Minoans and Mycenaean Culture - Research Paper Example

The island of Crete was home to the Minoans while Mainland Greece for the Mycenaeans. Also, though there is no written record, Minoans and Mycenaeans are believed to speak Greek. Geographically speaking, we come to understand that Minoans had more advantage geographically as Crete soil is very fertile that spurred growth of affluent population. This pushed the Minoans to develop the first civilization in Europe which was a sort of imitation of the Egyptian culture. However, because of the increasing standard of living they had, they out grew their limited resources and had Mycenaean culture lord over them when their economic and political system started crumbling down ("Minoan Culture and the Mycenaeans." N.p., n.d).

The Mycenaeans, according to many scholars became more advanced and knowledgeable than the Minoans when it comes to infrastructure and livelihood. They were able to develop roads first, as they did not seem to have ridden on horses as they were small. However, there were some inventories found in their palace ruins that proved their use of chariots at their time. Aside from that, the Mycenaeans also showed more prowess in weaponry as there were a lot of information drawn from symbols, though are still subject to interpretation, that conveyed this culture to having what we call today swords and daggers.

Because of this, Mycenaeans were deemed as more powerful than the Minoans that led the latter to take over the Minoan culture. The cities that Mycenaeans developed were even called warlord cities because their society was primarily geared towards battle and invasion (Minoan and Mycenaean Cultures. N.p, n.d). Architecture has always been a strong point for both cultures as they developed sophisticated architecture alike. This is their way of expending their wealth. Both had a royal class especially the Mycenaeans which drew a strong line between the poor and the rich as the skeletal remains found by archeologists proved that people who belonged to the higher class had taller and stronger bones as opposed to the lower class people that suggest the disparity between the wealthy and the poor in terms of nutrition.

There is little known about both civilizations’ religion except from the images that is reflected in their art. Speaking of art, Mycenaeans were very much influenced by the kind of mindset they were born to uphold and their culture. Thus, one would be able to see imminently how their art is skewed to portray snapshots of warfare and hunting. On the other hand, Minoan art is more concerned with the fond inclination of everyday life. Enormous quantities of pottery throughout the Eastern Mediterranean directed scholars to learning about these early civilizations.

When it comes to producing wealth, Minoans and Mycenaeans were alike as both were very interested in goods and were good at trading through bartering raw goods, though it was the Minoans who first were heavily engaged in trade oversees, mainly to obtain metals such as tin and copper to produce bronze that was triggered by their need to produce more resources that has been limited in Crete ("Minoan Culture and the Mycenaeans." N.p., n.d). Minoans were also mercantile people where their ships have taken the function of both trader and fighter at the same time.

Both their knowledge in trading was hugely caused by the fact that both cultures were able to develop a writing system that made business dealings easier, though