MINOAN CULTURE: ORIGIN, CHARACTERISTICS, ORGANIZATION AND ART - HISTORY - 2024

The Minoan culture, also called the Pre-Hellenic Culture, Aegean, Cretan or Minoan Culture, flourished on the island of Crete between 3,000 BC until approximately 1450 BC. One of the most common theories is that its first inhabitants came from Anatolia and arrived on the island around 7,000 BC.

Although there are divergences among historians, Minoan culture is usually divided into three different periods: the pre-palatial period, the proto-palatial period, and the neo-palatal period. All of them take as a reference the construction of the so-called "Palaces", the most important architectural works of that civilization.

Map of Minoan Crete. Original: Bibi Saint-Pol; Spanish translation: Dodecahedron, via Wikimedia Commons

In addition to these palaces, one of the most important characteristics of the Minoans was their maritime dominance. This made the island one of the most important trade centers in the Mediterranean, with frequent contacts with other civilizations of the time.

The end of the Minoan culture, according to experts, could be related to the eruption of a volcano around 1750 BC From that moment, the influence and importance of the island began to wane, although it went through several ups and downs during its last three centuries of history.

Origin and history

The name of the Minoan culture was the brainchild of British archaeologist Arthur Evans, who had discovered and excavated the Palace of Knossos. The name is a tribute to King Minos, the mythical king of Crete.

The Minoan culture dates back to 3000 BC, although it was not until a thousand years later that it began to flourish.

Although there are some discrepancies among experts, this culture is usually divided into three different periods. The first is the so-called Prepalacial Period, or before the palaces, and it would have occurred between 2,600 and 2,000 BC.

The next period is the Protopalacial, or of the first palaces. It started around 2000 BC and lasted until 17,000 BC

The last of these periods is the Neopalatial, or the second palaces, with a duration that was from 1,700 to 1,400 BC.

the beginning

The most prevalent theory states that the first inhabitants of Crete came from Anatolia. It is assumed that they arrived on the island around 7000 BC. C. and they settled in various parts of the territory, including Knossos.

Their constructions were quite simple and were made with wood, at first, and with mud bricks, later. They used bone and stone tools and left some figures of female and male representations to which a religious sense is attributed.

Ancient or Prepalacial Minoan

In this first period of the history of the Minoan culture, the inhabitants of Crete began to establish trade routes with the Near East and with Egypt. One of the materials they bought was tin, which did not exist on the island.

With this step, the Cretans went from an economy based on agriculture to a more evolved one, with trade as the main activity.

There are few data on the characteristics of this civilization before 2700 BC, when it began to gain importance in that part of the Mediterranean. It was around this time that they began to use the wheel in pottery and developed a small bronze metallurgical industry.

According to experts, the Cretan civilization was organized at that time in a communal way. There was a fertility cult, the basis of their religious feelings.

So far it has not been possible to find out what the prepalacial settlements were like. It is known, however, that the houses were built with adobe and stone, with stuccoed walls.

Middle Minoan or Protopalacial

This second period was marked by three main aspects: the palaces, the ceramics of Kamares and the appearance of writing.

There is evidence that the inhabitants of Crete and those of Anatolia were in frequent contact, which caused reciprocal influences. However, this was not the cause of the flourishing of the Minoan culture. This was due to its internal economic and political evolution, without external influence appearing to have been an important element.

Crete took advantage of its strategic position in the eastern Mediterranean. This allowed it to develop a very efficient commercial policy, which brought about social changes. In this way, private property was born and the population increased considerably.

During this stage, the great palaces that would characterize this culture began to be built, such as that of Knossos, that of Festos or the Hagia Triada.

Other economic activities that were important at that time were the cultivation of wheat, vines and olive trees, in addition to the growth of livestock. Ultimately, society became enriched as a whole, something that avoided riots and tensions between the privileged and the underprivileged.

Neopalacial Minoan or Second Palaces

This period is considered the peak of Minoan culture. It was then that, for example, the structures of the Palace of Knossos were built.

