyed the state's defenses and allowed it to be plundered by the inhabitants of the mainland.
In any case, Crete left an important mark on history and became the cradle of all later major civilizations, including the Greek.
Plan of the Knossos Palace
Report on MCC
Knossos palace
Performed:
Knossos palace- the most outstanding monument of Cretan architecture. In Greek myths it was called labyrinth(this word comes from the term labrys, “double axe,” a favorite image in Cretan art). According to these legends, in the depths of the palace lived a half-man, half-bull - Minotaur, to which the city of Athens annually sent 7 young men and the same number of girls to be devoured. The Minotaur was killed, the story goes, by an Athenian hero Theseus, son of the king Aegean. Apparently, the myth of Theseus reflected the dependence of Attica on Knossos at the beginning of the Late Minoan period. Knossos Palace, with a total area of about 16 thousand square meters. m, representing a complex accumulation of hundreds of different rooms, seemed to the Achaean Greeks to be a building from which it was impossible to find a way out. The word "labyrinth" has since become synonymous with a room with a complex system of rooms and corridors.
Excavations and partial reconstruction of the palace were carried out at the beginning of the twentieth century. under the guidance of the famous archaeologist Sir Arthur Evans.
The Knossos Palace was created over several centuries in the 2nd millennium BC. In the center of the palace there was a very extensive yard, which apparently had a cult purpose. Adjacent to this courtyard on all sides were numerous premises that served various purposes, both economic and residential, with verandas), galleries), colonnades), swimming pools) And stairs.
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the palace's palace premises consisted of a large and a small "throne" rooms and rooms religious purpose. The supposed women's section of the palace contained a reception room, bathrooms, a treasury, and various other rooms. A wide sweep was carried out throughout the palace sewer network made of clay pipes of large and small diameters, serving swimming pools, bathrooms and latrines. Over 2 thousand clay tablets with various records were found in the palace. The rich decoration of some rooms, a huge number of items made of precious metals, highly artistic wall paintings, frescoes, spacious warehouses - all this indicates that the palace was seat of the kings- the rulers of Knossos and all of Crete.
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The details of the palace also seemed unusual to scientists. They were peculiar columns, which received the name in art history "irrational". They did not expand downwards, as in the buildings of other ancient peoples, but narrowed. The trunk of the columns thickened upward, where it ended with a capital in the form of a round bolster and a square slab lying on it. Often the columns were covered with a peculiar zigzag pattern. Their trunk was not likened to the plant prototypes of Egyptian supports, which repeated the shape of upward-stretching stems of papyrus or lotus. The Knossos column bears no resemblance to images of living nature. The architect refused to imitate nature, which appeared in Egyptian architecture, found a language of architectural forms for the elements of the structure, based on proportional and numerical relationships, and exposed the essence of the column as a support, highlighting and emphasizing precisely this function.
Drew the attention of archaeologists style of room lighting. There were no openings in the walls, similar to the windows of later buildings, in the Knossos Palace. Light came through holes in the ceiling ( light wells) to the first floor, creating varying degrees of illumination of the palace halls - close to or distant from the light openings.
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the shadows of Minos' chambers were covered with numerous colorful images. The sophistication of the profile line of a young woman on one of the frescoes), the grace of her hair, which reminded archaeologists of fashionable and flirtatious French women, forced them to call her "Parisian", and this name remains with her to this day. The walls of the palace were often decorated ornament- most often in the form of a wave or flexible spiral curls, melodious and elastic, stretching as a continuous ribbon, where some bright tones were replaced by others. It is especially characteristic of Cretan art, where everything is permeated with movement, sometimes rapid, sometimes more restrained.
Architectural style The Knossos Palace is truly unique, despite the fact that it contains elements of Egyptian and ancient Greek architecture. Using the example of the Knossos Palace, it is easy to see that the architecture of Ancient Crete had lightness, a kind of freedom and grace. Its charming power lies not in gloomy discipline, but in relaxedness and friendliness. Unfortunately, the famous palace was almost completely destroyed 
destroyed during a fire that occurred during one of the earthquakes.
The history of the earth is extremely long. But not many ancient fortresses have remained to this day. One of the monuments that has partially survived is Knossos. which amazes with the legends hovering around it.
Unusual foundation
One of the oldest points in the world is located on the island of Crete, south of the modern administrative center of Heraklion. Its proximity to the sea (4 kilometers) subsequently allowed it to be the owner of two harbors.
The first settlements were created 7000 BC. e. The island's very advantageous location contributed to prosperity. It stood on the sea routes from Egypt, Asia and Europe. Among a dozen large settlements, the leading function was performed by the city of Knossos, which became the center of the Minoan civilization.
In the period until 2000 BC. e. Magnificent palaces were built on the island, which served as residences for local kings. Some were destroyed by earthquakes. On the site where the ruins of the old building lay, a new one was soon erected. It is this architectural structure that today is considered the city and delights guests of the island.
Archaeologists' mistake
The palace at Knossos had a special purpose. Political, economic and social life was concentrated in it. This is evidenced by many finds.
