Matala and Phaistos, Crete, Greece
Cruising off the southwest coast of Crete, Greece's largest island, we had a most refreshing morning at sea. The island itself gave the appearance of being sandwiched between the azure sky and sea, its buff colored limestone shimmering in a heat haze. In preparation for our afternoon visit to the ancient palace of Phaistos, Robyn Woodward presented a talk on the fabulous culture of the Minoans which is regarded as being the first real Aegean civilization to flourish in these waters. They were named after the mythological King Minos, a son of Zeus, by Sir Arthur Evans who excavated the greatest of their palaces at Knossos. They were a remarkably advanced people whose culture was based on maritime trade across a wide sweep of the Mediterranean. Evidence for human occupation on Crete however stretches back into deep time. Cave deposits have yielded stone tools, some fashioned from the volcanic glass obsidian which have been dated to around 90,000 years old.
Following lunch, we anchored just off shore and took Zodiacs to the small seaside village of Matala. Very much dependant on tourism, its narrow streets were a blaze of color with the tiny shops selling a wide selection of scarves, beachwear, and local handmade pottery. The Minoan palace site of Phaistos is a short bus ride away and sits atop a buff which has a commanding view of the extremely fertile Messara plain below. This was the second greatest of the Minoan palace-cities. Phaistos means the burning or shining site, and on a sunny day like today, it was readily apparent how aptly it was named. Covering an area of 8,300 square meters, this is a remarkable site which was inhabited continuously for over two millennia. A number of Neolithic houses were discovered and excavated on the lower slopes of the hill. The earliest Minoan palace here has been dated to between 1900-1700 BC and was constructed on the remains of earlier prehistoric structures. A severe earthquake destroyed much of the early palace about 1700 BC. Following this, its ruins were cleared for the building of a later palace complex which continued in use up to 1450 BC after which time the settlement was completely destroyed and abandoned. On this beautiful September afternoon, the ruins were a mute testimony to the turbulent events which helped to shape the lives and fate of the erstwhile inhabitants of Phaistos. Although ruinous, the broad stairways and massive open courtyards of this once thriving palace complex still exudes grandeur of scale and scope. Store rooms at the palace had contained high pithoi which once held vast quantities of olive oil. On the Messara Plain below, countless olive groves stretched off into the distance taking sustenance from the very ground which supported the intensive farming of the Minoans.
The late afternoon was spent relaxing on the small sandy beach or browsing through the shops at Matala. A beautiful sunset turning the still waters of the Aegean aflame was a fitting close to a wonderful day of engagement with the world of the remarkable Minoans of Crete.
Cruising off the southwest coast of Crete, Greece's largest island, we had a most refreshing morning at sea. The island itself gave the appearance of being sandwiched between the azure sky and sea, its buff colored limestone shimmering in a heat haze. In preparation for our afternoon visit to the ancient palace of Phaistos, Robyn Woodward presented a talk on the fabulous culture of the Minoans which is regarded as being the first real Aegean civilization to flourish in these waters. They were named after the mythological King Minos, a son of Zeus, by Sir Arthur Evans who excavated the greatest of their palaces at Knossos. They were a remarkably advanced people whose culture was based on maritime trade across a wide sweep of the Mediterranean. Evidence for human occupation on Crete however stretches back into deep time. Cave deposits have yielded stone tools, some fashioned from the volcanic glass obsidian which have been dated to around 90,000 years old.
Following lunch, we anchored just off shore and took Zodiacs to the small seaside village of Matala. Very much dependant on tourism, its narrow streets were a blaze of color with the tiny shops selling a wide selection of scarves, beachwear, and local handmade pottery. The Minoan palace site of Phaistos is a short bus ride away and sits atop a buff which has a commanding view of the extremely fertile Messara plain below. This was the second greatest of the Minoan palace-cities. Phaistos means the burning or shining site, and on a sunny day like today, it was readily apparent how aptly it was named. Covering an area of 8,300 square meters, this is a remarkable site which was inhabited continuously for over two millennia. A number of Neolithic houses were discovered and excavated on the lower slopes of the hill. The earliest Minoan palace here has been dated to between 1900-1700 BC and was constructed on the remains of earlier prehistoric structures. A severe earthquake destroyed much of the early palace about 1700 BC. Following this, its ruins were cleared for the building of a later palace complex which continued in use up to 1450 BC after which time the settlement was completely destroyed and abandoned. On this beautiful September afternoon, the ruins were a mute testimony to the turbulent events which helped to shape the lives and fate of the erstwhile inhabitants of Phaistos. Although ruinous, the broad stairways and massive open courtyards of this once thriving palace complex still exudes grandeur of scale and scope. Store rooms at the palace had contained high pithoi which once held vast quantities of olive oil. On the Messara Plain below, countless olive groves stretched off into the distance taking sustenance from the very ground which supported the intensive farming of the Minoans.
The late afternoon was spent relaxing on the small sandy beach or browsing through the shops at Matala. A beautiful sunset turning the still waters of the Aegean aflame was a fitting close to a wonderful day of engagement with the world of the remarkable Minoans of Crete.
