The Minoans lived on the island of Crete from around 2000-1400 BC. As a seafaring people, they relied heavily on trade since local agriculture could not sustain their population. They exported fine pottery and spread their unique architecture, art, and religious practices throughout the Mediterranean, acting as a "stepping stone" for cultural exchange. Minoan society was possibly matriarchal, as evidenced by frescoes depicting women in positions of power and authority equal to men. Their capital of Knossos was ruled by King Minos and was notable for lacking fortifications. The Minoan civilization ultimately declined after a major volcanic eruption destroyed their navy and trade networks, leaving them vulnerable to invasion by the

1. Minoans

2. Minoans
• Lived on Crete
• Large island on the edge
of Aegean Sea
• Did NOT speak Greek
• Trade was the lifeline of
Minoan civilization
• Food grown on island
was not sufficient to
sustain population
• Traded with towns along
Black Sea

3. Minoans ( 2000-1400 BC)
• Seafaring people
• Produce fine painted pottery
• Export art, culture (unique
architecture, burial customs
and religious rituals)
• Known as “stepping stone”
for cultural exchange in
Mediterranean

4. Minoan Art
• Frescos (painted walls)
showed men, women
participating in sports
and ceremonies
• Color of skin used in
frescos represented
different sexes
• Women’s skin was white
• Men’s skin was reddish
brown
• Frescos of women vastly
outnumber that of men

5. Minoan Culture
• Men and women are thought
to have held at least equal
social status
• Based on frescos depicting men,
women playing the same sports
• Minoan culture was possibly
matriarchal
• Women shown seated on
thrones
• Women shown being saluted
by others
• Minoan art depicts no trace of
male rule

6. Knossos
• Minoan capital
• No fortification
• Ruled by King Minos
• Owned a (Minotaur)
• half-human, half bull
• Kept inside a labyrinth
(maze)

20. Minoan Religion
• Based on goddess worship
• Examples
• Fertility Goddess
• Mistress of Animals
• Protector of Cities
• Mistress of the Harvest
Potinija – mother goddess

21. End of Minoan Civilization
• Rise of iron production
led to decline in Minoan
trade after 1700 BC
• Volcano eruption at
Thera wiped out most of
Northern Crete
• Eruption caused huge tidal
wave
• Wave destroyed Minoan
navy
• Earthquake around 1600
BC destroyed many
palaces, incl. @ Knossos
• Mycenaeans invaded
around 1400 BC
Area of eruption’s
effect
Modern map of
Crete, Santorini
(formerly Thera)

22. Phoenicians (1100BC)

23. • Important city-states
• Sidon and Tyre- known for
red-purple dye
• Byblos- trading center for
papyrus

24. • Writing:
• Phonetics- one sign was
used for one sound
• Alphabet (came from the
first two letters = aleph and
beth)
• Contribution to the world:
simplified alphabet-
learning accessible to more
people

25. • Phoenicians exchange
products and information
along with goods, ideas,
religious beliefs, art, way of
living- led to cultural
diffusion (spreading of
culture