The Minoan Civilization: History Question Chart Cards

The Minoan Civilization
3000 – 1100 B.C
History question chart cards

The Minoan civilisation existed on the The island of Crete lies in the eastern
island of Crete. Immigrants came to the Mediterranean Sea. It is an island of
island from the east at the beginning of mountains and valleys.
the Bronze Age.
The Minoan civilization was repeatedly Nowadays the island of Crete is

hit by earthquakes that destroyed what deforested, but in ancient times the
had been created. cypress forests provided timber used in
shipbuilding for the important Minoan
fleet.
Minoans lived in houses made of stone, The Minoan cities were built with few
brick, and wood. defenses. We are not sure why.
Perhaps there were no serious threats
to the island or the Minoans controlled
the sea and depended on their ability to
keep intruders from reaching Crete.
The Minoan people were farmers. The
main grains cultivated were wheat and
barley. A type of hand mills called querns
have been found in the settlements.
People were grinding grain. The weather in the Mediterranean Sea
Fruits such as figs, apples, pears and was warm, even hot, most of the year.
pomegranates were grown for both Men wore a kind of kilt or loincloth.
eating and their oil. Wine was made from
Women wore a kind of bolero jacket
grapes.
and a long flounced skirt. For colder
People also harvested honey which they
weather they wore tunics and cloaks.
used as a sweetener.
Fish was an important part of the diet

for the Minoan people. People Timber was a natural resource that was
domesticated animals, like sheep, exported to nearby lands – Egypt, Syria,
goats, pigs, and oxen, but probably ate Cyprus, the Aegean Islands, and the
little meat. Greek mainland.
The Minoans were practicing arts, such A 4000 year old Minoan made “Phaistos
as weaving and dyeing of cloth. The Disc” was found on the Island of Crete.
cloth may have been dyed with a It can be read in a spiral direction from
special spice people grew called the outside edge to the inside. Only
saffron. three key words have been identified:
IQEKURJA which may mean “pregnant
mother” and/or “goddess”, IQE, which
may mean “mother” and/or “goddess”
and IQEPAJE or IQE-PHAE, which may
The Minoans were producing purple mean “shining mother” or “goddess”.
dye that was farmed from a type of sea Both sides of the disc are inscribed.
snail called murex molluscs. To dye one
piece of clothing required 12 000 murex
molluscs.
Minoans produced obsidian blades.

Obsidian is a hard, dark, glass-like
volcanic rock formed by the cooling of
lava.
Cretan Hieroglyphics and Linear A are Special rooms, areas in palaces, and
two languages that existed parallelly in important houses were used as shrines
Minoan culture. for ritual purposes in the Minoan
Gradually, pictorial signs became civilization.
outline patterns. More than 100 signs Ceremonies took place high up in the
were used. Often written in groups and mountains or in caves. Offerings to the
separated by small strokes. Some signs gods were left in these places.
were syllables; others represented
people, animals, or goods. They also
used symbols for numbers in base 10.
They wrote horizontally from left to
The Minoan palaces had water supplied
right.
by underground channels. They also
had a drainage system – water and
waste liquids were transported away
from palaces and houses.
Scientists have found window frames in

the walls of the Minoan houses. It
might be true that windows are a
Minoan invention.
Around 1450 BCE, a script called Linear The Minoans built areas for the
B was brought to the island of Crete by theatres that can be seen even today.
the Mycenaeans. It is an early form of The Minoan paintings show rows of
the Greek language and has been spectators in these theatres.
decoded.
 CAN ADD
Priests in Minoan society were female. The Minoan civilization may have been MORE INFO
Women were leaders, craftspeople, ended by the Mycenaeans moving in HERE
athletes, and traders. and taking control of the island of

Crete.
Minoan society was wealthy and the

wealth was shared throughout the
community.
 CAN ADD
The king in Minoan society was an The Minoans used their knowledge of MORE INFO
administrator in charge of trading the sea to dominate trade routes rather HERE
activities. However, priests had the real than to conquer new lands.
power.
The resources of the land were not Minoan pottery has been found in
enough to meet the needs of the many parts of the eastern
expanding Minoan population. People Mediterranean. It is not clear if the
migrated to nearby islands and spread pottery itself was traded or only its
the Minoan culture across the contents. Decorated vessels may have
Mediterranean Sea. been valuable, but trade in olive oil,
wine and perfume was likely.
In exchange for their goods the

Minoans received copper, tin, ivory and
The Minoans paved roads to connect
gold.
towns and major palaces to increase
trading activity.
Ruins of market places and shops have
been found in different towns.

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The Minoan Civilization

3000 – 1100 B.C

History question chart cards

The Minoan civilization was repeatedly Nowadays the island of Crete is

Fish was an important part of the diet

Minoans produced obsidian blades.

Scientists have found window frames in

athletes, and traders. and taking control of the island of

Minoan society was wealthy and the

In exchange for their goods the

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