Minoan Civilization Facts: Read About Their Unique Art

The Minoan civilization was an ancient Greek civilization during the Bronze Age.

The Minoan civilization was mostly centered on the island of Crete, with the capital being the city of Knossos. This period was known for its amazing contributions to ancient culture and way of life.

The British archaeologist Sir Arthur Evans, was the main driving force behind discovering the Minoan civilization. He realized that there were ancient inhabitants on the island of Crete by looking at artifacts such as carved seal stones.

He led an excavation at Knossos for five, which ended in 1905. As a result of the excavation, he found ruins that proved the existence of a civilization based in Crete.

Sir Evans named the civilization Minoan as a reference to King Minos, who had an important role in the stories of Greek mythology. Sir Arthus also divided the Minoan age into three parts of Early Minoan, Middle Minoan, and Late Minoan age correlating to the Early, Middle, and Late Bronze Age.

Thus, there are both historical as well as mythological stories of this ancient civilization that was discovered from extensive ruins.

Keep scrolling to learn more interesting Minoan civilization facts!

History & Origin

Historians consider the Minoan civilization to be an important milestone in the development of Western civilization. For them, this Bronze Age civilization actually passed on their own ideas and culture to other civilizations near them in the Greek mainland.

The island of Crete is a historically significant area, as is mainland Greece. The Early Minoan age lasted from 3000-2100 BCE, and the Middle Minoan age ran from 2100-1500 BCE.

The civilization became quite influential even in the Greek mainland by 1560. Their ideas began to spread across the Aegean Sea to other islands. In fact, historians have found distinct similarities between the Minoan culture and the Mycenean culture.

The peaceful life of ancient Minoans was briefly disrupted in the middle of the 15th century due to invaders from the Greek mainland. After their conquest, the Minoan civilization changed significantly, and the cultural influence of the mainland showed in their own culture.

The civilization began to decline gradually during the Late Minoan phase. By 1100 BCE, the civilization had entirely declined.

Historians have actually put forward various theories about the fall of this civilization, but none have been proven so far. Some historians have attributed natural disasters, such as volcanic eruptions or tsunamis, to be the reason behind the fall of civilization.

Some others also think repeated earthquakes may have resulted in the place becoming uninhabitable. Repeated invasions by Mycenean people from the mainland may have also led to a decline in the civilization.

The Minoan period also has interesting mythological associations as this region was considered to be the birthplace of the legendary King Minos. According to mythological stories, King Minos was a fearsome and highly respected ruler who reigned over the island of Crete.

He was the son of the king of gods Zeus and Europa, the Phoenician princess. With the help of the Greek god of the seas, Poseidon, Minos took control of Crete. His wife was Pasiphae, and he had a number of children, including Androgeos, Ariadne, and Phaedra.

There is a well-known mythological story surrounding King Minos, Prince Theseus of Athens, and the complex labyrinth on the island of Crete. The mythical stories behind King Minos consist of the beast Minotaur, who had the body of a man but the head of a snow-white bull.

The beast was contained in a complex labyrinth created by Daedalus under the orders of King Minos.

To avenge the death of his son, Minos demanded seven young men and women from Athens every nine years to feed Minotaur. However, the brave Prince Theseus from Athens volunteered to go to the labyrinth and slay the beast.

According to most stories, Theseus figured out how to escape from the labyrinth using a red thread that he got from Ariadne. He also used a sword to defeat the Minotaur and come out alive. Theseus' actions saved the lives of many young Athenians thereafter.

Even though there are a number of mythological stories, some archaeologists believe that Minos was a title of a powerful dynasty in this civilization. Some records also point towards the fact that the Minos may have been a powerful line of rulers or priests in ancient Crete. This may have led to the civilization being named after them.

Life Of Minoan People

The life of the Minoan people has been largely assumed to be peaceful. The people enjoyed their sea life and led prosperous lives.

They also dedicated much of their energy and efforts to art and culture. They were also deeply religious people who believed in extensive rituals and ceremonies like pouring libations, offering food, and organizing feasts. Through their artifacts, historians have also seen that they enjoyed different forms of sports.

