Andonis Katanos Art Collections

Minoan Civilization

Crete had long history of habitation, beginning with the Neolithic times around 7000 BC. The Great Palace at Knossos was built between 2700 and 1400 BC. It was built several times due to the destruction by earthquakes. The Palace spread over 6 acres and the settlement covered 185 acres without any sharp physical or architectural boundary between the palace and the houses. Such arrangements imply that the Minoans were living in harmony with the hierarchy. The Palace had not only grandeur but detailed arrangement of functionality. It was multi-storied with interior and exterior staircases, light wells, theater, paved courtyards, altar, storage rooms containing pithoi (large clay vases) for oil, grains, beans, olives. Also had grain mills, oil and wine presses. Minoans used advanced architectural techniques, part of the buildings were built up to 5 stories high. Fresh water was brought from springs up the hill about 10 km away by gravity through terracotta pipes. Sanitation drainage was through a closed system leading to a sewer. The queen's Megaron had the first water flushing toilet adjoining the bathroom. There was also drainage of the rain water that was collected from the roofs. For ventilation had porticoes and air shafts. . From 3500 BC irrigation for the agriculture was practiced. Crete established the modern technological achievements regarding the use of water resources (aqueducts, cisterns, wells, pipes and filters etc.). Their approaches were remarkably advanced. They developed the urban hydraulics for the palaces and houses. Aqueducts were constructed to supply water in the baths, kitchen and toilets. They also had an elaborate urban sewage system dealing with waste water and rain drainage from the roofs. Water was brought from the spring, the aqueduct 1,4 km away filtered with charcoal and through a network of terracotta pipes located beneath the floors provided the people with clean water. These pipes are quite modern in approach. Crete became the cradle of one of the most important civilization of humanity and the first major civilization of Europe.