| Origin of
Civilization: 3200 - 1050 BC
The second millennium B.C. saw the
evolution of two powerful Greek civilizations, the Minoan in Crete
and the Mycenaean on the mainland. During the early Bronze Age
(3000-2200 B.C.), major changes occurred in both Crete and mainland
Greece. In both cases, there is evidence of rapid population growth
associated with the establishment of trade connections across the
Aegean Sea to Anatolia and the Near East. The Cyclades (Kiklades),
islands between Crete and the mainland, were settled at this time
and seem to have flourished as stepping stones between Europe and
Asia. Both the Cyclades and the mainland developed complex societies
featuring skilled craftsmen and political elites.
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