Evans, Arthur J.: The Palace of Minos: a comparative account of the successive stages of the early Cretan civilization as illustred by the discoveries at Knossos (Band 1): The Neolithic and Early and Middle Minoan Ages (London, 1921)

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THE PALACE OE MINOS, ETC.

TheEarly The Early Minoan Age, the beginning of which indeed seems to overlap

Age°an to a certain extent the close of the Pre-dynastic Age in Egypt, supplies,
in its middle Period (E. M. II), evidence of inter-relations with the Egypt of
the Fourth, Eifth, and Sixth Dynasties. Certain features that characterize
its concluding Period (E. M. Ill), on the other hand, betray a contact with the
quasi-Libyan elements that came to the fore in the Nile Valley during
the troubled times that follow on to the Sixth Dynasty.

This Early Minoan Age, the beginnings of which are taken to include
a phase of somewhat gradual transition, to which the name 'Sub-Neolithic'
may be given, must have extended over a relatively considerable space of time.
The date of the accession of Menes, approximately fixed at 3400 b.c., has
been taken above as supplying a rough terminus a quo for the beginning of this
Age, while its lower limits would be about 2100 b. c.

This is an Age of gradual up-growth and of vigorous youth. The
primitive culture of Crete now assumes its distinctive features. It works
out its independence of the surrounding elements of wider geographical
range from which it grew, and takes up a commanding position in the
Aegean world. The great ' hypogaea' at Knossos already foreshadow
palatial arrangements.

Among its most characteristic products are the elegant stone vessels
of choice and brilliantly variegated materials. The fabric of painted pottery
with geometrical designs, first dark on light then light on dark, also makes
considerable progress. Goldsmith's work attains a high degree of delicacy
and perfection and, in this branch, as well as in the reliefs and engravings on
soft stone and ivory, natural forms are at times successfully imitated. The
seals show a gradual advance in pictographic expression.
The The Middle Minoan Age covers the Period of the Middle Kingdom

Middle . .tv t •• r •

Minoan in Egypt including that of the Hyksos domination. Its first Period seems
largely to coincide with that of the Eleventh Dynasty, overlapping, however,
the first part of the Twelfth. Its acme, the Second Middle Minoan Period,
is marked by a growing intimacy of relations with the Egypt of the Twelfth
and Thirteenth Dynasty, while, in a stratum belonging to the concluding
M. M. Ill Period, occurred the alabastron lid of the Hyksos king Khyan.
The chronological limits of this Age lie roughly between 2100 and 1580 b. c.

This is pre-eminently the Age of Palaces. The foundation of the great
buildings at Knossos and Phaestos goes back to the close of M. M. I. a, or to
shortly after 2000 b.c. The hierarchical position of the priest-kings was
now consolidated. A true ' Early Palace Style ' had evolved itself by the
end of M. M. II—an epoch marked on both sites by a great catastrophe.

Asre.