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The Unknown Artists of Minoan Crete

© Tricia Dake

“Don’t be a Cretan!” is a phrase I have heard for decades. Why? No doubt it comes from Greek legends of the Trojan War. Recently however, I have been studying the art of Minoan Crete. It has a haunting beauty unique to Aegean Art. Who were the artists? Unfortunately, we will never know. While a late form of writing known as Linear B (circa 1400) from Minoan Crete has been deciphered, since it is not the language used before fifteenth century BC we are still unable to understand the earlier inscriptions of the Minoan people. While Minoan art reflects similarities to Egypt, the Near East and Greece, it possesses many fresh and lively playful qualities that differentiate it from the art of nearby cultures.

As a culture, the Minoans appeared and disappeared very quickly probably due to external forces. Because of this, we have no sense of their development. Yet though external forces may have been an ever-present threat – whether of earthquakes or floods, these dangers are not reflected in their art. From 1600 to 1450 BC there is a very rich creative display of art which includes not only the architecture of impressive palaces, but murals on the palace walls as well as sculpture, ceramics and pottery relief.

To begin, let’s first look at the palace at Knossos known as the Palace of Minos. Because all the architectural pillars of the Minoans were made of wood, none have survived to the present day. However, the palace has been excavated and partially restored. The construction indicates that the ceilings were low – and certainly not as impressive as the monumental palaces of Persia or Assyria. Despite the low ceilings, the palace consisted of many staircases and porticos. This probably contributed a sense of openness and airiness enhanced by decorated walls and naturalistic murals. In addition, the palace had so many rooms that it went down in Greek mythology as the labyrinth of the Minotaur – a creature reputed to be half man, half bull. This last no doubt was due to the fact that bulls were a sacred animal to the Minoans, thereby lending the legend more credence.

The murals of the Minoans are unique and the paintings often reflect a weightlessness as though the scenes are underwater, a world without gravity. Scenes of gardens and animals or marine life float and sway, appearing to undulate gracefully, even rhythmically.

Very few examples of religious art have been found. If there were any, they are long gone, but a sculpture known as the snake goddess remains and indicates an artistic influence by Asia Minor or of Mesopotamian art.

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