What is Knossos?
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 .”
What is the palace of Knossos?
The palace of Knossos was the stage for a plethora of fascinating myths in ancient Greece. The Minoan king lived in the capital city of Knossos, in a maze of a place with 1500 rooms! It was a gorgeous palace.
How do you pronounce Knossos?
Knossos (also Cnossos, both pronounced /(kə)ˈnɒsɒs, -səs/; Greek: Κνωσός, Knōsós [knoˈsos]) is the largest Bronze Age archaeological site on Crete and has been called Europe's oldest city. Settled as early as the Neolithic period, the name Knossos survives from ancient Greek references to the major city of Crete.
What happened to the city of Knossos on Crete?
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.
What was Knossos known for?
Apart from its construction and architecture, the Minoan Palace of Knossos is most famous for its connection to Greek mythology. Namely, the tale of the Labyrinth and the Minotaur and the one of Daedalus and Icarus.
Why was ancient Knossos important?
The palace of Knossos eventually became the ceremonial and political centre of the Minoan civilization and culture. The palace was abandoned at some unknown time at the end of the Late Bronze Age, c. 1380–1100 BC; the reason is unknown, but one of the many disasters that befell the palace is generally put forward.
When was Knossos conquered and by whom?
The palace was hit with another catastrophe (of some form) around 1450 B.C., when sites across Crete were destroyed and a people who modern-day scholars call the "Mycenaeans" occupied Knossos. The final destruction of the palace probably took place sometime before 1300 B.C.
What caused the fall of Knossos?
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.
Why was the Palace of Knossos so impressive?
The Palace of Knossos is the monumental symbol of Minoan civilization, due to its construction, use of luxury materials, architectural plan, advanced building techniques and impressive size.
Who killed King Minos?
Having pursued Daedalus to Sicily, Minos was killed by the daughters of King Cocalus, who poured boiling water over him as he was taking a bath. After his death he became a judge in Hades.
Who ruled Knossos?
king MinosKnossos, also spelled Cnossus, city in ancient Crete, capital of the legendary king Minos, and the principal centre of the Minoan, the earliest of the Aegean civilizations (see Minoan civilization).
Was King Minos a real person?
Today, experts aren't sure if King Minos even existed and if he did, there is no concrete evidence that he resided in Knossos. However, there is still a possibility that there was a king named Minos, with a palace in Knossos.
What did the discovery of Knossos reveal about the Minoans?
The discovery at Knossos revealed that the Minoans built the palace at Knossos and that they were the first civilization to develop in the Aegean region. the discovery also revealed that trade was an important economic activity for the Minoans.
What unique feature is part of the Palace of Knossos that still functions today?
Protopalatial or Old Palace Knossos The two most distinctive features of this earliest version of Knossos are the long, monumental, cut ashlar stone of the palace's west façade and the central court, now squared off in the corners and paved. This court functioned as a grand performance space.
What was discovered at the Palace of Knossos?
During the excavations at Knossos, Arthur Evans found objects which showed that the Minoans had at least two forms of writing, an early hieroglyphic text, (similar to that of the Egyptians), and a later more sophisticated type of writing known as Linear A. Neither of these forms of writing has ever been deciphered.
What was revealed by the frescoes found at Knossos?
Many frescos showed scenes from everyday life. Examples from Knossos have helped in the recreation of the palace's architecture as well as revealing details of Minoan sporting contests and scenes from court life. Details of dress, hairstyles and the ideal Minoan physique are also preserved in these wall paintings.
When was Knossos inhabited?
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.
Where is Knossos located?
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 ...
Why did Minos keep the architect prisoner?
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.
Who excavated the palace of Knossos?
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.
Was the restoration of the Minoan palace inaccurate?
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.
Where did Knossos come from?
The coins came from the Roman settlement of Colonia Julia Nobilis Cnossus, a Roman colony placed just to the north of, and politically including, Kephala. The Romans believed they were the first to colonize Knossos.
When was Knossos a village?
Bowl with fork handles, pottery. Knossos, Early Neolithic, 6500–5800 BC. Also a ladle, and a three-legged vessel from later periods. In the Early Neolithic (6000–5000 BCE), a village of 200–600 persons occupied most of the area of the palace and the slopes to the north and west.
What was the most important city in Crete?
After the fall of the Minoans, Knossus was repopulated approximately 1000 BC and it remained one of the most important centers of Crete. The city had two ports: Amnisos and Heraklion. According to the ancient geographer Strabo the Knossians colonized the city of Brundisium in Italy. In 343 BC, Knossos was allied with Philip II of Macedon. The city employed a Phocian mercenary named Phalaikos against their enemy, the city of Lyttus. The Lyttians appealed to the Spartans who sent their king Archidamus III against the Knossians. In Hellenistic times Knossos came under Egyptian influence, but despite considerable military efforts during the Chremonidean War (267–261 BC), the Ptolemies were not able to unify the warring city states. In the third century BC Knossos expanded its power to dominate almost the entire island, but during the Lyttian War in 220 BC it was checked by a coalition led by the Polyrrhenians and the Macedonian king Philip V.
What is the goddess image in Knossos?
Goddess image found at Knossos (note the tufts on the tails) Among the items found in Knossos is a Minoan depiction of a goddess flanked by two lionesses that shows a goddess who appears in many other images.
What were the main resources of Knossos?
