The Minoans

The Minoan Culture of the island of Crete was the first great Aegean civilization, and consequencely it was an important influence on MYCENAEAN and later Greek culture. Besides being an influencial culture, its location on the sea routes between Egypt, Syria, Asia Minor, Greece and the west, exposed the Minoans to many different cultural influences.

While the Minoan culture was a peasant or a fisherman society in its earliest years, by the end of the third millenium, an aristocratic, urban culture began to develop. The first era of prosperity of Crete began around 2200 BC, and is reflected in the construction of the palaces of KNOSSUS and PHAESTUS. This era of properity ended in the 17th Century BC, but a Minoan culture soon flourished again and lasted until approximately 1400 BC. A volcanic eruption is believed to have been the cause of the final ruin of the Minoan culture at this point.

By looking at Minoan art and archeitecture, we can see that it was not a warrior society. Art depicts sea life rather than battle scenes, the palaces were left unfortified. The central figure was the lady, and there was a strong focus on refinement and pleasure.

The Minoans traded with Egypt and developed a primitive form of hieroglyphic writing based on the Egyptian script. They also adopted Egyptian papyrus and their complicated style of ceiling decoration. In return, Minoan art was popular abroad, and their frescoes unsurpassed in quality.

 Despite the close relations between the Minoans and the mainland, which reached its climax in the sixteenth century, the Minoans did not alter what would be discribed as 'the Greek soul', Minoan influence remained external only.