““The crowd gasped as a raging bull charged a young The crowd gasped as a raging bull charged a young male gymnast who stood motionless. Just before the male gymnast who stood motionless. Just before the collision, the gymnast grabbed the bull’s horns and collision, the gymnast grabbed the bull’s horns and somersaulted onto the bull’s back. Then his body somersaulted onto the bull’s back. Then his body arched into the air, and he completed a backflip arched into the air, and he completed a backflip landing in the arms of his female partner waiting landing in the arms of his female partner waiting

nearby.”nearby.”

Minoan civilizationMinoan civilization

• the above spectacle was part the above spectacle was part sport/part religious ritualsport/part religious ritual

• Bull represented: Minoan island Bull represented: Minoan island Kingdom on Crete and the constant Kingdom on Crete and the constant earthquakesearthquakes

• Gymnast represented: the Minoans Gymnast represented: the Minoans belief that they would always live on belief that they would always live on the islandthe island

The MinoansThe Minoans

• Sir Arthur Evans, Sir Arthur Evans, British archeologistBritish archeologist

• CreteCrete

• FlourishedFlourished• KnossosKnossos

• labyrinthlabyrinth

• Discovered remains Discovered remains in 1900ADin 1900AD

• Island in Agean Sea, Island in Agean Sea, southeast of Greecesoutheast of Greece

• 2500—1450 BC2500—1450 BC• Palace of legendary Palace of legendary

King MinosKing Minos• Palace passageways Palace passageways

twist and turntwist and turn

GEOGRAPHYGEOGRAPHY

• 152 MILE long island152 MILE long island

• Hilly, peaks, small riverHilly, peaks, small river

• In Mediterranean SeaIn Mediterranean Sea

AGRICULTUREAGRICULTURE

• Not good irrigationNot good irrigation

• Lots of sunLots of sun

• OK rainfallOK rainfall

Products: Barley, Wheat, Products: Barley, Wheat, Grapes, Olive treesGrapes, Olive trees

WritingWriting

• Had a form of Had a form of writing but has not writing but has not been decipheredbeen deciphered

• ““Linear A”Linear A”

• Depend on mural Depend on mural paintings to paintings to understand themunderstand them

DAILY LIFEDAILY LIFE

Seems like a joyful civilizationSeems like a joyful civilization

1.1. Not much effort spent on war/weaponsNot much effort spent on war/weapons

2.2. Leisure, sports & festivalsLeisure, sports & festivals

3.3. Processions with ‘glittering costumes’Processions with ‘glittering costumes’

MEN & WOMENMEN & WOMEN

MenMen

• Bare-chested and Bare-chested and slenderslender

• High-laced bootsHigh-laced boots

• Loincloth or kiltLoincloth or kilt

• Gold jewleryGold jewlery

• Perfumed oil on Perfumed oil on bodiesbodies

WomenWomen

• Seen as = to men!Seen as = to men!

• Hair kept upHair kept up

• Long, flounced Long, flounced skirtsskirts

• Tight bodicesTight bodices

CAPITAL CITYCAPITAL CITY

KNOSSOSKNOSSOS

• PALACE IN CENTER withtheater and PALACE IN CENTER withtheater and arena, fresh water, frescoes, arena, fresh water, frescoes,

staircases, columnsstaircases, columns

• 2-3 story houses with wide windows, 2-3 story houses with wide windows, tree shaded terracestree shaded terraces

• Not walledNot walled

Religion/GovernmentReligion/Government

• ReligionReligion

• PolytheisticPolytheistic

• More goddesses than More goddesses than godsgods

• Chief diety: Great Chief diety: Great Goddess or Earth Goddess or Earth MotherMother

• Believed she caused Believed she caused birth/growth of all birth/growth of all living thingsliving things

• 1 king so famous whole 1 king so famous whole civilization named for himcivilization named for him

King Minos=“Minoans”King Minos=“Minoans”

• Legend of MinotaurLegend of Minotaur

• Priests masks=Bull’s Priests masks=Bull’s headhead

• ““bull dancers” as bull dancers” as entertainmententertainment

• Double-edged axe Double-edged axe (Labrys)= sacred sign of (Labrys)= sacred sign of CreteCrete

DAILY LIFE AND JOBSDAILY LIFE AND JOBS

Made living from the seaMade living from the sea

1.1. 11stst ever merchant marine ever merchant marine

2.2. Sea warriorsSea warriors

3.3. ShipwrightsShipwrights

4.4. Architects and EngineersArchitects and Engineers

Very Prosperous sea traders! Egyptian Very Prosperous sea traders! Egyptian tradetrade

Dominated MediteraneanDominated Mediteranean

ARTSARTS

• Joyful, idealJoyful, ideal

• Topics: Sports, Topics: Sports, flowers, birds, flowers, birds, dolphinsdolphins

• Traded potteryTraded pottery

• Jewelry= gold, Jewelry= gold, silver, tin (rare)silver, tin (rare)

• Leather armor with Leather armor with bronze platesbronze plates

ODDS AND ENDSODDS AND ENDS

1.1. HAD AQUEDUCTSHAD AQUEDUCTS2.2. LEGEND OF MINOTAURLEGEND OF MINOTAUR3.3. SOME KIDNAPPED KIDS BECAME “Bull-SOME KIDNAPPED KIDS BECAME “Bull-

dancers”dancers”4.4. Olive oil in stone jarsOlive oil in stone jars5.5. Wollen clothWollen cloth6.6. Bronze daggersBronze daggers7.7. Lady of Wild Creatures= Minoan goddessLady of Wild Creatures= Minoan goddess8.8. Marched and sang in halls of palaceMarched and sang in halls of palace

Mystery of Minoan collapseMystery of Minoan collapse

• Destroyed by huge Destroyed by huge tidal wave caused by tidal wave caused by an undersea an undersea earthquake?earthquake?

• The Mycenaeans The Mycenaeans invaded and invaded and destroyed them?destroyed them?