7000-3000BC - the Neolithic Period
Crete was probably settled even before this period in the East. People were living in caves or small
rectangular houses built of stone and mud bricks, you can see this in the underground Neolithic remains
of Festos and Knosses, which was the largest Neolithic settlement in Europe. Stone was used for tools and
weapons. Their economy was marine and agricultural and soon pottery appeared. Female statues have been
found, in steatopygous shapes showing that these first inhabitants were believing in a female goddess, perhaps representing fertility, maybe even goddess Earth itself.
3000-1100BC - the Bronze Age
The Neolithic period ended as new settlers arrived, first in the east and central part of the island and later in the west. In these years the island met the most significant development becoming a marine, trade and art creation centre. The people were farmers, shepherds and mariners, with relations with Asia, Africa and the Cyclades. The civilization that was developed was named Minoan, after the legendary King Minos, by the English archaeologist Sir Arthur Evans, during his excavations at the Palace of Knossos. He sorted this era in three main periods with three subdivisions on each of them:
Early Minoan, Middle Minoan, Late Minoan
3000-1900BC, the Prepalatial Period
This period is the gathering of the people in villages and towns by the sea, mainly in the east, instead of habitation in caves and shelters of the Neolithic years. The houses have more rooms and are built better than before. The development of art is remarkable for this era. Handmade pottery, fired, painted and decorated with various geometric shapes and animal icons. The tools and weapons were made in the beginning by stone, later by bronze. The dead are buried in caves, like in the Neolithic period, but later the first tombs appear, others with square stones and others with a circular domed shape. A huge cemetery of pit graves was found at Agia Fotia, in East Crete. It is believed that the religion was the same as in the Neolithic years. Hundreds of inscriptions of this period, that were found during the excavations, still cannot be translated..
1900-1700BC - the Old Palace Period
Big towns and the first big palaces are built (Knossos, Festos, Malia). The palaces are built around a central open court with buildings of many floors. Big rooms for social functions, private rooms of the authorities, houses of the workers, workshops, storerooms, theatres, baths, sewage facilities. Sanctuaries were founded in caves, on the top of mountains and in the palaces. Goddess Mother Earth is adored and is symbolised by the double axe. Hieroglyphic writing appears on tablets, as well as the seal of the engraver. Pottery is developed by introduction of the potter's wheel, egg-shell ware, multicoloured vases and the goldsmith's art is perfected with jewellery of various designs richly decorated. Then catastrophe comes with big earthquakes.
1700-1400BC - the New Palace Period
Prosperity of the civilization and political power of the Minoan Crete. The island becomes united, with it's capital being Knossos, its power is expanding, with trading relations with Minor Asia, Egypt and Cyprus, with strong influences on the mainland of Greece, the Cycladic islands, Rhodes and Kos and colonies on the islands of Kea, Milos and Santorini. These colonies were achieved not by wars, but with merchant stations. Protection of these colonies from pirates and other enemies is ensured by the mighty Minoan navy. Palaces are rebuilt and becoming more luxurious, with the decoration of sculptures and fresco paintings, like the famous ladies of the court, the dolphins, the dancers and the king of priests. These buildings were admired for their architecture, rich decoration and building art and also the methods of hygiene and their sewage systems. Smaller palaces are appearing (Arhanes, Agia Triada, Tylisos and others). The remains of these palaces can visited still. Roads are being opened and bridges are built. Prosperity is appearing in every form of art: in pottery, sculpture (Goddess of the Snakes), plastic arts, vase making, fresco painting, sculptured seal stones, decoration in metal weapons and tools. Graves become monumental, buildings of subterranean residence, with roads to the entrance and halls with columns where the ceremony was taking place. The usual graves are dome shaped or deep holes, with the dead being buried with some objects of normal life, revealing the faith of Minoans in life after death and potential resurrection. King Minos, was the first emperor, the mythical son of Zeus and Europe, and in the following years became the name of each emperor of the island during the Minoan years. Minos was also the high priest, the representative of god Minotavros, according to the myth given birth by Pasiphae, the wife of Minos, after her relationship with the bull that came from the sea as a present to Minos by the sea god, Poseidon. Minotavros, always according to the myth, was staying in the Labyrinth, its "holy house", being built by the famous mechanic Dedalos. It is not clear yet why the Minoan palaces were deserted, perhaps a volcanic eruption on Santorini, sending out a huge tidal wave, maybe earthquakes, fire destruction at the Minoan sites, or from the human invasion from the mainland of Greece.
