The thirst for progress, victories and conquests, the desire of those in power to assert their dominance - all this is present in the cultures of all peoples. But the Cretan-Mycenaean civilization stands apart. We will not see in her either trepidation before the rock, nor the glorification of the exploits of the conquerors, nor the deification of despotic power.
Unlike the great creations from ancient Mesopotamia, Babylon and Egypt, the art of the island of Crete, located south of the Aegean Sea, reflected the pure joy of life, where life was portrayed as a continuous holiday, and the perception of the world was serene, easy, jubilant. It is difficult to imagine a human society living in such an ideal world, but the fact is obvious that the people who created these cultural monuments believed in the magical power of art, which reached its peak in the 3rd and 2nd millennia BC.
Ancient Crete became famous for its myths about the gods in love, the legend of Icarus - the first person to fly into the sky. Here was born the patron saint of all gods - Zeus.
Very little information has been preserved on the social structure of the ancient kingdom on the island of Crete. But the Cretan-Mycenaean civilization reveals a certain veil of secrecy in the preserved monuments of architecture and art. One of the notable phenomena testifying to the special features of Cretan building art is the preserved palaces. The most famous of them is the Maze Palace in Knossos. It is called so because of the intricate mysterious moves, countless rooms.
Huge in size (twenty thousand square meters) the palace does not look heavy and bulky. This is a distinctive feature of Cretan architecture.
It must have been that everyday life flowed calmly and comfortably among the white walls with dark columns along them, lit by natural sunlight, penetrating through special "light wells". Magnificent utensils were preserved in the pantries: gold and silver utensils, huge clay pithos for storing wine and olive oil.
But perhaps the most important value of the Knossos Palace is wall painting.
One of the most remarkable fragments of painting is the profile of a young woman. The eye, as was customary in the Egyptian fine canons, is in the face. But this image has a completely different spirit - it has a lively face, a slightly upturned nose, and swirling curls of dark hair. Lifely, seductive image, not without reason securing the name "Parisian".
The Crito-Mycenaean civilization found its continuation and further flourishing in Mycenae, where art flourished after the collapse of Crete. Being strongly influenced by the culture of the latter, Mycenaean civilization, however, had its own style features. This is noticeable, first of all, in the principles of urban planning, monumental sculpture and architecture.
Mycenaean buildings are surrounded by huge walls made of natural stone. Other in style are the famous Lion Gate. The relief depicting two lionesses is filled with an expression of strength and militancy, which were not characteristic of Cretan art.
The pathos of power, the thirst for victory, are also heard in hunting scenes depicted on gold inlaid daggers.
Like other ancient cultures, the Cretan-Mycenaean civilization has sunk into oblivion. But thanks to the priceless preserved cultural monuments, we can feel the past world as it was at the dawn of its existence.