How did Sir Arthur Evans uncover the Minoan civilization at Knossos?

Sir Arthur Evans uncovered the Minoan civilization at Knossos through a series of scholarly investigations and systematic excavations that began in 1900.123

Evans’s interest in the region was initially sparked by his study of ancient coins and stone seals from Crete, which led him to visit the island in 1894. By 1896, he had theorized that the Mycenaean civilization of mainland Greece originated in Crete. To test this, he purchased the land containing the site of Knossos in 1899 and commenced digging the following year.1

His excavations revealed a massive palace complex covering 5.5 acres. The site’s intricate layout reminded Evans of the legendary labyrinth associated with King Minos, leading him to name the culture the "Minoan" civilization. Over the next 25 years, Evans continued his work, uncovering Neolithic remains beneath the Bronze Age ruins and using Egyptian artifacts to help establish a historical chronology for the site.1