Knossos
Knossos is a Bronze Age archaeological site on the island of Crete. It is at modern Heraklion. It may be Europe's oldest city.[1]
Many Roman coins found on the site had 'Knosion' or 'Knos' on one side, and an image of a Minotaur or Labyrinth on the reverse. These are symbols from the myth of King Minos, supposed to have reigned at Knossos.[2]
The excavations at Knossos began in 1900 by the English archaeologist Sir Arthur Evans (1851–1941) and his team. They worked there for 35 years. The palace was excavated and partly restored. It was large. The team discovered two ancient scripts, called Linear A and Linear B. From the layering of the palace, Evans developed an idea of the civilization that used it, which he called Minoan. The palace was built over a previous Neolithic town. During the Bronze Age, the town surrounded the hill on which the palace was built.
The palace was abandoned at some unknown time at the end of the late Bronze Age, c. 1380–1100 BC, for reasons which are not known.
Knossos Media
Bowl with fork handles, pottery. Knossos, Early Neolithic, 6500–5800 BC. Also a ladle, and a three-legged vessel from later periods
- Monnaie - Drachme, Argent, Cnossos, Crète - btv1b8570697m (2 of 2).jpg
A coin of Knossos, depicting a Labyrinth
- Bronze Ax Messara Crete.jpg
A labrys from Messara Plain
- Knossos Map-T Just the map.jpg
The Palace at Knossos was organized around an open central court, labeled (1) in this map.
The Grandstand Fresco appears to show a ceremony taking place in the Central Court at Knossos.
- Armon Knossos P1060104.JPG
View to the east from the northwest corner, in the foreground is the west wall of the Lustral Basin
- Knossos - 03.jpg
View to the south, the hill in the background is Gypsades, between it and Knossos is the Vlychia and the South Entrance is on the left
- KnossosCourt.jpg
Reception courtyard in the palace of Knossos, the royal family would entertain guests here, members of the court would stand on the tiered platforms in the background
A storage magazine with giant pithoi
References
- ↑ Whitelaw, Todd 2000. Beyond the palace: a century of investigation at Europe's oldest city. Bulletin of the Institute of Classical Studies: 223, 226.
- ↑ Gere, Cathy 2009. Knossos and the prophets of modernism. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 25. ISBN 0226289540
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