During this time, the Cretans founded new cities and new palaces were built on the ruins of the old ones. They had labyrinthine shapes and consisted of several floors, in addition to monumental Propylaea.

Each administrative center was in charge of large territories. This was aided by improvements in communications, both land and sea. The construction of new ports also increased the commercial activity of this civilization.

Historians claim that the social system must have rested on a theocracy. Each palace had a king, who was the political and religious head. Some theories suggest that there may have been a hierarchy between the various kings, with Knossos leading them.

When the Minoan civilization was at this point, around the 17th century BC, a natural disaster occurred that cut off its development. There are several theories about this, although many point to a terrible earthquake.

Several palaces, including that of Knossos, were destroyed, although the latter rose again when the Achaeans invaded the area from the Peloponnese.

Postpalacial Minoan

The natural catastrophe that occurred in the previous period had devastating effects on the Minoan civilization. However, they were able to overcome this disaster and regain, and even increase, their power in the area.

Thus, between 1600 and 1400 BC, Cretan ships reached Sicily and several islands in the Aegean. The latter were supposedly in the hands of the Minoan princes. The city of Knossos established itself as the island's center of power.

According to some Greek legends, Crete had become a thalassocracy. This means that she based her power on the maritime domain. The legendary figure that represented this naval might was that of King Minos, who dominated the Greek sea.

Thus the legend of the Minotaur was born, so closely linked to the figure of Minos and other Greek heroes.

Sunset

The destruction, again, of the Palace of Knossos, marked the beginning of the end of the Minoan civilization. Nobody knows for sure the reason for this destruction. Some experts affirm that it was due to the invasion of the Achaeans, who founded Mycenae in the Peloponnese around 1500 BC. C., with clear Cretan influence.

Other researchers, on the other hand, consider that it was another natural catastrophe that ended this civilization, in this case, the eruption of the Santorini volcano. This was so violent that, despite occurring 112 kilometers from Crete, it caused earthquakes and tidal waves throughout the area. Some claim that it was the origin of the legend of Atlantis.

Despite these two theories, the truth is that the Cretans would still survive another century.

Location

The Minoan civilization fully developed on the island of Crete, southeast of Greece. Located in the Aegean Sea, in the eastern Mediterranean, its geographical location favored its conversion into a commercial power.

Crete is right in the center of maritime communication between Asia, Europe and Africa. The closest Asian area, today's Turkish coast and the Near East, were the seat of important kingdoms. To the south, in Africa, was Egypt, another of the most important civilizations of the time.

The orography of the island is dominated by three mountain ranges and, as the Cretans could lament, it is located in a seismic zone. This condition was also the cause of the formation of multiple caves used as a refuge or as places of worship.

Sweet water

Traditionally, all civilizations have tried to settle in places where fresh water was not lacking. Although today, deposits are scarce, during the Bronze Age it seems that this resource was much more abundant.

General characteristics

The development of the Minoan culture seems to have come from the Anatolian peoples who arrived on the island in 7000 BC. In turn, the Minoans would greatly influence the Mycenaean culture.

The Minoan palaces

The first palaces, of which there are no remains, were built between 2000 and 1700 BC. Shortly after, after their first destruction, larger ones began to rise. The most important were those of Knossos and Phaestos.

Despite their name, these constructions do not coincide with what is traditionally understood in Europe as a palace. They were places used to work and store goods, as centers of commerce or as places of worship.

One of the most striking aspects for all researchers is the lack of defenses of the palaces. None had walls or moats, although it is believed that they had a strong naval defense.

Writing

Experts divide Minoan writing into three different stages: Hieroglyphic, Linear A, and Linear B.

It is known that it consisted of more than 100 characters. To this day, its meaning has not yet been deciphered

The ceramic

Pottery was one of the most recognized activities of the Minoans. Clay pots used to be decorated with drawings of elements from the sea. These were painted in various colors, highlighting yellow, pink and orange. The Cretans also learned to glaze these vessels.

Trade

Along with palaces and ceramics, commerce is another of the characteristic elements of this civilization. The, already mentioned, strategic position of the island favored the Minoans to establish trade routes with their neighbors.