The first research began back in 1878. They were conducted by the Greek Minos Kalokerino. He was interested in the strange hilly terrain. The man began work and even found several significant objects to confirm the theory that there was a palace underground. But the excavations had to be stopped due to a ban by the then Turkish authorities.
Arthur Evans continued the work in 1900. The Englishman bought up the lands on which, as he believed, the chambers were located. The goal was to learn as much as possible about the period from 1400 BC. e. Therefore, all subsequent layers that would tell about the further history of this part were destroyed. But this was not the only mistake of the archaeologist who discovered Knossos. This is a city that not only lost several centuries, but also did not retain its original appearance. During the excavations, Evans restored the found palace, guided by his ideas.
A mixture of myths
The Englishman Sir Arthur is not the first to try to find the legendary castle. For many centuries before him, researchers had been excavating places where the ruins of the complex could lie. Archaeologists were attracted not only by the historical side and value of the structure, but also by the stories with which it is shrouded.
The Palace of Knossos is a whole cycle of myths connected with each other. Events begin with the fact that Daedalus lived in Athens - a man of divine origin who had no equal in engineering. But one day, guided by pride, he decided to get rid of his rival student. Because the man tried to commit murder, he was kicked out of the city in disgrace. Accepted a genius As payment, Daedalus worked hard. One of the first orders was a wooden cow for the king's wife. Pasiphae is the name of a woman who thus secretly satisfied her passion for Subsequently, she became pregnant and gave birth to the Minotaur - a man with the head of an animal. It was for this dangerous creature that Daedalus built the labyrinth.
Hero's feat
The city of Knossos was only 350 km from Athens. These two points were combined in one story. According to legend, the Athenians killed one of the sons of King Minus. For this the ruler punished them. The Greeks paid a terrible tribute: every eight years they sent 14 of the most beautiful young people to the island. This continued until the hero Theseus appeared.
The young man was the son of the god Poseidon and the heir of the Athenian king Aegeus. When the young man learned about the trouble of his people, he agreed to help. Together with the captives, the guy went to the terrible monster.
The difficulty of the feat was not only that it was necessary to resist the strong bull. The labyrinth itself became a problem. Everyone who went there never came back. The daughter of Minos came to the rescue and gave Theseus a thread. The guy tied the beginning to the front door and later, when he defeated the monster, he easily found a way out.
Architectural genius
In fact, the palace of Knossos is a lot of rooms in which it is very easy to get lost. The huge multi-story building with more than a thousand rooms for various purposes was stunning. Such a system, according to scientists, arose because every year something was added to the wards. The halls were connected by stairs and tricky corridors. The architects did not think about aesthetics.
Besides its amazing planning, the palace had high-tech features. For example, the complex had water supply and sewerage. Some pipes brought water into the building, others filled the baths, and others carried out slops. The building contained not only toilet rooms, but also toilets.
The total area is 24,000 square meters. This territory contained a theater, warehouses, workshops, rooms for worship and, of course, luxurious chambers of the royal family.
Museum of the Past
You can enter the territory through the Western Courtyard. The excursion begins from here. There you can go to the main staircase, which connects the four floors. The perimeter path runs in a circle. The first stop is a courtyard, which is divided by three roads. He once served as a prayer leader. The altars testify to this.
One of the most ancient rooms is the kouloures. These are large pits that could serve as both a warehouse for grain and a place for remains after a sacrifice. The throne room, where the ruler’s stone throne stands, is popular among guests. Many of the walls of the corridors and rooms were decorated with frescoes, pictures and expensive metals.
A very complex and intricate palace at Knossos. The labyrinth is the true purpose of the building.
The fiction of myth lovers
Today the complex is one of the most visited places in Greece. Entrance to the ruins is open to everyone for a nominal fee. Open daily.
The landmark's signature feature is red columns. Their difference from others is a strange design, because they lack clear geometry and narrow or expand, creating the effect of irrationality. Their reconstruction, like many other things, was done by Arthur Evans.
Despite the fact that only ruins remain from the thousand-year miracle, the palace is still impressive.
Many skeptics claim that in fact the inhabitants of the city of Knossos did not recognize symmetry and harmony. Associated with this is a strange building layout system.
Interestingly, for ceremonies on the island of Crete they used a double-sided labrys hatchet. It was this word that the ancient Greeks subsequently associated with intricate corridors and secret rooms, which they called “labyrinth”. They also own the legend about the mythical king Minos, the cannibal Minotaur and the hero Theseus.
Wonder of the world
The first palace was destroyed by an earthquake around 1700 BC. e. The ensemble that guests of the island see today was laid out over the next several centuries. But the building was not destined to survive. First, it was partially broken by a tsunami caused by a volcano on a neighboring island.
In 1450 BC. e. another misfortune came to the city. A major fire not only destroyed the building, but also marked the beginning of the end of the Minoan civilization. It is worth noting that no human remains were found during the excavations. There is a version that after the eruption the inhabitants left the island and settled in other regions.
Many scientists call Crete Atlantis, as an amazing, rich and successful city-state that went under water.
Decades have passed since the discovery of the ancient fortress, but the island still hides many secrets. Knossos, a city that was once the center of Crete, still surprises humanity today.
