1. The document discusses water and wastewater technologies used in ancient Crete during the Bronze Age, with an emphasis on the Minoan civilization. 2. Key water supply technologies developed by the Minoans included aqueducts, cisterns, wells, fountains, and systems for recreational and environmental uses of water. Drainage systems incorporated toilets, baths, sewers, and drains. 3. Minoan water systems were well-adapted decentralized networks that collected, stored, distributed, and recycled water through principles of sustainability, demonstrating advanced water management for their time over 4,000 years ago.

1. View of Knossos «palace»
A Brief History of Water and
Wastewater Technologies in Ancien
Crete, Hellas:
With emphasis in Bronze Age
A. N. Angelakis
Honory Member of IWA
Iraklion, Hellas May 11, 2015

2. Presentation topics
• Prolegomena and historical background
• Water supply
 Aqueducts
 Water cisterns
 Groundwater- Wells
 Fountains
 Recreational/environmental uses
• Drainage and sewerage systems
• Toilets
• Baths
• Sewers and drains
• Epilogue: Closing thoughts

3. Presentation Topics
Prolegomena: Historical background and
Characteristics of Minoan civilization
http://melidonismata.blogspot.gr/2011/05/pax-
minoica-cantum.html
Όμοια γάρ ως επί το πολύ τα μέλλοντα τοις γεγονόσι.
Most future facts are based on those in the past.
Euripides (480-406 BC), Ancient Tragic

4. The evolution of technology
 Bronze Age, ca. 3300-1100 BC
 Historical times
 Classical and Hellenistic periods, ca. 480-67 BC
 Roman period, ca. 67 BC-395 AD
 Medieval times
 The Byzantine period, ca. 330−1204 AD
 Venetian period, ca. 1204-1669 AD
 Modern times
 The Ottoman period, ca. 1669−1898 AD
 The Egyptian period, ca. 1830−1840 AD
 Cretan state, 1898−1913 AD
 Present times

5. Significant Cultural Events in Prehistoric Crete
• Early Neolithic period: First confirmed evidence of
habitation and first farmers
• Early Bronze Age: First settlements of urban character
(ca. 2800- 2300 BC)
• Middle Bronze Age: Rise of the first Palaces at Knossos,
Phaistos, and Mallia (ca. 2000 BC)
• Late Bronze Age: Destruction of Palaces and Mycenaean
‘invasion’(ca. 1500 BC)
• End of Bronze Age (ca. 1100 BC)

6. Map of Crete with major Minoan archaeological sites with
emphasis in Minoan water cistern systems

7. 1. The term thalassocracy was first used by Herodotus to describe the naval
supremacy of Minoans.
2. “…and the first person known to us by tradition as having established a navy
is Minos. He made himself master of what is now called the Hellenic sea…..,
Thucydides, First Book, History of the Peloponnesian War (431 BC).
3. Conflicts and/or wars
Sumerians against….
Babylonians against Sumerians and Elamites
Assyrians and Hittites against Babylonians
Egyptians were fighting with Libyans, Persians, Phoenicians…..
4. The Minoan Era was called by Arthur Evans the Pax Minoica or ‘Minoan
peace’: a time when cities needed no walls.
The unique features of this marvellous civilization seem to
arise from only one: the Minoans Thalassocracy

8. 5. Hirschfeld (2013) stated: “This civilization is an
astonishing paradox: A great power without a military
aristocracy; a palace that was not a royal residence
and neither the king was glorified; a religion with no
greatness, while women were equal to men and free.
6. The multicolored wall-paintings in Minoan Palaces
depict a life full of creativity, good taste, and in
complete harmony with the natural environment.
A. Evans (1921-1935)
Other unique features Minoans

9. Minoan Era (Bronze Age) ca. 3,200-1,100BC
During that period of humankind nothing was more
remarkable and elaborate than the water supply and
sewerage systems. In each palace and other
settlements those systems were well adapted to the
environment, protected, constructed, and managed and
were characterized by decentralized and water
recycling and reuse principles.

