Unit Two Flashcards
(25 cards)
What were the dates of the Minoan civilization?
2600BCE-1100BCE
Where did the word “Minoan” derive from?
The King of Minos
Who discovered the Minoan civilization?
Sir Arthur Evans
Where was the Minoan civilization located?
The island of Crete
What was the largest Minoan settlement?
Knossos
What was the palace complex used for in Minoan civilization?
They were centers for administration, storage, and distribution.
Who is theorized to have led the Minoan society?
Women. It was believed to have been a matriarchal society.
What was the agriculture like in Minoan society?
They raised a wide variety of crops and animals.
What is polyculture?
The practice of raising multiple kinds of crops and animals at the same time.
What did men wear in Minoan society?
Kilts and loincloths.
What did women wear in Minoan society?
Dresses that exposed their breasts
What language to the Minoans write in?
Linear A
Has the Minoan language been deciphered?
No.
What did the Minoans worship?
A cthonic Mother Goddess
What does Cthonic mean?
Of the Earth
Who was most prominent in religious ceremonies?
Women.
What were important symbols in Minoan society?
The snake and the bull.
What was a common pastime in Minoan society?
Bull jumping.
What did Thucydides say about the Minoans?
That they were a thalassocracy.
What’s a thalassocracy?
A sea-faring society
How did the Minoans interact with other civilizations?
Through trade
What civilizations did the Minoans interact with?
Egypt and the rest of Mediterranean world
What was the relationship with Mycenaeans like?
They were culturally and politically dominant over them.
What caused the end of Minoan civilization?
Theorized that it was a combination of a volcanic eruption, a tsunami and an invasion by the Mycenaeans in 1400 BCE.
