Aegean culture played a great role in the life of people living near Mediterranean Sea. It was developing at the seashores and islands of Aegean Sea, in the west part of Mediterranean for about 2000 years, from 3000 B.C. till 1200 B.C. – at the same time with arts of Egypt.
The centre of Aegean culture was island Crete. The beginning of culture development (custom painting ) on Crete dates back to late Stone Age. In 1871 Schliemann found (archaeological digs) ancient cities.
The geographical situation of Crete (in the west part of Mediterranean) created favourable conditions for trade and navigation development. In the middle of XVIII century catastrophe happened there, but nobody knows which one. There are different hypothesis about it – from seaquake to military invasion. But anyway the culture was not destroyed, quite the contrary – beginning from XVII century it had its golden age. Crete became mighty state.
In this time many art works were created – in architecture ( history of architecture ), painting , ceramics, plastics. Crete’s art is very close to the art of Ancient Orient, but it lacks its monumentality, calm rhythm and symmetry. Archeological digs brought many architectural finds. The most significant architectural monument of that time was Knoss Palace. It was huge architectural complex, had been built some centuries, destroyed and built again. Greek legends about Minotaur and labyrinth were connected with this palace. Decorative character was the main feature of fine arts in Crete. The walls of palaces were covered with decorative painting – frescos. They were done in a shape of panels and friezes. The topics for these paintings were religious-mythological scenes. But not all the painting of Crete was so relative. The scenes from citizens’ everyday life were also depictured in frescos.
People depicted in frescos have same clothes – waist band, and metallic belt. Their moves were light and adroit. The width of breast, the thinness of waist, flexibility of hands and legs were underlined. Obviously, these peculiarities were the signs of beauty. Among all others frescos, that with nature were also very vivid and true to life. Crete ceramics had also very long and hard way of development. The earliest hand-made examples are dated 3000 B.C. and are covered with simple geometric patterns. Till the XVII century B.C. this art reached its fullest flower. The refined vases covered with black varnish and black-and-white flower pattern date this time. With time the painting became more realistic. In painting of XVI century B.C. prevail fish painting , nautilus shells, starfish etc. One of the masterpieces of that period is ceramic vase with octopus from Gurnia. Famous gold bowls with relief bull images, found in Peloponnesus, date back to that brilliant time of Crete art blossoming. This period was also famous by the development of plastic arts. Different statuette of goddess with snakes made of faience or ivory, or tablets with multicolored figures of flying fish, shells were also found on Crete.