The foundation for the legendary ancient Greek civilization was laid about 40,000 years ago. At the initial stage of statehood formation, the Greeks were mainly hunters and gatherers, using well-designed tools and weapons. The very first settlement began with the cultivation of crops and plants, the domestication of animals and the manufacture of fabrics on primitive looms. Small villages sprang up along the farmlands, later growing into towns.
Another important technological innovation was the use of bronze and other materials that further distinguished the Greeks of that time from other cultures. Thanks to this, the economy strengthened, and settlements increased along with the growth of we alth and power.
The Birth of Civilization
The cradle of Greek civilization, which influenced many other Western countries, was located onThe Balkan Peninsula, surrounded on three sides by the Mediterranean Sea. Many islands of this and the Aegean seas were also incorporated into the Greek state. These are the Cyclades, Dodecanese, Ionian Islands and Crete along with the southern peninsula of the Peloponnese. In addition to these core territories, Greece also included thousands of small patches of land scattered across the seas.
Most of the country's landscape is rocky mountains. Difficult sections, lack of roads and large rivers made it impossible for the entire Greek people to unite into a single state.
Only about 30 percent of the land was suitable for agriculture, of which a fifth can be classified as good agricultural land. The Greeks founded several villages, whose inhabitants were engaged in the cultivation of grain and garden crops and livestock.
The most convenient and safe way to travel and trade was by sea. Many islands in the Mediterranean and Aegean seas, providing shelter from the weather and replenishing supplies, facilitated such travel and trade. Settlements that offered good harbors developed as ports. All types of raw materials were traded, except for building stone and clay.
Mycenaean civilization - the beginning of Greek culture
Trade contacts influenced southern and central Greece from an older state located on the island of Crete. Subsequently, Arthur Zvans, who was an archaeologist and discoverer of the Cretan civilization, called it Minoan. Relations with the Minoans played an important role indevelopment of the early Mycenaean Greek civilization. The Greeks borrowed almost everything from the Cretans: from culture to writing.
Around the middle of the Bronze Age, population and labor productivity increased, and trade expanded even more in mainland Greece, further strengthening the economic and political power of the leaders. Warriors have become rulers. It is believed that the settlements of Mycenae, Pylos, Thebes and Athens were large cities already at that time.
During the fourteenth and thirteenth centuries B. C. e. in Mycenae, several palace complexes were built, which are considered the final phase of Mycenaean we alth and power. The architecture and decoration of the palaces of this period show a close connection with the Minoan style. They, unlike the laid-back palaces of the Cretan civilization, were located on hills or high barrows. They were protected by thick walls.
Cretan civilization
The Minoans were the forerunners of statehood in the Greek archipelago. The ethnicity of the population has not been fully elucidated. Evans suggested that they were natives of North Africa, but later DNA studies of the remains found in the burials disproved this version. The Cretans were probably quite a cosmopolitan people due to their geographical location and trading contacts with peoples throughout the Mediterranean and its immediate environs.
The dawn of the Cretan civilization was at the end of the Early Bronze Age. The Minoans were the main civilizationBronze Age, then concentrated on the island of Crete. According to archaeological data, it existed from 3000 to 1100 BC. e. In short, the heyday of the Cretan civilization occurred in the middle of the Bronze Age in the history of mankind.
This was the first unique ancient Greek civilization to develop an alphabet based on syllables rather than stylized images, having a great influence on the later classical culture of Ancient Greece. She received the name "Minoan" by the name of her legendary king Minos from Arthur Evans.
What caused the death of the Cretan civilization is not exactly known. None of the versions put forward by the researchers are supported by facts and evidence.
Alternate version
There is an opinion that the civilization called Cretan originated on the island of Santorini. In 1967, the Greek archaeologist Spyridon Marinatos, a student of Evans, organized a comprehensive expedition to this island. Geologists determined that it was the top of a huge underwater volcano that erupted in 1520 and 1460 BC, just at the time when the decline of the Minoan culture was supposed to have occurred.
