...Minoan Crete History 101 Minoan Crete Minoan Crete is undoubtedly one of the most interesting vanishing civilizations in the history of the world. So many factors have been associated with its demise, yet not a single one has been pinpointed as the true destructive factor. Traces of volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, and earthquakes have all been found, but no conclusions can be drawn. The brief history of Minoan Crete, lasting from 2600 to 1100 BCE, consisted of three very diverse eras both politically and economically. These periods are Prepalatial, Protopalatial, and Neopalatial Minoan Crete. The island of Crete, located south of Greece in the Mediterranean, is one of the largest islands in the sea. It is approximately 200 km from east to west and 12 to 58 km from north to south. The Minoans took full advantage of their location and abundance of natural resources by engaging in trade with all nearby countries and empires, making most of their money on exports. With a powerful navy and a culture influenced by Egypt and Mesopotamia, Minoan Crete was not only viewed as the wealthiest Greek civilization, but also as the first European civilization. Because little is known of the very early Minoans, recorded research and history begins at 2600 BCE in the Prepalatial Era. With major cities at Myrtos and Mochlos, the center of economic growth rested in trade. In need of metals and ivory, the Minoans traded primarily with Egypt, Syria, and the Arabian Peninsula. Though...
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...The Disappearance of the Minoan Civilization Isaac Asimov once said that “The most exciting phrase to hear in science, the one that heralds new discoveries, is not 'Eureka!' (I found it!), but “That's funny ...” and that seems to be how the mystery of the disappearance of the Minoan civilization was finally solved. The disappearance of the Minoan civilization has often been referred to as Plato’s Atlantis in his writings from Timaeus about the fabled city that was swallowed by the sea. Some argued that the Minoan demise came from the possible invasion by outside forces, such as the Myceneans. Others say that the Minoan city on the Isle of Crete that lie close to the volcano Thera on Santorini was devastated by its violent eruption that spewed more than 10 million tons of ash, gas, and rock 25 miles into the atmosphere. For more than five centuries speculations have abounded but the truth remained a mystery. Then in 1997 a young geologist analyzed a sample of earth that he had taken from the inland on the isle of Crete. The sample was taken from deep within the earth to capture numerous layers of sediment going back thousands of years. Dr. Dominey-Howes found what he was looking for but he also found more; along with the volcanic ash and palace ruins he found tiny fossilized shell that only lives in very deep sea water. That’s funny … how could these shells possibly have gotten so far inland from the deep sea? By investigating the evidence further to answer the question...
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...1) The Cave Paintings at the Lascaux Caves created on or around 15,000 - 13,000 BCE are some of the very 1st examples of twisted perspective. The Cave which is Identified by sections; The great hall of bulls, The Lateral Passage, The Shaft of the dead man, the chamber of engravings, the painted gallery, and the chamber of felines. The Lascaux Cave Contains more than 2,000 figures which can be grouped into 3 main categories, animals, human figures, and abstract signs. Most of the paintings have been painted on the walls using mineral pigments while others were incised in the stone. There are over 90 paintings of stags. Also represented are; bison, cattle, felines, a bird, a bear, a rhinoceros, and a human. One of the most famous in the cave is of 4 huge black bulls or Auroch’s in the hall of bulls. One of the bulls is over 17 feet long, the largest animal found in cave art. There are many theories surrounding the paintings at Lascaux. Some say that these paintings were a part of some ritualistic way of paying respects or hommage to the animals that they hunted. Maybe it was a record of some of the earliest forms of sacrifice, or maybe even records of actual events of the time. 2) Stonehenge is one of the most impressive wonders of the world. Located in Salisbury Plain, Wiltshire, England, and created on or around ca. 2550-1600 BC. The unique thing about this structure is It’s made entirely from a stone called sarsen stone. Found in the Preseli Mountains. The stones...
