From 2400 BC to 1400 BC Crete was the centre of an ancient civilisation, all trace of which then disappeeared, except for the legends of classical Greece. Sir Arthur Evans, through his excavations at Knossos, proved the existence of a civilisation centuries older than classical Greece. He called the civilisation Minoan, after the legendary King Minos, and divided it into 3 periods: Early, Middle and Late Minoan.^[18] The Minoan empire had rule over the whole island and several others, as well as over parts of the continent.

The legend of Minos is linked with the palace of Knossos; the Labyrinth represents the intricate layout of the palace, the place where the double-headed axes were kept; the bitter fight with the Minotaur is an echo of the Minoan bull games; the story of the thalassocracy of Minos and Cretan Colonial settlements have confirmed in detail as historical facts. Minoan religious beliefs are reflected in Greek mythology, and the connection between Minoan and Crete and the oldest Greek sanctuaries has been conclusively proved.^[19]