The Minoansaround 2000 – 1450 BC

Table of contents1. The Palace Civilization of the Aegean2. Excavations3. The Land4. The History of the Minoans

• General• Language• Politics

5. The History of the Minoans• 1. Economy• 2. Architecture• 3. Sports

6. The History of the Minoans• 1. Social equality• 2. The downfall - Thera eruption

7. Sources

The Palace Civilizations of the Aegean• Around 1700 BC, on Crete: highly sophisticated culture grew up around

palace centres (saw themselves as Asians) The Minoans:

• named after Cretan King Minos• history of them is mostly lost• only their palaces, their records and their incredibly developed visual culture is

left• oriented around trade and bureaucracy• little or no proof of a military state• unique culture lasted only a few centuries

• war-like people oriented around a war-chief created a new civilization on the mainland of Greece

The Myceneans:• named after best-preserved of their cities • culture of battle and conquest• Greatest triumph: destruction of Troy• afterwards “black ages”: Greeks stopped writing and left their cities

• most of the Minoan history was lost in the haze of generations of oral tradition

• Homer (Greek poet, 700 BC) wrote poems about Minoan culture • 1870: amateur archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann determined to find the

“real” Troy of Trojan war (which was the centre of Homer’s poems)• found and digged the old Troy • found two other ancient Greek cities: Myceanae and Tiryns

exposed a civilization that has only existed in poems and drama of Homer

• inspired Arthur Evans (British archaeologist 1851-1941) to start digging in Crete

• wanted to find remains of the Mycenaean culture on the island but he found remains of the Minoans

Excavations

The Land

• Civilization of the Minoans began on the island of Crete• Crete has got a comfortable climate & fertile soil• Many people came there resources were narrow • They had to migrate to other islands in the Aegean Sea• The Minoan culture, religion and government spread

also called “Aegean Place Civilization”• People who stayed there became traders• Export : wine, oil and jewellery • Import : raw material and food• Built up the first navy• Minoans profited of their geographical uniqueness • No warfare, no territorial greed

The History of The MinoansGeneral

– Cretan culture– around 2000 BC (Bronze Age)– named after King Minos– Crete was settled by people from Asia Minor– Women played a big role in society

Language Language we don’t understand, unreadable script

only known through ruinsSpoke no-Hellenic → Greeks called them barbarians

PoliticsMonarchyGovernments dominated by priests

• Economy International trading Great control over the economy No military navy/ concentrated on trade and mercantilism Wealthy population Good relationship to Egypt

• Architecture 2000 BC already living in cities Magnificent palaces (most famous: Knossos, Phaistos, Kato Zakras) Multi-room buildings ( also for the poorest)

• Sports Boxing Bull-jumping Women also participated

• Social equality– usually in the ancient world: no equality but inequality– Crete: life was pretty good for everyone– seems to be no inequality about gender lines

• The downfall - Thera eruption– 1500 BC: earthquake in Crete– 1500 – 1450 BC: a volcano destroyed the island Strongphyle into very

small islands.Thera eruption

– The Myceneans had the Minoans under control

– finally took their last piece of palace civilization in 1400 BC

Text Sources:http://www.wsu.edu:8000/~dee/MINOA/MINOANS.HTMhttp://www.historyforkids.org/learn/greeks/history/latebronze.htmhttp://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/prehistory/aegean/pre-greece/minoan/minoan.html

Image Sources: http://wps.ablongman.com/wps/media/objects/262/268312/art/figures/KISH_02_29.gifhttp://tuerkei.fototrip.de/Troya/troya1/troja2.jpghttp://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/prehistory/aegean/pre-greece/minoan/minoan.html http://essentialhumanities.net/images/arch2_1_01.JPGhttp://www.wsu.edu:8000/~dee/MINOA/HISTORY.HTM