Archaeology Team 4Minoan Royalty: So what’s it like to be king or queen?

What you need to doIn the following slides you will be shown a picture of Knossos, a plan of Knossos, some pictures of different sections of the palace, and then some specific artifacts. Based on the information that you compile from these pieces, you will need to put together a fairly good picture of what it was like for the Minoan royal family. What can this information tell you about their government?

You will see a series of rooms from Knossos. These rooms in one way or another are linked to royalty. For each room, I want you to write down 5 specific details that you see and what they can tell you about the royalty. From these careful notes, you should put together your speculations about the royal family. You can also go to do some of your own research to find more information.

Show the class the presentation that I have put together and explain to them what the different rooms mean.

King Minos

Legendary King of Crete.

Check out more information about him at this website:

http://www.mythweb.com/encyc/entries/minos.html

Knossos: Bird’s Eye

Knossos Plan

Room #1: The Throne Room

http://www.explorecrete.com/Knossos/07_knossos_throne_room_P.htm

Room #2:Queen’s Hallhttp://projectsx.dartmouth.edu/classics/history/bronze_age/full/12-51.jpg

Room #3: Queen’s Throne

#4: King’s Apartments

What do you notice about

these chambers?

Does it fit with your idea of a

king’s chamber? Why or why

not?

#5: Queen’s apartments

Why does this room in such better condition?What do you notice about the living arrangements for the royal family then? How are they similar or different to your family

arrangements today?

An Artist’s rendition

#6: Queen’s

bathroom

http://www.daedalus.gr/DAEI/THEME/Minos20.html

Compare and Contrast

Citadel of Sargon II, Assyria Palace of Knossos, Crete

Look at these two different palaces. What differences and similarities do you see

between them? What does that tell you about their respective cultures?

Conclusion

So, you should have a list of a number of rooms now. For each room, you should have listed five specific points that give you clues to their life. You should also have tried to answer some of the prompt questions on the slides. What conclusions can you draw from these ruins and from your own independent research? Have a list of some of your conclusions, show the class the slides you looked at, and tell them what you found out.