Heraklion

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Tom & Sarah’s hotel

Knossos (10/ 1/ 2011): “We got to Knossos about 9.30 or 10 this morning and were the only ones around - there was not even a guide at that point. We started nosing around although it was difficult to really get a feel for what we were looking at. I could tell Sarah was becoming a little disenchanted by Evans' reconstruction! Fortunately, a guide appeared shortly and gave us a wonderful tour, filling us in on little details like the stonemasons 'signatures', which bits were 'Greek' or Twentieth century additions and what is known, unknown and debated about the various rooms and their functions. For instance, he pointed out that what Evans described as the 'throne room' was more likely a place for some kind of religious ritual. The throne room was on the level below. Above all, we couldn't help but be a little infected by his enthusiastic account of the virtues of Minoan civilisation - no slaves, relatively peaceful, matriarchal and nature loving - even if it may have been somewhat utopian. Imagining the five-story palace, first built in that beautiful setting four thousand years ago, really was moving.” 11/1/2011

Palace of Knossos (10/1/2011):

The Crete Archaeological Museum (10/1/2011): “As you no doubt recall, this exhibition combines excellently with a visit to the Palace at Knossos. It's being renovated so they only have a temporary, smaller exhibition but it has all the major exhibits. Indeed, Sarah and I speculated that it condensed the collection to its essence. It certainly is incredible to spend an hour looking over 7000 years of artefacts from early Neolithic times to the Roman presence. The Snake Goddesses, the Bull Leaping fresco & Prince with Lillies fresco, the Golden Bee pendant - amongst many others - really awed us.” 11/1/2011

Heraklion Archaeological Museum (10/1/2011): ‘Snake Goddess’ 1600 BC Bull’s Head Rython, Neo-Palatial Period

Snake Goddess (1600 B.C.): “The Snake Goddess was one of the Minoan divinities associated closely with the snake cult. She is called also Household Goddess due to her attribute of the snake, which is connected with welfare of the Minoan house. But the snake is also symbol of the underworld deity, so the Snake Goddess is related to chthonic aspects too.” Dr Alena Trckova-Flamee Bull's head Rhyton “Wonderfull steatite rhyton [a vessel used in Ancient Greece for ritual serving of wine in honour of a deity] in the shape of a bull's head from the Little Palace of Knossos. The horns were gilded, the eyes made of rock crystal and the muzzle of mother - of - pearl, ca 16th century. It was a libation vessel used in sacred rituals. It was filled with the appropriate liquid through the hole in the neck and emptied during the ritual through another hole in the nostrils.”

Heraklion Archaeological Museum (10/1/2011): Bull-Leaping Fresco from Knossos, Late Neo-Palatial Period

Bull-Leaping Fresco from Knossos “Bull leaping" fresco (painted plaster) from a wall of the Palace at Knossos. The red figure is probably male (its hands probably not on the back of the bull as it should, maybe so to reduce the height of the image), the white figures female (a color convention in Minoan painting). 17th-15th centuries BC. Origin: Palace of Knossos. Height of restored fresco 78.2 cm.” Bull-Leaping in Bronze Age Crete

Heraklion Archaeological Museum (10/1/2011): Gold Bee Pendant, Proto-Palatial Period

The Gold Bee Pendant “The pendant dates from the protopalatial period, which lasted between 1900 and 1700 BC. This elaborate pendant was found at Malia, the third largest Minoan palace on Crete after Knossos and Phaistos. Made of cast gold with gold granules soldered onto the surface, the pendant depicts two bees centred symmetrically around a drop of honey. The technique of soldering the granules on with a low-heat solder is known as faience and the Minoans probably learnt it from the Syrians, with whom the islanders had regular contact.”

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