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Minoan

 
Dictionary: Mi·no·an   (mĭ-nō'ən) pronunciation
adj.
Of or relating to the advanced Bronze Age culture that flourished in Crete from about 3000 to 1100 B.C.

n.
A native or inhabitant of ancient Crete.

[From Latin Mīnōus, of Minos, from Greek Mīnōios, from Mīnōs, Minos.]


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Any member of a non-Indo-European people who flourished (c. 3000 – c. 1100 BC) on the island of Crete during the Bronze Age. The sea was the basis of their economy and power. Their sophisticated culture, based at Knossos, was named for the legendary King Minos. It represented the first high civilization in the Aegean area. The Minoans exerted great influence on the Mycenaean culture of the Greek islands and mainland. Minoan culture reached its peak c. 1600 BC and was noted for its cities and palaces, extended trade contacts, and use of writing (see Linear A and Linear B). Its art included elaborate seals, pottery, and, notably, the vibrant frescoes decorating palace walls, which depicted both religious and secular scenes, including goddesses reflective of a matriarchal religion. Palace ruins show evidence of paved streets and piped water. Familiar Minoan art motifs are the snake (symbol of the goddess) and the bull and leaping dancer, also of mystical significance.

For more information on Minoan, visit Britannica.com.


[CP]

A term developed by Sir Arthur evans for the Bronze Age civilization of Crete and surrounding areas, being an adaptation of the name of the legendary King Minos of Crete. The Minoan civilization emerged in the early 3rd millennium bc and is traditionally divided into three main phases, each with subdivisions: early Minoan (EM) 3000–2000 bc; middle Minoan (MM) 2000–1550 bc; and late Minoan (LM) 1550–1050 bc. Evans also subdivided each phase into three subdivisions denoted by Roman numbers (e.g. EM-III), onto which still finer subdivisions denoted by letters and arabic numbers have been added. An alternative scheme proposed by Nicholas Platon takes account of the architectural development of the civilization: Pre-Palatial (= EMI-III), Proto-Palatial (= MMI-II), Neo-Palatial (= MMIII–LMIIIA1), and Post-Palatial (LMIIIA2–IIIC).

During the middle Minoan period, urbanism became apparent, towns appeared, and the great palaces were built. At this time the Minoan civilization can be characterized as a palace-based redistributive economy in which food products, raw materials, and manufactured goods were collected together and redistributed from the palaces.

By the beginning of the late Minoan period Crete controlled the southern Aegean and the islands therein. In the mid 15th century bc the Greek-speaking Mycenaean took control of Crete and the Aegean until their empire too collapsed around 1200 bc.

The Minoan civilization was the earliest European civilization known. Its people used Linear A writing and developed a high level of architectural and artistic skill. Religious belief systems are not fully understood, but seem to have included a much represented female deity, the sacred double-axe sign, and the horns of consecration. Sacred cave and hilltop sanctuaries are known. Bulls appear widely in sporting/ceremonial contexts.

WordNet: Minoan
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Note: click on a word meaning below to see its connections and related words.

The noun has one meaning:

Meaning #1: a Cretan who lived in the bronze-age culture of Crete about 3000-1100 BC


The adjective Minoan has one meaning:

Meaning #1: of or relating to or characteristic of the Bronze Age culture of Crete
  Pertains to noun: Minoan civilization (meaning #1)


Wikipedia: Minoan
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Minoan may refer to the following:


 
 
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peak sanctuary (in archaeology)
Stirrup Jar (art)
Evans, Sir Arthur John (British archaeologist)

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Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.  Read more
Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. © 2006 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. All rights reserved.  Read more
Archaeology Dictionary. The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Archaeology. Copyright © 2002, 2003 by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.  Read more
WordNet. WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.  Read more
Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Minoan" Read more

 

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