LIB'S LABYRINTH: Maze T: Crete

Thursday, September 22, 2005

Maze T: Crete

Crete (Kriti)

Capital: Heraklion

Home of the minotaur and the original labyrinth.

First European Civilization
The Aegean (Minoan) Civilization is the first great European civilization. It began about 3000 B.C. on the Greek island of Crete in Thesally and around Troy in Asia Minor. It ended in 1100 B.C. Hellenic Peoples from Athens destroyed the Cretans at Troy after a 10-year seige probably in 1184 B.C.
In the Greek legend, King Minos of Crete is the son of Zeus and Europa. Crete is the mythological home of Zeus. He was a famed lawmaker and a cruel emperor. He required Atheneans to send 7 boys and 7 seven girls each year as a sacrifice to the Minotaur. Other stories picture him as a wise ruler and enacted wise laws. He defeated the pirates who were attacking him ships [this is very much in doubt for archeologists did not excavate anything related to ships]. In the 1900 excavations at Knossos were done by Sir Arthur Evans. Based on the wealth of artifacts that were found, Evans theorized that this was the site of ancient Minoan Kingdom. He and his brother Rhadamantus, became judges in the underowrld after their death.

The Museum of Heraklion houses the treasures from the findings of Knossos, Phaestos, Zakros and other less known city states of Crete. Olive groves and vineyards still existed in the rural hilly countrysides as far back as 4000 years!

Ancient Cretans seemed to be peaceful people. They worshipped trees (environmentalists), bulls, snakes and used the two-bladed ax as their religious symbols. Their favorite sport is called "bull-leaping" - a series of gymnastic exercises performed on the back of a running bull (modern day bull-rocking) while perhaps the five-foot-four Cretans were yelling, "Bullshit! Bullshit!"

It is the largest and the most rugged of the Greek islands. It is also the home of the great Minoan Civilization dating back to 4000 B.C. and the mythical home of Zeus. We walked for about 15 minutes to the center of Heraklion and had our photos taken inside the City Hall.