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.