After my vacation to the Greek island of Crete last year, I am fully fascinated by the Minoan civilization that once was there 5000 years ago. It was not only Europe first civilization but also a highly advanced one. Back home I frentically studied many academic and popular publications on the Minoan civilization where I could get hold of it. I have come to the following preliminary conclusions:
1. The Minoan deity with the head of a bull might be just the Baal that was worshipped in the Levant.
The argument for this is that there was close cultural and trade contact between the Minoans and the Phoenicians on the coast of Canaan.
The Minoan language may have some similarities with the Semitic languages.
A Minoan style frescoes were found in a palace at Tel Kabri in Israel. There were already Minoans settled in Canaan in the Bronze Age. The Bible mentions that Abraham encountered Philistines. The word 'Philistines' here was used in Hebrew to refer people coming from overseas, which mostly indicate the Aegeans.
2. The Minoan society was presumably matriarchal. Minoan women wore their dress with their breasts exposed. The Myceanean who were highly influenced by their Minoan counterpart, took much of their advanced culture including fashion. Myceanean females also wore dresses with their breasts unconvered. This custom also lived on and was found in present day Albania which was north to the Myceanean world. In Albaina this custom lived on until the end of the 19th century. Albanian females in rural area used to wear their dress with bare breasts.
Comments
Post a Comment