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...Myth Each culture has its own myths and legends. Because of great diversity and conceptual differences, it is very hard to come up with a single definition, even after hundreds of years of effort of the scholars. Almost all of the myths have a bit of supernaturalism in the concept but are connected with the real life. The society creates its own myths to explain different aspects of the world, but some people also use myths to control the social misunderstanding and diversely thinking level. An example of this kind of usage can be found in the history and mythology of ancient Greek civilization. One of the most known and popular myths of Ancient Greece is the Myth of Minotaur who is believed to have bull head and human body. He lived on the island Crete, near the Heraklion city. He is highly associated with the Labyrinth, in which he was thrown by Minos. Each year Minos gifted him 7 young men and women for eating. With the help of this myth, Greek people tried to explain the mystic disappearances of the people who strayed in the chains of hills of Crete. On the other hand, the governors of the period used the myth to threaten the society. It is interesting to note, that Minos, was a real governor. He enhanced the power of belief in that myth by ordering Daedalus to construct a real Labyrinth, moreover, the priests put on heads of bulls and appeared near the Labyrinth, to somehow prove the existence of that creature. To conclude, a single myth...
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...1. 7The Minoans were a powerful sea faring people. They lived on Crete, which is an island in the Aegean Sea; the Aegean Sea is located west of Turkey and southeast of Greece. The Minoans lived and dominated Crete from around 3000 BC to 1500 BC. They had a deep culture in the arts. They are assumed to be a peaceful people for excavations done the ruins showed that there were no fortifications. The Minoans had developed significant naval power and for many centuries lived in contact with all the major civilizations of the time without being significantly threatened by external forces. 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 Minoan Culture contributed to Greek development by establishing a sea trade. They also produced many mercantile goods including glass blowing, pottery, weaving, jewelry making. They also helped great early languages through written words. The people of Greece had divided themselves amongst various tribes such as Achaeans, Aeolians and Ionians. These were tall, red blonde haired nomadic tribes who grazed cattle and goats. They spoke Greek language and were ruled by Minoans for centuries. Whether Achaeans, Ionians, or Dorians, all of the Greeks in the Homeric Age had essentially the same culture, which was comparatively primitive. Not until the very last century of the period was there any general knowledge...
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...The Minotaur Man or Monster? In this essay we will be discussing whether the Minotaur is a man or ruthless monster. The Minotaur is a fascinating look into our own psyche. As humans, we have both a good side, helping humanity. We also have a bad side, which has reared its head throughout our history as human beings. We have astounding, Nobel Peace prize winners. On the other hand, we have individuals trying to take over the world, and causing the Holocaust. It’s amazing to think how far we as humans can swing in either direction. Is the Minotaur human or beast? I like to think of him as hybrid being, not knowing what exactly is going on outside of the labyrinth, or even how he got there. The myth doesn’t go into much detail regarding the Minotaur’s human side. It makes for a better story if the Minotaur is a monster. It also elevates Theseus to hero stature, for saving the people who are doomed to the labyrinth. After all, King Minos’s actions brought all this about, he was a very cruel man. King Minos put the Minotaur in the Labyrinth. To me, the labyrinth is an analogy for the life in general, with all its twists and turns. When Perseus is able to lift the rock and retrieve his fathers’ sword and sandals. It is symbolic for adulthood. The ball of twine, given to Theseus by Princess Aerodyne, represents hope for the future. Princess Aerodyne stands for unrequited love .The Minotaur stands for the evil side of human nature. The 14 virgins stands for the innocence of youth....
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...A Study of Civilization and Isolation Transformations in the way early humans developed their culture and society led to the marked distinctions that define their civilization. Intellectual, cultural and material developments are the driving factors behind the formation of the Mesopotamian civilization. Civilization in the West states that the Mesopotamians had survival in mind when they began forming a civilization ; however, I believe that they envisioned a greater existence in forming a civilization. The Minoan civilization was destined to remain isolated on the island of Crete. In contrast, the Mesopotamians' option of migrating anywhere in the Middle East proves conclusively that they sought a better life for themselves through the formation of a centralized civilization. Mesopotamia is considered the first civilization ever created and it was no accident that it formed. One could say that the people of Mesopotamia came together to fight the powers of Mother Nature. It was obvious that Mother Nature was not on their side, whether it be the thin soil in the north or the lack of rain in the south. Mesopotamians that once settled in scattered towns and villages came together to form small settlements and towns that they used to build irrigation systems. In centralizing their population, they benefited from the additional manpower that was necessary to carry on the irrigation systems that gave them a better day to day life. Organization of an agriculture system was...
