It is regarded as one of the six Minoan palaces, and its protected harbor and strategic location made it an important commercial hub for trade to the east.

The Old Palace was built late in the Middle Minoan period and then destroyed by a large seismic event c. 1700 BC.

A 3 meter wide slab paved guttered road, built during the ProtoPalatial period, connected Kato Zakros and its harbor.

During the Minoan era the sea level dropped 4 times (−4.00 ± 0.30 m, −2.85 ± 0.30 m, −1.25 ± 0.05 m, and −0.50 ± 0.05 m), or the land rose, of major significance to a harbor city.

Based on the road width and lack of wheel wear it is assumed that transport was by pack animals.

Zakro was excavated by D. G. Hogarth of the British School of Archaeology at Athens under the auspices of the Cretan Exploration Fund in 1901 working primarily in the central area, Ayios Antonios.

Finds included bronze tools, pottery, loom weights, furniture, and a winepress (7 have now been found in total, all in the town area).

In a stone cellar in one of the 12 homes excavated on the hill to the northeast a small horde of bronze implements was found including two axe heads and three lances.

The palace (or administrative center), with an area of about 8000 square meters and with about 150 rooms, featured two large paved courtyards, one central and one to the west.

[20] During excavation an irrigation project to the west of the site revealed Middle Minoan tomb enclosures at Pezoules Kephala.