Ancient History Lesson 5 - Ancient Crete
These History Lessons are based on the Kingfisher History Encyclopedia and the History Activity Pages.
There are 21 lessons in the Ancient History section. They include Sumer & Akkad, Ancient Egypt, Megalithic Europe, Indus Valley, Ancient Crete, Mycenaeans, Shang Dynasty, Hittites, Babylon, Assyrians, Hebrews, Egypt II, Phoenicians, Africa, America, Aryan India, Rome, Babylon II, Dorians, Zhou Dynasty and Persian Empire. There is a link below for those who would like to purchase The Ancient World Activity Pages.
There are 21 lessons in the Ancient History section. They include Sumer & Akkad, Ancient Egypt, Megalithic Europe, Indus Valley, Ancient Crete, Mycenaeans, Shang Dynasty, Hittites, Babylon, Assyrians, Hebrews, Egypt II, Phoenicians, Africa, America, Aryan India, Rome, Babylon II, Dorians, Zhou Dynasty and Persian Empire. There is a link below for those who would like to purchase The Ancient World Activity Pages.
Corresponding Materials
This lesson corresponds to:
Kingfisher History Encyclopedia - Ancient Crete 3000-1450 B.C.
History Activity Pages - The Ancient World page 5
This lesson corresponds to:
Kingfisher History Encyclopedia - Ancient Crete 3000-1450 B.C.
History Activity Pages - The Ancient World page 5
Crete
On the island of Crete began the earliest European civilization.
Minoans
The inhabitants of Crete were called Minoans after the legendary King Minos.
Labyrinth
Legend says that King Minos built a labyrinth, or maze, to hold captive a Minotaur. Minotaurs were mythical creatures with the head of a bull and body of a man.
Work Your Way through the Labyrinth
Find your way through this difficult labyrinth. (Warning - this website has numerous Ads!)
All about Cretan Mazes
How to draw a maze, how to walk a maze, maze myths and more.
Seafarers
The Minoans were expert shipbuilders and owe their prosperity to their abilities as traders and seafarers.
Palace at Knossos
Within the capital city of Knossos was located the 500 sq. ft. royal palace. It had 1,300 rooms including royal apartments, rooms for worship, workshops and a school. The 6 acres of the palace included a theatre, a main entrance on each of its four cardinal faces, and extensive storerooms, also called magazines. The palace also includes the Minoan Column, unlike the stone columns of other Greek architecture, the Minoan column was constructed from the trunk of a cypress tree, common to the Mediterranean.
Bull Leaping
Minoan sport in which an athlete grasps the bull's horns and leaps over the animal's back.
Downfall of the Minoans
Several important palaces in locations such as Mallia, Tylissos, Phaistos, Hagia Triade as well as the living quarters of Knossos were destroyed by eruptions of the Thera volcano. The palace in Knossos seems to have remained largely intact. This resulted in the Dynasty in Knossos being able to spread its influence over large parts of Crete, until it was overrun by Mycenaean around 1450 BC.
Several important palaces in locations such as Mallia, Tylissos, Phaistos, Hagia Triade as well as the living quarters of Knossos were destroyed by eruptions of the Thera volcano. The palace in Knossos seems to have remained largely intact. This resulted in the Dynasty in Knossos being able to spread its influence over large parts of Crete, until it was overrun by Mycenaean around 1450 BC.