Thoughts on visiting the ‘Minoan Palaces’ of Crete
Although increasingly recognised as erroneous, the widespread tendency of archaeology to paint what they find in the colours of what they believe still pervades much of our given interpretations of history. The so called palaces of Crete are a perfect example. Since they could not conceive of peasants living in luxury, let alone building large, well-organised structures, serving the needs of all – palaces they had to be, complete with non-existent kings, guards and royal apartments.
It never would cross their minds that what they’re actually looking at is the fruit of unforced, co-operative endeavour. Puzzling certainly. Why no truly grand apartments, visually programming the necessary hierarchy of power, a power which obviously could only result from coercion. Why then, all the tiny rooms, within such a grand structure. Why no defensive walls, no murals of enemies brutally slaughtered, no displays of obscene wealth? What kind of king would create such?
Truly a people ruled by the ethos of working together for their common health and security. To build in stone on such a scale is an immense effort. Let alone the timbers, tiles, plaster and decoration, the firewood to bake the clay. Why build anything bigger than it needs to be? What is the use of a grand chamber most of which you can only see, never touch, or use for anything practical.
We are consistently taught that before civilisation, life was solitary, poor, nasty brutish and short, and that law and order had to be imposed by overwhelming force to create the wondrous achievements of modern life. If you are truly interested in our actual history as a species, you will know this for the self-justifying lie it is. Evidence against it lies scattered across the globe, overlooked, or re-interpreted to fit the patriarchal narrative, as with the ‘palaces’ of Crete, the information boards assuring us these were the royal apartments, the prince’s private dwelling, the queen’s bathing chamber etc, all without a shred of evidence, indeed with much known about the rest of the culture refuting such misnomers outright.
History is the myth explaining why we are where we are now. Controlling that narrative is essential to maintaining faith in the status quo. If it is obvious everything before was way worse, there is no need to question where we are now. But what if we once knew how to live cultured, flourishing lives together in peace and plenty? Actually live them, not as a slogan, but a reality?
Walking amongst these ruins, that ancient, peaceful prosperity glimmers through that centuries old fog of domination and exploitation, fear and violence, whispering of hope. We can be sane.
Leave a Reply