Knossos, The Ruins of the Palace of Minos

Crete is full of ancient history and is home to the oldest city in Europe, Knossos.  At Knossos are the ruins of the ancient Palace of Minos, king of the Minoans.  The palace was first excavated and partially restored in the earliest years of the 20th century, amd is the largest Bronze Age archeological site on the island of Crete.  The first settlement of Minoans dates back to 7000 BC, and the earliest palace to 1900 BC.  To learn more about Knossos and the palace, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knossos.  

The palace was a huge structure that served as more than just a residence for the monarch.  With roughly 1300 rooms, connected by corridors of varying sizes snd directions, it covers more than 6 acres.  Built gradually from 1700 BC to 1400 BC, it was facing a river that was navigable at that time and the palace had a river entrance.  Today that river is merely a small stream.

The palace had 3 separate water management systems, one for supply,  one for drainage/runoff, and one for sewage.  The sewer systems was a closed system of drainage to carry th sewage safely away from the city.  The queen's quarters contained a water flushing toilet with a seat that was flushed by pouring water from a jug into the toilet.  The water supply system used a series of terra cotta type tiles with a large and a small end that were fitted small end of one into large end of another, forming a sealed supply pipe that also controlled and maintained water pressure.  From these and other innovations found on the site, these were very clever and advanced people.

The site is not a lot to see right now and the guide was essential to explain the history and what has been learned.  Below are a couple of photos of the site, of the queen's room with wall paintings, and a drawing showing how the palace may have appeared.