The end of the Empire
The explanation for the destruction of the inland palaces and cities at Knossos and Phaestos in particular, but also at hagia triada, Tylissos, and Skalavokampos remains and open question. The tidal waves could not have reached them.
Most of the late period pottery found at these sites is late Minoan 1a. Some of the vases found are more developed and date from late Minoan 1b, in style. They definitely belong to the later Palace period. These were found mainly at Tylissos and Sklavokampos.
A few pieces show developments of an even more advanced style but are of the same period. These more advanced pieces are only found, in any numbers, at the southern sites of Phastos and Hagia Triada, with isolated examples in a few other sites - these probably having been 'imported' from the main manufacturing sites.
It seems that life continued in the inland areas for some time after the event that destroyed what what had been the center of Minoan culture and government, Knossos. In fact, at hagia Triada there is no true break in occupational continuity down to Roman Times, proving that this area of the island was not effected in the same manner as the more northerly areas. As we have seen the southern part of the island was not was not subject tot he same upheavals that Knosssos and the more northerly areas experienced. Being on the southern coast, set slightly inland and on a rise would have put these settlements out of the reach of any tidal wave that may have effected the northern sector.
The evidence of seal impressions found in Zakro, Gournia, Sklavokamos and Hagia Triada, coming from the same original stone seal, prove that these sites were still occupied during the same period and that their destruction may have come at a similar period of the history. These identical impressions have not been found at any other of the Minoan sites and seem to prove that not only were these centers in close contact but that they may well have been the last remaining outposts of the Minoan Empire.
The destruction of the island areas could easily have been brought about by volcanic activity and its associated forces. a series of earthquake shocks has occurred both before and/or after each eruption of Thera i.e. in 1926. These have been catastrophic in the areas around the volcano, notably the Cyclades, Sporades, dodiconese, Asia Minor, Crete and the neighbouring regions.
We must there assume that the same effects occurred on the occasion preceding and causing the destruction of the main centers of the minoan Empire. A series of earthquakes ensued, possibly even several years after the main destruction, and these completed the already extreme destruction of the Cretan palaces. All the main cities were abandoned, and only Knossos survived as a government center, perhaps continuing for up to a hundred years after the vassal states, although its survival was certainly not as the city or center it had been during it height of power. It may only have survived as it may have been the burial place of the last Minos to whom there appears to have been a mortuary cult active here at this time.
And so ended the Minoan Empire.