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...World Cultures I Professor Friedrich November 2, 2015 Minoan Civilization Throughout history the Minoan civilization was very major during its time. “Prior to the classical Greek culture, during the Bronze Age, lived the Minoans.” The Minoans was credited as being Europe’s first great civilization. “Named after the legendary King Minos, the Minoans were an advanced society made up of highly cultivated artists and extremely intelligent engineers.” While researching, it showed the Minoans were primarily mercantilist people, engaged in overseas trade and managed a lucrative maritime empire, dominating the Mediterranean, the Greek islands, Greece, and expanded all the way out to the Black Sea. “A sophisticated group of people, they were also the first Europeans to use a written language, “known as Linear A, as well as the first to construct paved roads.” Located in the Middle of the eastern Mediterranean, at the crossroads of Africa, Asia, and Europe, “was the mountainous islands of Crete.” It was there were the magnificent civilization, “flourished.” Archeological evidence shows there was a habitation on the islands since the seventh millennium.” After the fifth millennium B.C., they found the first evidence of handmade pottery, marking the beginning of the civilization. “History showed that the Crete had 90 cities, of which Knossos was the most important one. “However, research shows the palaces of the Minoans were destroyed by forces unknown to us in 1700 B.C.” There...
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...King Mino was minotaur. In 1893, Evans began his journey to search of the legendary kingdom of Minos. He went to largest island, Crete, in Mediterranean Sea with couple 1,000 men. He went and paid with own money to search for kingdom of Minos because Evans was very rich. Once he dis, he was arrested with the men because Crete was owned by Turkish empire, Ottoman Turks; they were on foreign soil. He was on his own, not with his country since he paid for the trip himself); he bought his way out of prison by purchasing North East section of the island of Crete. In 1899, he continued the actual dig and spent about 40 years there. Finally, he discovered oldest Greek and European civilizations: “Minoans”. In1936, he wrote a book with 4 volumes. The achievements and characteristics of Minoan civilization were: there were over 250 rooms, littered with palaces. The society of palaces was a very urban society dotted the country side. There was legendary palace and maze where the bull from story roamed. Its capital city was Knossus which was the biggest city, palace of King Minos. It had 7-12 major palaces. There were no walls like Indus River Valley then no fear of war or foreign attack. It was urban area with palace structure. There was also no civil unrest. It just looked like an utopian society. It had 2 separate languages, Linear A and Linear B which...
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...Ancient Greek civilization is Migrations from the east brought the foundations of new civilizations to the Greek mainland, the island of Crete, and the Cyclades Islands east of the Peloponnesus. The Minoan civilization and the Mycenaean civilization developed distinctive social structures that are documented in archaeological records. The dominant Mycenaean civilization then declined for a 250-year period known as the Dark Age of Greece. Polis were formed in Greece after Dark Ages and by the 8th century B.C.E. a significant process of urbanisation had begun. The polis was an independent political unit with its own foreign policy, coinage, patron deity, and even calendar. Some of the well known and important poleis were Athens, Sparta, Corinth, Thebes,...
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...When it comes to collapse, there is something singular about the collapse of the Norse in Greenland. In most collapses, the collapse of the population is not total. People still generally live in that area, just substantially less and under a different political structure. This was not eh case in Greenland. Here, the collapse was total and absolute: when a trade ship arrived in , there was not a soul to be found. After approximately 500 years of survival, the both the Western and Eastern settlements were dead. There have been several theories about what could have a happened to end such a long standing civilization, including climate change, attacks from the Iunit people, failure to adapt, environmental degradation, and breakdown of trade. Likely, this great, absolute collapse was caused by a failure to adapt to climate change, leading to increased difficulties producing food and population die off, as well as voluntary migration. Greenland’s discovery by the Norse, like so many other discoveries, was an accident. While attempting to sail to Iceland, a thriving Norse colony, Gunnbjӧtn Ulfsson was blown off course. He did not land, but soon another did, Erik the Red. Occurring to the Saga of Erik the Red, Erik the red had been exiled from Iceland after several murders when he decided to launch a campaign to colonize Greenland. Even the name choice was advertising, as having a fruitful sounding name would make it more appealing. By 1000, around twenty five ships had landed there...
