Mionans
The Minoans were people who lived in Crete, and their civilization lasted approximately 600 years, between 2,000-1, 400 B.C.E. The Minoans were a peaceful nations, and did not tend to get in wars and conflicts with other nations or city-states. They were great metal-workers, and used bronze to create tools for farmers and fishermen. They also used gold to craft magnificent jewellry.
The palaces on Ancient Crete were also very grand, and they were open/accesible to all citizens of the Minoan empire. The palaces were made out of stone and wood, and besides housing the royal family, they also served many other purposes. They had storerooms, where grains and olive oil was kept, and sunken pits that they used as ritual baths. Since the Minoans were not blood-thirsty, they didn't have any protective walls or gates around their palaces.
Minoans were also amazing potters. They made storage vessels out of baked clay, which they used in trading with Spain and Egypt. Pots were also made, and they were painted in all kinds of different colors, including yellow, green and red. On their pots, Mionans showed pictures of the nature (plants, animals and fish).
Minoans were monotheistic, as they only believed in one goddess, the Mother Goddess. They worshipped her in small altars, or in caves. It was believed that she protected animals, birds and fish. It was also believed she was responsible for harvest and crop growing. Mother Godess had three sacred symbols' the lion, bull and snake.
The water systems in Ancient Crete were very advanced, as they had drainage pipes, which were made out of stone and clay. Minoans also had baths that could be transported from one room to another, and had flushing toilets!
Finally, the Minoans used a system of writing that consisted of pictographs, and which was written on stone tablets. This language, called "Linear A", was written in linear arrangement, and has not yet been translated.
An example of Minoan art.
Mycenaeans
The Mycenaean culture was settled around 2,700 B.C.E. They were a very blod-thirsy nation, who spent most of their energy on creating a good military and navy. Most of the myths about the Greek heroes and famous battles come from the Mycenaean oral tradition.
Mycenaeans were great metalworkers, and made a lot of bronze weapons, as well as chariots, They also created jewellry, just like the Minoans.
Mycenaeans palaces were grand, and had battle scenes, as well as scenes of plants and animals painted on their walls. However, only the royal family could enter the palaces, except when a war was going on, and Mycenaeans needed to go somewhere in order to protect themselves. That is why the palaces had huge, protective walls around them.
Mycenaeans were also good potters, but not as good as the Minoans. They did not use as many colors as the Minoans, and the potter's wheel was not used. They made pots to store grains and wine, and scenes of battle were painted on these, as well.
Mycenaeans were polytheistic, because many gods (the earlier versions of the Olympians; Zeus, Hera, Aphrodite, etc.) were added to their original goddess, the Earth Goddess. All the gods were worshipped in small altars. Evidence of grand temples was not found.
Mycenaeans also had an advanced water system, with drainage pipes. They also had stone baths, that were fixed to the wall and to the floor, and could not be moved around. The floors of Mycenaean bathrooms were all very nicelt decorated.
As for the writing, Mycenaeans used a system called "Linear B", which consisted of characters. Their writing was translated, and it was written on clay tablets.
The government of Mycenaeae was hierarchial, as they had kings and military officials in the highest positions, and slaves and prisoners of war in the lowest.
Walls around a Mycenaean palace.
What aspects of both civilizations would you expect to survive in later periods of Greek history?
I personnally believe that almost all the aspects would survive later in Greek history. First of all, the skill of metalworking would be passed on from generation to generation, and Greeks lateron used that skill to build even more amazing weapons and ships. The religion remained the same, excpet for a few things, like the fact that Ancient Greeks started building grand temples to honor their gods. Pottery and writing were always around in Ancient Greece, as pottery kept the Greek culture alive because of the painted scences, and it also served them with trade. Writing was a way to record poems and stories from that time, as well as talk about how people back then lived, how they participated in wars, etc. The Minoan and Mycenaean empires were the bulding block of Greek culture, and most of the aspects that were found in their culture and society, were also found in the times of Classical Greece.
