Cretan Civilization

We explain what Cretan civilization was, its origin and development. In addition, characteristics of the palaces and the origin of the myth of the Minotaur.

Cretan civilization
Towards 1500 a. C., Cnosa became the main urban center of Cretan civilization.

What was Cretan civilization?

Cretan civilization, also known as Minoic civilization, is considered a cultural history of ancient Greece. It was located on the island of Crete, south of Greece, during the bronze age between 3,000 and 1100 a. C.

During its peak, the Cretan civilization He stood out for his commercial and shipping power. The island of Crete was considered the most important political and cultural center of the Aegean Sea, since it was located at a strategic geographical point with connection to Europe, Asia and Africa.

In addition, these peoples They stood out for the art of their ceramics and their wall paintingsand for its architecture, with the construction of palaces such as cnosos. These pieces and constructions were used by archaeologists and researchers to learn about the history and characteristics of Minoan civilization, because the written records that exist of this culture could not be deciphered.

History of Cretan civilization

Between 3,000 and 2,000 a. C. The Cretans grouped into small communities and They formed the first villages. It is believed that part of these populations arrived at the Cretan territory from other places. Although there are also records of settlements prior to this era, specialists have not been able to identify a common culture.

Because the writings of civilization could not be deciphered, archaeologists establish a historical periodization based on the study of ceramics and objects found. From this evidence, three main stages of the Cretan civilization are usually identified:

  • PREPALACIAL STAGE (2800-2000 BC). This stage marked the beginning of the consolidation of the Minoan culture, which was characterized by urban growth and by a population that was dedicated to agriculture, to hunt and forest exploitation. Subsequently, the privileged geographical location of the island and the lack of some resources led this culture to develop navigation and trade. The knowledge to manipulate the different metals and materials propelled the Cretans to market their products with other islands of Aegean, Anatolia, Syria and Egypt.
  • Paleopalacial stage (2000-1700 BC). The growing commercial and artistic development, and the population increase of Crete allowed to inaugurate a new stage that was mainly characterized by the construction of palaces that functioned as the headquarters of Cretan economic and social life. These buildings were large and had an internal patio and storage environments.
  • Neopalacial stage (1700-1450 BC). During this stage a set of natural catastrophes destroyed the palaces of the previous period, which were then rebuilt. These new palaces and buildings were even more dazzling than their predecessors, because of Cretan economic growth as a result of commercial expansion and the development of metallurgy and ceramics.
  • Postpalal (1450-1100 BC). Some specialists consider that the eruptions of the volcano of the island of Tera (current island of Santorini) marked the end of Cretan autonomy and cultural independence. The volcanic ashes settled in large areas of the Cretan region and many of their lands became unproductive. This productive crisis generated a decay in the shipping fleet and the Cretan commercial power. In turn, during this period of political weakening, Crete is conquered by the Achaeans and, since then, governed by a Mycenaean dynasty.

CREtense Civilization Culture

Cretan civilization
Cretan art decorated its palaces with the beauty and harmony of nature.

Artisanal art, architecture and production

Many of the evidence of Cretan civilization arose from the study of the ceramics of the time. Arthur Evans was a British archaeologist who dedicated much of his career to the study of this civilization, which allowed to know the work of the Cretans in different areas such as metallurgy, ceramics and architecture.

  • Art. The walls of the Minoan palaces were decorated with wall paintings. The main reasons were taken from nature and sought to recreate a serene environment, with the aim of making the palace a beauty space.
  • Metallurgy. It is considered that this civilization had great performance and ability with metals: they were good jewelry makers in gold, bronze and copper.
  • Architecture. This culture was characterized by the construction of luxurious and large palaces, which were found in places such as cnostos and festures. These buildings were large, had columns, courtyards, had no walls and had a large number of environments. In their environments the presence of frescos, which were paintings with colorful and bright tones in which landscapes and figures were represented.
  • Ceramics. This artistic manifestation was the one that made it possible to know much of what is known about Cretan civilization. These peoples had great knowledge about the management of ceramics and built vessels, amphorae and glasses. To decorate them they drew and painted marine animals and geometric figures, and used colors such as yellow, red, white, brown, orange and pink.
  • Writing. This culture developed a writing that was classified into three stages. In the first place, they were hieroglyphs similar to those produced by the Egyptians and then there is evidence of linear writing A and B. These written records of the time could not yet be deciphered.

The myth of the Minotaur

The myth of minotaur is One of Crete’s most emblematic legends. The story tells that Minos, Sarpedón and Radamantis were the three children of the King Asterion. After the death of asterion, Minos told his brothers that the will of the gods was for him to govern the entire palace. To try it, he assured them that the gods would respond to any of their orders. He then asked Poseidon, God from the sea, to make a bull out of the ocean and promised that he would sacrifice him in his name.