S. Marinatos and his assistants discovered on the island the remains of … no, not a palace, but an entire ancient city, buried under layers of volcanic ash. It was many times larger than the palace opened by A. Evans. Frescoes were found here, slightly different from Knossos, but also thousands of objects confirming the connection of the inhabitants of ancient Santorin with Crete.
Scientists have suggested thatIn Crete, the inhabitants of the island of Santorin settled, who managed to escape from the eruption of the volcano Thera. Since then, it has become clear which volcano led to the death of the "Cretan" civilization.
In the light of the discoveries made by the Marinatos expedition, the assumption looks absolutely logical. This means that the city on Santorini was the center of an ancient civilization called Minoan by Evans. And the "heyday" of the Cretan civilization means that on a historical scale it was the decline of the more developed island nation of Santorini.
History of archaeological excavations
Both the Cretan and Mycenaean civilizations were discovered and excavated by Western archaeologists in pursuit of their goals.
The discoverer of the Cretan civilization was the archaeologist Arthur Evans, who began excavations in 1900 in Crete, near the old city of Knossos. The ruins of the city were discovered in 1878 by the Greek Minos Kalokerinas.
Remains of buildings were discovered at the site of archaeological work, later called the complex of the great palace, which includes the Palace of Knossos and the oval building in Vasiliki.
In the middle of the 18th century BC. e. a powerful earthquake destroyed the palaces of Crete, which were restored a few decades later and became more grandiose. The largest were built at Knossos, Phaistos and Hagia Triad.
Based on the scale of buildings, surviving wall paintings and other household items, Evans suggested that the city of Knossos was the center of the state of the Cretan civilization.
The main monument of thisperiod was the Palace of Knossos, which consisted of many rooms. The frescoes in the premises of the palace were one of the most valuable monuments of applied art in Crete. The best works of art from the Minoan religion and cult have been preserved in a stone sarcophagus at Hagia Triada.
Tombs with rich gold ornaments and precious stone vases have been discovered on the small island of Mochlos. The most typical handicrafts of that era were kamares vases, named after the cave on Mount Ida, where the first, largest and most characteristic specimens were discovered.
Knossos Palace
Arthur Evans conducted systematic excavations at the site between 1900 and 1931. As a result, the world saw the palace, most of Knossos and the cemetery.
English archaeologist, discoverer of the Cretan civilization Arthur Evans restored the palace in its current form. These actions were caused mainly by the need to preserve open monuments. The Archaeological Service of the Greek Ministry of Culture, if necessary, carries out only consolidation work.
Mycenae and Troy were discovered by amateur Heinrich Schliemann. Unlike the English archaeologist Evans, the discoverer of the Cretan civilization, he was not a professional. But he was obsessed with the desire to find Troy, and he succeeded.
The Greeks forgot where Troy, Delphi, Mycenae are. Schliemann opened and showed them the buildings of their ancient ancestors, their history. He showed the world the Cyclopean walls of the Mycenaean Acropolis. An integral part of these walls were the monumental Lion's Gate,composed of four monoliths, above which was a triangular plate with a relief image of two lionesses.
The most ancient examples of Greek art were discovered by Schliemann in the cave tombs of the Mycenaean gardens. In one of the tombs, he discovered the perfectly preserved golden death mask of King Agamemnon of Mycenae.
Culture and economy
The inhabitants of Minoan Crete had a complex culture and politics for that time. Economic and political life seemed to be centered around the palaces, which were also centers of trade, although it is possible that this was also carried out in agricultural areas. The palaces had a complex bureaucracy that probably controlled most of the trade.
Although a real monetary system had not yet been invented, bronze ingots could be used as a means of payment. The palaces also seem to have funded public works on the island.
The Minoans were a maritime civilization that developed on the island of Crete around 3000 BC. e. They traded with the peoples who inhabited modern Spain, France, Egypt and Turkey, had their own merchant fleet. The trade included both luxury goods and raw materials.
Like all peoples of the Bronze Age, agriculture was the basis of the economy. But the Cretans had craftsmen whose arts and crafts were sold throughout the region.
Differences in art
Both Minoan andMycenaean civilizations made pottery, bronze objects and painted the walls of palaces with frescoes, samples of which have survived to our time.
