are grouped under the term "Aegean " or Pre - Hellenic peoples during the Bronze Age, about between the years 2600 to 1100 BC were developed Aegean seaside . civilizations were the first major European . Two great cultures developed in this period: the first on the island of Crete, called Minoan "in honor of the legendary King Minos and the" Mycenaean "located primarily in the Peleponeso .
agriculture and sea trade were crucial for the development of Cretan art and flourishing cities like Knossos, Phaistos and Mali.
In 1900 were discovered the ruins of the city of Knossos , evidencing the existence of a civilization exceptional. Little is known about the origins of the Minoans , but two important factors favored the hegemony of Crete: the fact of being an island, and its unique location between mainland Greece, Asia and Egypt. Thus, the Cretan soon secured control of the sea, a real thalassocracy based on trade with neighboring peoples and their colonies.
The Minoan civilization reached its peak between 1750 and 1400 BC, the trade route to Crete Egypt and Mesopotamia guaranteed a period of great prosperity. A across the Aegean Sea the Cretan ships heavily traded , while the aristocracy in Minoan palaces wearing a civilized and peaceful existence. The Minoans
mysteriously disappeared around 1400 BC, in full bloom, possibly because of some natural disaster, a volcano or a tsunami or succumbed to the invasions of the Mycenaeans, but archaeological remains found from a simple piece of pottery to the ruin of a magnificent palace, serve as a source to learn historiographical cheerful and peaceful this town and shows the high reaching artistic development.
The glory of Minoan was inherited by the Achaean or Mycenaean, a new Greek-speaking people, whose exploits were sung by several centuries after Homer La Iliad and the Odyssey. Mycenaean culture data
approximately between 1600 to 1100 BC and developed mainly in Peninsular Greece.
Mycenaean life quality can be judged from numerous archaeological remains , l you earthenware and metal objects are of great quality and have strong influences Minoan, but the style and the topics chosen clearly demonstrate the distinctiveness of the two peoples
If the first formed a peaceful society, which unaware of wars and thus the need for weapons or build defensive walls, the Achaeans were a warlike people made up of heroes and demigods , cities were strongly walled and its battles using tanks and other weapons of war.
is believed that the Achaeans were unified federally under the command of the king of Mycenae favor of this theory, is the testimony of Homer whereby Agamemnon king of Mycenae commanded the struggle of the Achaeans against Troy. in 1952 deciphered the complex writing "Linear B" used by the Achaeans, and was able to establish an approximate picture of a society governed by a strict hierarchy, whose top was a powerful king who could interfere in the life of any citizen . Equally surprised by his passion for detail, inventory carrying arms, herds of cattle, furniture, soldiers, servants, food, etc.. which were administratively centralized.
In the XII century BC the Mycenaean citadels Tiryns, Pylos and Mycenae itself were devastated, beginning what historians call the Dark Ages of Greece , a fact which coincided with the arrival of "Iron Men", named after Metal manufacturing their tools.
Although there was certainly a period of isolation and darkness, the arrival of the Dorians, yet he had great importance in the formation of classical Greece. They recall the glorious past of this land, now occupied them, a time of extraordinary companies in which the heroes and demigods had managed the glory and immortality bronze guns blazing.
is so, that through oral tradition, these men of iron themselves accepted as the deeds of the good old days struggle against Theseus Minotaur , the Trojan war, the assault on Thebes , return of Heraclides. Myths and legends that fueled the religion, art and character of the Greeks. It is therefore clear that the cultures Minoan and Mycenaean were the precedent of Greek art.
civilization Minoan built between the last phase of the Neolithic (2900 BC) to the late Bronze Age (1200 BC), a dynamic and intelligent people who managed to reach a level of amazing life. They were lovers of color, movement and the natural world around them. "... With deep joy and expression, it seems that they will encounter big problems or suffering ... founded colonies in East and West, by rule what has been called the" Pax Minoan " ("The civilization and Minoan palace of Knossos " Sonia di Neuhoff )
Palace Reconstruction Knossos completely open and without fortifications
specific factors that make special Minoan culture were
1 .- Pax Minoan : Peace can be the most peculiar feature of this village, Minoans apparently unaware wars which not considered necessary to protect internal or external threats. The Minoans
were not a warlike people, eager for conquest and imperialist expansion, or even knows of the existence of an army. Although set up colonies on the shores of the sea Aegean and Mediterranean , his command of the sea they did so quite peaceful and commercial purposes. This peace led to the failure to protect their settlements, which is shown in excavations carried out in Crete, where no walls or displayed fortifications that defended the palace, or even appear archaeological traces weapons. This idyllic state is reflected in his art fresh and joyful.
