Middle Palaeolithic tools, including Acheulian-type handaxes made of quartz, recently found in the Plakias region of southern Crete have been dated to 130 kya. Neolithic farmers, probably from Asia Minor via the Aegean Sea, settled at Knossos c.7000 BC. By the fourth millennium BC Neolithic sites were established throughout the island.
The Minoan civilisation flourished on Crete from c.2200 to c.1400 BC. The term ‘Minoan’ was invented by the English archaeologist Sir Arthur Evans (1851-1941) after the mythical king of Crete, Minos. During the prepalatial period there was a development of larger village communities, notably at Gournia, Hagia Triada, Knossos, Malia, Mochlos, Myrtos, Palaikastro, Phaistos and Vasiliki. Burial practices indicate increasing social complexity, especially the wealthy house-tombs at Mochlos and the tholos tombs of the Mesara Plain.
Shortly before 1900 BC urbanisation became apparent: the first (proto) palaces (Knossos, Phaistos, Malia, Zakros) were built, towns (Gournia, Palaikastro) appeared, and the landscape was dominated by ‘villas’ (Amnisos, Vathypetro). Minoan colonies or trading posts were established on many Cycladic islands as well as the island of Cythera (off the eastern tip of the Peloponnesian Peninsula), Rhodes and the coast of Asia Minor. A fleet of merchant vessels maintained trading links between these centres and also with Egypt. Economic transactions were recorded on clay tablets, first in hieroglyphics and later in Linear-A (not yet deciphered).
The Minoan palaces were destroyed several times, but rebuilt generally on a larger scale. Some of the catastrophes were undoubtedly caused by earthquakes (the eruption on Thera has been dated to c.1600 BC), to which Crete is subject, but the destruction of Knossos c.1425 BC seems to have involved/produced a change of dynasty. Linear-B inscriptions (written in Greek) have been found at Knossos and Chania. From these and other changes, e.g. warrior burials, it seems that Mycenaeans had gained control of the island.
Around 1200 BC many sites were abandoned for the last time. By the end of the twelfth century BC Crete was entering the period of confusion that engulfed most of the Greek world at that time. Some of the original population, later known as Eteocretans (‘true Cretans’), moved away from the coastal settlements to sites in the mountains, such as Kavousi, Karphi and Vrokastro.
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