Key Information
Knossos
| Type | Bronze Age Settlement |
| Founded | Before 2000 BCE |
| Founded By | Minoans |
| Abandonded | Between 1380 to 1100 BCE |
| Excavated By | Minos Kalokairinios, Sir Arthur Evans (from 1900) |
Learning Point
- Knossos was the main palace of the Minoan civilization on the island of Crete thousands of years ago. It was a huge, complex building with lots of rooms and beautiful art, showing a sophisticated culture that traded and had unique beliefs. The palace is also linked to the famous Greek myth of the Minotaur in a maze. Though now in ruins, Knossos gives us important clues about this advanced ancient society that came before the well-known ancient Greeks.
Project
- Draw a picture of Labyrinth as you imagine it would look like if it was real.
- Overview
- Plan
- Reconstruction
Location
| Location | Heraklion, Crete, Greece |
Fun Facts
- Knossos had a huge palace with so many rooms, it was like a giant house for kings and queens!
- The Minoans who lived there loved bulls and even had a dangerous sport where people would leap over them!
- The walls of Knossos were decorated with bright and beautiful paintings of people, animals, and the sea.
- Believe it or not, Knossos had advanced ways to handle water, almost like very old-fashioned plumbing!
Past Lessons
| 169 | May 8, 2025 | (North America) |