In decoration, there was a progression from flowing geometric designs in Kamares ware to vibrant naturalistic depictions of flowers, plants, and sea life in the later Floral and Marine styles. A fresco of saffron-gatherers at Santorini is well-known. Building techniques also varied, with some palaces using ashlar masonry and others roughly-hewn, megalithic blocks. Their rooms didn't have windows to the streets, the light arriving from courtyards. Fishermen's huts were found on the shores, and the fertile Messara Plain was used for agriculture. As Linear A, Minoan writing, has not been decoded yet, almost all information available about Minoan women is from various art forms. Flat roofs and plentiful open courtyards were used for collecting water to be stored in cisterns. According to Evans, the saffron (a sizable Minoan industry) was used for dye. The Bronze Age allowed upper Minoan classes to practice leadership activities and to expand their influence, eventually replacing the original hierarchies of the local elites with monarchist power structures. The remaining ancestry of the Minoans came from prehistoric populations related to those of the Caucasus and Iran, while the Mycenaean Greeks also carried this component. Platon divides the Minoan period into pre-, proto-, neo- and post-palatial sub-periods. These structures share features of neopalatial palaces: a conspicuous western facade, storage facilities and a three-part Minoan Hall. Hope my answer helped (: Please give me brainliest It represents the first advanced civilization in Europe, leaving behind massive building complexes, tools, artwork, writing systems, and a massive network of trade. The hieroglyphs disappeared during the 17th century BC (MM III). A popular lesser deity with snakes entwined on her body or in her hands was found only in houses and small shrines. Other building conventions included storage areas, north–south orientation, a pillar room and a western court. A single mother deity ruled the universe. It represents the first advanced civilization in Europe, leaving behind massive building complexes, tools, artwork, writing systems, and a massive network of trade. However it is now known that this was not the case; the Minoan pantheon featured many deities, among which a young, spear-wielding male god is also prominent. At larger sites such as Knossos, there is evidence of craft specialization (workshops). The rise of the Mycenaean civilization in the mid-2nd millennium BCE on the Greek mainland and the evidence of their cultural influence on later Minoan art and trade make them the most likely cause. Minoan “demons” are pictured as human beings with the hands and feet of a lion. Late Minoan art resembles that of Mycenae. An Aegean Bronze Age civilization that arose on the island of Crete and flourished from approximately the 27th century to the 15th century BCE. In the 2nd millennium BC, the villas had one or two floors, and the palaces even three. These sites have yielded clusters of clay figurines and evidence of animal sacrifice. [107] The Minoan metal vessel tradition influenced that of the Mycenaean culture on mainland Greece, and they are often regarded as the same tradition. The port facilities were used depending on the direction of the wind. Evidence of the influence of Minoan civilization outside Crete can be seen in Minoan handicraft on the Greek mainland, likely the result of a connection between Mycene and Minoan trade networks. The most notable Minoan palace is that of Knossos, followed by that of Phaistos. The Minoan civilization was a Bronze Age Aegean civilization on the island of Crete and other Aegean Islands, flourishing from c. 3000 BC to c. 1450 BC until a late period of decline, finally ending around 1100 BC. Its origin is debated, but it is commonly attributed to archeologist Arthur Evans (1851–1941). Unlike mainland Greece where women stayed indoors, Minoan women were energetic nature lovers. According to Nanno Marinatos, "The hierarchy and relationship of gods within the pantheon is difficult to decode from the images alone." The eruption of Thera (the present-day island of Santorini) may have been particularly significant, although, the exact date of this cataclysmic eruption is disputed and therefore its connection with the end of the Minoan period remains unclear. About Minoan warfare, Branigan concluded: The quantity of weaponry, the impressive fortifications, and the aggressive looking long-boats all suggested an era of intensified hostilities. “History of Minoan Crete”, Hooker, Richard 1996 “Bureaucrats & Barbarians-The Minoans”, Castelden, Rodney “Minoans: Life in Bronze Age Crete” 1993, Owen Jarus Heritage Key “Did Unemployed Artists Land Jobs in Ancient Egypt?”. The Labrys, double-headed axe, was a major symbol in Minoan religion. The Minoan palatial system may have developed through economic intensification, where an agricultural surplus could support a population of administrators, craftsmen and religious practitioners. The Minoan civilization was a Bronze Age Aegean civilization on the island of Crete and other Aegean Islands, flourishing from c. 3000 BC to c. 1450 BC until a late period of decline, finally ending around 1100 BC. However, the presence of weapons such as swords, daggers, and arrowheads, and defensive equipment such as armour and helmets would also suggest that peace may not always have been enjoyed. Inscriptions describing them as coming from keftiu ("islands in the middle of the sea") may refer to gift-bringing merchants or officials from Crete. The Minoans used technologies such as wells, cisterns, and aqueducts to manage their water supplies. The Minoan ports were often located sheltered by promontories. [142][143], "Minoan" redirects here. Burial was more popular than cremation. At its peak, around 1700 BC, the palace and surrounding city of Knossos held 100 000 people. c. the minoans built all the ships in peloponnese. King Minos of Crete held dominance over the Athenians at the time of the tale. In 1900, when Sir Arthur Evans began excavating Crete in search of Knossos, the ancient Minoan civilization was unknown. [110] However, it is difficult to draw hard-and-fast conclusions from the evidence[111] and Evans' idealistic view has been questioned. The Minoans were a seafaring people of extensive and successful trade, building the world’s first known navy. Amazons – Who Were the Ancient Female Warriors? Much like Knossos, Malia was both a royal palace and administrative/business centre. [43] Other supposed Minoan colonies, such as that hypothesized by Adolf Furtwängler on Aegina, were later dismissed by scholars.