Home Region:  Southeastern Europe (Europe)

Old Palace Crete

1900 BCE 1700 BCE
D G SC WF EQ 2020  gr_crete_old_palace / GrCrOPa
Preceding Entity: Add one more here.
3000 BCE 1900 BCE Prepalatial Crete (gr_crete_pre_palace)    [continuity]

Succeeding Entity:
No Polity found. Add one here.


  General Description   Crete is a large island in the Eastern Mediterranean. Here we consider the phase of its history best known as the Old Palace or Protopalatial Era. This period began around 1900 [1] , and ended around 1700, with a series of conflagration across the entire island, possibly caused by earthquake, possibly by inter-island wars [2] [3] .
Population and Political Organization
The Old Palace period is marked by the appearance of regional states, and, in each of these, political, religious, ideological and/or economic authorities governed from “palaces”, that is, monumental court-centered building compounds such as the ones at Knossos, Malia, Phaistos and Petras [4] . However, evidence for administration is limited and consists mostly of clay archival documents. [5] .
According to Renfrew, each regional state had a population of 215,000 [6] .

[1]: (Shelmerdine 2008, 4) Cynthia W. Shelmerdine. 2008. ‘Background, sources, and methods,’ in The Cambridge Companion to the Aegean Bronze Age, edited by Cynthia W. Shelmerdine. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

[2]: (La Rosa 1999, 81-89) V. La Rosa. 1999. "Πολιτική εξουσία και σεισμικές καταστροφές στη Μινωική Κρήτη: η περίπτωση της Φαιστού" in Κρήτες Θαλασσοδρόμοι, edited by A. Karetou. Heraklion

[3]: (Cadogan 2014, 43-54) G. Cadogan. 2014. "War in the Cretan Bronze Age: the realism of Stylianos Alexiou". Kritika Chronika 34: 43-54.

[4]: (Manning 2008, 119) S.W. Manning. 2008. ‘: Protopalatial Crete. 5A: Formation of the palaces,’ in The Cambridge Companion to the Aegean Bronze Age, edited by Cynthia W. Shelmerdine. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

[5]: (Weingarten 2010, 317-318) J. Weingarten. 2010. ‘Minoan seals and sealings,’ in The Oxford Handbook of the Bronze Age Aegean (ca. 3000-1000 BC), edited by E.H. Cline. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

[6]: (Renfrew 1972, 249) Colin Renfrew. 1972. The Emergence of Civilisation. Oxford: Oxbow.

General Variables
Identity and Location
Temporal Bounds
Political and Cultural Relations
Language
Religion
Social Complexity Variables
Social Scale
Hierarchical Complexity
Professions
Bureaucracy Characteristics
Law
Specialized Buildings: polity owned
Transport Infrastructure
Special-purpose Sites
Information / Writing System
Information / Kinds of Written Documents
Information / Money
Information / Postal System
Information / Measurement System
Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)
Fortifications
Military use of Metals
Projectiles
Handheld weapons
Animals used in warfare
Armor
Naval technology
Economy Variables (Luxury Goods) Coding in Progress.
Religion Variables Coding in Progress.
Crisis Consequences Coding in Progress.
Power Transitions Coding in Progress.

NGA Settlements:

