Minoan

The Minoan civilization flourished in the island of Crete during the Bronze Age between 3500-1100 BCE. The name “Minoan” was assigned during the 19th century but we do not know what the inhabitants of Crete called themselves in ancient times.

The Minoans were a significant naval power in the Aegean Sea, and for many centuries lived in contact with all the major civilizations of the time. Their commercial contact with ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia undeniably influenced their own culture, and the Minoan civilization in turn appeared as the forerunner of the Greek civilization. The Minoans are credited as the first European civilization.

  • Minoan Culture

    Language The first written scripts of the Minoans resemble egyptian hieroglyphs. The Phaistos Disk which dates back to 1700 BC, is an example of such script. Later the emergence of a syllable based script we call Linear A permeates the island. Numerous…

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  • History of Minoan Crete

    The Minoans (c. 3500-1100 BCE) had developed significant naval power and for many centuries lived in contact with all the major civilizations of the time. With their powerful navy they flourished in the island of Crete and in several other…

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