Genetic Origins of the Minoans and Mycenaeans

Genetic origins of the Minoans and Mycenaeans

New genome-wide data for ancient, Bronze Age individuals, including Minoans, Mycenaeans, and southwestern Anatolians, show that Minoans and Mycenaeans were genetically very similar yet distinct, supporting the idea of continuity but not isolation in the history of populations of the Aegean. The most prominent civilizations that emerged during the Bronze Age in Europe include the Minoan culture on the island of Crete and the Mycenaean culture on …

What Was the Ancient Name of the Minoans?

Bronze Age Minoan inscriptions written in Linear A from Phaistos. Credit: Wikimedia Commons, Zde, CC-BY 4.0 The Minoan civilization was a rich and relatively advanced culture centered on ancient Crete during the Bronze Age. However, they did not refer to themselves as the Minoans. This is a modern name coined by British archaeologist Sir Arthur Evans in the early 20th century. What was the ancient name of the Minoans? What did they call themselv…