Palace of KnossosFrescoes from the Minoan Civilisation
The ruins of the palace were discovered in 1878 by the Cretan Minos Kalokairinos who began excavations. Beautiful frescoes were discovered on the site, showing us the nature of the society of the earliest Cretans. Below you will see the Bull Leaping Fresco which is one of the most famous of all. It brings into question the nature of the relationship of the earliest inhabitants with the bull. Of course it seems that the young boys or girls are jumping the bull...is this part of a display of skill or a bull-fighting sequence? Also below you will see the fresco name Minoan Lady which shows beautiful blue colours and the distinguished profile of a beautiful woman. In the throne room of Knossos you will see the striking Griffin Fresco, with stunning red colours. There are two griffins facing the throne, these mythical creatures had the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle. See more information about the history of Knossos on this page... Also see tips for visitors to Knossos on this page...
Statuettes and jewellery were found at Knossos giving us questions about the role of women in the Minoan civilisation, such as the Snake Goddess.  Below is a video of the Knossos archeological site as it stands today: Below is a map of Crete showing the location of the Minoan palaces. View Crete with Minoan Palaces Marked in a larger map Return to Crete for Travellers Return from Palace of Knossos to We Love Crete Homepage |
