Bassam Barakat Antiquities

The Minoan civilization was a Bronze Age Aegean civilization on the island of Crete and other Aegean Islands, flourishing from c. 2700 to c. 1100 BC.
It represents the first advanced civilization in Europe, leaving behind massive building complexes, tools, stunning artwork, writing systems, and a massive network of trade. The name “Minoan” derives from the mythical King Minos.

The Minoan civilization has been described as the earliest of its kind in Europe and historian Will Durant called the Minoans “the first link in the European chain”.

The Minoan civilization is particularly notable for its large and elaborate palaces up to four stories high, featuring elaborate plumbing systems and decorated with frescoes. The Minoan period saw extensive trade between Crete, Aegean, and Mediterranean settlements, particularly the Near East.

Through their traders and artists, the Minoans’ cultural influence reached beyond Crete to the Old Kingdom of Egypt, copper-bearing Cyprus, Canaan and the Levantine coast and Anatolia.
Ref. Sir W.M.Flinders Petrie, tools and weapons