We grow up listening to stories of hidden riches, pirate maps and their tales of adventures. These stories are intriguing but for the most part that’s all they are, stories. Because those who go seeking for treasures usually end up empty-handed. At the same time, some people don’t go seeking for it anywhere and just happen to stumble upon it out of sheer luck.

It was the summer of 2018 when a greek farmer discovered an unusual hole in his land. Unusual, because the land collapsed, on its own, into what seemed like endless hollow space. The farmer realized that he needed to call in archaeological experts who could take a look at what is inside it. Nobody could have suspected what they were about to discover.

The Farm

This story began when a farmer, witnessed something unusual on his farm on a warm afternoon at Kentri, a small village on the island of Crete. The man has been the proud owner of this farm for more than ten years now. His dad bought it all those years ago and from him, it was passed on to his son. Farming has been a primary source of income for his family for years now. In fact, farming was a part of ancient Greece. 

Greece: Historical Arcadia

Greece has a long and rich history, dating back to 6500 BCE. It is a country with more than 2000 islands, the largest one being Crete. The people of mainland Ancient Greece were fascinated by the legends that Crete produced. Among the most popular legends was the story of a mythical creature called Minotaur. 

The Minotaur

The Minotaur is human in shape but with the head of a bull. The god Poseidon sent a beautiful white bull to Minos, the king of Crete, to be sacrificed. When Minos refused to kill the animal, Poseidon forced his wife, Queen Pasiphae, to fall in love with the bull. And it was because of the union of those two, woman and bull, that Minotaur was born.

Theseus’ Sacrifice

For many years, Minotaur was trapped in a labyrinth especially designed to prevent him from escaping. Minos used to send seven maidens and seven young people from Athens to be devoured by the creature. This continued until one day when a hero came along. His name was Theseus. He offered himself to be sacrificed and killed the beast instead. He then fled with Minos’ daughter, Ariadne.

The King

There are some speculations about Minos not being a person at all. Recent excavations by the archaeologists have led them to believe that the name may simply be a title for the series of Cretan rulers. But the name was significant enough to act as an identifier for the civilization in the province. 

Minoan Civilization

Minoan civilization was named after Minos and was known for its complex palaces that looked like labyrinths. Many believed that these buildings were the inspiration behind the tale of Minotaur. They also created intricate art, pottery, etc. Much of its history is still unknown. There are discoveries yet to be made which could tell us more about how they lived.