What is the significance of crete

The end of this flourishing culture came with the destruction of most of the palaces and villas of the country side in the middle of the 15 century, and with the destruction of Knossos in During this late period there is evidence in tablets inscribed in Linear B language that the Mycenaeans controlled the entire island, while many Minoan sites were abandoned for a long time. We cannot be certain of the causes for this sudden interruption of the Minoan civilization.

However scholars have pointed to invasion of outside forces, or to the colossal eruption of the Thera volcano as likely causes. With the destruction of Knossos the power in the Aegean shifts to Mycenae. While both Knossos and Phaistos remain active centers of influence, they do not act as the central authority of the island any longer.

During the postpalatial period the western part of Crete flourishes. Several important settlements developed around Kasteli and Chania, while Minoan religion begins to exhibit influences from the Greek mainland. An examination of the changes in Minoan society during this period reveals that most likely Mycenae controlled Crete. During this period, Helladic god names such as Zeus begin to appear in tablets, new shapes develop in pottery, and vaulted tholos tombs appear for the first time.

The tablets of Linear B which were unearthed during excavations provide the more concrete evidence of this theory. This period marks the assimilation of all remaining Minoan elements of Crete into the new Hellenic culture. This new culture eventually transformed into the Classical Greek civilization which had its center in Athens. Under Doric dominance, Crete social structure shifted from monarchy to aristocracy, and Archaic culture and art permeates the island.

The old Minoan traditions remain influential, and the Spartan legislator Lykourgos studied the Cretan legal system before he created the laws that governed the Lakedemonian state.

Knossos, Arkades, Dreros, Cortyn, Lato, and Lyktos become the most important centers of the island which continues to trade with Cyprus, Syria, and the Aegean. The art of Doric Crete exhibits orientalizing trends even during the "Geometric" period, possibly due to the islands proximity and close commercial ties with the East.

The islands isolation prevented it from being an important player in the events which forged history during the classical and hellenistic eras, and eventually its culture declined and became a Roman province in 67 BC. One of the favorite themes for discussion among scholars is the possible causes for the destruction of the Minoan Civilization. Evidence of a violent end through fire and demolition is clear, but the clues to what caused such destruction have been elusive.

Professor Marinatos was the first to suggest in that the eruption of Thera, along with the associated effects, was the cause for the catastrophe.

The theory argues that the earthquakes destroyed the palaces, tsunamis obliterated the fleet and peers of the Minoans, and the volcanic ash of Thera covered the whole island destroying crops and suffocating animals. Many geologists have argued that the Thera eruption was of a colossal scale, and the effects described by Marinatos were possible. Others have disagreed. Contact us Contact us. Sign In. All about Crete.

Sightseeing in Crete. Photos of Crete. Best beaches of Crete. How to get there? Where to stay? Read articles in our blog. Book ferry tickets to the islands. Our community. View all services. Contemporary Heraklion is a cosmopolitan city, the third port in the country and one of the major Mediterranean harbours. There are also frequent flights connecting Heraklion with other Greek cities e.

Athens, Thessaloniki, Rhodes throughout the year, as well as direct flights to European Community and Scandinavian destinations for most of the year.

A variety of cultural activities with local, European and international dimension and appeal take place in Crete. Art exhibitions, theatre, literary events, international conferences and scientific meetings put their seal on its daily life. The Department of Biology of the University of Crete was established in and is today an internationally recognized center for contemporary university education and research in the field of Biology.

Read more. Skip to main content. Search form Search. Administration Administration. Local island elites first acquired Cretan pottery and textiles as a symbol of prestige. Perhaps the clearest sign of Minoan influence was the appearance of its writing system in the languages of later cultures. One of the oldest was discovered by Arthur Evans and is now known as Linear A.

Despite not yet being deciphered, scholars believe it is the local language of Minoan Crete. But it must have been an important regional common language of its day, as Linear A has been found inscribed on many of the clay vessels discovered on islands across the Aegean. The other script, called Linear B, evolved from Linear A. Deciphered in the s, Linear B is recognized as the oldest known Greek dialect. The Minoans also maintained trading relationships with Egypt, Syria, and the Greek mainland.

Their trade routes may have extended as far west as Italy and Sicily. Certain locations had especially close ties with Crete and its sailors. The city of Akrotiri on the island of Thera modern-day Santorini is one of the best preserved of these Minoan settlements. A volcanic eruption around the 16th century B. Its walls boasted stunning murals of brightly colored, stylized images of sparring boxers, climbing monkeys, swimming dolphins, and flying birds.

The quality of the paintings uncovered at Akrotiri suggests that artists either from Crete or influenced by its culture had set up workshops in this city. Other Aegean settlements bearing clear evidence of Minoan influence include the Cycladi islands of Melos and Kea, and islands in the Dodecanese, such as Rhodes.

The settlement of Kastri, on the island of Cythera, south of the Peloponnesian peninsula of the Greek mainland, is another example of Cretan cultural power.

Built to exploit the local stocks of murex—a mollusk highly prized for its purple ink used for dyeing cloth—Kastri is purely Minoan in its urban planning. But even this town was not a colony. There is no evidence that these places were politically subject to Crete, as it is not believed that they paid any kind of tribute beyond the money exchanged when trading goods.

Minoan civilization declined by the late 15th century B. One theory is that the volcanic eruption on Thera damaged other cities along Minoan trade routes, which hurt Crete economically. Taking all the evidence available, the volcano did not directly affect life on Crete—about 70 miles to the south.

No damage from the eruption has been found there. Four times more powerful than the devastating Krakatoa volcanic eruption of , the volcano on Thera modern-day Santorini exploded around the 16th century B. It buried cities, killing thousands, and—some say—led to the collapse of Crete. Stories of the Minoan decline are believed to have morphed into the legend of Atlantis as described by the Greek philosopher Plato circa B.