The Minoan civilisation developed on the island of Crete, Greece, in the 3rd and 2nd millennia BCE. Bound, but also enabled, by the sea around them, the Minoans grew from a collection of heterogeneous communities at the beginning of the Cretan Bronze Age (3rd millennium BCE) to a mighty cultural force in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean by the middle and Late Bronze Age (early 2nd millennium BCE). They then turned into a Mycenaean-controlled territory (later 2nd millennium BCE), before their distinctive identity was once again reconfigured at the very end of the Aegean Bronze Age.
The Minoan civilisation was arguably the first collection of organised states on European soil. The Minoans were highly sophisticated in their material culture (eg did you know they had indoor plumbing?), politics, societies, literacy, economy and ritual. This is why they are seminal in our understanding of human social organisation during European prehistory. This course is comprised of lectures, which will cover the latest developments in the field, videos, interactive tasks and props. We will explore the Minoan civilisation through both its mundane and masterful relics, moving from sessions on material culture (eg pottery) towards sessions on themes (eg society). We will therefore use the evidence to work towards understanding the Minoans’ magnificent achievement, at the same time drawing inspiration from their creativity and imagination.
All students are welcome on this course; prior knowledge of the Minoan civilisation, the Bronze Age Aegean or even archaeology is not a prerequisite. Students interested in this course may also be interested in the parallel Ea4 course, running in the afternoon, which explores the Mycenaean civilisation.
Learning outcomes
- To be able to name and describe specific examples of Minoan material culture;
- To be able to discuss the significance of specific Minoan material culture and practices in the context of the prehistoric Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean;
- To critically engage with the evidence and interpretations of a past civilisation through inquisitive study and informed debate, as demonstrated in the case study of Minoan Crete.