2 .- A powerful commercial fleet, not military, as already indicated, the island of Crete is situated in a privileged situation , between the Cycladic islands, the continental Greece and Egypt . This location was crucial to always look to the sea, his ships came to the shores of Sicily and Sardinia at one end and to Palestine on the other, opening new trade routes to exchange their products: oil olive, wine and saffron in exchange for precious metals and stones. The thalassocracy Minoan , economic and political hegemony over the sea was based on trade and will enable the enlargement of Crete and the construction of lavish palaces.
3 .- The political role of women, considered a full citizen and equal to man. Indeed, the facts of being a female deity "The goddess of snakes," the most important deity, the existence in the palaces of residential areas independent Queen and abundant representations of the female figure in Minoan iconography raises the presumption that a power enjoyed real policy, including several historians speak of the possible existence of a matriarchal society.
Seal in which several women are shown dressed in the traditional fashion Minoan.
Minoan Religion .-
Características del Arte Minoico .-
- Es un arte con mucho colorido, alegre y dinámico, acorde con el carácter del pueblo Minoan peaceful and free.
- Eminently naturalist, the Minoans nature lovers delight in capturing the flora and fauna. Notable seascapes with dolphins, octopuses, fish, etc.
- Art aristocratic, linked to the palaces.
- In the paint colors are used uniform and narrow range.
- The stylized human figure.
- No monumental sculpture, the Minoans performed only small figures, in which the figure of the goddess of snakes and bull fertility as early and male fertility. They had a knack for translating complete miniature scenes of small size objects such as seals.
The economy of the time, while its agricultural character, is strengthened by sea trade. Minoan kings accustomed to give large gifts to foreign rulers for the purpose of strengthening trade relations
hieroglyphic writing was developed, which can be seen in the famous Phaistos Disc , made in earthenware whose faces were printed in different-shaped symbols spiral. Its meaning has not been discovered and is supposed to be a kind of hymn.
Phaistos Disc
All the vitality and beauty of this civilization darkens the year 1700 BC possibly by a natural disaster that destroyed the palaces and cities of western Asia.
Time recent or Palatial Minoan Recent .- This is the golden age of art Minoan . By the year 1650 BC is rebuild the palaces that characterize for luxury, size and frescoes, the most important is the Palace of Knossos . At the same time begin to build houses of two or three stories with windows and doors and cottages. A network of paved roads and dirt roads connected the towns Knossos. As for the painting, it is inspired by nature and even religious scenes evoke the joy of living, the pottery and small sculptures were exported to neighboring towns as Cyprus, and Maecenas Egypt, where remains have been found important.
In fact, the radius of the Minoan civilization extends throughout the known world and its fleet dominated the seas and multiply their colonies Thus the naval bases where they departed the embassies of the Minoans with gifts for the Egyptian pharaohs are known to us through the fresh graves Rahman and other Egyptian ministers dating back to 1500 BC
END OF CULTURE MINOAN .-
Marinatos , Crete was ravaged by natural phenomena, the volcano on the island of Santorini erupted causing successive earthquakes. All sites are abandoned Minoans. Later a new people, the Achaeans took possession of the colonies Minoan and start a new civilization : The Mycenaean
But the memory of the great kings and its strong fleet of huge palaces remain in the memory of his successors Hellenic bequeathed to us their legends about Minos, the Minotaur , Theseus, Ariadne Fedra and and the famous labyrinth of Daedalus .-
Importantly, the Cretans did not bother creating a religious architecture and therefore no temples erected for the worship of their gods, this perhaps due to lack of an organized clerical system. This is one factor that distinguishes it from almost all cultures. The Minoans
performed their religious rites in natural, especially caves and subsequently partially buried within the palaces civilians.
Today only the remains of the palaces of Knossos , Faistos , Malia Hagia and all of the Recent time Palatial or Late Minoan Recent. Indeed, previous Minoan palaces were razed , possibly by an earthquake and its foundations were built they are distinguished by their luxury and extension.
Knossos Palace . An excellent vantage point north entrance which provides for the relief of a large bull's head
The characteristics Basic Cretan palaces are
- Not fortified, are erected on hills of gentle terrain and easy access to the means of communication . Feature is closely linked to the "Pax Minoan."
- Urban phased and adapted to the landscape.
- All had a central courtyard around which are located many rooms which were gradually building as they were needed.
- Using so-called "inverted columns, because its widest part is at the top.
- Colorful abundant architectural elements , red or blue columns with capitals and contrasting rich decor with murals.
