Minoans

Linear A Not related to Greek language Not able to read at present Knowledge of Minoans based on ruins and vast amount of art found – little known about politics, leadership, religion

Minoan Ships High front and low stern Single square sail Rounded hull Sometimes a small deck cabin

Trade Imports: Exports: Copper Gold Ivory Precious gems tin Timber Olive oil Wine Glazed pottery Stone jars Woven cloth Bronze daggers

Frescos Painted on wet plaster so needed to be completely quickly before it dried Paints created from mineral substances People drawn in profile Men always painted red and women always painted white Frescos covered the interior walls of the wealthy homes

Minoan Art Monkey and landscape

Minoan Art

Minoan Social Classes Upper Class: nobles, priests / priestesses Middle Class: artisans, artists, clerks, low ranking officials Lower Class: farmers, herders, laborers Serfs / slaves (not allowed to bear arms and cannot take part in gymnastics exercises)

Theseus & Minatuar / Labyrinth

Palace of Knossos

Palace of Knossos

Building Materials

Storage facility & fire damage

Minoan Kings Religious Leader Chief Businessman Ran kingdom with help of governors and officials Modest – no monuments or sculptures

Minoan Religion No great religious monuments Minoans had private shrines in homes They worshiped on mountaintops and at the mouths of caves. Believed in the afterlife but did not practice mummification Buried their dead in the ground.

The End / Thera

What Makes the Minoans special? Isolated position makes the military unimportant Because the military is unimportant, women are more equal in society The are so prosperous and well fed that they have time for recreational sports The main deity in their polytheistic religion is a goddess and they worship in shrines in their homes not temples Their palaces are massive and serve not only as the center of government but also granaries and residences for the extended royal family Frescos are an important home decoration and are of people and nature not war The king is modest and does not have major sculptures made of his likeness. They have indoor plumbing We cannot read their Linear A language so there is still much we do not know. How their society ends is a bit of a mystery