Bronze Age Greece:The Minoans

Bronze Age Greece

• Minoan Civilization– On Crete– Flourished approx. 2000 to 1450BCE– Trade– Excavations by Sir Arthur Evans in early 20th Century

• Mycenaean Civilization– On mainland Greece (the Pelopennes)– Conquest– Flousished approx. 1420BC- 1100BC– Excavations by Heinrich Schliemann in late 19th Century

Minoan Civilization

• Crete settled as early as 6000BC• Minoan culture flourished 2000BC to 1450BC• Wealth due to trade• Agricultural society producing oil, grain wine• Magnificient Palace at Knossos and other palaces– Destroyed by fire in about 1700BC– Rebuilt

• Bulls regarded as sacred animals• Decline of Minoan Civilization: a history mystery?

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What happened to the Minoan Civilization?

• Decline of Minoan Civilization• Eclipsed or invaded by mainland people from

Mycenae.• Huge volcanic explosion on Island of Thera

(Santorini).

Video clip

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkTEdMt_9lE

Activities

• Complete Timeline• Choose activities from Activity sheet