Knossos

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Minerva Magazine 200

• The artists behind Maya masterpieces
• Art and identity in the Mediterranean
• Unravelling the myths and archaeology of Minoan Knossos (available on The Past 23 February)
• Exploring palatial pleasures in Parma
• Touring the ancient theatres of Epirus

Knossos: seeking the labyrinth

Was the Minoan palace at Knossos the inspiration for myths about the Minotaur and its labyrinth lair? Delving into the archaeology of this monument and its environs reveals a reality every bit as remarkable as the ancient legends, as Andrew Shapland told Matthew Symonds.

Labyrinth: Knossos, Myth and Reality

Ancient myths meet archaeological treasures in this new blockbuster at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford. Carly Hilts went along to learn more about the great palace at Knossos, legendary location of the Minotaur-haunted labyrinth, and real-life repository of Minoan culture.

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This week: Knossos

According to the catalogue for the new exhibition at Oxford’s Ashmolean Museum, Knossos is the place where ‘myth, archaeology and reinforced concrete come together’ – a neat encapsulation of some of the world famous site’s many complexities. Perched on a…

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This week: John Craxton

These days, John Craxton is perhaps best known for the vibrant, sun-drenched illustrations he produced as book jackets for his close friend, the travel writer Patrick Leigh Fermor. As a young painter in the 1940s, however, he was a leading figure in the post-war British art scene, alongside Graham Sutherland, John Piper and Lucian Freud.

Opposite page Still growing, this olive tree at Azorias, on Crete, is a staggering 3,250 years old; its fruit may well have been harvested for the earliest known production of olive oil. above The Palace of Knossos, with olives visible in the background.

Olives: oiling the wheels of civilisation

Olive trees thrive on poor soil where little else will grow, which means land that would otherwise be barren can produce food. This realisation triggered a true agricultural revolution – but when and where did it take place? Colin Renfrew and Evi Margaritis believe the clues were grown on Crete.