10. Presentation topics
• Water supply
 Aqueducts
 Water cisterns
 Groundwater- Wells
 Fountains
 Recreational/environmental uses

11. Presentation topics
Water supply
 Aqueducts
(a) Open/ gravity flow system
(b) Closed/ pressured pipe system
Aqueducts (such as Knossos, Tylissos, and Malia) were used
for transporting water from mountain springs to
Minoan palaces and towns, utilising a combination of
open channels and closed pipes (Angelakis et al.,
2007). The open channels were typically rectangular
stone and/or U-shaped and the clossed were
terracotta conduits.

12. Suggested lay out of Mavrokolymbos aqueduct (A’-B’)

13. Closed/pressured water
distribution system at Knossos
0.085
0.720.065
0.17
0.025

14. Aqueduct of theTylissos city (1.4 km)

15. Remnants of the Tylissos aqueduct: Central conduit

16. Use of sedimentation tank
at Tylissos city, Iraklion

17. Scaled stone tunnel from the aqueduct at Tylissos
Was the scaled
stone tunnel
measuring the
flow rate?
Was the scaled
stone tunnel
measuring the
flow rate?

18. Remnants of the Roman aqueduct in the ancient town of
Gortys, Iraklion

19. Venetian aqueduct of Iraklion Crete (15,62 km 1627-28)

20. Presentation topics
• Water supply
 Water cisterns
(a) cisterns storage water of springs
(b) rainwater collecting cisterns

21. Central Minoan cistern in House C at Tylissos, Iraklion

22. The cistern at
Chamaizi
The main Early Minoan
water central cistern (of
66m3) at Pyrgos Myrtos,
Lasithi (5.3 and 3m)

23. Terracotta pipes of rectangular cross section

24. Central water cistern in the ancient city of Lato (of
3

25. Hellinistic water cistern in the ancient city Eleftherna,
Rethumno, Crete (18x14x4m3
)

26. Internal view of the Roman arched water cistern with three
domes at Aptera, Chania (17x25x6.8m3
)

27. Modern times water cisterns in the eastern Crete since the middle of
the last century: (b) Public cistern which was used for water supply of
the village of Lakonia in the eastern Crete

28. Presentation topics
• Water supply
 Groundwater- Wells

29. Minoan well at the east section of the Palace of Zakros, in
the eastern Crete

30. Minoan well used for water supply
at Palaikastro city in the eastern Crete

31. Presentation topics
• Water supply
 Fountains

32. Fountains
The Tykte fountain SE
of Central court in the
palace at Zakros
The “Spring Chamber” with
the water tank at Guesthouse
(Caravaserai) in Knossos
palace

33. Central fountain in Rethymno city, Rethymnon

34. Ottoman fountains: View of the Ottoman fountain in the Archaeological
Museum of Chania city and in Ierapetra city in front of the central
mosque

35. Water supply
Recreational/environmental uses
Presentation topics

36. Environmental use
The “Jet d’eau” fresco at
Knossos palace

37. Cylindrical cistern located in the eastern site of Zakros
palace

38. “Gods; If someone directs the
flow of the river on his
property not punished. But, let
permit to flow so as to cover
the width of the bridge of the
market or more, but not less”
Regulation of Minimum Conservation River Flow
«Θιοί· τô ποταμô α κα κατ τἴ ὰ ὸ
μέττον τ ν ο ν θιθ ι ν κατὰ ῥ ὰ ῆ ῥῆ ὰ
το Ϝὸν αυτô, θιθεμένōι πατονἄ
μηνἤ . Τ ν δ ο ν λείπεν ττονὰ ὲ ῥ ὰ ὄ
κατέκει πἀ ἐ ’ γορ ι δέπυραἀ ᾶ ἤ
πλίον, με ον δ μῖ ὲ ὴ.»
From an inscription of the 5th century BC in Gortys Crete
(The city crossed the river Litheos).

