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(Mycenean age cup) |
As Minoan trade routes expanded across the Mediterranean, contact with mainland Greece became inevitable. The Myceneans occupied the city of Mycenea, which eventually became a major trading center in the Aegean. This was evidenced by the Mycenean records, written in Linear B (a language based directly upon Linear A). Trade and commerce with the Minoans was initially peaceful. It wasn't until the year 1450 BC when the Myceneans invaded Crete and
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| (women driving a chariot) |
took many of its palaces as well as Knossos. After taking Knossos, Crete was ruled for 50 years by the Myceneans, until a natural disaster left the Palace of Knossos in ashes. However, the events leading to the fall of Knossos remain strongly in debate. What is evidenced by many of the Mycenean artifacts, is the integration of Minoan artistic elements into Mycenean art. However, though Minoan and Mycenean art have many elements in common, there are also many differences which divide both civilizations. If the differences between civilizations were to be based on language, the Myceneans' were the first Greek speaking people who lived on Mainland Greece. Further, in the traditional sense, it is with the works of Homer that the first actual readable Greek literature (outside of trade and stock manuscripts written in linear B) attempt to tell the actual history of its people (even though Homer wrote them many years after the end of the Mycenean age, and classical Greek writing was not fully evolved until well into the classical age). What remains obvious from such a controversy is that too little is known of Minoan Crete due to the language barrier and the controversy which shall perhaps remain until Linear A is translated.
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