The Minoan age was well-known for constructing beautiful palaces with wonderful fresco art. The palaces were not heavily fortified, which indicates that people lived peaceful lives without much warfare or conflict.

Archaeologists have also found weapons like swords, daggers as well as armor, and helmets that people may have used during times of conflict. Palaces also had huge courtyards for mass gatherings.

The Minoan traders enjoyed access to a large trade route from the shores of the Mediterranean in Greece to Southwest Asia, including Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria. The access to the sea made it easier for merchants to travel and sell their goods.

Many of the roads also had provisions of guards or watchtowers, which meant that guards were responsible for protecting the traveler from bandits.

Language & Religion

There is not much accurate information about the Minoan religion since there are no written historical records. However, historians and archaeologists have been able to find out information about their religion through visual media such as art and architecture.

The artifacts had images of religious ceremonies and rituals. The Minoans are assumed to worship the mother-earth goddess figure as the supreme deity. Artworks also show the image of a male deity with various animals.

Artifacts also contain pictures of religious rituals like processions, pouring of libations, food offerings, feasts, and sporting events such as bull-leaping. From the artwork, it can also be concluded that the Minoans greatly revered nature and worshipped natural forces as a significant part of life.

The language spoken by the Minoans has not yet been deciphered by historians. They termed this language 'Linear A' but have not been able to interpret it yet.

Culture

The Minoan culture is famous for its contribution to art. Based on the archaeological evidence that has been found so far, historians and archaeologists have been able to figure out the beautiful art created by the Minoans on seals, tablets, pottery vases, and frescoes.

Types of art pieces that historians have found from the archaeological evidence include seals and pottery. The most famous example of pottery is the Kamares ware.

The Kamares ware is a term used to describe pottery made during the Middle Minoan age. The jug-like structure would have a black-colored surface that would be glossy in nature.

On top of the black-colored coat, the artist would draw intricate designs using red, orange, or white colors. These jugs are named after the Kamares Cave in Crete, where this specific design was first found.

In addition to that, the Minoan sites are also known for the beautiful frescoes on the palace walls. The Minoan frescoes are well-known for their complex and intricate as well as nuanced designs. The frescoes depict secular as well as religious scenes on the walls of the Minoan palaces.

Some frescoes have been interpreted to show pictures of gardens animals like monkeys or wild goats. Frescoes also show images of goddesses who are dressed in elaborate ornaments and dresses.

Some of the most used and famous motifs of their art include a snake which is a symbol of the snake goddess. In addition to that, the bull or the ritual of bull-leaping is also found etched on vases.

Historians think this is because of the Minoans' religious beliefs. Bulls were an important part of the Minoans' life as their horns were a prominent architectural feature on many palace walls. In addition to that, bull horns were also a part of jewelry and pottery.

The Minoans were also known for crafting beautiful gold jewelry. However, this jewelry was probably only for the nobility or royalty, or rich merchants.

Thus, they could not be afforded or worn by the common masses. The Minoans also made wonderful stone vases and pottery, which were all decorated with various aspects of life in Crete. Some of them even had marine motifs, which probably proved that painters drew inspiration from the ocean life around them.

FAQs

Who were the Minoans?

The Minoans were a group of ancient Greeks who lived on the island of Crete during the Bronze Age.

What was the Minoan civilization known for?

The Minoan civilization was known for its economic power due to extensive trade, massive building complexes, and aesthetic accomplishments in the form of Minoan art.

How did Minoan civilization start?

Not much is known about how the Minoan civilization started. However, they were discovered in the early 20th century by archaeologist Sir Arthur Evans.

How did the Minoan civilization fall?

Most theories point towards the fact that the Minoan settlements were destroyed due to natural causes such as volcanic eruptions or tsunamis. However, historians are not completely sure what caused the fall of this great civilization.

Where did the Minoan civilization flourish?

The Minoan civilization flourished on a Greek island named Crete in the Bronze Age. The Greek island of Crete was divided into several cities named Knossos, Zakros, Phaistos, and Malia.

Was the Minoan civilization peaceful?

Historians agree that the Minoan civilization was mostly peaceful since there were no heavy fortifications built around Minoan palaces. This suggested that there was no threat perceived by neighboring kingdoms.