Essay on The Palace of Knossos - 995 Words

Archaeology gives the modern world a window into the past. One of Greece’s major dig sites is the palace of Knossos. The palace of Knossos stood on the island of Crete near the modern town of Heraklion at the co-ordinates 35 ° 17’ 52.66†N, 25 ° 9’ 47.36†E. It was the home of King Minos and his queen. The Palace is the setting for a myth where the queen gave birth to a being that was half man, half bull, the Minotaurs, which was kept in the labyrinth of the palace; He was eventually slayed by the Athenian Thesus. The Palace of Knossos was destroyed in the later classical era and remained rubble until an archaeologist named Arthur Evans uncovered it in 1900. Since discovering the site Evans has substantially restored the palace back to its†¦show more content†¦The sanitation drainage used a closed system leading to a sewer away from the hill. The Queen’s megaron (toilet) showed the first signs of a flushing water system in the adjoining bathroom. The toilet was flushed by pouring water down the toilet. In the bathroom there was also a bath that was filled by buckets of heated water and was drained by overturning a stone covering over the drain. As the hill was constantly pelted with rain a run-off system was vital. Channels were dug in a zig zag line down the hill to catch the water and take it to the river. Underground channels had manhole so they could be repaired of unclogged. In the palace lived many people slaves, royalty, guests and other people. To cater for the huge amount of people in the palace many rooms were needed. There were 1300 rooms discovered by Arthur Evans and his teams. These rooms were used as many things storerooms, bedrooms, bathrooms, living rooms and most of all a throne room where King Minos sat as well as other kings. The throne room was the most decorated room the whole palace with sculptures, frescos and paintings. It was also the centrepiece of the whole palace because it opened out on to the central court, the heart of the palace. The throne was on the northern wall of the room and on the other three was benches and there was a sort of tub area presumably used for ceremonialShow MoreRelatedThe Palace Of Knossos By King Minos2547 Words   |  11 PagesPart A: The Palace of Knossos is the most complex structure existing from the ancient Minoan Civilization on the island of Crete. It was built in the Minoan political center of Knossos by King Minos around 1900 BC. The palace is an extremely intricate building standing five stories with large, beautiful paintings on its walls known as frescos; it even had indoor plumbing. It is apparent that only the most important people in Minoan society lived in the palace because of its grandeur and beautyRead MoreEssay about The Palace of Knossos1790 Words   |  8 PagesThe Minoan civilization is by far the richest, yet strangest, of the Aegean world (Aegean Art 99). Through an in-depth analysis of the Palace of Knossos it will be evident that it mirrors the Minoan culture and lifestyle. The function, style, techology, medium, and symbolism used throughout the Palace, illustrate the intelligent, spiritual, and mercantile people the Minoans were. Cottrell states Yet from the start of the excavation s the great mound began to reveal its secrets-not material treasureRead MoreCauses Of Minoan Civilization993 Words   |  4 Pagesand who also uncovered the Minoan palace identified images of the Cretan goddess as â€Å"Mountain goddess,† â€Å"Dove goddess,† Goddess of the Caves,† Goddess of the Double Axes,† Goddess of the Sports,† and Mother goddess,†. According to Sir Arthur Evans theory of Knossos and discovery, Knossos was already identified as a location of Bronze-Age, and initial excavations of a local antiquarian named Minos, which Minos Kalokairinos happens to be an early excavator in Knossos Born in 1843 and the youngest sonRead MoreThe Greek Island Of Crete1411 Words   |  6 PagesLocated on the Greek island of Crete is the ancient Palace of Knossos. It is found on the outskirts of the modern day city, Heraklion. The city of Knossos, as shown below, is directly focused in the centre of Crete and is slightly off the north coast. Ev en more so, it is situated south of the Greek mainland. Knossos, in simplistic terms, is an ancient Minoan palace and surrounding city on the island of Crete, where it was sung of by Homer in his Odyssey. The marvelled settlement wasRead MoreThe Minoans Civilization1325 Words   |  5 Pagesat Knossos in the early 1900’s that introduced to the world the fascinating and wonderful sophistication of these early Greeks (Britannica Encyclopedia). The history of the island has been molded by its proximity to the Aegean Sea. Its geographical location gave it control over the sea and the lucrative trade routes. The Minoans traded with Egypt, the Levant, the Aegean, and beyond to Italy, and Sicily. The great Minoan civilization of Crete formed around palaces such as those at Knossos, PhaestusRead MoreThe Legend of the Minotaur1311 Words   |  6 Pagesis the legend of the Minotaur. The legend of the Minotaur and the Labyrinth of Knossos in Crete has enthralled many historians, archaeologists over, anthropologists and so on over years, even centuries. However, one archaeologist was captivated by the entrancing and beauty of the myth of The Minotaur and the Palace in Knossos was Arthur Evans. Before work began in Crete by the British archaeologist Evans at Knossos, knowledge of the Bronze Age Minoan culture was only faintly reflected in a fewRead MoreThe Use and Misuse of Power in Ancient Times623 Words   |  3 Pagesand power. A great way to understand an ancient society is from the ruins of structures and the art left behind. The Palace Complex of Sargon ll, the Giza Funerary Complex and the Palace at Knossos are all great examples of society’s that are run through religion and power. Delving into the relics that were left behind give a look into each society and how it worked. The Palace Complex of Sargon ll was a wonderful example of the concept of absolute power. From the huge gated entrance to the citadelRead MoreCharacteristics Of Understanding The Culture And Society Of Any Civilization2500 Words   |  10 Pagesthe palaces of Knossos and Phaistos of Minoan, Crete and The Colosseum ad the Pantheon of Rome. The architecture of Bronze Age Crete seems to be defined by the archaeological discoveries of Knossos, Phaistos, Maila, Zakros and Palekastro. These four palaces and one town are the only major pieces of Minoan building from which we can draw conclusions about their architecture and what it can tell us about their society. (Talk more about Crete and dates?) According to Greek mythology, the palace ofRead MoreThe Minoan Civilization On The Mediterranean Island Of Crete Essay1141 Words   |  5 Pagescharm that the Minoans use to wear was found, and it was brought to his attention. He started at Knossos, where the possible civilization became a reality. He uncovered multiple palaces, which have all been named since then. They are named: Knossos, Phaistos, Malia, and Zakros. Each one shows signs of religion, trade, and politics. They believed these palaces controlled the Minoan civilization. These Palaces seemed to co-exist on this small island because there are no signs of wall fortifications orRead MoreThe Minoan Civilization : An Aegean Bronze Age Civilization2164 Words   |  9 Pagesexample showcasing the Minoans as being a graceful, sophisticated, fashion forward, luxurious, and intelligent civilization. Their ritual celebrations took place inside the palace, within sacred caves or on mountain peaks. There they would either sacrifi ce an animal or do a bloodless ritual. From analyzing the labyrinth like palaces, one can come to the conclusion that the Minoans were an agricultural gathering society that were drawn to open public spaces. There is little to be known of this civilization