Ch 13: Ancient Minoans

1. Minoan Civilization: Facts, Map & Timeline

The early Greek civilization that lived on the island of Crete during the Bronze Age was known as the Minoan civilization. Understand facts and who the Minoans were and study the map and timeline of the Minoan civilization.

2. Minoan Civilization: Social Structure & Political Organization

Before Greece even existed as a civilization there was a society that strongly influenced them that lived on the island of Crete. In this lesson, we'll learn a bit about Minoan social structure and political organization.

3. Minoan Civilization: Economy & Trade

The Minoans were the first major civilization of Europe, and they set some important precedents. In this lesson, we're going to explore their economy and trade and see what modern scholars think of the Minoans today.

4. Minoan Civilization: Crafts, Industry & Technology

The Minoans developed the first major settled civilization in Europe. Along with this, they got pretty crafty too. In this lesson, we'll explore Minoan crafts and technologies and see what this tells us about their industrious society.

5. Minoan Civilization: Religion, Deities & Symbols

What gods and goddesses did the ancient Minoans of Crete worship and how did this influence the later Greek religion? Read more about the Minoan religion and its influence in this lesson.

6. Minoan Civilization: Religious Rituals & Places

In this lesson, learn more about the religious rituals of the Minoans of Crete, such as their dances and offerings, as well as the sacred spaces they created and used.

7. Minoan Architecture & Palaces

The ancient Minoans founded the first urban civilization in European history, and they couldn't have done it without their architecture. In this lesson, we'll explore Minoan building design and see what sort of impact it had on Western civilization.

8. Minoan Civilization: Funerary Beliefs, Practices & Tombs

The Minoans built a complex civilization on the Greek island of Crete. In this lesson, we're going to look at the funerary practices of this civilization, and see what they tell us about Minoan life.

9. Myth of Theseus: Summary, Overview

The Greek myth of Theseus is about a hero who defeats the Minotaur, a monster with a bull's head and a man's body. Explore a summary of this myth and learn about the Greek hero Theseus and his many adventures.

10. Icarus & Daedalus: Myth & Summary

In this lesson, we'll learn about the myth of Icarus and Daedalus, those mythic men who endeavored to escape the labyrinth by flight. We'll discover the ancient derivation of the story and its meaning in the context of the Minoan civilization.

11. Minoan Art: History & Images

Minoans were a group of early Greeks who created beautiful, vivid art. Discover the history, images, pottery, palaces, paintings, sculptures, and metal of Minoan art in this lesson.

12. Phaistos Disc: History & Significance

Some archeological discoveries have the power to challenge everything we think we know and fascinate us for generations. In this lesson, we'll look at the Phaistos Disc and discuss its significance and meaning.

13. Daily Life in the Minoan Civilization

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live on an island about 4,000 years ago? Read this lesson to learn about what everyday life was like as a Minoan on the Greek island of Crete.