Classical Myths in the Arts - Minoan Culture

Sir Arthur Evans in Crete. Subsequently the archaeologist Sir Arthur Evans discovered the Bronze Age civilization that existed on the island of Crete. In 1899 he began his excavations at Cnossus, the center of power for the legendary King Minos, and thus the period of the Bronze Age in Crete is designated as “Minoan.”

The Stone Age gave way to the Bronze Age is Greece, Crete, and the Islands with an invasion from the east (the movement was from Asia Minor across the Aegean to the southern Peloponnesus up into Greece).

The people responsible for the building of the great Minoan civilization of Crete.

The Bronze Age is divided into three major periods: Early, Middle, and Late. These periods are also labeled according to the geographic areas.

In Crete, the Bronze Age is Minoan (from the tradition of King Minos)

For the Islands, the term is Cycladic (the islands that encircle Delos).

In Greece it is called Helladic (Hellas is the Greek name for the country.

The Late Bronze Age on the mainland is also known as the Mycenaean Age, from the citadel of power (Mycenae) dominant in Greed during this period.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mycenaean_Greece

The oldest evidence of inhabitants on Crete are preceramic Neolithic farming community remains that date to approximately 7000 BC. The neolithic population dwelt in open villages. On the shores, there were fishermen's huts, while the fertile Mesara Plain was used for agriculture.

The Bronze Age began in Crete around 2700 BCE. In the late 3rd Millenium BC, several localities on the island developed into centers of commerce and handwork. From the Early Bronze Age (3500 BC to 2600 BC), the Minoan civilization on Crete showed a promise of greatness.

Around 1700 BC there was a large disturbance in Crete, probably an earthquake, or possibly an invasion from Anatolia. The palaces at Knossos, Phaistos, Malia, and Kato Zakros were destroyed. But the palaces were rebuilt on a larger scale and new settlements were built all over the island. This period (the 17th and 16th centuries BC) represents the apex of the Minoan civilization. There was another natural catastrophe around 1600 BC, possibly an eruption of the Thera volcano. Even this disaster didn't discourage the Minoans: the palaces were again rebuilt and were made even greater than before.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minoan_civilization

Bull-leaping is thought to have been a key ritual in the religion of the Minoan civilization in Bronze Age Crete. As in the case of other Mediterranean civilizations, the bull was the subject of veneration and worship. Representation of the Bull at the palace of Knossos is a widespread symbol in the art and decoration of this archaeological site.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bull-leaping