Understanding Bronze Age Crete through the Lens of Marija Gimbutas, Old Europe, and Archaeomythology

Joan M. Cichon

Abstract

This paper focuses on Marija Gimbutas’s profound understanding of and appreciation for Bronze Age Crete as the last existing expression of Old European civilization. It examines those features which made Crete unique for its time: the primacy of the Goddess, the central role of women in society, the high level of artistry, and the prevalence of peace, among others, and argues that many of the aspects of Bronze Age Crete which scholars find difficult to comprehend, are understandable when viewed through the lens of archaeomythology and the concept of Old Europe.  Indeed, it is only through those lenses that this unique Bronze Age society can be understood.