Crete-Discover the Unknown Crete

C H A P T E R 5
The gorge known
as the Valley of
Death descends
from the stoney
heights of Kato
Zakros as far as the
Minoan palace by
the sea
The asphalted road
drops rapidly down towards
the bay of Kato Zakros, with
fishing boats at anchor along
the shore and a row of
taverns that offer fresh fish.
The ancient palace of Zakros,
with its city that extends
across terracing on the hill
above, dates back to the
Second Palace period from
1600 to 1500 B.C. and was
discovered by chance in 1901
by the British archaeologist
David Hogarth, while intense
excavation was begun in
1962 by Nikolaos Platon.
Zakros's ancient masters lived
opulently thanks to the
flourishing maritime trade
that arrived from Egypt, Syria, Cyprus and
Asia Minor. Even though it was the smallest
of Crete's four Minoan palaces, the Zakros
residence had around 200 rooms, with
banqueting halls, purificatory baths, shrines,
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