39. Presentation topics
• Drainage and sewerage systems
• Toilets
• Baths
• Sewers and drains

40. Toilet in the House Da, Malia:
Layout of the house (up )
(Graham, 1984) and a recent
photos (down).

41. Section and plan of ground-floor toilet in the residential
quarter of Palace of Minos (adapted from Graham, 1987)

42. Bathrooms in the King’s Megaron in Phaistos

43. Minoan open yard used for water
collection and part of the central
sewerage system at the Phaistos
«palace», Iraklion

44. Sewerage and drainage system of Agia Triada

45. Minoan water sewerage and drainage
projects: Part of central system at
Small palace in Knossos

46. Sewers and wastewater disposal

47. Technological progress
 The evolution of water sciences in Crete seems to be not
linear; it is rather characterized by discontinuities and
regressions during the dark periods.
 Another issue that must be examined is the
comparison of water supply technologies in ancient
times to that in modern times
 Also, there not substantial differences of fundamental
principles (mainly developed in the Bronze Age, Classical,
and in Hellenistic period) but rather on apparatus, scale,
etc.

48. Planning (design) philosophy
 Operation period
 Adaptation to the environment
 Management (balancing water availability with the
demand management)
 Sustainability, as a design principle has to be
reconsidered

49. The central court of Palace at Phaistos after a rainfall
“…all the sewers were still working! It was very interesting for me to
see the water in the drainages and sewers so big that a man could
enter. I doubt if there are other examples of ancient sewerages
working after 4 thousand years!”
Angelo Mosso, during his visit in the palace of Phaistos in the beginning
of 20th century (Mosso, 1907).

50. We frequently hear people speak of modern hygiene as if it something rather
recently developed, and there appears to be a prevalent idea that municipal
sewerage is a very modern thing that began some time about the middle of
the last (19th
) century. Perhaps these ideas do something to support a
somewhat wobbly pride of the modern civilization […], but when examined in
the light of history that is far from new or recent. Indeed, in the light of
history, it is surprising, if not bitterness, the fact that man has gone so
poorly, if at all, in about 4000 years […]. Archaeologists researchers this
[Minoan] space give us the image that people have come a long way towards a
comfortable and hygienic living, with a considerable degree of beauty and
luxury [...]. And this was about 4000 years ago (Gray, 1940).
Minoan Era vs. Modern Times
China VietnamNew Delhi

51. Epilogue: Closing Thoughts
• Minoans were living in complete harmony with the natural
environment and developed in a sustainable way.
• During the Bronze Age in Crete nothing was more remarkable
and elaborate than the water supply and sewerage systems.
• In each palace and other settlements those systems were well
adapted to the environment, protected, constructed, and
managed and are characterized by decentralized and
prototype principles.
• A variety of hydro-techniques were implemented in Minoan
palaces and other settlements depending on local conditions.
• Several hydro-technologies e.g. aqueducts, cisterns, sewers,
and toilets more likely were firstly developed Minoans.

52. IWA SG on
Water and Wastewater
in Ancient Civilizations (WWAC)
A. N. Angelakis, Chairperson of the SG
Iraklion, Hellas, 11/05/2015
http://www.iwawaterwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/WorkGroup_Water+and+Wastewater+in
+Ancient+Civilizations/WebHome

53. Thank you for listening
A. N. Angelakis

54. Epilogue: Legacies and lessons
In water-short areas, development of cost-effective decentralized
water supply management program based on several hydro-technologies
in a sustainable way.
Ancient Cretan knowledge on water sciences could play an important
role for sustainable water supply and sewerage and drainage systems in
the cities of the future.
The meaning of sustainability in modern times should be re-evaluated
in light of ancient public works and water management practices.
Ancient Cretan water technologies (particularly Minoan) should be
considered not just as historical artifacts but as potential models for
sustainable water technologies. And
Thus, the development of effective water supply management
projects, in short-water areas could be based on both the modern
times technology and the past knowledge.