Table of Minoan Chronology
| Other Names | Relative Chronology | Conventional Dates, BCE | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prepalatial, Pre-Palace (Προανακτορική), Protominoan Age (Platon) Copper Age (Matz, Hutchinson) Early Bronze Age (Hood) |
EM | 3000–2200 (Evans, Hood) 2600–2000 (Matz) |
Πρωτομινωική or ΠΜ in Greek. |
| First Early Minoan (Hutchinson) Phase I (Platon) |
EM I | 3400–2800 (Evans) 2600–2300 (Matz) 2500–2400 (Hutchinson) 3200–2600 (Gimbutas) 3000–2600 (Willetts, Hood) 2800–2200 (Mackenzie) |
The main problem has been setting the end of the Neolithic; its layers were destroyed by building at Knossos.
The period is attested by pottery from a well at Knossos, in Tholos Tomb 2 at Lebena and by an EM I layer at Debla. |
| Second Early Minoan (Hutchinson) Phase II (Platon) |
EM II | 2800–2400 (Evans) 2300-2200 (Matz) 2300–2100 (Hutchinson) 2600–2300 (Gimbutas, Willetts, Hood) |
Seals like those of Egyptian 1st Intermediate Period, Dynasties 6–11, 2345–1991. |
| Third Early Minoan (Hutchinson) Phase III (Platon) |
EM III | 2400–2200 (Evans) 2200–2000 (Matz) 2100–2000 (Hutchinson) 2300–2160 (Gimbutas) 2300–2200 (Willetts, Hood) |
|
| Palace Period (Matz, Platon) Minoan Age (Platon) Full Bronze Age (Matz) |
MM | 2200–1500 (Evans) 2000–1570 (Matz) 2000–1580 (Ventris & Chadwick) |
Μεσομινωική or MM in Greek |
| Phase III of Pre-Palace (Platon) Early Palace (Matz) First or Early Palaces (Hood) |
MM IA | 2000–? (Matz) 2000–1900 (Hutchinson) 2160–1930 (Gimbutas) 2200–2000 (Willetts, Hood) 2000–1925 (Ventris & Chadwick 2200–? (MacKenzie) |
Kephala mound cleared of earlier structures, palace at Knossos begun (Hutchinson). |
| Protopalatial Old Palace (Evans) Early Palace (Matz) Old Palace (Παλαιοανακτορική) Phase I (Platon) First or Early Palaces (Hood) |
MM IB | ?–1800 (Matz) 1900–1850 (Hutchinson) 2000–1900 (Platon, Willetts, Hood) 1925–1850 (Ventris & Chadwick) 1930–1800 (Gimbutas) ?–2100 (MacKenzie) |
"First Palaces" or "First temple-palaces" (Gimbutas) Use of potter's wheel. It may have been introduced in IA. |
| Protopalatial Old Palace (Evans) Early Palace (Matz) Old Palace Phase II (Platon) First or Early Palaces, Middle Bronze Age (Hood) |
MM IIA | 1850–? (Hutchinson, Ventris & Chadwick) 1900–1800 (Platon, Willetts, Hood) 2100–? (MacKenzie) |
|
| Protopalatial Old Palace (Evans) Early Palace (Matz) Old Palace Phase III (Platon) First or Early Palaces, Middle Bronze Age (Hood) |
MM IIB | ?–1700 (Matz, Ventris & Chadwick) ?–1750 (Hutchinson) 1800–1700 (Platon, Willetts, Hood) ?–1900 (MacKenzie) |
Palaces were so destroyed by an earthquake ca. 1700 that they had to be rebuilt. This is the dividing line between Old and New Palace and between II and III. |
| Neopalatial Old Palace (Evans) Late Palace I (Matz) New Palace (Νεοανακτορική) Phase I (Platon) Middle Bronze Age (Hood) |
MM IIIA | 1700–? (Matz) 1700–? (Platon) 1700/1750–1600 (Hutchinson) 1700–1660 (Ventris & Chadwick) 1700–? (Willetts) 1700–? (Hood) 1900–? (MacKenzie) |
Frescoes begin. First pot signs in Linear A. |
| Neopalatial Late Palace I (Matz) New Palace Period Phase I (Platon) Middle Bronze Age (Hood) |
MM IIIB | 1600–1550 (Hutchinson) ?–1570 (Matz) ?–1600 (Platon) 1660–1580 (Ventris & Chadwick) ?–1600 (Willetts) ?–1550 (Hood) 1700–1600 (Palmer) ?–1700 (MacKenzie) |
Linear A. Another earthquake requiring more rebuilding occurred ca. 1570, which for some was the middle of IIIB and for others the start. First Linear A archives from Mallia. |
| LM | 1500–1000 (Evans) | Υστερομινωική or ΥΜ in Greek | |
| Late Palace II (Matz) New Palace Phase II (Platon) |
LM IA | 1550–1500 (Hutchinson) 1600–1500 (Palmer, Furumark) 1570–? (Matz) 1600–? (Platon) 1580–1510 (Ventris & Chadwick) 1700–? (MacKenzie) |
The period of Thera eruption and tsunami. Largest cache of Linear A tablets, Hagia Triada, IA and/or IB. |
| Late Palace II (Matz) New Palace Phase II (Platon) |
LM IB | 1500–1450 (Hutchinson) ?–1450 (Matz) 1510–1450 (Ventris & Chadwick) 1500–1450 (Palmer, Furumark) ?–1450 (Platon) ?–1500 (MacKenzie) |
All the palaces except Knossos were burned ca. 1450, events interpreted by the majority view as the advent of the Greeks and installment at Knossos. |
| Late Palace II (Matz) New Palace Phase III (Platon) Palace Period (Evans, MacKenzie) |
LM II | 1450–1400 (Hutchinson, Palmer, Furumark, Matz, Platon) 1450–1405 (Ventris & Chadwick) |
The period ends with a destruction by fire of all the palaces on Crete from unknown causes. They were, of course, reoccupied. |
| Post-Palace Phase I (Platon) | LM IIIA | 1400– (Matz) 1400–1320 (Platon) 1400–1300 (Hutchinson) |
Linear B tablets ca. 1400 (Evans and his defender, Boardman) |
| Post-Palace Phases II, III (Platon) | LM IIIB | 1300–1200 (Hutchinson) 1320–1280 (II), 1260–1150 (III) (Platon) |
Linear B tablets ca. 1200 (Palmer, doubter of Evans' chronology) |
| LM IIIC | ?–1100 (Matz) 1260–1050 (Willetts) |
A general Mycenaean Greek palace destruction by fire on the mainland and Crete happened in a window of time ca. 1200 at the end of IIIB. How wide a window is not known, nor are the causes for sure. Some possibilities are any or all of civil strife, the Sea Peoples, the Dorians. | |
| Subminoan Age (Platon, Matz, Willetts) | 1100– (Matz) 1150–1000 (Platon) 1075–1025 (Furumark) 1050–900 (Willetts) |
This period is considered a Mycenaean Greek holdout against the Dorian Greeks arriving at this time. Its end marks the completion of assimilation to them. |
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