Home Region: Southeastern Europe (Europe)

Old Palace Crete

1900 BCE 1700 BCE

D G SC WF R

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

1 Utm Zone

1 Original Name

1 Capital

2 Alternative Name

Temporal Bounds

1 Peak Years

1 Duration

Political and Cultural Relations

1 Supracultural Entity

1 Succeeding Entity

1 Relationship to preceding Entity

1 Polity Succession

1 Degree of Centralization

Language

Religion

Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale

1 Population of the Largest Settlement

1 Polity Territory

1 Polity Population

Hierarchical Complexity

1 Settlement Hierarchy

1 Administrative Level

Professions

1 Professional Priesthood

Bureaucracy Characteristics

1 Specialized Government Building

1 Full Time Bureaucrat

Law

1 Professional Lawyer

1 Judge

1 Formal Legal Code

1 Court

Specialized Buildings: polity owned

1 Market

1 Irrigation System

1 Food Storage Site

1 Drinking Water Supply System

Transport Infrastructure

1 Road

1 Port

1 Canal

1 Bridge

Special-purpose Sites

1 Mines or Quarry

Information / Writing System

1 Written Record

1 Script

1 Phonetic Alphabetic Writing

Information / Kinds of Written Documents

1 Scientific Literature

1 Practical Literature

1 Philosophy

1 Lists Tables and Classification

1 History

1 Fiction

Information / Money

1 Token

1 Precious Metal

1 Paper Currency

1 Indigenous Coin

1 Foreign Coin

1 Article

Information / Postal System

1 Postal Station

1 General Postal Service

1 Courier

Information / Measurement System

Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)

Fortifications

1 Stone Walls Non Mortared

1 Stone Walls Mortared

1 Settlements in a Defensive Position

1 Modern Fortification

1 Moat

1 Complex Fortification

1 Long Wall

Military use of Metals

1 Steel

1 Iron

1 Copper

1 Bronze

Projectiles

1 Tension Siege Engine

1 Sling Siege Engine

1 Self Bow

1 Javelin

1 Handheld Firearm

1 Gunpowder Siege Artillery

1 Crossbow

1 Composite Bow

Handheld weapons

1 Sword

1 Spear

1 Polearm

1 Dagger

1 Battle Axe

Animals used in warfare

1 Horse

1 Elephant

1 Donkey

1 Dog

1 Camel

Armor

1 Scaled Armor

1 Plate Armor

1 Limb Protection

1 Laminar Armor

1 Chainmail

Naval technology

1 Small Vessels Canoes Etc

Economy Variables (Luxury Goods) Coding in Progress.

Religion Variables Coding in Progress.

Crisis Consequence Cases Coding in Progress.

Power Transitions Coding in Progress.

Instability Events 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 / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Utm Zone	35 S	1900 BCE 1700 BCE
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Original Name	The Old Palace Crete	1900 BCE 1700 BCE
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Capital	None (Absent Capital)	1900 BCE 1700 BCE
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Alternative Name	Protopalatial Crete	1900 BCE 1700 BCE
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Alternative Name	Crete of the First Palaces	1900 BCE 1700 BCE
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Temporal Bounds Old Palace Crete (gr_crete_old_palace)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More
Peak Years	[1800 BCE ➜ 1700 BCE]
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Duration	[1900 BCE ➜ 1700 BCE]
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Political and Cultural Relations Old Palace Crete (gr_crete_old_palace)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Supracultural Entity	Cretan Broze Age Civilization	1900 BCE 1700 BCE
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Succeeding Entity	Neopalatial Crete	1900 BCE 1700 BCE
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Relationship to Preceding Entity	continuity	1900 BCE 1700 BCE
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Preceding Entity 3000 BCE 1900 BCE	Prepalatial Crete (gr_crete_pre_palace) [continuity]
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Degree of Centralization	quasi-polity	1900 BCE 1700 BCE
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Language Old Palace Crete (gr_crete_old_palace)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More

Religion Old Palace Crete (gr_crete_old_palace)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More

Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale Old Palace Crete (gr_crete_old_palace)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Population of the Largest Settlement	17,100 people	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 / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Settlement Hierarchy	[1 to 6]	1900 BCE 1700 BCE
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Administrative Level	[1 to 4]	1900 BCE 1700 BCE
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Professions Old Palace Crete (gr_crete_old_palace)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Priesthood	Unknown Suspected	1900 BCE 1700 BCE
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Bureaucracy Characteristics Old Palace Crete (gr_crete_old_palace)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Government Building	Present	1900 BCE 1700 BCE
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Full Time Bureaucrat	Present	1900 BCE 1700 BCE
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Law Old Palace Crete (gr_crete_old_palace)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Lawyer	Absent	1900 BCE 1700 BCE
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Judge	Absent	1900 BCE 1700 BCE
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Formal Legal Code	Absent	1900 BCE 1700 BCE
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Court	Absent	1900 BCE 1700 BCE
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Specialized Buildings: polity owned Old Palace Crete (gr_crete_old_palace)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
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	1900 BCE 1700 BCE
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Transport Infrastructure Old Palace Crete (gr_crete_old_palace)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Road	Unknown Suspected	1900 BCE 1700 BCE
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Port	Present	1900 BCE 1700 BCE
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Canal	Absent	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 / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Mines or Quarry	Present	1900 BCE 1700 BCE
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Information / Writing System Old Palace Crete (gr_crete_old_palace)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Written Record	Present	1900 BCE 1700 BCE
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Script	Present	1900 BCE 1700 BCE
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Phonetic Alphabetic Writing	Present	1900 BCE 1700 BCE
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Information / Kinds of Written Documents Old Palace Crete (gr_crete_old_palace)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Scientific Literature	Absent	1900 BCE 1700 BCE
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Practical Literature	Absent	1900 BCE 1700 BCE
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Philosophy	Absent	1900 BCE 1700 BCE
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Lists Tables and Classification	Present	1900 BCE 1700 BCE
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History	Absent	1900 BCE 1700 BCE
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Fiction	Absent	1900 BCE 1700 BCE
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Information / Money Old Palace Crete (gr_crete_old_palace)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
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	1900 BCE 1700 BCE
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Indigenous Coin	Absent	1900 BCE 1700 BCE
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Foreign Coin	Absent	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 / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Postal Station	Absent	1900 BCE 1700 BCE
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General Postal Service	Absent	1900 BCE 1700 BCE
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Courier	Absent	1900 BCE 1700 BCE
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Information / Measurement System Old Palace Crete (gr_crete_old_palace)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More

Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)

Fortifications Old Palace Crete (gr_crete_old_palace)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Stone Walls Non Mortared	Present	1900 BCE 1700 BCE
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Stone Walls Mortared	Present	1900 BCE 1700 BCE
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Settlements in a Defensive Position	Present	1900 BCE 1700 BCE
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Modern Fortification	Absent	1900 BCE 1700 BCE
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Moat	Absent	1900 BCE 1700 BCE
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Complex Fortification	Absent	1900 BCE 1700 BCE
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Long Wall	absent	1900 BCE 1700 BCE
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Military use of Metals Old Palace Crete (gr_crete_old_palace)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Steel	Absent	1900 BCE 1700 BCE
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Iron	Absent	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 / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Tension Siege Engine	Absent	1900 BCE 1700 BCE
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Sling Siege Engine	Absent	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	1900 BCE 1700 BCE
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Gunpowder Siege Artillery	Absent	1900 BCE 1700 BCE
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Crossbow	Absent	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 / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Sword	Present	1900 BCE 1700 BCE
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Spear	Unknown Suspected	1900 BCE 1700 BCE
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Polearm	Absent	1900 BCE 1700 BCE
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Dagger	Present	1900 BCE 1700 BCE
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Battle Axe	Present	1900 BCE 1700 BCE
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Animals used in warfare Old Palace Crete (gr_crete_old_palace)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Horse	Unknown	1900 BCE 1700 BCE
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Elephant	Absent	1900 BCE 1700 BCE
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Donkey	Unknown	1900 BCE 1700 BCE
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Dog	Unknown	1900 BCE 1700 BCE
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Camel	Absent	1900 BCE 1700 BCE
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Armor Old Palace Crete (gr_crete_old_palace)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Scaled Armor	Absent	1900 BCE 1700 BCE
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Plate Armor	Absent	1900 BCE 1700 BCE
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Limb Protection	Absent	1900 BCE 1700 BCE
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Laminar Armor	Absent	1900 BCE 1700 BCE
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Chainmail	Absent	1900 BCE 1700 BCE
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Naval technology Old Palace Crete (gr_crete_old_palace)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Small Vessels Canoes Etc	Present	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 / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Moralizing Enforcement is Broad	Unknown	1900 BCE 1700 BCE
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Moralizing Supernatural Concern is Primary	Unknown	1900 BCE 1700 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Agentic	Unknown	1900 BCE 1700 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement in This Life	Unknown	1900 BCE 1700 BCE
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Moralizing Supernatural Punishment And Reward	Unknown	1900 BCE 1700 BCE
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Moralizing Religion Adopted by Commoners	Unknown	1900 BCE 1700 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Targeted	Unknown	1900 BCE 1700 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement in Afterlife	Unknown	1900 BCE 1700 BCE
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Moralizing Religion Adopted by Elites	Unknown	1900 BCE 1700 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement of Rulers	Unknown	1900 BCE 1700 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Certain	Unknown	1900 BCE 1700 BCE
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Human Sacrifice Old Palace Crete (gr_crete_old_palace)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More