100-650BC - the Early Iron Age
After the Dorian invasion from Peloponnese, most of the old cities are deserted and the population moved to inaccessible mountain shelters, interrupting communication with the outside world.
650-500BC - the Archaic Period
The population increases, with the infiltration of the Dorians in the west of Crete. New towns are established, Axos, Falasarna, Polyrinia, Yrtakina and the population in others, like Eleftherna and Kydonia is increasing.
500-69BC - the Classical and Hellenistic Periods
Greece develops but Crete dosn't, the towns are fighting each other yet the population increases.
69BC-824AD - the Roman Period and the first Byzantine Years
The Romans had lost the war against Crete in 71 BC, two years later they came back with reinforced. The island was occupied after three years resistance,Romans accomplished their desire to conquer the famous birthplace of Zeus. It's capital became Gortys. Around 63-66 AC, Christianity arrives and the first Christian church is built, at Gortys, by bishop Titos. With the division of the Roman Empire in East and West, Crete became a separate province.
824-1204 - the Arab Occupation
In 824, Crete was captured by Arab raiders, they ravaged the island, destroyed Gortys and other towns, burned every basilica church and succeeded many atrocities against the Greek population. They built their capital, El Khandak, where today is the site of Iraklion. Crete had become the slave-trading capital of the East Mediterranean and a constant threat for the Byzantine Empire. After many unsuccessful expeditions, Nikiforos Fokas recaptured the island in 961, demolished the walls of El Khandak and reinvigorated the much-depleted Christian community. By the end of the 12th century, settlers were sent to Crete from Constantinople, headed by 12 aristocrats, they created the new Cretan aristocracy.
1204-1669AD - the Venetian Period
Constantinople captured, the Byzantine Empire was divided. Crete was given to Boniface of Monferat, who sold the island to Venice, in 1204. The Venetians kept Handakas as the capital and built castles. The Greek bishop was sent away and Latin bishops were established, but without annoying the lower Orthodox clergy and religion. Many orthodox churches and chapels were built, that can still be visited today. Land was taken from the people and given to Venetian knights, the former owners becoming slaves. Taxes and hard labour made life very difficult. The venetian occupation could not be accepted. There were continuous revolts for many years, a difficult repression and many tortures. After the fall of Constantinople by the Turks in 1453, many Greeks moved to Crete and the Byzantine culture was strengthened. Because of the Turkish threat and their attacks, Venetians and Cretans managed to co-exist and the island showed significant economical and cultural growth. Great artists of the period were, in icon painting, Michail Damaskinos and Domenico Theotokopoulos, who left Crete to work abroad, finally going to Toledo, Spain, where he found fame as El Greco. In literature and theatre, Vitsentzos Kornaros from Sitia, Georgios Hortatzis from Rethymno and others, unknown till today. The Turks tried to capture the island and in 1645, they captured Hania and Rethymno. In 1669, after a 22 year siege, Candia (Iraklion) was forced to surrender.
1669-1898 - the Turkish Occupation
Crete was divided in 3 sections, Iraklion, Rethymno and Hania. The occupation was the hardest one the island had met: killings, raping, taxation, violence and slavery, the revolts had become a way of life. The Big Revolt of 1821 for Independence, in Greece, all the big revolts in the island did not end successfully. The London's protocol on 1830, establishing Greece as an independent country, did not include Crete. The last protest of the Cretan council to the Christian European countries, in 1830, ended "Here is Crete, the kingdom of Minos, that gave the first laws in the world, many sciences and arts... It preserved under the Greek name, over 3000 years, it's children, who abandoned from their brother Christians, after a ten year exterminating war to get rid of the dreadful tyranny, become again victims of the cruelty of the inhuman Turks." Crete was sold by the Turkish sultan to Egypt, starting a new period of dynasty and misfortunes. In 1841, after Egypt's unsuccessful revolt against Turkey, all Egypt's possessions were left to the Turks. The Cretans continued fighting for their freedom, with the most tragic being the revolt of 1866, which ended in the blowing-up of Arkadi Monastery. Revolutions and endless wars continued until 1898, when the four Great Powers, England, France, Russia and Italy imposed a solution to the Cretan problem the autonomy of Crete under Ottoman suzerainty, under the terms of complete withdrawal of the Turkish army from the island.
1898 - today - Modern History
In 1908 the army of the four Powers left the island, after the insistance of Crete to unite with Greece and in 1913 the island became an integral part of Greece. Agriculture and trade started to prosper, until 1941, when the Germans occupied the island, until 1945. In recent years, agriculture, trade, industry and tourism have brought the island new development.
