Connections – Books and Journeys

 Many years ago, I read a novel about treasure found in a cave on Crete; there was a connection with World War II and spies as far as I can remember. I have no idea of the title of the book or the name of the author, but it led me on a journey.

I learned of John Devitt Stringfellow Pendlebury, a British archaeologist who worked in Crete at Knossos, and wrote a handbook called ‘The Palace of Minos Knossos.’ Because Pendlebury explored all over Crete and knew it so well, he worked for British Intelligence in World War II, and was shot as a spy by German soldiers on Crete in 1941.

Pendlebury had worked at Knossos with Arthur Evans, another British archaeologist. The first digs at the site occurred in 1878, carried out by a resident of the nearby city of Heraklion, Minos Kalokairinos. Evans saw Knossos for the first time in 1894. He purchased a tract of land that included the site of Knossos, in 1899. His work there became controversial because he not only excavated, but rebuilt parts that he feared would disintegrate if he didn’t preserve them in some way. Evans build the Villa Ariadne in 1906, near the palace at Knossos, and it became a home for archaeologists who worked at the site. Pendlebury was for a time, curator at Knossos and he and his wife lived on the Villa site.

Bust of Arthur Evans at Knossos.

I read as much as I could about Evans and the work at Knossos. Someday, I thought I would go there.

In 2013 this dream came true. I travelled to Greece, staying in Athens briefly to do some sightseeing, and then moving on to Loutro, Crete, to take a writing workshop. When that concluded, I took a bus to Heraklion to stay for a few days. From there I took a day trip to Knossos. I loved the place, and despite the hordes of tourists, I found peaceful places to sit and think about the site.

“Knossos is 5 kilometers southeast of Heraklion, on the hill of Kephala, and west of the river Kairatos. This advantageous location, which controlled one of the most fertile regions in Crete, was to become the heart of the Minoan civilization, considered to be the first in Europe. … The terms Minoan and Minoans were coined by the founder of Minoan archaeology, Sir Arthur Evans, from the name of Minos, who according to ancient myths was the king of Crete. … The palace of Knossos was the largest and most splendid in the Minoan world. It was nearly square in plan and had over 1,500 rooms arranged on 3 or 4 floors. Its intricate plan probably gave rise to the later myth about the Labyrinth at Knossos.” – from ‘Knossos, A New Guide to the Palace of Knossos’ by George Tzorakis, archaeologist.

Photo of Queen's Megatron at Knossos.

My father had been briefly stationed on Crete as a young German soldier before being shipped on to North Africa. He told of later meeting, while a prisoner of war in Canada, a German General who had been captured in Crete, and lived at the Villa Ariadne. While in Crete, I bought a book about this exploit, described by some as one of the most daring exploits of WWII.

As a footnote, the reason the Germans decided to capture Crete, which seems a small and insignificant island in terms of strategic importance, was that the British had airfields there, and planes could reach and bomb the valuable oilfields of Romania.

I will never forget that journey to Athens, Crete and Knossos, which began with one book.

I was able to share my experiences with my father, who at the time was still alive and hale.

Books related to this quest:

Rick Stevens Pocket Athens

A Handbook to the Palace of Minos Knossos by J.D.S. Pendlebury

The Villa Ariadne by Dilys Powell

Knossos, A New Guide to the Palace of Knossos by George Tzorakis

Crete on the Half Shell, A Story About an Island, Good Friends, and Food by Byron Ayanoglu