Minoan Civilization Notes Module 4

Minoan Civilization

Protopalatial and Neopalatial Periods

  • The Minoan civilization, named after the mythical King Minos, thrived on Crete during the Bronze Age. Sir Arthur Evans, the first excavator at Knossos, associated the palace's layout with the labyrinth of the Minotaur myth.
  • The Protopalatial period (1900-1700 BCE) marked the establishment of administrative centers on Crete.
    • Features included extensive sea trade and communal civic centers.
  • Around 1700 BCE, a catastrophic event, possibly an earthquake or invasion, destroyed the palaces, disrupting life on the island.
  • The Neopalatial period (1700-1450 BCE) saw the Minoans recover and reach the peak of their civilization.
    • They controlled major Mediterranean trade routes.

Discovery and Excavation

  • Sir Arthur Evans excavated Knossos in the early 1900s, discovering a palace and naming the civilization after King Minos.
  • The palace's complex layout reminded Evans of the labyrinth of the Minotaur.
  • According to myth, King Minos' wife had an illicit union with a white bull, which lead to the birth of a half bull and half man, known as the Minotaur. King Minos had his court artist and inventor, Daedalus, build an inescapable labyrinth for the Minotaur to live in.
  • Archaeological evidence suggests the earliest inhabitants arrived in Crete around 6000 BCE.
    • They developed a civilization based on agriculture, trade, and production over the next four millennia.
  • The Minoan civilization existed during the Bronze Age (3000-1100 BCE).
    • The Mycenaeans from Greece invaded and occupied the island in the mid-1400s BCE.
  • The Minoans were skilled seafarers and traders throughout the Mediterranean.

Minoan Painting

  • Minoan painting is characterized by vivid colors and curvilinear shapes.
  • The "Bull Leaping" fresco from Knossos exemplifies Minoan art.
    • It depicts the culture's fascination with bulls and the unique sport of bull leaping.
  • Akrotiri, on the island of Thera (Santorini), was destroyed by a volcanic eruption, preserving wall paintings.
    • The "Flotilla" fresco depicts a highly developed society.
  • Kamares ware: Pottery made from fine clay and painted with marine scenes, abstract flowers, shapes, and geometric lines.
  • Marine-style vase painting: Depicts marine life with organic shapes covering the entire surface (horror vacui). Painted in dark colors on a light surface, unlike Kamares ware.
  • Horror vacui: Latin for "fear of empty space," a style where the entire surface is filled with patterns and figures.
  • Fresco: A technique of applying water-based pigment to plaster.
  • Buon fresco: A durable technique where alkaline-resistant pigments are applied to wet plaster.
  • Minoans decorated palaces and homes with fresco wall paintings.
    • The process involved covering stone walls with mud and straw, then coating with lime plaster.
  • The Minoan color palette included earth tones (white, brown, red, yellow), black, and vivid blue.
  • Due to the undeciphered Linear A script, visual arts provide insights into Minoan life.
    • Frescoes from Knossos and Akrotiri reveal details about plant and animal life, clothing styles, and activities.
    • Men wore kilts and loincloths; women wore short-sleeve dresses with flounced skirts and open bodices.

Minoan Sculpture

  • Minoan sculpture reflects the culture's artistic style and daily life.

  • Most sculptures are small-scale, ranging from single figures to groups with people and animals.

  • The variety of materials indicates an extensive trade network.

  • The Snake Goddess statue from Knossos is an important female figure, possibly an earth goddess or priestess, associated with snakes and felines.

  • The Bull Leaper demonstrates the use of bronze and the importance of bulls in Minoan art.

  • An ivory bull leaper from Knossos shows another acrobatic position.

  • The Palaikastro Kouros is a rare large-scale sculpture, likely used as a cult image.

  • Lost-wax casting: A method of creating hollow, unique sculptures by melting wax from a clay mold and filling the space with molten metal.

  • Faience: A low-fired, opaque quartz ceramic from Ancient Egypt, creating glass-like material in bright colors.

  • Chthonic: Dwelling within or under the earth.

  • Stylistic conventions include curvilinear forms, active scenes, and long-limbed humans with narrow waists.

    • Women are depicted with large, layered skirts accentuating their hips.

Minoan Architecture

  • Minoan palace centers served as administrative hubs with civic functions, storage, workshops, and shrines around a central courtyard.

  • Palaces lacked fortification walls, suggesting a lack of conflict, though natural surroundings and the multitude of rooms provided protection.

  • Minoan columns were uniquely shaped: tapered at the bottom, larger at the top, with a bulbous capital.

  • The complex at Phaistos shares similarities with Knossos but is smaller.

  • Minoan builders rebuilt complexes atop older ones after earthquakes.

  • Pithoi: Large storage jars for liquids (oil, wine, water) and grains.

  • Labyrinth: A maze.

  • Fresco: A water-based painting applied to wet or dry plaster.

  • Capital: The topmost part of a column.

  • Palace centers were the most well-known architectural buildings.

  • Sir Arthur Evans initially mistook Knossos for the legendary labyrinth and a palace. However, the small rooms, storage vessels, and archives suggest they were administrative centers.

  • The largest and oldest palace centers are at Knossos, Malia, Phaistos, and Kato Zakro.

The Complex at Knossos
  • The central courtyard was the location of large ritual events, including bull leaping and is a common feature in every Minoan palace center.

Mycenaean Architecture

  • Mycenaean architecture reflects a war-like culture and the need for protection.

  • Mycenae was the center of Mycenaean culture, known for the Lion Gate and the Treasury of Atreus (a tholos tomb).

  • Cyclopean masonry: Wide, strong walls built from large, roughly cut stones.

  • Corbeled vaults and relieving triangles: Used to redistribute weight off lintels.

  • Megaron: The central feature of a Mycenaean citadel, functioning as the king's audience chamber.

  • Post-and-lintel: A simple construction method using a header as the horizontal member over a building void supported at its ends by two vertical columns.

  • Corbel: A structural member jutting out of a wall to carry a superincumbent weight.

  • Ashlar: Masonry made of large, square-cut stones.

  • Megaron: The rectangular great hall in a Mycenaean building, usually supported with pillars.

  • Cyclopean masonry: A type of stonework found in Mycenaean architecture, built with massive limestone boulders that are roughly fitted together with minimal clearance between adjacent stones and no use of mortar.

  • Citadel: The core fortified area of a town or city.

  • Citadels were built on high, rocky outcroppings for natural fortification.

  • Walls were built with ashlar and massive stone blocks, referred to as Cyclopean masonry.