Cover Story
Into the Labyrinth: unravelling the myths and archaeology of Minoan Knossos Myth surrounds the famous Palace of Knossos, but there is much more to the Cretan site than the fabled Minotaur and King Minos. A new exhibition at the Ashmolean Museum delves into the archaeology of the Minoan site and the… Features
Island lives: art and identity in the Mediterranean Water may separate the Mediterranean islands from the mainland, but the sea also offers a vital link. Anastasia Christophilopoulou considers how objects from Crete, Cyprus, and Sardinia reveal aspects of… 
Touring the ancient theatres of Epirus, Greece The mountains and forests of Epirus offer a dramatic backdrop for a tour through the theatres of the Greek region’s ancient cities. Diana Bentley finds stories of a famed oracle… 
Signature style: the artists behind Maya masterpieces Recent breakthroughs in the study of Maya hieroglyphs have revealed artist signatures on artefacts long considered to be the work of anonymous artisans. Joanne Pillsbury and Laura Filloy Nadal introduce… 
Palatial pleasures in Parma The former palace of the Farnese family in Parma contains no fewer than five cultural institutions. Dalu Jones is our guide to the recently renovated Pilotta complex, where the dukes… News
Riches and ritual uncovered in England Archaeologists from MOLA were excavating the site in Northamptonshire when they uncovered a group of some 30 pendants, other grave goods, and fragments of tooth enamel in a grave. 
Copper Age owl-shaped plaques may be toys, researchers suggest Thousands of engraved owl-shaped plaques have been discovered in Copper Age tombs and pits throughout the Iberian Peninsula. 
Assyrian palace excavated in the ancient city of Nimrud Finds from the palace include a large stone vase and inscribed fragments of ivory and of ostrich eggshell. 
Museum openings and reopenings around the world The Manchester Museum, Bengaluru's new art gallery, and the House of the Vettii in Pompeii open to the public. 
Researchers identify bird species on wall painting from Amarna palace Kingfishers and pigeons had previously been identified amid this scene in the palace’s so-called ‘Green Room’, but new research has offered explanations of further details. 
Neolithic narrative scene identified in Turkey The discovery was made during excavations that uncovered two separate clusters of Pre-Pottery Neolithic buildings at the site. Views
Touring the ancient theatres of Epirus, Greece Feature, Travel The mountains and forests of Epirus offer a dramatic backdrop for a tour through the theatres of the Greek region’s ancient cities. Diana Bentley finds stories of a famed oracle… 
On show: a selection of exhibitions from around the world in 2023 Museum, What's on The dates listed below may have changed since we went to print. Check the websites of the museums for the most up-to-date information and bookings. 
Digging Tell en-Nasbeh, 1929 The Picture Desk Between 1926 and 1935, American scholar William F Badè and his team unearthed the remains of a small town at the site of Tell en-Nasbeh in Mandate-era Palestine. Thought to… Museum openings and reopenings around the world News, What's on The Manchester Museum, Bengaluru's new art gallery, and the House of the Vettii in Pompeii open to the public. 
Minerva: cultivating wisdom Comment, Ideas A deity of wisdom and war, born fully grown, and armed, from the head of her father Zeus/Jupiter, Minerva – and her Greek counterpart Athena – played an important part… 
Sylvanus Griswold Morley People In those days, Mesoamerican archaeology was not for the faint-hearted, and Sylvanus Griswold Morley – ‘physically frail, short of stature, squeaky-voiced and near-sighted’, according to Prudence Rice and Christopher Ward… Reviews
Into the Labyrinth: unravelling the myths and archaeology of Minoan Knossos Myth surrounds the famous Palace of Knossos, but there is much more to the Cretan site than the fabled Minotaur and King Minos. A new exhibition at the Ashmolean Museum… Touring the ancient theatres of Epirus, Greece The mountains and forests of Epirus offer a dramatic backdrop for a tour through the theatres of the Greek region’s ancient cities. Diana Bentley finds stories of a famed oracle… 
Ashoka and the Maurya Dynasty: the History and Legacy of Ancient India’s Greatest Empire Review by Robert Harding The ancient Mauryan Empire and its third emperor Ashoka (c.304-232 BC) represent a striking departure for Colleen Taylor Sen. The author’s reputation rests on her series… On show: a selection of exhibitions from around the world in 2023 The dates listed below may have changed since we went to print. Check the websites of the museums for the most up-to-date information and bookings. 
Weavers, Scribes, and Kings: A New History of the Ancient Near East Review by Diana Bentley The ancient Near East has not always attracted the popular attention it deserves, especially in comparison with other cultures of the surrounding area, like Greece, Rome,… Museum openings and reopenings around the world The Manchester Museum, Bengaluru's new art gallery, and the House of the Vettii in Pompeii open to the public. 
From the editor
Imbued with the myth of the Minotaur, the ruins of the Palace of Knossos on Crete make up one of the best-known archaeological sites. Much of what visitors can see – bold, bright frescoes and columns – is the result of ‘reconstitution’ work by the archaeologist who excavated them in the early 20th century: Arthur Evans. In our cover feature, Maev Kennedy reports on a new exhibition that explores his work and intriguing interpretations, and how our understanding of the fascinating site has changed since then, as archaeology continues to shed light on Minoan Crete.
As well as Crete, we visit the islands of Sardinia and Cyprus with Anastasia Christophilopoulou, who has been researching island identities in the Mediterranean. Archaeological finds such as figurines made from imported metals and distinctive pottery show how, as sea travel and trade progressed in antiquity, these three islands became more connected by the waters that separated them.
Elsewhere in this issue, we explore what we know about the people behind spectacular depictions of gods and lords in Maya royal cities, long thought to be anonymous artisans. Joanne Pillsbury and Laura Filloy Nadal relate how advances in reading Maya glyphs have been revealing the names of artists. At one site, their signatures were given particular prominence, perhaps a sign of cultural diplomacy and the desire of the ruling classes to show themselves to be cultivated patrons.
Art’s relationship to power is a current that runs through Dalu Jones’ tour through the Pilotta palace complex in Parma, built and filled with paintings, sculptures, books, and archaeological artefacts by the dukes of Parma. One duke competed with his brother in archaeological discoveries, setting up an archaeological museum and sponsoring the excavation of a Roman city, while another built a theatre in the palace to curry favour with the powerful Medici. We continue the theatrical theme in our final feature, in which Diana Bentley guides us through five ancient theatres being restored in northern Greece.
I am pleased to note that this is the 200th issue of Minerva. As we reach our milestone, I’d like to take the opportunity to remind you that, if you enjoy the magazine, you can catch up with issues you might have missed over the past few years (from issue 186) on our online platform: The Past. There you will also find challenging quizzes, stories from Current Publishing’s other titles and exclusive content, and podcasts exploring the content of all our magazines. Go to https://the-past.com to find out more.