Absorption of cultural elements

Although not all historians agree, many highlight the absorption of cultural elements from various places. The most important influences the Cretans received came from Greece, the Cyclades, Asia Minor, Syria, and Egypt.

They were all places with which they maintained commercial ties, with a continuous exchange of products.

The myth of the minotaur

Although it is not a characteristic of the Minoan civilization in the strict sense, the myth of the minotaur shows some traits of it, such as maritime power, the importance of the bull as a symbol and the labyrinth itself.

The legend relates, first, the power struggle between the three sons of King Asterion: Minos, Sarpedon and Radamantis. The first, when his father died, told his brothers that the gods wanted him to be the ruler of the entire palace.

To show that he had the favor of the gods, he asked Poseidon, god of the sea, to make a bull rise from the waters to sacrifice it in his honor. The god did so, but Minos changed his mind and left him alive. Pasiphae, wife of Minos, fell in love with the animal and conceived of him a minotaur, a mythological being with a human body and a bull's head.

Minos' reaction was to build a labyrinth in which he locked the minotaur. Every year 14 youngsters were sacrificed to feed the creature. Theseus, with the help of Ariadne, killed the minotaur and managed to escape from the labyrinth.

Thalassocracy

The writings of Greek scholars already indicated in their time that Crete had become a thalassocracy. The concept refers to the control that is exercised over the seas and the political system based on that control.

Thalassocracy is closely related to the political and strategic power obtained through control of geographic resources, in this case the dominance of maritime zones.

Political and social organization

Unfortunately, the data on the political and social organization of Minoan culture are not very conclusive.

Given the geography of the island, with mountains over 2000 meters separating territories, it is likely that at the beginning each city had a remarkable autonomy. It is known, however, that over time Knossos acquired a clear dominance.

Another striking aspect was the war or, rather, the lack of structures for it. Politics and war have always been closely related, but in the Cretan case it seems not to have been so. The palaces did not have walls or other defensive constructions, the same as other structures discovered on the island.

Administrative divition

Experts claim that the Minoan civilization could have been divided into several administrative centers. The exact number is not known, since, depending on the researcher, it varies between 3 and 10. The geographical distribution and the importance of them has changed over time.

Social organization

It is considered that the Minoan culture was one of the most egalitarian peoples of antiquity, at least in its beginnings. Little by little a certain elite was created, which controlled political, commercial and religious power.

Art

Fresco de los Delfines, in the Queen's megaron. Palace of Knossos. 1500 BC C. Source: Arne Nordmann (norro), Germany. Wikimediacommons.

The found remains of Minoan art have provided much information about their civilization. In fact, its palaces have served to divide its history into stages: Ancient or Prepalacial Minoan, Middle or Proto-Palatial Minoan and Late Minoan or Neopalatial.

Palaces

It is thought, although it has not been proven one hundred percent, that they were the residences of kings and the seats of governments, the monumental buildings found in Crete have been baptized as palaces. The most important structures of this type, all with inner courtyards, are Knossos, Festos, Malia, Kato Zakros, and Gurnia.

The great Cretan cities began to rise around 2000 BC. In them, as the most imposing center, imposing palaces were built. It is assumed that from there agriculture and the distribution of resources were regulated. Likewise, they served as a food store.

The palatial structures were very complex. They were built with squared stone and their interior was built around patios and rooms decorated with painting. They also had huge warehouses, large staircases and high platforms. On the other hand, no remains of defensive walls have been found.

Experts point out that the palaces fulfilled several different functions, from being the center of government to being administrative headquarters, passing through their functions as sanctuaries, workshops or storage spaces.

Some historians disagree on the use of the term palace for these constructions and prefer to call them "court buildings". However, that proposal has never taken hold.

Minoan column

The Minoan column is another of the most characteristic contributions of the Minoans. It is a type of column that is wider at the top than at the bottom. Therefore, it is also called an inverted column.

They were made of wood and were usually painted red. The base was made of stone and very simple. For its part, the capital was shaped like a round molding, resembling a pillow.

