King Minos of Crete prayed to the sea god Poseidon, asking him for a sign to confirm his divine right to rule. Poseidon sent him a magnificent white bull, expecting Minos to sacrifice it in his honor. However, struck by the bull’s beauty, Minos chose to keep it and sacrificed a different bull instead. An angry Poseidon cursed his wife, Queen Pasiphae to fall in love with the bull, which led to Minotaur’s birth, a fearsome creature with the body of a man and the head of a bull.
King Minos commissioned Daedalus, the greatest craftsman of his age, to design an inescapable labyrinth to imprison the Minotaur. The winding passageways were designed such that they not only contained the Minotaur but also prevented anyone from finding their way out. After the death of his son, Minos imposed a cruel punishment; every nine years (or annually, in some versions), Athens had to send seven young men and seven young women to be sacrificed to the Minotaur.
Theseus, the brave prince of Athens, joined the sacrificial troupe to free his people from this brutal obligation. Upon reaching Crete, he met Ariadne, the daughter of King Minos, who fell in love with him and decided to aid him in his quest. She provided Theseus with a ball of yarn to help him navigate the complex labyrinth.
Following Ariadne’s plan, Theseus tied one end of the thread near the entrance of the labyrinth and began his journey through its twisting passages. After a fierce and tense battle, Theseus managed to kill the beast, ending the terror that had plagued his people for years. He used ‘Adrianne’s thread’ to retrace his steps and also led the other Athenian youths out of the labyrinth, emerging as a hero who had conquered both the labyrinth and the creature within.
Following his victory, Theseus fled Crete with Ariadne, but he later abandoned her on the island of Naxos. There, she was discovered by the god Dionysus, who made her his wife. The story of King Minos and the Minotaur is an integral part of the history of Knossos, symbolizing the courage to confront ‘monsters’ and the triumph of bravery over fear.
The Palace of Knossos is also deeply intertwined with Greek mythology, particularly the legend of King Minos, the Minotaur, and the Labyrinth. According to the story, King Minos had commissioned the palace to be built like a labyrinth to imprison the Minotaur, a creature that was half-man, half-bull. However, the Minotaur was later killed by Theseus, the prince of Athens.
Sir Arthur Evans was a British archaeologist who excavated Knossos in the early 20th century. He studied the remains and undertook extensive restoration duties to spread awareness about the Minoan civilization. Evans reconstructed parts of the palace using concrete, a controversial decision that helped visualize the ancient site but sparked debate over the authenticity of such restorations in archaeology.
The discovery of the Knossos archaeological site offers valuable insights into the ancient Minoan civilization, including its administrative structure, and engineering advancements. The wall frescoes, religious symbols, and artifacts reveal a society with complex trade networks, a structured monarchy, and rich religious practices.
Nearly every wall of the Knossos Palace is adorned with vibrant frescoes, revealing intimate details about the Minoan way of life and their religious rituals. The Mother Goddess and the Bull, believed to be symbols of fertility and prosperity, are the two most prominent motifs, that appear in a majority of these paintings. Look out for the ‘Bull-Leaping’ fresco near the Central Court to delve deeper into their ceremonial practices.
The Labyrinth is almost synonymous with the Palace of Knossos, known for its complex network of rooms, courtyards, and passages. The palace’s maze-like design is also linked to the story of King Minos, who had once trapped the Minotaur inside these winding pathways. Today, the Labyrinth continues to be a popular name for Knossos, hinting at its roots in Greek mythology.
Having been built on an earthquake-prone section in Crete, the Knossos Palace suffered through several earthquakes and fires. These disasters often wreaked havoc on the structures and had to be rebuilt time and time again. The most significant disaster occurred around 1450 BCE, likely a massive earthquake or volcanic eruption, which led to the palace's decline. These events weakened the Minoan civilization, and Knossos ultimately fell to Mycenaean control, marking the end of its golden era.
As a major cultural and administrative center, Knossos played a vital role in the Minoan trade network across the Mediterranean. Its strategic location on Crete allowed it to interact with Egypt, the Levant, and other Aegean cultures. Archaeological finds, including pottery, seals, and frescoes show that Knossos was a thriving center for trade and culture in the ancient world.
