Mysterious 4,000-year-old 'palace' with maze-like walls found on Greek island of Crete

By Kristina Killgrove published June 12, 2024

Archaeologists in Crete have discovered a 4,000-year-old structure that the Minoans may have used for rituals.



A bird's-eye view of the 4,000-year-old structure
A bird's-eye view of the 4,000-year-old structure that was recently discovered on a hilltop in Kastelli, Greece. (Image credit: Ministry of Culture)


A 4,000-year-old circular structure discovered on a hilltop in Greece may have been used for ancient Minoan rituals, archaeologists report.

Consisting of eight superimposed stone rings with small walls intersecting them to form rooms, the building is almost labyrinthine, representatives from the Greek Ministry of Culture said in a translated statement released Tuesday (June 11), hinting at the legendary maze built for King Minos of Crete.

The unique structure, which measures 157 feet (48 meters) in diameter, was discovered about 32 miles (51 kilometers) southeast of Heraklion, the capital of Crete, while construction workers were installing a surveillance radar system for a new airport. Located on the very top of a hill near the town of Kastelli, the ancient building appears to have had two main zones: a circular building with a diameter of 49 feet (15 m) at the very center and an area created by the walls radiating out from it.

Based on the style of pottery fragments discovered during the excavation, archaeologists have tentatively dated the building to 2000 to 1700 B.C., in the middle of the Minoan civilization. Between about 3000 and 1100 B.C., the Minoans created one of the first complex European cultures on the island of Crete — leaving behind examples of their elaborate pottery, figurines, jewelry and frescoes — but their main written language has never been fully deciphered.

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Greece's minister of culture, Lina Mendoni, examines the ancient structure on Crete. (Image credit: Ministry of Culture)

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