The Minoans were people who lived in Crete, and their civilization lasted approximately 600 years, between 2,000-1, 400 B.C.E. The Minoans were a peaceful nations, and did not tend to get in wars and conflicts with other nations or city-states. They were great metal-workers, and used bronze to create tools for farmers and fishermen. They also used gold to craft magnificent jewellry.
The palaces on Ancient Crete were also very grand, and they were open/accesible to all citizens of the Minoan empire. The palaces were made out of stone and wood, and besides housing the royal family, they also served many other purposes. They had storerooms, where grains and olive oil was kept, and sunken pits that they used as ritual baths. Since the Minoans were not blood-thirsty, they didn't have any protective walls or gates around their palaces.
Minoans were also amazing potters. They made storage vessels out of baked clay, which they used in trading with Spain and Egypt. Pots were also made, and they were painted in all kinds of different colors, including yellow, green and red. On their pots, Mionans showed pictures of the nature (plants, animals and fish).
Minoans were monotheistic, as they only believed in one goddess, the Mother Goddess. They worshipped her in small altars, or in caves. It was believed that she protected animals, birds and fish. It was also believed she was responsible for harvest and crop growing. Mother Godess had three sacred symbols' the lion, bull and snake.
The water systems in Ancient Crete were very advanced, as they had drainage pipes, which were made out of stone and clay. Minoans also had baths that could be transported from one room to another, and had flushing toilets!
Finally, the Minoans used a system of writing that consisted of pictographs, and which was written on stone tablets. This language, called "Linear A", was written in linear arrangement, and has not yet been translated.
An example of Minoan art.
Mycenaeans
The Mycenaean culture was settled around 2,700 B.C.E. They were a very blod-thirsy nation, who spent most of their energy on creating a good military and navy. Most of the myths about the Greek heroes and famous battles come from the Mycenaean oral tradition.
Mycenaeans were great metalworkers, and made a lot of bronze weapons, as well as chariots, They also created jewellry, just like the Minoans.
Mycenaeans palaces were grand, and had battle scenes, as well as scenes of plants and animals painted on their walls. However, only the royal family could enter the palaces, except when a war was going on, and Mycenaeans needed to go somewhere in order to protect themselves. That is why the palaces had huge, protective walls around them.
Mycenaeans were also good potters, but not as good as the Minoans. They did not use as many colors as the Minoans, and the potter's wheel was not used. They made pots to store grains and wine, and scenes of battle were painted on these, as well.
Mycenaeans were polytheistic, because many gods (the earlier versions of the Olympians; Zeus, Hera, Aphrodite, etc.) were added to their original goddess, the Earth Goddess. All the gods were worshipped in small altars. Evidence of grand temples was not found.
Mycenaeans also had an advanced water system, with drainage pipes. They also had stone baths, that were fixed to the wall and to the floor, and could not be moved around. The floors of Mycenaean bathrooms were all very nicelt decorated.
As for the writing, Mycenaeans used a system called "Linear B", which consisted of characters. Their writing was translated, and it was written on clay tablets.
The government of Mycenaeae was hierarchial, as they had kings and military officials in the highest positions, and slaves and prisoners of war in the lowest.
Walls around a Mycenaean palace.
What aspects of both civilizations would you expect to survive in later periods of Greek history?
I personnally believe that almost all the aspects would survive later in Greek history. First of all, the skill of metalworking would be passed on from generation to generation, and Greeks lateron used that skill to build even more amazing weapons and ships. The religion remained the same, excpet for a few things, like the fact that Ancient Greeks started building grand temples to honor their gods. Pottery and writing were always around in Ancient Greece, as pottery kept the Greek culture alive because of the painted scences, and it also served them with trade. Writing was a way to record poems and stories from that time, as well as talk about how people back then lived, how they participated in wars, etc. The Minoan and Mycenaean empires were the bulding block of Greek culture, and most of the aspects that were found in their culture and society, were also found in the times of Classical Greece.
