Published by the Swedish Institute at Athens. Distributed by Astrom Editions.

The Minoan Thalassocracy. Myth and reality. Proceedings of the Third International Symposium at the Swedish Institute in Athens, 31 May–5 June, 1982

Edited by Robin Hägg & Nanno Marinatos

Abstract

“The Minoan Thalassocracy”, first mentioned by Thucydides, is generally assumed to have consisted of some kind of domination exercised by Minoan Crete in the period of the new palaces (c. 1600-1450 B.C.) over the Cycladic islands and possibly parts of the Greek mainland and the coast of Asia Minor. Various aspects of this phenomenon are dealt with in 31 papers read at an international conference in Athens; the papers are followed by transcripts of the discussion of the symposium. The papers are arranged in five groups, discussing (1) the myth and reality of the Minoan Thalassocracy, including the internal Cretan preconditions for its coming into existence; (2) the possible p of an early thalassocracy already in the Middle Bronze Age (period of the old palaces); (3) the relations between Crete and the mainland, esp. the Peloponnese; (4) the relations of Crete with the Cycladic islands and the coast of Asia Minor; and (5) some aspects of the history of the Eastern Mediterranean c. 1550-1375 B.C., especially with a view to the relations between Crete (Keftiu) and Egypt. Most of the papers are concerned with one or several of three main aspects: (a) methodology, discussing terminology, definitions and criteria relevant for the analysis of the evidnce; (b) presentation and scrutiny of the archaeological evidence, old and new; and (c ) attempts at a historical interpretation of “the reality” of the Minoan Thalassocracy. 

Contents

Preface, p. 7

The myth and reality of the Minoan Thalassocracy

Chester G. Starr, ‘Minoan flower lovers’, pp. 9–12

Gerald Cadogan, ‘A Minoan thalassocracy?’, pp. 13–15

Malcolm H. Wiener, ‘Crete and the Cyclades in LM I: The tale of the conical cups’, pp. 17–26

Stefan Hiller, ‘Pax Minoica versus Minoan thalassocracy: Military aspects of Minoan culture’, pp. 27–31

Sinclair Hood, ‘A Minoan empire in the Aegean in the 16th and 15th centuries B.C.?’, pp. 33–37

‘General discussion’, pp. 37–38

Peter Warren, ‘The place of Crete in the thalassocracy of Minos’, pp. 39–44

Elizabeth Schofield, ‘Coming to terms with Minoan colonists’, pp. 45–48

Keith Branigan, ‘Minoan community colonies in the Aegean?’, pp. 49–53

‘General discussion’, pp. 53–54

Henri van Effenterre, ‘Le langage de la thalassocratie’, pp. 55–57

Z.A. Stos-Gale & N.H. Gale, ‘The Minoan thalassocracy and the Aegean metal trade’, pp. 59–64

Nikolaos Platon, ‘The Minoan thalassocracy and the golden ring of Minos’, pp. 65–69

‘General discussion’, p. 70

An early thalassocracy in the Middle Bronze Age?

Hara Tzavella-Evjen, ‘EH vs. EM settlement architecture and technology: A comparison’, pp. 71–73

J.B. Rutter & C.W. Zerner, ‘Early Hellado-Minoan contacts’, pp. 75–83

Jean-Claude Poursat, ‘Une thalassocratie minoenne au Minoen Moyen II?’, pp. 85–87

Philip P. Betancourt, ‘The Middle Minoan pottery of southern Crete and the question of a Middle Minoan thalassocracy’, pp. 89–92

Mario Benzi, ‘Evidence for a Middle Minoan settlement on the acropolis at Ialysos (Mt. Philerimos)’, pp. 93–105

J.N. Coldstream & G.L. Huxley, ‘The Minoans of Kythera’, pp. 107–112

‘General discussion’, pp. 112–113

Crete and the Mycenaean Mainland

O.T.P.K. Dickinson, ‘Cretan contacts with the mainland during the period of the Shaft Graves’, pp. 115–118

Robin Hägg, ‘Degrees and character of the Minoan influences on the mainland’, pp. 119–122

Ingo Pini, ‘Minoische Siegel ausserhalb Kretas’, pp. 123–131

Robert Laddineur, ‘Mycenaeans at Thera: Further evidence?’, pp. 133–139

George S. Korres, ‘The relations between Crete and Messenia in the late Middle Helladic and early Late Helladic period’, pp. 141–152

Crete, the Cyclades and Asia Minor

J.A. MacGillivray, ‘Cycladic jars from Middle Minoan III contexts at Knossos’, pp. 153–158

Jack L. Davis, ‘Cultural innovation and the Minoan thalassocracy at Ayia Irini, Keos’, pp. 159–166

Nanno Marinatos, ‘Minoan threskeiocracy on Thera’, pp. 167–178

R.L.N. Barber, ‘The status of Phylakopi in Creto-Cycladic relations’, pp. 179–182

Clelia Laviosa, ‘The Minoan thalassocracy, Iasos and the Carian coast (abstract)’, pp. 183–185

Wolfgang Schiering, ‘The connection between the oldest settlement at Miletus and Crete’, pp. 187–189

The Minoan Thalassocracy and the history of the Eastern Mediterranean c. 1550–1375 B.C.

Ingrid Støm, ‘Aspects of Minoan foreign relations, LM I-LM II’, pp. 191–195

Efi Sakellarakis & Yannis Sakellarakis, ‘The Keftiu and the Minoan thalassocracy’, pp. 197–203

Wolf-Dietrich Niemeier, ‘The end of the Minoan thalassocracy’, pp. 205–215

‘Final discussion’, pp. 217–220

Robin Hägg & Nanno Marinatos, ‘Conclusions’, pp. 221–222

‘Programme and participants of the symposium’, pp. 223–224

‘Abbreviations’, pp. 225–226

‘Index’, pp. 227–230

Bibliographical information

Robin Hägg & Nanno Marinatos, eds, The Minoan Thalassocracy. Myth and reality. Proceedings of the Third International Symposium at the Swedish Institute in Athens, 31 May–5 June, 1982 (Skrifter utgivna av Svenska institutet i Athen, 4°, 32), Jonsered 1984. ISSN 0586-0539. ISBN 9789185086788.

Alternative series title:
Acta Instituti Atheniensis Regni Sueciae series in 4˚, XXXII