Knossos Palace .-
Arthur Evans , discovering the ruins of the palace in 1900, identified as the residence of the legendary King Minos and the place was built the legendary labyrinth where the Minotaur locked up, thanks to the multiplicity of rooms and nooks it contains.
The palace located in Crete was the center of the political, administrative , economic and religious life of the city. The first building was erected in 2000 a, c. and possibly destroyed by an earthquake, the ruins known today for the year 1600 BC
Its strategic location will allow rapid communication with the interior of the island and also had three nearby ports that facilitated the sea trade. There were no walls to protect him, but was surrounded by gardens, olive groves and rivers, which became known as the "City of Trees." The palace has 17,000
m2 and more than 1500 rooms with doors and windows secured fresh summer days and warm in the winter. Also had a drainage system and even sewage main rooms had toilets. A distinctive characteristic
are your columns wider at the top than at the base, why has called this style "inverted column." The palace is decorated with magnificent frescoes, stucco depicting scenes of life Cretan processions, sacrifices, dances, fights with bulls, etc.
Knossos Palace . Note the columns reversed features red and blue and the wall of the torus
Palace of Knossos, Throne Room. On either side of the chair appear alabaster stone benches. The room probably dedicated to religious rituals is decorated by a mural of taps, and red ocher, which was restored by Evans, an archaeologist from the Palace.
Minoan sculptors are not dedicated to the great sculpture but prefer to make small figurines of humans or animals, gold, ivory, bronze or clay.
also excelled in the work of the thumbnails of engraved seals, which were used, inter alia property as collateral to be printed on objects or amulets. It wore a necklace strung and made of wood, ivory, and metals, especially gold. The most remarkable is the attention to detail and movement. Its size was about 3 cm.
Prepalacial The first period will have few examples of sculpture, little has been found in the ruins remains of some human figures that could represent both sexes. In the second period were found nude male figures with a wide belt and a dagger, as well as female figures dressed in the traditional Cretan dress flared skirts and tight bodices. Also have been representations of animals.
The Palatial or Late Minoan period recently, the sculpture shows great technical advance. Figures are made of acrobats and animals like the bull or minotaur. Equally lavish is represented by the image of the Goddess of snakes, a tutelary deity who represents the Great Mother Goddess, the force's fertile land. She appears with her breasts discovered, a symbol of fertility and wears the typical Minoan ash skirts flared and a tight bodice, holding two snakes and has a cat or panther in the head. These figurines are small and unpretentious of monumentality, however it is characterized by its originality and vitality.
goddess of snakes. Female deity who represents the Goddess of Fertility. It was the only anthropomorphic representation of the Cretan religion.
Riton as head of Toro, made soapstone with crystal eyes, eyelids, nose jasper and mother of pearl. Minoan religious symbol representing the male fertilizing. It is a particular example of Cretan art naturalism.
relief with the figure of the bull, found in the palace of Knossos. 
Sarcophagus of Hagia . Found at the site of the same name, in Crete. It has four faces. The two main ritual scenes presented on the one hand three men carrying offerings, two animals and the third carried a boat, also appears a kind of priest or god and women at the other end. Several trees adorn the scene. On the opposite side is the sacrifice of a bull, emblematic animal of Crete and connected to the Minotaur. The sides have photographs of the deceased wearing a horse-drawn carriage and a tap.
palatial In both periods was developed fresco painting, the walls of palaces and houses were covered with brightly colored scenes, however, only preserves the fresh stucco for the Minoan palaces, the most important are found in the ruins of the Palace Knossos.
The color palette was limited range, but very lively, which is applied on a flat and uniform. The most frequent topics were scenes of religious ceremonies such as processions and offerings also have found numerous frescoes inspired by nature and landscape with plants and animals in motion, called "galloping Minoan" in which the animal is found running through the air. The flying gallop is a clear sign of dynamism and joy of Minoan painting.
Salto del toro, Palace of Knossos. One can see that the same athlete is reflected three times, first when taking the animal by the horns to push the full leap second and third, after completing the feat and again rests on the floor. The animal runs in the "gallop Minoan" a sort of flying gallop.
Palace of Knossos. Megaron queen. It is assumed that served as the queen's bedroom and is decorated with a fresco of dolphins and borders in a spiral that completely covered the walls. One of the most cheerful fresh Minoan painting. Next Room there are two small rooms, one with a bathtub and one with toilets and piped water.
blue ladies. Fresco from the palace of Knossos. Is a religious scene.
headdress Prince or Prince of the Lilies. Palace of Knossos. Her body is tight arrogant Minoan and the belt over his head wearing a crown made of lilies and peacock feathers. It is assumed that his left hand had a rope tied to a tap, according to the relief of a box found in Patron. The prince walks into a field of lilies.
