Almost four thousand years ago, a highly advanced civilization flourished on the island of Crete in the southeastern part of the Mediterranean Sea between mainland Greece and North Africa. The Minoans built palaces whose remains can still be seen today, with sumptuous decorations, sophisticated locks, hot baths, and elaborate plumbing and waste-disposal systems. They created beautiful works of art, produced delicate gold and silver jewelry, and enjoyed spectacular entertainments. This was the birthplace of western civilization, technology and culture.

The Minoans were a maritime nation, sailing throughout the seas of the region to do their trading, and for centuries they were the masters of their world. Some believe that the Minoan civilization, and in particular the island of Santorini ~ some way north of Crete and a weekend retreat for the Minoan wealthy ~ gave rise to the myth of Atlantis.

Around 1,500 BC Santorini exploded  in a violent volcanic eruption. When it was over all that was left above sea level was the partial crater rim, the caldera, that makes up the island today. The power of the explosion was such that its effects were felt as far away as China. The coastal regions of Crete were devastated. For the Minoans, it signified the beginning of the end.

Crete is known as the land of the labyrinth and its enigmatic inhabitant, the Minotaur, unfortunate product of perverse animal husbandry. Daedalus, designer of the labyrinth, was an inventor of note, but his own ingenuity led to tragedy when his son, Icarus, died as a result of a propulsion failure during their dramatic escape from the island. Zeus, lord of the Greek Pantheon, was born here and hurled his first, childish thunderbolts through the high mountain passes where Rhea the Titan, Zeus' mother, had hidden him from his jealous father. Zeus was a shape-shifter and morphed into various guises in order to pursue his earthly passions, fathering Hercules, doer of great deeds and the first superhero. These stories, and hundreds of others, were passed down and became part of our heritage.

Myth, after all, is where fiction began.