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  1. 2011 Mediterranean Cruise
  2. Med Cruise Greece

Mediterranean #14 - Knossos Crete

Knossos is undeniably one of the most famous archaeological sites in the eastern Mediterranean. Unfortunately, what should have been a high point on our entire trip was in some ways a low point. It was at Knossos that we had the worst weather and the greatest crowds, which combined to produce the worst conditions for photography. What you see in this gallery will give you a bit of an idea of what it is like to visit Knossos, but a very poor idea of what the site is really like. The need to protect my camera from the rain meant there were parts of the site that didn't get photographed at all. The swarms of people, all trying to see the same things we were trying to see, combined with the need to try to keep up with our own group, meant there were things that could only be photographed through a screen of people, if at all. Finally, because the site is so large and complex, and so much construction/renovation/preservation was going on, I rarely knew with any certainty exactly where we were.
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  • MS G14 01
Near the entrance to the site.
The modern entrance is near the west entrance to the palace complex.  The main axis of the Palace points approximately to northeast.
I was never sure where we were within the palace complex, but I believe this is a view past the Palace's West Entrance (upper left) toward the South House (down the hill).  The foreground is the West Court.

Knossos, Crete (2011)
Minoan palace complex archaeological site.

    MS G14 01 Near the entrance to the site. The modern entrance is near the west entrance to the palace complex. The main axis of the Palace points approximately to northeast. I was never sure where we were within the palace complex, but I believe this is a view past the Palace's West Entrance (upper left) toward the South House (down the hill). The foreground is the West Court. Knossos, Crete (2011) Minoan palace complex archaeological site.

  • Knossos, Crete (2011)
Minoan palace complex archaeological site.

    Knossos, Crete (2011) Minoan palace complex archaeological site.

  • One of the thing I enjoyed most at Knossos was looking out at the surrounding countryside, trying to get a sense of the beauty and serenity of the natural setting.
I believe that the structure that is down the hill is the South House.

Knossos, Crete (2011)
Minoan palace complex archaeological site.

    One of the thing I enjoyed most at Knossos was looking out at the surrounding countryside, trying to get a sense of the beauty and serenity of the natural setting. I believe that the structure that is down the hill is the South House. Knossos, Crete (2011) Minoan palace complex archaeological site.

  • Knossos, Crete (2011)
Minoan palace complex archaeological site.

    Knossos, Crete (2011) Minoan palace complex archaeological site.

  • Knossos, Crete (2011)
Minoan palace complex archaeological site.

    Knossos, Crete (2011) Minoan palace complex archaeological site.

  • One of three large circular stone-lined pits in the vicinity of the West Entrance.

Knossos, Crete (2011)
Minoan palace complex archaeological site.

    One of three large circular stone-lined pits in the vicinity of the West Entrance. Knossos, Crete (2011) Minoan palace complex archaeological site.

  • Knossos, Crete (2011)
Minoan palace complex archaeological site.

    Knossos, Crete (2011) Minoan palace complex archaeological site.

  • An unusual boulder near the beginning of our tour.  It raised a question...was it natural to the site, or had it been moved there by the Minoans?  If the latter, why?  If the former, why did the Minoans leave it there?  Everything else at Knossos was so compulsively planned and executed by the Minoans.  As confusing as the palace complex is, there seemed to be a purpose for every single part of it.  Except for this.

Knossos, Crete (2011)
Minoan palace complex archaeological site.

    An unusual boulder near the beginning of our tour. It raised a question...was it natural to the site, or had it been moved there by the Minoans? If the latter, why? If the former, why did the Minoans leave it there? Everything else at Knossos was so compulsively planned and executed by the Minoans. As confusing as the palace complex is, there seemed to be a purpose for every single part of it. Except for this. Knossos, Crete (2011) Minoan palace complex archaeological site.

  • Knossos, Crete (2011)
Minoan palace complex archaeological site.

    Knossos, Crete (2011) Minoan palace complex archaeological site.

  • Knossos, Crete (2011)
Minoan palace complex archaeological site.

    Knossos, Crete (2011) Minoan palace complex archaeological site.

  • Knossos, Crete (2011)
Minoan palace complex archaeological site.

    Knossos, Crete (2011) Minoan palace complex archaeological site.

  • Knossos, Crete (2011)
Minoan palace complex archaeological site.

    Knossos, Crete (2011) Minoan palace complex archaeological site.

  • Knossos, Crete (2011)
Minoan palace complex archaeological site.

    Knossos, Crete (2011) Minoan palace complex archaeological site.

  • I almost achieved that rarest of shots at Knossos...a wide angle exterior shot with no people in it.  In this one, only the two small figures at the left intrude.

Knossos, Crete (2011)
Minoan palace complex archaeological site.

    I almost achieved that rarest of shots at Knossos...a wide angle exterior shot with no people in it. In this one, only the two small figures at the left intrude. Knossos, Crete (2011) Minoan palace complex archaeological site.

  • Knossos, Crete (2011)
Minoan palace complex archaeological site.

    Knossos, Crete (2011) Minoan palace complex archaeological site.

  • Knossos, Crete (2011)
Minoan palace complex archaeological site.

    Knossos, Crete (2011) Minoan palace complex archaeological site.

  • MS G14 02
Knossos, Crete (2011)
Minoan palace complex archaeological site.

    MS G14 02 Knossos, Crete (2011) Minoan palace complex archaeological site.

  • Knossos, Crete (2011)
Minoan palace complex archaeological site.

    Knossos, Crete (2011) Minoan palace complex archaeological site.

  • Knossos, Crete (2011)
Minoan palace complex archaeological site.

    Knossos, Crete (2011) Minoan palace complex archaeological site.

  • Knossos, Crete (2011)
Minoan palace complex archaeological site.

    Knossos, Crete (2011) Minoan palace complex archaeological site.

  • MS G14 03
The paint that appears in the reconstructed (re-imagined, some would say) architectural elements such as these columns is based on fragments of original paint that was uncovered by the various excavations.

Knossos, Crete (2011)
Minoan palace complex archaeological site.

    MS G14 03 The paint that appears in the reconstructed (re-imagined, some would say) architectural elements such as these columns is based on fragments of original paint that was uncovered by the various excavations. Knossos, Crete (2011) Minoan palace complex archaeological site.

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