Year Range Old Palace Crete (gr_crete_old_palace) was in:
 (1900 BCE 1701 BCE)   Crete
Home NGA: Crete
General Variables
Identity and Location Old Palace Crete (gr_crete_old_palace)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Utm Zone 35 S Confident 1900 BCE  1700 BCE
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Original Name The Old Palace Crete Confident 1900 BCE  1700 BCE
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Capital None (Absent Capital) Confident 1900 BCE  1700 BCE
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Alternative Name Protopalatial Crete Confident 1900 BCE  1700 BCE
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Alternative Name Crete of the First Palaces Confident 1900 BCE  1700 BCE
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Temporal Bounds Old Palace Crete (gr_crete_old_palace)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Peak Years [1800 BCE ➜ 1700 BCE] Confident
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Duration [1900 BCE ➜ 1700 BCE] Confident
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Political and Cultural Relations Old Palace Crete (gr_crete_old_palace)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Supracultural Entity Cretan Broze Age Civilization Confident 1900 BCE  1700 BCE
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Succeeding Entity Neopalatial Crete Confident 1900 BCE  1700 BCE
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Relationship to Preceding Entity continuity Confident 1900 BCE  1700 BCE
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Preceding Entity
3000 BCE 1900 BCE
Prepalatial Crete (gr_crete_pre_palace)   [continuity]  Confident
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Degree of Centralization quasi-polity Confident 1900 BCE  1700 BCE
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Language Old Palace Crete (gr_crete_old_palace)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Religion Old Palace Crete (gr_crete_old_palace)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Social Complexity Variables
Social Scale Old Palace Crete (gr_crete_old_palace)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Population of the Largest Settlement 17,100 people Confident 1900 BCE  1700 BCE
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Polity Territory - Suspected 1900 BCE  1700 BCE
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Polity Population - Suspected 1900 BCE  1700 BCE
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Hierarchical Complexity Old Palace Crete (gr_crete_old_palace)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Settlement Hierarchy [1 to 6] Confident 1900 BCE  1700 BCE
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Administrative Level [1 to 4] Confident 1900 BCE  1700 BCE
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Professions Old Palace Crete (gr_crete_old_palace)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Professional Priesthood Unknown Suspected 1900 BCE  1700 BCE
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Bureaucracy Characteristics Old Palace Crete (gr_crete_old_palace)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Specialized Government Building Present Confident 1900 BCE  1700 BCE
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Full Time Bureaucrat Present Confident 1900 BCE  1700 BCE
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Law Old Palace Crete (gr_crete_old_palace)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Professional Lawyer Absent Confident 1900 BCE  1700 BCE
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Judge Absent Confident 1900 BCE  1700 BCE
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Absent Confident 1900 BCE  1700 BCE
Court Absent Confident 1900 BCE  1700 BCE
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Specialized Buildings: polity owned Old Palace Crete (gr_crete_old_palace)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Market Present Inferred 1900 BCE  1700 BCE
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Irrigation System Unknown Suspected 1900 BCE  1700 BCE
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Food Storage Site Unknown Suspected 1900 BCE  1700 BCE
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Drinking Water Supply System Absent Confident 1900 BCE  1700 BCE
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Transport Infrastructure Old Palace Crete (gr_crete_old_palace)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Road Unknown Suspected 1900 BCE  1700 BCE
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Port Present Confident 1900 BCE  1700 BCE
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Canal Absent Confident 1900 BCE  1700 BCE
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Bridge Unknown Suspected 1900 BCE  1700 BCE
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Special-purpose Sites Old Palace Crete (gr_crete_old_palace)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Mines or Quarry Present Confident 1900 BCE  1700 BCE
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Information / Writing System Old Palace Crete (gr_crete_old_palace)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Written Record Present Confident 1900 BCE  1700 BCE
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Script Present Confident 1900 BCE  1700 BCE
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Phonetic Alphabetic Writing Present Confident 1900 BCE  1700 BCE
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Information / Kinds of Written Documents Old Palace Crete (gr_crete_old_palace)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Scientific Literature Absent Confident 1900 BCE  1700 BCE
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Practical Literature Absent Confident 1900 BCE  1700 BCE
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Philosophy Absent Confident 1900 BCE  1700 BCE
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Lists Tables and Classification Present Confident 1900 BCE  1700 BCE
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History Absent Confident 1900 BCE  1700 BCE
