1. Minoans

3. 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

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

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

6. Minoan Art
Monkey and landscape

7. Minoan Art

8. 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)

9. Theseus & Minatuar / Labyrinth

10. Palace of Knossos

11. Palace of Knossos

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

13. 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.

14. The End / Thera

15. 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

16. Minoan Legacy

17. Spectator Sports
The Minoans had a comfortable enough life that they had time for recreational sports.
Bull Leaping became the first spectator sport in the ancient world.

18. Fast Ships
The Minoans added two and three masts to their sailing ships to be able to sail faster and avoid danger, like pirates.

19. Woman have more equal status
Minoan women could do more than just take care of their families. They could attend and participate in sporting events, go hunting in chariots, and own businesses. Their main deity was the Earth Goddess.

20. Frescoes
Minoans created wall art using paints and wet plaster that lasted over time.

21. Parchment windows
The Minoans used parchment over windows and doors to allow light into their homes but have some privacy.
The parchment was a thin animal skin.

22. Legend of Atlantis
The eruption of the volcano on Thera and the abrupt end to the Minoan civilization caused the Egyptians to think that maybe the Minoan civilization had sunk into the ocean..