Olney Archaeological Society
Tuesday, 21st April 2026 at 10.00 am
Olney Centre, High Street, Olney MK46 4EF
An introduction to Minoan Crete.
The Minoan civilization was a Bronze Age culture which was centered on the island of Crete between 3000 and 1100 BCE. The Minoans constructed enormous labyrinthine buildings such as those at at Knossos and Phaistos which served a variety of religious and economic purposes. They traded extensively and their cultural influence reached beyond Crete to the Aegean and eastern Mediterranean.
The Minoan civilization was rediscovered in the early twentieth century through archaeological excavation and the term “Minoan” was coined by Arthur Evans, who excavated at Knossos. Minoan sites continue to be excavated and recent discoveries include the necropolis at Armenoi and the harbour town of Kommos.
Speaker: Michael Curtis, School of Archaeology and Ancient History, University of Leicester.
£4.00 visitors.