© Mr. Educator, 2013
&
MINOANS
MYCENAEANS
People first lived in Greece about 55,000 years ago. Not until around 1900 C.E., however, did
archaeologists find evidence of the first Greek civilizations. This was the Minoan civilization.
It had developed on the island of Crete, south of mainland Greece, around 2000 B.C.E.
The$Minoan$civilization$was$named$after$the$legendary$
king$of$Crete,$King$Minos.$$Minos$had$his$palace$in$the$city$
of$Knossos$(NAHSBuhs).$$There$the$Minoans$built$a$great$
civilization.$$The$palace$and$the$homes$of$nobles$had$
running$water.$$Minoan$artists$covered$the$palace$walls$
with$colorful$frescoes$B$paintings$made$on$wet$plaster$
walls.$$Other$artists$carved$beautiful$figures$from$bronze,$
gold,$ivory,$silver,$and$stone.$$Some$of$the$figures$show$the$
Minoans$worshipping$a$bull$and$an$Earth$goddess.$
Many$Minoans$became$sailors$and$traders.$$They$traded$for$
food$because$Crete’s$soil$was$very$poor.$$It$could$not$grow$
many$kinds$of$crops.$$These$Minoans$set$up$trading$posts$
on$islands$in$the$Aegean$Sea$and$in$Asia$Minor.$$The$kings$
of$Crete$maintained$strong$navies$to$support$Minoan$trade.$$
In$about$1628$BCE,$
a$volcano$erupted$
on$a$nearby$island.$$
Tidal$waves$caused$
by$the$eruption$
destroyed$many$
coastal$settlements$
on$Crete.$$From$
that$time$on$
Minoan$civilization$
grew$weak.$$In$
about$1400$BCE$
Mycenaeans$from$
the$Greek$mainland$
conquered$central$
Crete.
Greece in the Bronze Age: Two distinct cultures - Minoan and Mycenaean developed around the Aegean Sea starting around 2000 BCE.
© Mr. Educator, 2013
MINOANS
MYCENAEANS
MINOANS
MYCENAEANS
Location in
Greece
Dates
Achievements
Reasons For
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Location in
Greece
Dates
Achievements
Reasons For
Collapse
© Mr. Educator, 2013