Minoan frescoes mostly depict pictures of nature. They decorated their pottery with the same motifs, most of which were made on the potter's wheel. On frescoes and vases there are inscriptions in the language, which is one of the dialects of ancient Greek. The art of the Cretans is more environmentally friendly, which indicates a relative peacefulness and the absence of aggressive ambitions of civilization.
The main difference between the Cretan civilization and the Mycenaean in art is the absence of battle scenes on frescoes and other works of art of that era.
Magnificent multi-colored frescoes of ancient Cretan palaces give an idea of the religious, social and funeral rituals of the Minoans and confirm their reverent attitude towards the environment. This is one of the earliest cultures that depicted natural landscapes without the presence of people. Animals were also depicted in their natural habitat.
Mycenaean art is more militant in spirit, the predominant themes of their frescoes were depictions of hunting and battles. Craftsmen created and widely used the technique of enamelling. The militant spirit that literally permeates all the art of the Mycenaeans testifies to the desire of civilization for political hegemony in the region.
Architecture differences
Because Mycenaean art was heavily influenced by Minoan, the differences are quite subtle. The main differenceCretan Minoan civilization - its geographical position. Isolated on the island from the attacks of numerous enemies, the maritime power did not build defensive structures and fortified palaces, relying on the fleet to protect its sovereignty.
The mainland location of the Mycenaean did not allow such a frivolous attitude to defense, and this was clearly reflected in the architecture. Cities on the mainland were heavily fortified against land attacks by neighboring opposing tribes and had monumental defensive walls.
All the palace complexes of the Mycenaean civilization are built around a large rectangular central hall - the megaron. The Mycenaean megaron was the forerunner of the later archaic and classical ancient Greek temples, and consisted of a porch, vestibule, and hall itself. Located in the very center, it was the heart of the palace and contained a large circular hearth, usually over three meters in diameter, with four wooden columns supporting a ceiling with a hole for lighting. It was the throne room of the ruler. Nearby was the second, smaller Queen's Hall. There were many rooms around, reserved for servants, managers, storage of supplies and other needs.
All palace rooms were richly decorated with frescoes. The columns and ceilings were usually painted wood, sometimes with bronze decorations.
The complex was surrounded by a fortified wall of large rough blocks, called "Cyclops" because it was believed that only they could move such massive stones. The walls can reach thirteen meters in height and beup to eight meters thick.
Korbel galleries are arched corridors created by progressively overlapping stone blocks, circular roofed stone tombs and monumental doorways with massive stone lintels in relief triangles. They are also common features of the Mycenaean palace complexes, creating a kind of labyrinth around them.
Other Mycenaean architectural structures include flood control dams, especially at Tiryns, and bridges built from large, roughly hewn stone blocks.
Religious practices
The Minoans and Mycenaeans believed in supernatural powers. They respected their gods, organized processions in their honor, accompanied by music, indulged them with animal sacrifices in the hope of God's mercy. The palace also acted as a center of religious activity. Priests and priestesses, who were considered to be able to contact the gods, were gifted with lands, animals, precious objects, etc.
In the palaces built by these peoples, there were religious places of worship.
Both peoples used tombs or beehives and chamber tombs for the burial of their dead. In the tombs, archaeologists found objects intended to accompany the departed to the afterlife. The golden funeral masks found in the tombs of the Mycenaeans are unique.
In Minoan art, two unique images are known that are absent in Mycenaean culture. These are stylized bull horns, known as "horns of initiation", and the image of a bullin a jump. There are especially many such images in palaces. Obviously, the symbol of the bull had religious significance for the Cretan civilization.
In short, the Cretan and Mycenaean civilizations were very close in religious beliefs and rituals, with the exception of the worship of the bull god. On the mainland, there are no images of this animal, which was an important part of Cretan fresco iconography.
Social device
Socially, the Minoans were relatively egalitarian in terms of class and gender equality by the standards of the time. The culture of the people was dominated by dance, music, sports and bull worship. This is known from the myth that has come down to us about the legendary Minotaur, who lived in a labyrinth next to the palace at Knossos.