Metallurgy

The Minoans acquired great skill with metals. They had not yet discovered iron, so their most striking creations were gold, bronze and copper jewelry.

Ceramics

Along with the palaces, pottery is the best known artistic manifestation made by the Cretans of the time. They were characterized by being adorned with linear drawings of various geometric figures, such as spirals, triangles or crosses.

In the second period of their civilization, naturalistic drawings of birds, plants or squid also appeared.

Sculpture

Not much evidence of sculptures has appeared in early Minoan culture. Only a few rather crude humanoid figures have been found.

Already in the paleopalacial period, the sculpture began to be more delicate. Many were related to religion, such as the small male and female idols that have appeared during excavations.

During the neo-palatial period is when this type of art advances in a remarkable way. Ivory, terracotta and bronze began to be used as the most common materials. The representation of the so-called "goddess of the serpents", several figures of glazed ceramic, earthenware or, to a lesser extent, ivory, of a religious nature stand out.

These female figures wear typical Minoan clothing and are named after the snakes that appear coiled on their bodies.

Economy

As already mentioned previously, the Cretans developed a great maritime commercial activity. This became the basis of its economy and brought prosperity to the island.

Their most frequent destinations were the Aegean islands, Egypt and some ports in Asia Minor. In just three days they could reach the Nile delta, for example, so the exchange of goods was continuous.

Its most important cities, such as Knossos and Phaestos, had important ports. Ships departed from there in all directions, full of bronze, ceramic, oil or wine objects. Likewise, they shipped their agricultural surpluses and textile or wood products.

From the countries with which they traded, they obtained raw materials that were not available on the island, such as tin.

farming

The Minoans managed to overcome the difficulties that the island's orography presented when developing agriculture. Thus, they obtained abundant harvests of wheat, olives and grapes, as well as fruit trees.

As in the rest of the Mediterranean, the olive tree and the vines were a great source of wealth, since their fruits were used to make oil and wine that were later sold in other countries in the area.

Religion

As with other aspects of the history of the Minoan culture, their religion presents many enigmas to researchers. It is not known for sure what their rituals were like or how they structured their theology.

In general, they paid more attention to the living than to the dead, contrary to what happened in the Egyptian religion.

Almost all the finds related to this topic have been found in the palaces, so experts think that they were also centers of worship. According to those remains, it seems that his supreme divinity was Mother Earth.

Goddesses

Many authors consider that the Minoan religion was primarily matriarchal. Although male gods are known to have existed, female deities were more important and numerous.

The differences between historians are presented when analyzing the female figures found. For some, it would be representations of priestesses, while others claim that they are different versions of the same deity: Mother Goddess, of fertility, Lady of the Animals, Protector of the home, Protector of crops, etc.

If they coincide, instead, in the central importance of that Mother Goddess and the cult of fertility developed around her figure. Her most typical representation was as the Goddess of the Serpent, also called The Lady of the Labyrinth.

Jump of the bull

The bull was another of the main symbols of the Minoan civilization and the festival in which acrobatics were performed with the animal was its celebration par excellence. Minoan altars often appear crowned with consecration horns and had religious significance.

Human sacrifices

Some evidence seems to indicate that the Minoans practiced human sacrifice. Evidence has been found in three places of a religious nature on the island, although their ritual significance is unknown.

References

1. History and Life. Crete: the cradle of the Minoan civilization. Obtained fromvanaguardia.com
2. UNHCR. The keys to the Minoan culture. Retrieved from eacnur.org
3. Arthistory. The Minoan civilization. Obtained from artehistoria.com
4. Cartwright, Mark. Minoan Civilization. Retrieved from ancient.eu
5. The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. Minoan civilization. Retrieved from britannica.com
6. Movellán, Mireia. Rise and Fall of the Mighty Minoans. Retrieved from nationalgeographic.com
7. Cecil, Jessica. The Fall of the Minoan Civilization. Retrieved from bbc.co.uk
8. Greek Boston. History of the Minoan Civilization on Crete. Retrieved from greekboston.com