Σάββατο 10 Μαΐου 2025

The Palace of Knossos—built in 1900 BCE

 


*"Step into the *labyrinth of legends*! The Palace of Knossos—built in 1900 BCE—was the heart of Minoan Crete, where *bull-leaping frescoes* and mythical Minotaurs blur history with myth. Who else feels the pulse of Europe’s first advanced civilization here? The "labyrinth" likely referred to the palace’s *mazelike layout*—but the *Minotaur’s legend* may stem from bull cults… or political slander against Crete’s bull-worshipping kings.

Around **1700 BCE**, Knossos was a **cosmopolitan marvel**: its **1,300+ rooms** included flush toilets, light wells, and vibrant frescoes of dolphins and saffron gatherers. The central courtyard hosted *bull-leaping rituals*—acrobats vaulting over charging bulls, a sport (or sacrifice?) depicted in famed art.
Then, in **1450 BCE**, disaster struck. A volcanic eruption on Thera (Santorini) triggered tsunamis and quakes, weakening Knossos. By **1375 BCE**, Mycenaean Greeks seized it, altering its frescoes to show *chariots and warriors*. When Arthur Evans excavated it in **1900 AD**, he controversially *reconstructed* parts (like the iconic red columns), sparking debates on archaeological ethics.

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