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Poseidon did so, but Minos, seeing the beauty of the white bull, did not want to sacrifice ithe hid it in his flock and handed another bull to the god of the sea. Upon realizing the deception, Poseidon, as a punishment, made Pasifae, Minos’s wife, fell in love with the bull and conceive with him to a Minotaur: a bull -headed man who fed on human flesh.

Minos He ordered a maze to lock the minotaur because it generated riots in the town and ordered that every year fourteen to Athenian young people (product of certain disputes with that people) should be sacrificed to feed it.

An Athenian young man, Theseus, offered as a victim of the bull And together with Ariadna, the daughter of Minos who fell in love, managed to kill the Minotaur and leave alive from the labyrinth.

Continue with: Mycenaean civilization

Cretan palaces

Crete temple
From the palaces, agriculture and food distribution was regulated.

Around 2,000 a. C. were created in Crete large cities in which Palacios and imposing mansions were built. Each palace was an autonomous structure from which the distribution or storage of food and the political and religious life of each territory was regulated.

There were similar characteristics between the different palaces that were located throughout the Crete. Many of them They had storage areas, kitchens, workshops, sanctuaries and theaters. They were characterized by not having walls around them, having internal courtyards, workshops (in which many of the pieces that were later marketed), columns and frescoes that decorated the walls were made.

Around 1700 a. C. Some of these palaces were destroyed, it is believed that because of natural phenomena, and then built again.

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The most prominent palaces of this era were:

  • Cnose palace. It is the most important palace that is recorded, and is located a few kilometers from Heraclion, capital of the island. It was discovered in 1878 and the excavations were commanded by Arthur Evans.
  • Palacio de Festos. It is located in the southwest of the island, 50 kilometers from Heraclion, and is the second most important palace. It has courtyards, workshops and temples, and its excavation was led by Italian archaeologist Federico Halbherr.
  • Malia Palace. It is the third most important palace and is located in the north of the island of Crete. The building was carried out around a central courtyard and was destroyed, together with the Palace of Festos and that of Cnostos, and then rebuilt.
  • Zakros Palace. It is located on the east coast of the island of Crete and stood out for its commercial and military importance. It is smaller than the rest of the palaces discovered.

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Cretan religion

Cretan civilization
The Cretans made a game in which acrobats threw themselves on a bull.

Like many other peoples of antiquity, Cretan civilization It was characterized by being polytheistic. The Cretans venerated several gods and were naturalists, that is, their gods came or were related to nature.

They worship the mother goddess of naturewhich was a symbol of fertility and that was represented by a female figure that used to be accompanied by animals such as snakes and birds.

Everything that is known about the religion of this civilization was obtained through objects, art and buildings found. It is believed that the Cretans worshiped their gods both privately and publicly and for that they made offerings that consisted of different dances, processions and rituals of animal sacrifice.

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For this civilization The figure of the bull was of great importancewhich was a symbol of life and strength. In many of the cult ceremonies a bullfighting game was held, which consisted of one of the acrobats was thrown on a bull he previously caused.

Cretan civilization society

In the Cretan civilization, There was a privileged minority linked to the courts of the palaces. Archaeological remains allow specialists to affirm that this minority enjoyed a higher quality of life, linked to luxury and wealth. Around the Palaciegos centers, there were also other family groups that lived in buildings of two or three floors and that were probably dedicated to the administrative and commercial sectors.

The majority of the free population was composed of peasants and farmers, who lived in the villages of rural areas. In addition, in society there were slaves that, for the most part, belonged to the court of the palaces.

Crete economy and politics

Cretan civilization
Artisanal production was carried out in the Palacios units.

The economy of Minoan civilization It was sustained by maritime trade. Its proximity to the Nile Delta allowed Cretans to have a great cultural and commercial exchange with Egypt, Cyprus, Syria, Sicily, Asia Minor and the rest of Greece.

Crete Artisanal production had very developedso it exported ceramic products, fabrics and metal utensils. Agriculture and livestock was also important, and exported many of the products obtained from these industries, such as oil, wine, olives, wool and wheat. For its part, Crete imported from other metal territories, such as gold, copper and silver.

Although by its size and structure The Cnose Palace had a notable superiority Regarding others, there was no political unit that governed the entire Cretan civilization. Around the different palaces the political, social, religious and economic life of nearby populations was organized.

Continue with:

  • Greek civilization
  • Mesopotamian civilization
  • Egyptian civilization

References

  • Pomeroy, S., Burstein, SM, Donlan, W., & Tolbert, J. (2003). The primitive Greece and the age of anger. Ancient Greece. Critical Editorial.
  • Fernández Nieto, FJ (2005). Prehellenic civilizations and the Mycenaean world. Ancient History of Greece and Rome. Tirant lo Blanch.
  • “Minoan Palatial Center” at https://whc.unesco.org/.
  • “Knossos: Palatial Center of Minoan Crette” at https://erenow.net/.
  • “Malia” at http://www.minoancrete.com/.
  • “Crette” at https://www.britannica.com/.
  • “The keys to the Minoan culture” at https://eacnur.org/.