What is the Throne Room at Knossos?

The Throne Room at Knossos is a ceremonial chamber located at the heart of the Bronze Age palace complex on Crete. Built during the 15th century BC, it is widely considered to be the oldest throne room in Europe. The chamber is part of the broader archaeological site of Knossos, which served as a major centre of the Minoan civilisation.

What we know

• The Throne Room was built for ceremonial purposes during the 15th century BC inside the palatial complex of Knossos, Greece. [2]
• It is situated at the heart of the Bronze Age palace of Knossos, which was a main centre of the Minoan civilisation. [2]
• The chamber is considered to be the oldest throne room in Europe. [2]
• Knossos itself is located within the southern periphery of Heraklion on Crete. [3]

Still open

• While the palace is generally interpreted as an administrative, economic, religious, and ceremonial centre, its exact role as a royal residence remains debated.

Where to go next

• the bigger pictureWhat was the Palace of Minos?
• how we knowWhat artefacts were found at Knossos?
• whenWhen was Knossos destroyed?
• compared withHow does Mycenae compare to Minoan Crete?
• an unexpected connectionWhich Greek myths are linked to Knossos?

Sources

• [1]Throne Room, Knossos (Wikidata Q7798352) · CC0 1.0
• [2]Throne Room, Knossos · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [3]Knossos · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [4]Heraklion Archaeological Museum · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [5]Mycenae · CC BY-SA 4.0