- Minoans were some of the first to have toilets
- As well the Minoans had very effective drainage systems
- The underground drains were so wide that, according to Sir Arthur Evans, Minoan workmen could spend days within the drain pipes without suffering any inconvenience
- The ancient toilet had a seat about 22.4 inches wide and to the right, a vessel of some sort was probably used to flush the basin, leading to a duct which in turn led to the main drain.
- The terra-cotta pipes were slightly tapered and easily fit together allowing the water to flow with a rush to prevent sediment from being accumulated.
- The Minoans were very smart builders and had very effective ways
- In 1700 BC, a terrible earthquake shook the island of Crete
- All the palaces were destroyed. But the Cretans quickly rebuilt even bigger and better palaces over the top of the old ones.
- The biggest of these palaces is called Knossos
- Knossos has hundreds of rooms, many of them brightly painted with pictures showing plants and animals and people in fancy clothes dancing or talking
- There are also some nice things like bathtubs and toilets with running water
- circa 18th century BC: Flush toilet constructed at Knossos on Minoan Crete
- Built for protection of large merchant fleets, the Minoans were the first ancient civilization to build warships
- Developed and used a fairly complex plough to sow their crops
- Built both roads and bridges both outside and inside of their towns including a raised median strip for pedestrians between most of their roads
- Had both a laying vehicle and a sitting vehicle for transportation
- Minoans were some of the first to have toilets
- As well the Minoans had very effective drainage systems
- The underground drains were so wide that, according to Sir Arthur Evans, Minoan workmen could spend days within the drain pipes without suffering any inconvenience
- The ancient toilet had a seat about 22.4 inches wide and to the right, a vessel of some sort was probably used to flush the basin, leading to a duct which in turn led to the main drain.
- The terra-cotta pipes were slightly tapered and easily fit together allowing the water to flow with a rush to prevent sediment from being accumulated.
- The Minoans were very smart builders and had very effective ways
- In 1700 BC, a terrible earthquake shook the island of Crete
- All the palaces were destroyed. But the Cretans quickly rebuilt even bigger and better palaces over the top of the old ones.
- The biggest of these palaces is called Knossos
- Knossos has hundreds of rooms, many of them brightly painted with pictures showing plants and animals and people in fancy clothes dancing or talking
- There are also some nice things like bathtubs and toilets with running water
- circa 18th century BC: Flush toilet constructed at Knossos on Minoan Crete
- Built for protection of large merchant fleets, the Minoans were the first ancient civilization to build warships
- Developed and used a fairly complex plough to sow their crops
- Built both roads and bridges both outside and inside of their towns including a raised median strip for pedestrians between most of their roads
- Had both a laying vehicle and a sitting vehicle for transportation
C. Michael Hogan. 2007. Knossos fieldnotes, The Modern Antiquarian
Biers, William, 1996, Cornell University Press The Archaeology of Greece
Minoan Civilization 29 April 2009 http://www.uk.digiserve.com/mentor/minoan/
http://www.diskoftheworld.com/diskindex4.htm
Back to Notes