Argophilia

Αργοφιλία: For the love of the journey.

Knossos

Minoan End Times: A Look Into the Primordial Soup of the Gods

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A catastrophe of unimaginable devastation may have put an end to humanity’s brightest moment – the mysterious Minoan Civilization.

Discovering Itanos: A Search for a Lost Minoan Palace

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At the far eastern corner of Crete Island, an amazing prehistoric city once existed. Visiting the ruins left at Itanos once gets the sense of lost time, and of the powerful and prosperous people who once lived there. Ancient Itanos was one of the strongest cities in Crete, but little is known of the ancient […]

On the Trail of the Eternal: The Secrets of the Minoans

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The continuing saga of the magnificent tapestry of humanity woven within the secrets of the Minoans. Part of a series by Argophilia.

The Mystery of the Eteocretans – Gatekeepers of Crete’s Hidden Past

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Homer’s Odyssey tells of the hero Odysseus visiting Crete on his return home. The tale also tells of the unsolved mystery of the Eteocretans.

Europe’s Bureaucrats: Making the Minoans a Footnote of History

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Today, the fate of some of the world’s most treasured Minoan landmarks is still mired in a European bureaucratic bog.

Knossos Curator and British School Offer Unique Pottery Course

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Coming up in Heraklion, April 5th through 17th, 2019, the British School at Athens will offer the Prehistoric, Greek and Roman Pottery Course, a unique opportunity for hands-on experience in the field of archeology.

Around Heraklion Via Instagram: Spring 2018

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First time visitors to Heraklion are often amazed at just how multifaceted the seaside city is. Crete’s top  urban center, the Greek province’s capital has a plethora of world-renowned attractions, as well as local treasures no guide book has ever portrayed. From the stunning Veneitan harbor to mighty Knossos, there’s a nostalgia trip and tons […]

John Pendlebury: The Legendary “Cretan Lawrence”

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Known by locals for his humanity, humor, and bravado, John Pendlebury was also famous for his intimate knowledge of Crete, its people and language, acquired by total immersion in all things Cretan while engaged as curator of the Knossos archaeological projects outside Heraklion. 

And the Gods Favor Crete

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In his first controversial book on extraterrestrials in antiquity, the legendary UFO expert and author of the famous book “Chariots of the Gods,” Erich von Däniken devoted a chapter to the “Minoan Hypothesis.” This theory, derived from Plato’s descriptions of Atlantis, which were later associated with the destruction of Thera (Santorini), has been hotly debated for decades now.

The Mystery of Monastiraki: A Search for the Most Sacred

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On the island of Crete many mysteries wait patiently their discovery. One place that comes to mind when I think of misunderstood Minoan Crete is the site of Monastiraki, what was probably a palace overlooking the Amari Valley, south east of Rethymno.

The Truth of Knossos: Discovering What the Eteocretans Knew

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Entering the site at Knossos for the first time, I was immediately captivated by an unexpected experience. The 70s-ish architecture in the welcome area outside the palace, these too spoke to me from a special place. Knossos, you see, it’s one of those sites one cannot forget, but for mysterious reasons. Let me show you a bit of one of Greece and Crete’s most underestimated treasures, the lost and found Palace of the Minoan civilization.