Crete-Mycenaean culture: a myth that has become a reality

Crete-Mycenaean culture was discovered thanks tothe study of ancient Greek myths and the immortal poems of Homer. Following them, G. Schliemann and A. Evans revealed to the world the amazing treasures of the ancient world, which for a long time were considered myths. The tombs of Mycenae and the Palace of Knossos occupy a special place among the monuments of this ancient culture.

Minos Palace

The cities of Crete are known for their ancientpalaces. Archaeologists have discovered their ruins in Knossos, Gurnia, Festa, Mali and Kato Zaro. But the most outstanding monument of Cretan architecture was the Palace of Minos, located in Knossos. For many, the Crete-Mycenaean culture is associated with this very structure. His story is inextricably linked with the legends of the half-human half-minion of the Minotaur, King Minos and the Greek hero Theseus.

Площадь Кносского дворца составляла 16 тыс. м².It was a complex pile-up of various premises, therefore it seemed to the Greeks as a “labyrinth” from which it was impossible to get out. The palace of Minos was erected in 2 thousand BC. It was built over several centuries. In the center of the building was located a vast courtyard, which had a religious purpose. Numerous rooms with verandas, colonnades, galleries, stairs and pools adjoined it.

Front rooms included a large andsmall "throne" halls and rooms for religious purposes. In the female part there was a treasury, reception room, bathrooms and many other rooms. In the palace there was a sewer network serving the bathrooms, pools and toilets. How original was the Cretan-Mycenaean culture can be understood by examining the details of the Palace of Knossos. In particular, you can see the amazing "irrational" columns. In most of the buildings of the ancient peoples, the columns expanded downwards, and in the Palace of Minos, on the contrary, narrowed. In addition, they were decorated with a zigzag pattern. Inside the walls of the palace were covered with colorful images and ornaments in the form of flexible spiral curls or waves.

Tombs of Mycenae

Mycenaean culture stands out for its funeraryby art. So, not far from the Mycenaean Palace is the royal necropolis, built in the 16th century BC. er It consists of several shaft tombs in which members of the royal family were buried. Most tombs are rectangular in shape. They found stylized golden masks that convey the features of the rulers of Mycenae. The mask of Agamemnon, one of the main heroes of the Iliad, gained world fame. Female diadems with wide ribbon and high beams were also found. Their ornament testified to the connection of the Mycenaean queens with the gods of the luminaries.

In the Mycenaean tombs, archaeologists have found bronzedaggers with handles inlaid with various patterns. In particular, hunting scenes, waterfowl, running lions, starry sky. In addition, gold-printed rings were discovered. It is also worth remembering the vessels of gold, electra and silver. The Achaeans considered such vessels a pledge of the future revival of the deceased. Some of them are made in the form of an animal or bovine horn.

Despite the great achievements in a variety ofareas, Crete-Mycenaean culture, like many others, was the victim of degradation. Modern scientists attribute its weakening to an unknown catastrophe that occurred between 1250 and 1190. BC er