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Fiction Absent Confident 1900 BCE  1700 BCE
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Information / Money Old Palace Crete (gr_crete_old_palace)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Token Present Inferred 1900 BCE  1700 BCE
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Precious Metal Present Inferred 1900 BCE  1700 BCE
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Paper Currency Absent Confident 1900 BCE  1700 BCE
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Indigenous Coin Absent Confident 1900 BCE  1700 BCE
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Foreign Coin Absent Confident 1900 BCE  1700 BCE
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Article Present Inferred 1900 BCE  1700 BCE
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Information / Postal System Old Palace Crete (gr_crete_old_palace)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Postal Station Absent Confident 1900 BCE  1700 BCE
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General Postal Service Absent Confident 1900 BCE  1700 BCE
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Courier Absent Confident 1900 BCE  1700 BCE
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Information / Measurement System Old Palace Crete (gr_crete_old_palace)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)
Fortifications Old Palace Crete (gr_crete_old_palace)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Stone Walls Non Mortared Present Confident 1900 BCE  1700 BCE
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Stone Walls Mortared Present Confident 1900 BCE  1700 BCE
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Settlements in a Defensive Position Present Confident 1900 BCE  1700 BCE
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Modern Fortification Absent Confident 1900 BCE  1700 BCE
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Moat Absent Confident 1900 BCE  1700 BCE
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Complex Fortification Absent Confident 1900 BCE  1700 BCE
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Long Wall absent Confident 1900 BCE  1700 BCE
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Military use of Metals Old Palace Crete (gr_crete_old_palace)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Steel Absent Confident 1900 BCE  1700 BCE
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Iron Absent Confident 1900 BCE  1700 BCE
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Copper Unknown Suspected 1900 BCE  1700 BCE
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Bronze Unknown Suspected 1900 BCE  1700 BCE
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Projectiles Old Palace Crete (gr_crete_old_palace)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Tension Siege Engine Absent Confident 1900 BCE  1700 BCE
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Sling Siege Engine Absent Confident 1900 BCE  1700 BCE
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Self Bow Unknown Suspected 1900 BCE  1700 BCE
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Javelin Unknown Suspected 1900 BCE  1700 BCE
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Handheld Firearm Absent Confident 1900 BCE  1700 BCE
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Gunpowder Siege Artillery Absent Confident 1900 BCE  1700 BCE
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Crossbow Absent Confident 1900 BCE  1700 BCE
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Composite Bow Unknown Suspected 1900 BCE  1700 BCE
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Handheld weapons Old Palace Crete (gr_crete_old_palace)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Sword Present Confident 1900 BCE  1700 BCE
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Spear Unknown Suspected 1900 BCE  1700 BCE
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Polearm Absent Confident 1900 BCE  1700 BCE
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Dagger Present Confident 1900 BCE  1700 BCE
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Battle Axe Present Confident 1900 BCE  1700 BCE
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Animals used in warfare Old Palace Crete (gr_crete_old_palace)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Horse Unknown Confident 1900 BCE  1700 BCE
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Elephant Absent Confident 1900 BCE  1700 BCE
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Donkey Unknown Confident 1900 BCE  1700 BCE
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Dog Unknown Confident 1900 BCE  1700 BCE
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Camel Absent Confident 1900 BCE  1700 BCE
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Armor Old Palace Crete (gr_crete_old_palace)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Scaled Armor Absent Confident 1900 BCE  1700 BCE
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Plate Armor Absent Confident 1900 BCE  1700 BCE
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Limb Protection Absent Confident 1900 BCE  1700 BCE
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Laminar Armor Absent Confident 1900 BCE  1700 BCE
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Chainmail Absent Confident 1900 BCE  1700 BCE
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Naval technology Old Palace Crete (gr_crete_old_palace)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Small Vessels Canoes Etc Present Confident 1900 BCE  1700 BCE
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Economy Variables (Luxury Goods)
Religion Variables
Moralizing Supernatural Punishment and Reward Old Palace Crete (gr_crete_old_palace)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Human Sacrifice Old Palace Crete (gr_crete_old_palace)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Crisis Cases
View all Crisis Cases
Instability Data
Power Transitions
View all Power Transitions