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Human civilization has always held a particular fascination with its past. Writers, artists, and singers all shed light on their interpretations of where we've come from. Archaeologists study facts, stumbling across our roots in pursuit of some small shred of evidence to explain different eras of our history. One such prehistoric era is the Bronze Age, and without writers to tell us of their lifestyles, archaeologists must piece together a story from the available materials left behind. Most of these materials are found in the remains of ancient palaces, such as the site introduced in class. From this site, we are able to interpret the economic, political, and cultural characteristics of the Minoan society. By analyzing the remnants of an ancient civilization, humans can connect to their own past.
The archaeological site studied displays common features of a Bronze Age Minoan palace. It is similar in structure to the palace at Knossos, on the island of Crete. The building resembles a labyrinth, with tiny rooms and winding walkways dominating the architecture of the site. Minoans included a large central court as the focal point of their palaces (such as Room 15), and the king's throne room (Room 11) was located next to the open pavilion. In the northeastern portion of the studied palace, artifacts suggesting the presence of skilled artisans were found. The Minoan palaces included many small rooms bunched together for the purpose of storing both their locally-produced goods, and foreign products. Area 8 is a prime example. The structure of these rooms and the evidence found within both provide archaeologists with a glimpse into the society of the Minoan inhabitants. Each sector of the studied palace tells us about a different part of Minoan society.
The storerooms and the artisan sector of this palace both provide information about the economic policies of the Minoan civilization. Their palaces were in some ways both factories and warehouses. The "factory" section, located in the northeastern corner of this palace, was a bustling area for artisans and laborers. Within this area were found tools such as chisels, potters wheels, and clay for the crafting of metals, jewels, and pottery. A somewhat primitive version of a mortar and pestle were discovered, probably used to grind pigment for frescoes and glazes. Here craftsmen must have labored daily to create products for which other civilizations (such as the Mycenaeans, Egyptians, or Mesopotamians) could trade their goods. However, if these men and women were busily making such products, where did they find the time to forage for food? The answer lies within the "warehouse" sector of the palace, behind the walls of the storerooms. These small rooms and the pithoi within suggest the existence of a redistributive economy, where local citizens pay tribute or taxes to the king in the form of their produce, and the palace stores these goods as a sort of "payment" to the artisans among other potential uses. The artifacts in these rooms also suggest that the Minoans focused more upon trade than military expansion. Room 9 appears to be a sort of administrative office, where officials kept lists on Linear B tablets of the goods in the storerooms , and used their signet rings for administrative approval. The economy represented in this palace depended highly upon trade and well organized administration.
The economy in this palace suggests how the political structure of its Minoan inhabitants functioned. The artisans represent only one part of the Minoan hierarchy. The storerooms include the tribute and taxes paid by local citizens to the king living in the palace. The palace, in turn, dispersed these items back to the citizens in times of need, such as famine. These products were also dispersed to the craftsmen, so that these artisans could focus their time and energy on creating goods for the use of the palace and for trade. The king’s throne room (Room 11) contains benches which show more evidence of a hierarchy. It is believed that whoever on the bench sat closest to the king was considered socially superior. Two sculptures found in this room include a bull, which probably represents the king’s strength, and a bowing man possibly paying tribute to his king. However, these artifacts could also be interpreted to have religious significance. After all, the throne room is situated next to what may be a shrine (Room 10) suggesting that the king himself might have been considered a sort of religious figure himself, or at least regarded as a crucial leader both economically and religiously.
The Minoan civilization was rich in culture, displayed through both their arts and emphasis on religion. The central court was probably a place where inhabitants could congregate for the purpose of community activities, such as religious festivals. Because the island of Crete received little rainfall, thus allowing this open space to be well lit, it probably was a warm, inviting area for residents of the palace to assemble and worship. The artwork found in the storerooms and the artisan areas both show a high degree of skill and creativity, with a strong emphasis on nature. The Minoans probably used artwork as a method of expressing their cultural pride, and also as a way to enrich themselves through trade. The structure of the palace is not like that of a citadel or fortress, and there is no evidence of weapons or armor. Thus we can infer that these were peaceful people, content to master their crafts and trade for prestige goods. The Cretans obviously appreciated the beauties of nature and developed their skills artistically as a way to boost their trade, and glorify their culture.
Human beings visit museums, or read history novels, or thoroughly research their genealogy for a glimpse into their personal evolutions. One of the best ways to learn about our history is to study ancient cultures. Archaeologists have carefully pieced this site together, giving us insight into the Minoan economy, political organization, and culture. Perhaps the study of these archaic people allows modern civilizations to see similarities between themselves and this prehistoric society. By closely studying out roots, we as humans can have a better feel for who we are and where we've come from.