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...Integrated Summary In the past, human decisions, such as political conflicts, were considered to be the most reasonable explanation for the collapse of civilizations. Another possible reason that attributed to the collapse would be geological catastrophe. Collapse of civilizations has been discussed in the articles after their well-known prospect in the past. Changes in climate, however, are now regarded as the main relevance to the collapse of civilizations with the improvement of technology of climate detection. Civilizations that were used to be extremely prosperous in the past have now been collapsed due to the changes in climate, in which the Angkor (“Climate,” 2010), the capital of ancient Khmer empire in Cambodia now, and Maya (Werner, 2006) are included. According to “Climate”, the civilization of Angkor was splendid and presiding as they enjoyed the unprecedented water system, where there were colossus water tanks and canals, and connecting waterways. Werner, at the same time, claims the advanced civilization of Maya, which possessed complicated buildings, such as pyramids, and inscription to record history. However, these high civilizations collapsed into desolated areas and drought, as both of the authors indicate in their articles, are definitely responsible for the results. Strongly detected by the analysis of tree rings, the drought has been confirmed as a severe change in climate that collapsing the civilization. Based on the analysis of “Climate,” the tree...
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...be argued that the Minoans were Europe’s first great civilization. Their culture was very different and complex. There were a number of rituals that was performed. Some say that the Minoans conducted sacrifices of bulls whose horns were made of gold. Whether this is true or false there was one fascinating activity that the Minoans conducted that involved bulls. Bull jumping. Minoan Crete is arguable the first culture in the Agean to provide iconographic evidence of a sporting activity held in the Bronze Age. Representation of the bull as a symbol is in art and decoration in the palace of Knossos. In the Mediterranean civilizations where the bull was the subject of veneration and worship. Some have argued that there was a bull cult, others religion. Bull jumping is thought to have been a key ritual in the religion of the Minoan civilization in Bronze Age Crete. It was a pacific activity. The horns of the bull were used to jump over the bull and turn around. This sport required good athletics and a lot of courage. In today’s society violence often mean individual success and is accepted maybe even encouraged. Killing the bull would mean winning the fight. The ancient ritual of bull jumping and doesn’t share this concept of violence. There was no opponent to the fight and no weapons; still whoever jumped the bull was considered a hero. The individuals who attempted the jump was considered heroes and those who completed the jump a divine athlete. “Minoan bull jumping: it is...
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...Gardner's Art through the Ages historians wondered why the painting consists only of animals. It was later thought that it was a way of having power or control of the animals. The cave in which the painting is in Lascaux, near Montignac, France. Unlike the "Hall of the Bulls" the "Bull-leaping" painting is near Eastern and Egyptian art. The painting was created around 1450-1400 BCE. According to Gardner's Art through the Ages only fragments of the full composition survive. The remainder is a modern restoration. The style of this painting is Greek Knossos. This painting represents people and animals. It depicts the sport of bull leaping. The people in the painting are very agile and revealed to be able to master the animal. A Minoan artist created this painting. The Interior of the "Tomb of the Leopards" is a mural painting dated between 480-470 BCE. This kind of art was produced by Etruscans. They decorated their burial chambers with mural paintings. Only the wealthiest families could afford to have this kind of murals in their burial site. This mural displays men and women enjoying a banquet. The men are dark skin while the women are light skin. Pitcher and cup...
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...Roles of the Ancient Women Ancient Middle Eastern civilizations laid the ground work for the progression of Western culture. The religions and laws created by the leaders of these civilizations directed the day to day lives of their people. We see evidence of this through the archeological and anthropological studies that have been conducted throughout the Middle Eastern regions over the past few decades. As most of these civilizations were built upon a patriarchal culture, the majority of what has been unearth points toward the day to day lives of the men of those civilizations. What evidence is there for the role of women in these ancient Mesopotamian, Egyptian and Minoan cultures? The written historical record, excavated artifacts and art provides a rich tapestry of evidence of the lives of the Ancient Mesopotamians and with it a small glimpse into the lives of Mesopotamian women. Many resources point to the woman’s role being firmly that of a “daughter of her father or the wife of her husband.” (The Oriantial Institute, Chicago University) Texts such as The Code of Hammurabi spell out what few rights a Mesopotamian woman had. These rights were mainly associated to the privileges of the dowry bestowed up on her husband by her father or in his death her eldest male relative. (Hooker, Washington State University, 1999) A dowry typically consisted of money, goods, or estate that a woman brings to her husband in marriage. The rights to this dowry were mainly held by the father...
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