The Minoans became a cultural model for Mycenae. The Mycenaeans settled on the mainland of modern Greece around 2700 BC. e. Most of the Greek myths and tales of Homer come from the Mycenaean period. They also traded in the Mediterranean, but they also had developed agriculture, unlike the Cretans.
Mainland Greeks who settled in Mycenae were very warlike. It was probably the constant threat of attack from neighboring tribes that made them so. Readiness at any moment to repulse the enemy is reflected in art. The social system of the Mycenaean state is more stratified compared to the Cretans.
The Cretan Minoan civilization, in short, differed significantly from the Mycenaean organization of socialway of life. The statehood of Mycenae was based on war and conquest. Their city-states were strictly organized along class lines. The aristocracy lived in the walled citadel next to the royal palace, the peasants and artisans lived outside the city walls.
The Minoans were a society based on trade and diplomacy. The advantageous geographical position made it possible to establish trade relations with coastal states, and to live comfortably on the income from trade. The Cretan civilization is one of the first egalitarian societies in the world. After the capture of Crete, the Mycenaeans were impressed by the level of culture of the Minoans and adopted many ideas from them.
The egalitarianism of the Minoan society, perhaps, indirectly confirms the version expressed by S. Marinatos, why the Cretan civilization perished.
The survivors of the monstrous cataclysm and the people who moved to another island had to unite for the sake of survival, despite the class differences in their former life. And over time, this became the norm of relations.
Language differences
The Mycenaeans spoke Greek and had a syllabary script called Linear B. The language of the Minoans is unknown. A hieroglyphic alphabet has been preserved on the Phaistos disk and a later one called linear A, but none of them has been deciphered. Linear B appears at Knossos from 1500 BC. e, which indicates the conquest or administrative subordination of the Mycenaeans.
The architecture and art of the Minoans are more advanced, with stunning frescoes and other works of art. The Mycenaeans clearly have a frankimitation of the Cretans.
These civilizations had significant religious differences. The mainland lacks images of the bull, which was an important part of Cretan iconography.
Minoan settlements, tombs and cemeteries have been found throughout Crete, but the largest are Knossos, Phaestos, Malia and Zakros.
So, briefly about the Cretan and Mycenaean civilizations:
- the Mycenaeans had a stronger army;
- Minoans were more engaged in trade;
- Mycenaeans lived on the Greek mainland;
- Minoans lived on the island of Crete;
- Minoans worshiped the bull;
- The Mycenaeans used the Linear B alphabet;
- Minoans used the Linear A alphabet.
Death of Civilizations
The reasons for the fall of the Minoan state continue to be discussed. The remains of palaces and settlements testify to fire and destruction from 1450 BC. e.
There are several versions of why the Cretan civilization perished. Some historians attribute the attack of the Greeks and their annexation of the island civilization as the reason. There is evidence that the Mycenaeans repeatedly invaded Crete in the middle of the 15th century BC. e. in order to seize copper and ore for the manufacture of weapons. But they clearly lacked the strength to defeat the islanders.
There is a version that the Minoan culture was destroyed as a result of a natural disaster. It is suggested that the cause of the death of the Cretan civilization was the eruption of the volcano Thera on the island of Santorini and the tsunami that followed.
Becausethe exact dates of that era are unknown, the connection of volcanic activity with the decline of the Minoan civilization is unprovable.
Most likely is a fatal combination of natural disasters and other causes, such as competition for power and we alth, that weakened the fabric of civilization, allowing the Greeks to subjugate the Cretans.
The Mycenaeans fell in 1100 BC. e., defeated by the troops of the Dorian Greeks.
Many of the Mycenaean palace complexes, towns and villages were attacked or abandoned. The entire Mediterranean region has experienced many catastrophes during this time. The end of this stage marked the beginning of a new era that was very different from the earlier civilization.
With the end of this civilization, Greece entered the dark ages. Many cities have disappeared, the population has dwindled, and the Greek empire has declined.
The history of the ancient world in modern schools is taught in the 5th grade. The heyday of the Cretan civilization in the school textbook is dated to the 16th - first half of the 15th century BC.
