The Minoans

Steps to Civilization1. Sedentary life

2. Domestication of plants/animals

3. Surpluses are stored

4. Wealth increases

5. More leisure time

6. Trades specialize (focus on farming, some focus on crafts)

1. Buildings (domestic, religious)

7. Social Stratification based on crafts and wealth

8. Large Village/Towns/Cities (large population)

9. Government system

10. Religious system (temples)

11. Written language

Civilization Characteristics

• Defined territorial state

• Social Stratification

• Workers

• Architecture

• Institutions

• Technology

• Written language

Map of Greece

King Minos

• Legend of the Labyrinth

The Minotaur

• King Minos angered the gods and as revenge they allowed his wife to mate with a bull. She produced the Minotaur. He was hidden in a maze.

• During the Mycenaean time, Athens and Crete were at war. Athens lost and Crete demanded tribute in the form of 7 maidens and 7 young boys. They were fed to the Minotaur.

• Theseus, long lost son of Aegeus (king of Athens), kills the Minotaur and frees Athens.

Minoan Clip

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9HZARRfze8

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pk1EyMTSBP8

Palace

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Minoan Architecture

• Understand the elements and nature of Minoan palace architecture.

• What was the “labyrinth” of the Minotaur and how does the palace at Knossos fit that description?

• Describe some of the remarkable achievements of Minoan architecture.

The Minoan Palace

Minoan Culture 2000-1500 BCE• “Minoan” period named after palace complex excavated in 1899 at Knossos

on Crete.

• Evidence of Neolithic farmers around 7000 BC

• First evidence of a civilization around 1900 BC

• Knossos the major city on Crete around 1700 BC

• Crete may have been unified or possibly it was just the most powerful

• Minoan culture prosperous and widespread

Minoan Periods:

1.Old Palace Period 1900-1700 BCE

2.New Palace Period 1700-1450 BCE

The Labyrinth

• Sir Arthur Evans: excavated a settlement on Greece which had maze-like walls.

• He noticed the labrys or double-axes which were present on the walls and roof tops.

• Evans connected the idea of labyrs with “labyrinth” and coined the term “Minoan” society after the Greek myth of Minos and the Minotaur.

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Figure 4-4 Aerial view (looking northeast) of the palace at Knossos (Crete), Greece, ca. 1700–1400 BCE.

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Stairwell in the residential quarter of the palace at Knossos (Crete), Greece, ca. 1700–1400

BCE.

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Figure 4-5 Plan of the palace at Knossos (Crete), Greece, ca. 1700–1400 BCE.

Technology

Frescoes and Culture

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Minoan Wall Painting

• What is the subject matter and style seen in Minoan wall paintings?

• What materials and methods were typically used?

• Compare the fresco in the next slide with Egyptian wall painting.

Some Frescoes

• What we know about the Minoans comes from frescoes

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Bull-leaping, from the palace at Knossos (Crete), Greece, ca. 1450–1400 BCE. Fresco, 2’ 8” high, including border. Archaeological Museum,

Herakleion.

Pottery and Sculpture

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The Development of Minoan Sculpture

• Describe the materials used in the making of pottery in the Minoan culture.

• What is the predominant imagery in the painted images in Minoan pottery?

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Octopus jar, from Palaikastro (Crete), Greece, ca. 1500 BCE. 11” high. Archaeological Museum, Herakleion.

Religion

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Snake Goddess, from the palace at Knossos (Crete), Greece, ca. 1600 BCE. Faience, 1’ 1 1/2” high. Archaeological Museum, Herakleion.

MINOAN WOMEN and RELIGION

• Women played important role in society

• Most of their gods were female

• Snake goddess might be a form of the fertility/mother goddess.

• The large amount of these goddesses might indicate a matriarchy

• Human sacrifice may have played a role

• Religion would be practiced in caves or mountain peaks.

• Class Structure similar to Near East

Economy (Palace and Naval)

MINOAN PALACE COMPLEXES and Economy

• The civilization was prosperous and widespread.

• Government was based in the large palace complexes

• Knossos covered nearly three acres

• Socialistic: redistribution of wealth. Palaces controlled the commercial, agricultural, and manufacturing activities of surrounding regions.

• The palace complexes were the result of a massive trade network.

• Monarchy

Storage Centers

Ship fresco

MINOAN COMMERCE and AGRICULTURE

• Commerce was very important

• Acted as trade intermediary between civilized and barbarian worlds

• Exported wool, olive oil and timber in exchange for other raw materials and luxury items

• Built large and technologically advanced merchant and military navy

Linear A

• Minoans invented system of writing, two scripts survive

• Linear A (in use by 1800 BCE) remains mysterious but is not Indo-European

• Linear B (appears 300 years later) early form of Greek

Art, Architecture, and Religion

• Architecture: borrowed from Near East

• Large complex

• Running water/waste disposal

• Art:

• Nature Worshipers

• Abstract and sea creatures

• Whimsical and Vibrant

• Peaceful

• Plant life

• No fortifications

• Pottery

Other “Minoan” Sites

• Phaisots, Mallia, Zakro, Pylos, Thera

Eruption of thera and the Mycenaean People

• The eruption of Thera probably impacted Crete around 1640 or 1500 BC. The Minoans rebuilt but were occupied around 1500-1470 BC by Mycenaean people.

• They were attracted by the trade centric culture of the Minoans. Learned: art, trade, architecture, government, and writing.

• Linear A vs Linear B

• Crete was occupied by the Mycenaean people until around 1200 when all of the Mediterranean area went into decline caused by the “Sea Peoples”.

Intersections between Minoans, Egypt, and Mesopotamia until 1500 BC

• Middle Kingdom of Egypt beginning with the time of Amenemhet II around 1930 BC we start to see artifacts from Aegean civilizations appear in the Delta region.

• During the Hyksos (1650-1540 BC), there is evidence of painting spread throughout the Delta area and some Palestinian sites.

• By the reign of Thutmose III (New Kingdom, 1450ish), Crete was destroyed.

END OF MINOAN CIVILIZATION• Around 1450 BC Indo-Europeans invaded from the

Greek Mainland (Mycenaean)

• Minoan Civilization still survived

• Can to an end around 1375

• All palaces destroyed and never rebuilt

• Theory 1

• Invaded by Mycenaean people in 1400 BC

• Destroyed Crete to eliminate Minoans as trade rivals

• Theory 2

• Massive volcanic eruption on island of Thera showered Crete with debris, ash, and poison gas

• Destroyed fleets with tidal waves

• Mycenaean people arrived after catastrophe and destroyed what was left