A Seat of Gypsum and Mystery
The Throne Room at the Palace of Knossos dates to the 15th century BCE, making it the oldest in Europe. Discovered by archaeologist Arthur Evans in April 1900, the chamber's main feature is a high-backed throne carved from a single block of gypsum, a type of alabaster. It is positioned against the north wall, flanked by gypsum benches that line the other walls. These benches could have seated around sixteen people, with an antechamber potentially holding more. The throne itself has its shape—it mimics a wooden ceremonial chair, but is carved from stone.
The purpose of the room is a scientific debate. Evans originally proposed it was the seat of a "priest-king," a ruler with both civil and religious authority. Later analysis suggests a different function. The small size of the room and throne points away from a political chamber for a king. Alternative theories propose it was the seat for a high priestess, or perhaps it was never meant for a human occupant at all, but for the symbolic presence of a female deity. This idea is supported by the predominantly religious iconography found within the chamber and the matrifocal nature of Minoan society.
Adjacent to the main chamber is a sunken area Evans called a "lustral basin." This shallow, plaster-lined basin, reached by a descending staircase, has no drain and was likely used for ritual purification or anointing ceremonies, not bathing. The discovery of stone vessels for olive oil and other unguents in and near the basin supports its ceremonial function.
The Chemistry of Minoan Color
The room's features include the frescoes of two large, wingless griffins. These mythical creatures, with the body of a lion and the head of an eagle, were symbolic guardians linked to divine power. The frescoes seen today are reconstructions; one of the original griffins was found almost entirely intact during the excavation, allowing for a detailed recreation. The original fragments are now in the Heraklion Archaeological Museum.
Scientific analysis of the pigments used at Knossos reveals the Minoan palette. The artists employed true fresco technique, applying pigments to wet lime plaster. Chemical analyses identified the components of these ancient paints. Reds and yellows were derived from iron oxides (ochres). Black was a carbonaceous shale, and the white was lime hydrate (calcium carbonate).
The most complex pigment was the blue. Analysis using techniques like X-ray fluorescence has shown the Minoans used Egyptian blue, a synthetic pigment made from copper-calcium silicate. Samples from Knossos also revealed a second blue pigment, riebeckite, an iron-rich mineral, showing a use of available geological resources. The original wooden elements of the room, such as door jambs and beams, are now gone, but were reconstructed by Evans using reinforced concrete painted to mimic wood.