Portrait of Knossos

Knossos

ancient Minoan through Roman administrative center and city, 1950–1350 BCE

Knossos is an archaeological site and ancient urban centre in Crete, Greece. It is located within the southern periphery of Heraklion, about 5 km (3.1 mi) south of the city's historic centre. The site was occupied from the Neolithic period into the first millennium AD and became the largest and best-known centre of the Minoan civilisation.
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Bull-leaping fresco reconstruction at Knossos

Bull-leaping fresco reconstruction at Knossos

Bull-leaping fresco reconstruction at Knossos. Knossos is an archaeological site and ancient urban centre in Crete, Greece. It is located within the southern periphery of Heraklion, about 5 km (3.1 mi) south of the city's historic centre.

The ancient name of the city is attested in Greek as Κνωσσός and in Linear B as 𐀒𐀜𐀰, transliterated as Ko-no-so. The Latinised form Cnossus was also used in antiquity and in older scholarship. Name →

Knossos lies on Kephala hill, in the valley of the Kairatos river, within the modern municipality of Heraklion. It is not a separate modern city outside Heraklion, but lies within the southern periphery of the present urban area, about 5 km (3.1 mi) from the historic centre. Location and setting →

The chronology of Knossos extends from the Neolithic period to late antiquity. The dates below are approximate and reflect broad archaeological phases rather than fixed historical boundaries. Chronology →

Deror_avi · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Restored architectural detail at Knossos

Restored architectural detail at Knossos

Restored architectural detail at Knossos. Knossos is an archaeological site and ancient urban centre in Crete, Greece. It is located within the southern periphery of Heraklion, about 5 km (3.1 mi) south of the city's historic centre.

The ancient name of the city is attested in Greek as Κνωσσός and in Linear B as 𐀒𐀜𐀰, transliterated as Ko-no-so. The Latinised form Cnossus was also used in antiquity and in older scholarship. Name →

Knossos lies on Kephala hill, in the valley of the Kairatos river, within the modern municipality of Heraklion. It is not a separate modern city outside Heraklion, but lies within the southern periphery of the present urban area, about 5 km (3.1 mi) from the historic centre. Location and setting →

The chronology of Knossos extends from the Neolithic period to late antiquity. The dates below are approximate and reflect broad archaeological phases rather than fixed historical boundaries. Chronology →

Deror_avi · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

View to the east from the west side of the palace

View to the east from the west side of the palace

View to the east from the west side of the palace. In the foreground is the west wall of the lustral basin. Knossos is an archaeological site and ancient urban centre in Crete, Greece. It is located within the southern periphery of Heraklion, about 5 km (3.1 mi) south of the city's historic centre.

The ancient name of the city is attested in Greek as Κνωσσός and in Linear B as 𐀒𐀜𐀰, transliterated as Ko-no-so. The Latinised form Cnossus was also used in antiquity and in older scholarship. Name →

Knossos lies on Kephala hill, in the valley of the Kairatos river, within the modern municipality of Heraklion. It is not a separate modern city outside Heraklion, but lies within the southern periphery of the present urban area, about 5 km (3.1 mi) from the historic centre. Location and setting →

The chronology of Knossos extends from the Neolithic period to late antiquity. The dates below are approximate and reflect broad archaeological phases rather than fixed historical boundaries. Chronology →

Deror_avi · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Bronze Ax Messara Crete

Bronze Ax Messara Crete

A bronze labrys from the Messara Plain. The double axe became one of the most recognisable symbols associated with Minoan Crete. Knossos is an archaeological site and ancient urban centre in Crete, Greece. It is located within the southern periphery of Heraklion, about 5 km (3.1 mi) south of the city's historic centre.

The ancient name of the city is attested in Greek as Κνωσσός and in Linear B as 𐀒𐀜𐀰, transliterated as Ko-no-so. The Latinised form Cnossus was also used in antiquity and in older scholarship. Name →

Knossos lies on Kephala hill, in the valley of the Kairatos river, within the modern municipality of Heraklion. It is not a separate modern city outside Heraklion, but lies within the southern periphery of the present urban area, about 5 km (3.1 mi) from the historic centre. Location and setting →

The chronology of Knossos extends from the Neolithic period to late antiquity. The dates below are approximate and reflect broad archaeological phases rather than fixed historical boundaries. Chronology →

CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Delfiny w Knossos

Delfiny w Knossos

Dolphin fresco reconstruction. Knossos is an archaeological site and ancient urban centre in Crete, Greece. It is located within the southern periphery of Heraklion, about 5 km (3.1 mi) south of the city's historic centre.

The ancient name of the city is attested in Greek as Κνωσσός and in Linear B as 𐀒𐀜𐀰, transliterated as Ko-no-so. The Latinised form Cnossus was also used in antiquity and in older scholarship. Name →

Knossos lies on Kephala hill, in the valley of the Kairatos river, within the modern municipality of Heraklion. It is not a separate modern city outside Heraklion, but lies within the southern periphery of the present urban area, about 5 km (3.1 mi) from the historic centre. Location and setting →

The chronology of Knossos extends from the Neolithic period to late antiquity. The dates below are approximate and reflect broad archaeological phases rather than fixed historical boundaries. Chronology →

Przemek Pietrak · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Facade of Philip II tomb Vergina Greece

Facade of Philip II tomb Vergina Greece

Facade of Philip II of Macedon tomb in Vergina, Greece. The door is made of marble and the order is doric. Knossos is an archaeological site and ancient urban centre in Crete, Greece. It is located within the southern periphery of Heraklion, about 5 km (3.1 mi) south of the city's historic centre.

