Fun facts: All about Minoans

The Minoan civilisation thrived during the Bronze Age on the island of Crete in the Mediterranean. The ancient inhabitants of Crete did not call themselves Minoans. Archaeologist Sir Arthur Evans coined the name based on the mythical king Minos. The Egyptians, who were fond of Minoan trade goods, called these maritime merchants “the Sea People.”

An amazing discovery
Evans excavated at Knossos from 1900 to 1905. He discovered extensive ruins and confirmed the existence of this sophisticated Cretan culture.

Art and palaces
The Minoans made a significant contribution to the development of Western European civilisation through their unique art and sophisticated architecture. Minoan palaces had running water and plumbing. The palace at Knossos had several stories and 1,500 rooms, but even simple homes were impressively decorated.

Maritime traders
The Minoans became very wealthy by using their extensive naval power to promote commercial trade throughout the Greek islands. The ancient people of Crete exported timber, food, wine, currants, olive oil, wool, cloth, herbs and purple dye. They also traded in precious stones, copper, tin, ivory, silver, and gold.

Historians do not agree on what happened to the Minoans. The empire probably collapsed due to a series of events. The island nation was likely weakened by volcanic and earthquake activity, which damaged cities, destroyed fleets and opened the land to invasion. When Knossos was destroyed around 1375 B.C., the Minoan civilisation went with it, and the power of the Aegean shifted to the Mycenaeans.
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