Reasons for the Collapse of the Minoan Civilization at the End of the Bronze Age

No one can say for sure how the Minoan civilization came to an end – but a number of theories have eventuated from evidence at sites on Crete, Thera and other places in the world. I believe that a mix of natural disaster, social and political upheaval and ultimately invasion are what brought about the collapse of the Minoan Civilization.

Firstly, I believe the eruption of Santorini was more powerful than first estimated, due to the presence of a shallow sea inside the Theran crater, with the volcano situated in the centre of that sea. (This is the theory of Professor Steve Sparks of Bristol University)

I also believe that the explosion occurred around 1600BC, due to the research of ORAU which radiocarbon dated 127 samples from digs in the eastern Mediterranean to re-estimate the previously accepted chronology of 1500BC. They found, with 95% accuracy, the date of the Theran explosion to be between 1613BC and 1600BC. These dates are further supported by the discovery of an olive branch found in the ash at Santorini which allowed a second team to construct another dating chronology, similarly suggesting somewhere between 1627BC and 1600BC. There is also evidence of rebuilding after the 1600BC disaster. This implies that the explosion of Thera happened around 150 years before the supposed ‘end’ of Minoan civilization.

However, this chronological realignment does not mean that the eruption of Santorini had nothing to do with the Minoan collapse. Most obviously, the island of Thera, which the Minoans probably used as a trading centre or stop-off, was totally destroyed. This would have caused huge problems for the Minoan’s trading empire.

From modern examples and records we know that volcanic activity can set of a chai...

... middle of paper ...

...society left them very vulnerable to attack or takeover, which we know the Mycenaean’s did.

I believe the Mycenaean’s took advantage of the confused Minoans to invade, burning most of the palaces and keeping Knossos as the head installation. We know the Mycenaean’s are a war-like people, so the concept of invasion is not out of character. Their invasion is proved by the new pottery and introduction of Linear B tablets.

Works Cited

http://members.explorecrete.com/lofiversion/index.php?t2640.html

http://newsgroups.derkeiler.com/Archive/Soc/soc.culture.baltics/2006-05/msg00004.html

http://www.nytimes.com/1989/11/28/science/minoan-culture-survived-ancient-volcano-evidence-shows.html?pagewanted=1 (fairly old evidence)

http://www.usenet.com/newsgroups/soc.history.ancient/msg02400.html

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/greeks/minoan_02.shtml (the movie)