Silver Spring, MD; August 26, 2008 — Acorn Media announces the October 21, 2008 DVD release of The Minotaur’s Island, a stimulating documentary which unlocks the mysteries of ancient Crete.

Best known for the myth of the Minotaur—a monstrous half-man, half-bull imprisoned in Daedalus’s labyrinth—Crete gave birth to Europe’s first civilization nearly 5,000 years ago, more than two millennia before Homer composed The Iliad. Then it collapsed in fire and violence.

Oxford scholar and author Bettany Hughes (When the Moors Ruled in Europe) follows the footsteps of Arthur Evans, Harriet Boyd, and other famed archaeologists to find startling new insights into Minoan culture. How did this ancient people live, worship, and prosper? Why did they build such magnificent palaces, complete with hinged doors, flush toilets, and elaborate warrens of rooms? What role did the daring, acrobatic bull-leapers play in society? And did the civilization finally succumb to natural disasters, foreign invaders, or religious strife? Fresh evidence excavated from sites all over Crete offers tantalizing clues to the everyday life—and tragic destiny—of the accomplished artisans and architects who lived at the crossroads of the ancient world.

Tracing archaeological finds from 1900 through today, Hughes visits Knossos, Mochlos, and other important sites in Crete for hints about the Minoans’ social and political structures.

Headquartered in suburban Washington, D.C., Acorn Media distributes distinctive home video releases to the North American market with a special focus on the best of British television. Acorn’s DVD sets are available from select retailers, catalog companies, and direct from Acorn Media at (888) 870-8047 or www.acornonline.com.