Shortly before 1900 BC the first of the palaces were built, at Knossos, Pastes, Malia and Zakros. They represent another significant and apparently abrupt change: a shift of power back to the centre of the island and the emergence of a much more hierarchical, ordered society. The sites of these palaces were also no accident: Festos and Malia both dominate fertile plains whilst Zakros had a superbly sited harbour for trade with the east. Knossos, occupying a strategic position above another plain to the south and west of Iraklion, was perhaps originally as much a religious centre as a base of secular power: certainly at this time religion took on a new importance, with the widespread use of mountain-top peak sanctuaries and caves as cult centres- At the same time much larger towns were growing up. especially around the palaces, and in the countryside substantial "villas" appeared. The palaces themselves are proof of the islands great prosperity at this period, and the artefacts found within offer further evidence. Advances were made in almost every field of artistic and craft endeavour.

From the First Palace era came the famous Kamares Ware pottery - actually two distinct styles, one eggshell thin and delicate, the other sturdier with bold-coloured designs. The true potters wheel (as against the turntable) was introduced for the first time, along with a simple form of hieroglyphic writing. Elaborate jewellery, seals and bronze work were also being produced.

Cretan bronze was used throughout the Mediterranean, and its production and distribution were dependent on a wide-ranging maritime economy. For though Crete may have produced some copper at this time, it never yielded tin, the nearest significant sources of which were as distant as Iran to the east, central Europe in the north, Italy, Spain, Brittany and even Britain in the west. While some claim that Minoan ships actually sailed as far a field as the Atlantic, it seems more likely that the more exotic goods were obtained through middlemen. Nevertheless, in the Mediterranean Crete controlled the trade routes, importing tin, copper, ivory, gold, silver and precious stones of every kind, exporting timber from its rich cypress forests, olive oil, wine, bronze goods and its fine pottery, especially to Egypt.



Minoan colonies or trading posts were established on many Cycladic islands as well as the island of Kithira off the Peloponnese, Rhodes and the coast of Asia Minor; a fleet of merchant vessels maintained regular trade links between these centres and, above alt, with Egypt and the east. Around 1700 BC, the palaces were destroyed for the first time, probably by earthquake, although raiders from the early Mycenaean Greek mainland may also have seized this opportunity to raid the island whilst it was temporarily defenceless; this may well account for the wealth of gold and other treasure - much of it obviously Cretan - found in the later royal shaft graves at Mycenae