It is evident from the excavation of Knossus that the Minoans honored beauty and life with elegant pottery and vivacious frescoes. Unable to understand their language, Linear A, one would look to these ancient works of art and prominent architecture for an insight into their life loving culture. Jacquetta Hawkes" takes a detailed look into the Minoan social structure using the restored artifacts in her work Dawn of the Gods. She describes their culture as "exceptional in the essential difference of its spirit from that of its contemporaries" (73). The artifacts found at Knossus depict a people consumed with the celebration of life. The artifacts do not, however, depict great battles or hunting. Hawkes examines these and states, "the extraordinary skill and sensibility of these potters arouses curiosity as to their sex" (95). Where the potters female? Could one even go as far to say that this was a matrilineal society? This would not be an outlandish conclusion. After all, what about the Amazons? According to Greek legend, these dominating women were superior not in strength but with the ability to use a bow and arrow. These questions are similar to those of Sarah B. Pomeroy in her work A Classical Scholar's Perspective on Matriarchy. She asks, "Was there ever a totally female society, or at least a society in which women were so dominate that men seemed non-existent?" (220). The Minoans were obviously not as extreme as the legendary Amazons, but were they matrilineal? Were they ruled by women or men? What part did women play in their society? Hawkes believes that through examination of the representation of the symbols in the artifacts found at Knossus, and the through site itself that Minoan life can be understood. .
The palace of Knossus is perhaps the most recognized key into Minoan culture. The Throne Room, consisting of only one chair between two griffins painted onto the wall, suggest that there was only one ruler.
