Day 7: As a former art student and ancient art history geek, the visit to the site of Minoan palace in Knossos was a full on geeky delight. The Minoans were Europe’s first advanced civilization from 2700 to 1420 BCE before being overrun by the Mycenaean civilization from the mainland, but was initially settled in the neolithic age around 7000 BCE. (I’ll put a plug in here for “The Greeks: A Global History” by Roderick Beaton, in case you’re interested.)
Earthquakes had cause a lot of destruction to the Minoan palaces, especially the largest one in Knossos but they were rebuilt on an even grander scale. Around 1350 BCE, the palace was destroyed and not rebuilt. The building was ravaged by a fire which triggered the collapse of the upper stories. It is not known whether this final destruction was intentional or the result of a natural disaster such as an earthquake.
The walls and floors were bright with color, and frescoes decorated almost every space. The place was a “labyrinth” which really means Double-headed Axe which was their sacred symbol. But the palace was built as a labyrinth for security as it made it hard to find the king and queen’s rooms. Bull-leaping was a favorite athletic sport and there were frescoes depicting the activity. Another surprise was the sophisticated water management and sanitation systems especially since this was well before any Roman influence.
Oh yeah. And there were peacocks!
Heraklion Archaeological Museum
In the afternoon we enjoyed free time! So, a few us wandered through the city and found the Heraklion Archaeological Museum. If yo go to Crete, go to this museum. It was astounding and the layout beuatiful and informative. This was one place where the crowds were manageable and we got to really enjoy the place. Many of the items on display were from 7000-1000 BCE. It’s mind blowing to tink of the skill and intelligence pepole had that long ago when we tend to think they were barbaric. Just look at the Bee Pendant from circa 1800 BCE!
Magdalena's Musings 