The prosperity of Knossos was primarily based upon the development of native Cretan resources such as oil, wine, and wool. Another factor was the expansion of trade. Herodotus wrote that Minos, the legendary king of Knossos, established a thalassocracy (sea empire). Thucydides accepted the tradition and added that Minos cleared the sea of pirates, increased the flow of trade and colonised many Aegean islands. Archaeological evidence supports the tradition because Minoan pottery is widespread, having been found in Egypt, Syria, Anatolia, Rhodes, the Cyclades, Sicily, and mainland Greece. There seem to have been strong Minoan connections with Rhodes, Miletus, and Samos. Cretan influence may be seen in the earliest scripts found in Cyprus. The main market for Cretan wares was the Cyclades where there was a demand for pottery, especially the stone vases. It is not known whether the islands were subject to Crete or just trading partners, but there certainly was strong Cretan influence.
What is Knossos pottery?
Pottery at Knossos is prolific, heavily-decorated and uniquely-styled by period. It is used as a layer diagnostic. Comparing it to similar pottery elsewhere in the eastern Mediterranean, Evans established a wider chronology, which, on that account, is difficult to question successfully. On the negative side, careful records of the locations of some objects were not always kept, due to the very size of the project and the difficulties under which the archaeologists and workmen had to labor.
What is the name of the creature that lived in a labyrinth?
This also applies to the mainland, because both tradition and archaeology indicate strong links between Crete and Athens. The main legend here is the Minotaur story wherein Athens was subject to Knossos and paying tribute. The legend concerns a creature living in a labyrinth who was half-man and half-bull. Bulls are frequently featured on pottery and frescoes found at Knossos, where the intricate layout of the palace might suggest a labyrinth. One of the most common cult-symbols, often seen on palace walls, is the double-headed axe called the labrys, which is a Carian word for that type of tool or weapon.
What was discovered at Knossos?
One of the remarkable discoveries at Knossos was the extensive murals that decorated the plastered walls. All were very fragmentary and their reconstruction and re-placement into rooms by the artist Piet de Jong are not without controversy.
Who was the first archaeologist to dig up Knossos?
The first archaeologist who excavated Knossos was (the appropriately named) Minos Kalokairinos who was a native of Crete and had already dug a few areas of the palace before Evans, unearthing in the process a wealth of artifacts that proved the existence of a previously unknown civilization.
Where did the Minoan king live?
The palace of Knossos was the stage for a plethora of fascinating myths in ancient Greece. The Minoan king lived in the capital city of Knossos, in a maze of a place with 1500 rooms! It was a gorgeous palace.
When did Kalokairinos start excavating Knossos?
Kalokairinos began excavating Knossos in 1878, and he exposed to other areas part of the antechamber of the Throne room with its red frescoes.
How deep is the drainage system at Knossos?
Archaeologists have found pipe laid in depths from just below the surface in one area to almost 11 feet deep in others.
What is the largest preserved Minoan palatial center?
The Palace of Knossos is the largest of the preserved Minoan palatial centers. Four wings are arranged around a central courtyard, containing the royal quarters, workshops, shrines, storerooms, repositories, the throne room, and banquet halls. Dated to 200-1350 B.C.
Overview
Notes
1. ^ Papadopoulos, John K (1997), "Knossos", in Delatorre, Marta (ed.), The conservation of archaeological sites in the Mediterranean region : an international conference organized by the Getty Conservation Institute and the Paul Getty Museum, 6–12 May 1995, Los Angeles: The Paul Getty Trust, p. 93
2. ^ McEnroe, John C. (2010). Architecture of Minoan Crete: Constructing Identity in the Aegean Bronze Age. Austin: University of Texas Press. p. 50. However, Davaras & Douma…
Spelling
The name Knossos was formerly Latinized as Cnossus or Cnossos and occasionally Knossus, Gnossus, or Gnossos but is now almost always written Knossos.
Neolithic period
The site of Knossos has had a very long history of human habitation beginning with the founding of the first Neolithic settlement (c. 7000 BCE). Neolithic remains are prolific in Crete. They are found in caves, rock shelters, houses, and settlements. Knossos has a thick Neolithic layer indicating the site was a sequence of settlements before the Palace Period. The earliest was placed on …
Minoan period
It is believed that the first Cretan palaces were built soon after c. 2000 BC, in the early part of the Middle Minoan period, at Knossos and other sites including Mallia, Phaestos and Zakro. These palaces, which were to set the pattern of organisation in Crete and Greece through the second millennium, were a sharp break from the Neolithic village system that had prevailed thus far. The building of the palaces implies greater wealth and a concentration of authority, both political an…
Legends
In Greek mythology, King Minos dwelt in a palace at Knossos. He had Daedalus construct a labyrinth, a very large maze (by some connected with the double-bladed axe, or labrys) in which to retain his son, the Minotaur. Daedalus also built a dancing floor for Queen Ariadne. The name "Knossos" was subsequently adopted by Arthur Evans.
Laws and government
Rhadamanthus was the mythological lawgiver of Crete. Cleinias of Crete attributes to him the tradition of Cretan gymnasia and common meals in Book I of Plato's Laws, and describes the logic of the custom as enabling a constant state of war readiness.
Hellenistic and Roman period
Fieldwork in 2015 revealed that during the early Iron Age, Knossos was rich in imports and was nearly three times larger than indicated by earlier excavations. Whilst archaeologists had previously believed that the city had declined in the wake of a socio-political collapse around 1,200 BC, the work found instead, that the city had prospered, with its final abandonment coming later.