Archaeological Views: View from the West: Why Aegean Archaeology Matters

I passionately believe that the Aegean matters because it culturally represents the western-most sphere of ancient Near Eastern influence, which in turn influenced developing European nations. Aegean seafarers, traders and crafters were engaged in cultural exchange with the east, and ultimately the Aegeans were a major artistic and cultural influence on the Philistines, who were perhaps ethnically related to them. The Philistines, in turn, had a large impact on the Israelites, especially during the period of the Judges and the United Monarchy. Thus Aegean culture is important for understanding Biblical archaeology.

The Aegean refers to Bronze Age Greece, including the Minoan civilization of Crete (c. 1900–1450 B.C.E.) and the Mycenaean civilizations of Mainland Greece (c. 1500–1200 B.C.E.) and Crete (c. 1450–1200 B.C.E.).