The ancient name of the city is attested in Greek as Κνωσσός and in Linear B as 𐀒𐀜𐀰, transliterated as Ko-no-so. The Latinised form Cnossus was also used in antiquity and in older scholarship. Name →

Knossos lies on Kephala hill, in the valley of the Kairatos river, within the modern municipality of Heraklion. It is not a separate modern city outside Heraklion, but lies within the southern periphery of the present urban area, about 5 km (3.1 mi) from the historic centre. Location and setting →

The chronology of Knossos extends from the Neolithic period to late antiquity. The dates below are approximate and reflect broad archaeological phases rather than fixed historical boundaries. Chronology →

Panegyrics of Granovetter (Sarah Murray) · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Heraklion — Blue birds fresco

Heraklion — Blue birds fresco

Blue Birds fresco. Knossos is an archaeological site and ancient urban centre in Crete, Greece. It is located within the southern periphery of Heraklion, about 5 km (3.1 mi) south of the city's historic centre.

The ancient name of the city is attested in Greek as Κνωσσός and in Linear B as 𐀒𐀜𐀰, transliterated as Ko-no-so. The Latinised form Cnossus was also used in antiquity and in older scholarship. Name →

Knossos lies on Kephala hill, in the valley of the Kairatos river, within the modern municipality of Heraklion. It is not a separate modern city outside Heraklion, but lies within the southern periphery of the present urban area, about 5 km (3.1 mi) from the historic centre. Location and setting →

The chronology of Knossos extends from the Neolithic period to late antiquity. The dates below are approximate and reflect broad archaeological phases rather than fixed historical boundaries. Chronology →

Gsimonov · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons

Heraklion — Blue monkeys fresco

Heraklion — Blue monkeys fresco

Blue Monkeys fresco. Knossos is an archaeological site and ancient urban centre in Crete, Greece. It is located within the southern periphery of Heraklion, about 5 km (3.1 mi) south of the city's historic centre.

The ancient name of the city is attested in Greek as Κνωσσός and in Linear B as 𐀒𐀜𐀰, transliterated as Ko-no-so. The Latinised form Cnossus was also used in antiquity and in older scholarship. Name →

Knossos lies on Kephala hill, in the valley of the Kairatos river, within the modern municipality of Heraklion. It is not a separate modern city outside Heraklion, but lies within the southern periphery of the present urban area, about 5 km (3.1 mi) from the historic centre. Location and setting →

The chronology of Knossos extends from the Neolithic period to late antiquity. The dates below are approximate and reflect broad archaeological phases rather than fixed historical boundaries. Chronology →

Gsimonov · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons

Heraklion — Cup bearer fresco

Heraklion — Cup bearer fresco

Cup-Bearer fresco. Knossos is an archaeological site and ancient urban centre in Crete, Greece. It is located within the southern periphery of Heraklion, about 5 km (3.1 mi) south of the city's historic centre.

The ancient name of the city is attested in Greek as Κνωσσός and in Linear B as 𐀒𐀜𐀰, transliterated as Ko-no-so. The Latinised form Cnossus was also used in antiquity and in older scholarship. Name →

Knossos lies on Kephala hill, in the valley of the Kairatos river, within the modern municipality of Heraklion. It is not a separate modern city outside Heraklion, but lies within the southern periphery of the present urban area, about 5 km (3.1 mi) from the historic centre. Location and setting →

The chronology of Knossos extends from the Neolithic period to late antiquity. The dates below are approximate and reflect broad archaeological phases rather than fixed historical boundaries. Chronology →

Gsimonov · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons

Heraklion — Dolphin fresco

Heraklion — Dolphin fresco

Dolphin fresco. Knossos is an archaeological site and ancient urban centre in Crete, Greece. It is located within the southern periphery of Heraklion, about 5 km (3.1 mi) south of the city's historic centre.

The ancient name of the city is attested in Greek as Κνωσσός and in Linear B as 𐀒𐀜𐀰, transliterated as Ko-no-so. The Latinised form Cnossus was also used in antiquity and in older scholarship. Name →

Knossos lies on Kephala hill, in the valley of the Kairatos river, within the modern municipality of Heraklion. It is not a separate modern city outside Heraklion, but lies within the southern periphery of the present urban area, about 5 km (3.1 mi) from the historic centre. Location and setting →

The chronology of Knossos extends from the Neolithic period to late antiquity. The dates below are approximate and reflect broad archaeological phases rather than fixed historical boundaries. Chronology →

Gsimonov · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons

Text: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Images: Wikimedia Commons, public domain or Creative Commons (attribution with each work) · Part of The Museum at THEODORA