minoan influences: on them and their influence on others

Cretan Influences
The rugged island of Crete blocks the Aegean Sea from the rest of the Mediterranean. To the south and East of the island lie Asia and Egypt, where, as early as 3000 BC remarkable civilizations where flourishing. Here people lived in cities and had systems of government. They had learned to write and knew something of science. Their art was remarkable and they had established trade with other countries. While Asia and Egypt where living it up in the world of technology, Europe was still banging rocks on cave walls for a good time on Saturday night.
Luckily for Crete, its location enabled the island to be influenced by the advanced civilizations of Asia, Egypt, Mesopotamia and Syria. Trading ships from these countries brought not only goods but also new ideas. These ideas transmitted into mainland Greece and onto Barbarian Europe.
The Minoans adapted these influences to their own purposes. Kind of like Mac Guyver takes the influences of technology, such as his digita...