Classical Wisdom Litterae - October 2020

XL of what is believed to be Minoan religion. Furthermore, Evans’ examination of bull- leaping frescoes led to the first somewhat defined chronology of the Minoans. Evans’ research of the frescoes insofar as dating, depictions, etc. led to the breakdown of the Minoan era into smaller periods similar to the Egyptian kingdoms—rather than Old, Middle and New. The Minoan timeline is broken into Early, Mi dd l e and L a t e , and t hen f u r t he r fragmented from there. Recent scholars such as John Younger have determined Evans’ religious assumptions and his chronological estimation of the practice of bull-leaping were both relatively accurate, and it is these initial parameters that allowed research into the Minoan period to propel forward rather than stagger. Desp i te the ques t i onab i l i t y o f ea r l y archaeological methods—if the practice can be called such under Evans and Schliemann —the discoveries of the early 20th century began investigations of what would become some of the most fascinating ancient mysteries. Though more is still unknown than known of the Minoan culture—including what they might have called themselves—without Evans’ shrewd work at the Ashmolean Museum, and his extensive academic background at Oxford, he might not have discovered the complex at Knossos. He might have been just another rich history fanatic, waving around Homer’s works while placing dynamite in strategically destructive places. Schliemann was successful in such efforts, but there is no guarantee Evans would have been too. Without Evans’ foresight and determined attempts to understand the pre-Mycenaean civilization, an understanding of the culture— assuming it was still discovered—might have been set back decades. Throne room at Knossos with restored/reproduced frescoes