KNOSSOS, IRAKLION MUSEUM COLOR SLIDE, GR 1977_16
We caught a bus from Iraklion to the site of Knossos early in the morning to beat the heat. The site was discovered in 1878 by Minos Kalokairinos and the excavations by Sir Arthur Evens began in 1900. The excavations continued for 35 years and the size exceeded the original expectations. The beauty of the palace is beyond compare. Much of the original palace was rebuilt and colors were reimagined by modern archeologists. We spent the day exploring and climbing through the ruins to see the renovated and rebuilt palace and frescoes. We were among the few tourists on that day as we climbed the ruins and imagined life in 1300 B.C. The pottery and artifacts in the Heraklion Archaeological Museum contain beautiful objects that were found throughout the excavation site at Knossos. I was especially enamored with the tall jars with sea creatures painted on them and the bull's head in #25. There are a few frames showing daily life in the butcher shop, cafe, construction worker and flower shop. The final image is of a skeleton from the museum reminding us that life is fleeting and you must grab the bull by the horns, pun intended!