Fresh from the Parisian. Palace of Knossos, with big black eyes, this young dates from 1500 BC The sacred knot on the back identifies it as a priestess or a goddess, it is assumed that this figure was part of a scene in which offerings were delivered
Procession Fresco. Palace of Knossos. Young slender and agile body, holding in his hands move sacred vessels, other figures of men wearing robes, perhaps a priestess musicians and part of the procession religious.
Mural of the boxers. Palace of Knossos. Showing two young athletes with gloves in a kind of boxing competition. 
ceramic samples ancient Minoan Time Palatial Middle Minoan ancient or Surge .- Kamares style, by the name of the
cave where they found the first pieces. Ceramics have worked on a finer finish and uniform. Were polychromatic, black on dark backgrounds or blue appears white, red, orange or yellow naturalistic designs of fish, squid, birds and flowers. These designs were repetitive and symmetrical. Appear even including some decorated with reliefs. Kamares Ceramics
Ep
goose recent Palatial or Late Minoan .- This is the golden age of Minoan culture and the pieces were widely exported throughout the Mediterranean as remains have been found in Cyprus, Egypt and Maecenas. Surge Marine style, when potters to decorate their pieces are inspired by the flora and fauna, on a background of rocks and algae are drawn sea creatures like octopus, fish and dolphins. The shape of the vase is more elongated and elegant and often adorned with wavy lines in relief Minoan period ceramics Marina recent
Su afición por los adornos lleva muy pronto a los cretenses a emplear piedras semipreciosas y perlas, aunque la gran mayoría utilizaban pasta de vidrio, que resultaba mucho más barata y cuya técnica la habían aprendido de Egipto
Es muy conocida una joya del período Palacial antiguo, encontrada en las ruinas de Mallia; se trata de dos abejas de oro colocadas simétricamente una a cada lado de un panal donde dejan caer su gota de miel.
makes Pasiphae, Minos' wife fall in love with the white bull. Since then Pasiphae represents the sexual vices. She convinces Daedalus, ingenious architect who manufactures a wooden cow on which to hide to frolic with the animal. From this union was born the Minotaur, a monster with the body of man and bull's head that fed on human flesh.
Minos ordered Daedalus to build a labyrinth to imprison the Minotaur. Daedalus thus became the first architect in history. Later, Minos enclose it with his son Icarus in a tower not to disclose out of the maze. The clever Daedalus made wings of feathers held together with giant wax and they fly away, however unwisely Icaro too close to the sun and the heat melts the wax, falling to the sea and drowned.
Androgeus, son of Minos and Pasiphae was assassinated in Athens and his father punished the Athenians with the obligation to send every year, the island of Crete seven youths and seven maidens as a sacrifice to the Minotaur.
Theseus, son of Aegeus, king of Athens has volunteered as a victim in order to kill the monster and free his people. His father asked that once the mission, hoist white sails triumphant return signal.
Fame and the value of the young prince had reached the ears of Ariadne, the Cretan princess, daughter of Minos, who in love gave him a magic sword and a ball of string that was tied at the entrance of the maze to guide him back . Asked to return once killed the Minotaur, he takes with him and the dispossessed.
Indeed, Theseus met Ariadne instructions and after a fierce just struggle with the Minotaur. From this myth comes from bullfighting or bull jumping, a Cretan custom, which is that young athletes jump over the animal. It is widely represented in art and think it might be an initiatory rite into adulthood.
Salto del toro, Palace of Knossos. Evokes the myth of the Minotaur, in which young athletes fighting animal. Theseus fled Crete in the company of her sister Ariadne and Phaedra. During the trip, landed on the island of Naxos and abandons Ariadne to marry Phaedra. Subsequently, Ariadne is comforted by the god Dionysus who marries and becomes immortal.
Meanwhile, Theseus continues its journey to Athens and forget the promise made to his father to hoist white sails in token of their safe return. Aegean, who every day went up to the Acropolis in hopes of the boat, believing that his son is dead, thrown into the sea, which since then bears his name "Aegean"
As the love story of Theseus and Phaedra this ends in tragedy. Once in Athens, Phaedra falls in love with her stepson Hippolytus, who rejects it. Jealous and humiliated She accuses him of raping her. Theseus cries out for vengeance furious Poseidon, who sent a sea monster to frighten Hippolytus's horses and he dies trampled by his own horses. Full Fedra remorse kills himself. This story was immortalized by Eurípedes in his tragedy "Hippolytus" by Ovid in "The Metamorphosis" by Seneca in "Phaedra" and Jean Racine in "Phaedra."
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