Minoan civilization civilization has been described as the earliest of its kind in Europe, with historian Will Durant calling the Minoans "the first link in the European chain". The Minoan civilization is particularly notable for its large and elaborate palaces, some of which were up to four stories high, featured elaborate plumbing systems and were decorated with frescoes. The most notable Minoan palace is that of Knossos, followed by that of Phaistos. The Minoan period saw extensive trade between Crete, Aegean and Mediterranean settlements, particularly the Near East. Through their traders and artists, the Minoans' cultural influence reached beyond Crete to the
Minoan Fountain Minoan Fountain The Minoan Fountain was a monumental public fountain hewn directly from the natural rock. It is located directly behind the Stoa of Antigonos outside the temenos of the Sanctuary of Apollo on the island of Delos. The fountainhouse formalized the use of the sacred spring, and was dedicated to the Cult of the Nymphs. In the 6th century BC, the fountain was covered by a square building with a hipped roof and walls on three sides. It was built with regular courses of granite and gneiss. A monumental façade on the south side gave access to the fountain