People and Culture of Crete
What Shaped the People and Culture of Crete
The people and culture of Crete have been shaped by 5 forces: history, mythology, geography, climate and religion. Cretans carry a heritage that draws on many of the great cultures of the ancient and medieval world.
Crete was home to the Minoans, one of the earliest civilisations in Europe. The pioneer archaeologist Arthur Evans named them "Minoan" after he excavated the palace at Knossos.
History of Crete
Crete has been the focus of attention for many civilisations over the centuries and the influence of conquering nations can be found in its culture, its buildings, its food, and even the look and appearance of its people.
Cretan history starts with the Minoan Civilisation, the first civilisation in Europe, which flourished from about 2700 to 1450 BC. The term Minoan was coined by Sir Arthur Evans, a British born archaeologist, who excavated the site at Knossos. He named the people after the mythic King Minos. The "Minoans" called themselves something different, but we don't know what.
After the decline of the Minoans, Crete was invaded by a series of conquerors starting with the Myceneans. Soon, the Dorians and then later the Romans invaded. When the Roman Empire declined, the Byzantines took their turn and it was at this time that Christianity was established.
The Arabs conquered Crete in the 820s and ruled it until the Byzantines retook the island in 961. After the Fourth Crusade in 1204, Crete passed to Venice, which ruled until the Venetians surrendered Heraklion to the Ottoman Turks in 1669.
The Turks ruled until 1898, after which Crete became an autonomous state under international supervision. In 1913, Crete became part of Greece.
German forces invaded Crete in 1941 and occupied the island after the Battle of Crete.
Each of these rulers left its mark on the people and culture of Crete.
Mythology of Crete
The word Myth is derived from the Greek mythos, which means "story". For the ancients they were a representation of the way people thought, and a means of explaining events and phenomena in their world.
Mythology was an important backdrop to Cretan, and indeed Greek, history.
Crete often features in Greek mythology, and myth makes it the birthplace of Zeus, the King of the Gods. The mythical King Minos was said to have been King of all Crete and kept the fearsome Minotaur in his palace labyrinth.
Daedalos and Icarus reputedly took flight from the south coast Crete village of Agia Galini with their wings made from wax and feathers to escape from King Minos. But flying too close to the sun the wax melted and Icarus fell into the sea.
The tiny island of Gavdos, off the south coast of Crete, is said to be where the nymph Calypso lived. She entranced Odysseus, the King of Ithaca as he made his way home after the Battle of Troy. Odysseus and his ship mates loved the island so much they stayed for a full seven years.
The Cretan Minoan goddess Diktynna, also known as Britomartis, is said to have been born at Kaino amid the Samaria Gorge and White Mountains in western Crete.
King Minos, fell in love with Dyktynna and pursued her for a full nine months chasing her along the length of Crete. But Dyktynna wanted to remain a virgin and would not give in to Minos' attentions. He chased her to the edge of a cliff and being trapped, she threw herself off. The area of this desperate act is now known as Dyktynna.
The Geography of Crete
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Crete’s position in the world has played an important part in shaping the Cretan people and the place they live. Crete lies at the southern edge of Europe, between the Aegean Sea to the north and the Libyan Sea to the south. Crete is the largest of the Greek islands and the fifth largest in the Mediterranean. It has an area of about 8,300 sq km, much of it mountainous. Its position between Europe, Asia and Africa put it at the centre of early Mediterranean trade and culture. |
CRETE FACTS |
Climate of Crete
Crete has long, hot and dry summers. The meltemi, a northerly summer wind, moderates the heat. It cools the north coast beach resorts most, including Platanias, Kalyves, Almyrida, Georgioupolis and the resorts around Rethymno.
The Cretan Diet
The Cretan diet is the traditional way of eating on Crete. The Seven Countries Study followed the health of about 700 men on Crete over 30 years. Compared with the men in the other countries, the Cretan men had the lowest rate of death from heart disease and several forms of cancer, and they lived the longest. Our guide to the traditional Cretan diet explains what Cretans eat.
Religion of Crete
Religion is a strong influence on Cretan life, and Cretans keep religious holidays and festivals faithfully. Almost all Cretans are baptised into the Greek Orthodox Church, and the Church plays a major role in the lives of most of them.
The usual births, marriages and deaths are marked by the Church in the form of baptisms, marriage ceremonies and funerals. But there are so many other important dates in the church calendar that are literally religiously followed.
Saints feast days are honoured and celebrated by the whole village. The many memorial services held after someone dies are as well, if not better attended, than the funeral. Baptisms and weddings are attended by the whole village. The Annunciation, the Assumption, Whit Sunday and the Epiphany all hold special religious significance for the Cretans and attendance at church is expected.
Easter is the biggest celebration of the year, far bigger than Christmas on Crete. The run-up to Easter starts with Carnival, known as Apokries, followed by Lent. Our guide to Easter in Crete describes the customs.
Name days matter more than birthdays to most Cretans. Each person celebrates the feast day of the saint they are named after, and our page on Greek name days explains the custom.
Epiphany on 6 January brings the Blessing of the Waters, known as Agiasmos. Our page on the Blessing of the Waters has video footage and pictures of the ceremony.
National days are kept as faithfully as religious ones. The 28th of October is Oxi Day (pronounced "Ohi"). Oxi is Greek for "No", and the day marks Greece’s refusal of Mussolini’s ultimatum in 1940, when the Italian Army stood ready on the Albanian border to invade.
Graffiti in Greece
Graffiti in Greece often has political roots. Slogans on walls were a way to challenge oppressive governments, and people risked prison or worse to write them. The military junta ruled Greece until 1974, so these slogans are a recent memory for many Greeks. Graffiti on Greek walls and even ancient sites is far older still: some of it dates back thousands of years.
How Crete’s History Shows in Daily Life
Crete’s history still shows in everyday life on the island. The Byzantines established the Orthodox Christianity that shapes the Cretan calendar today. Venice left fortresses, harbours and old town houses in Chania, Rethymno and Heraklion, and its influence reached Cretan literature and music. Ottoman rule left traces in the island’s cooking and in buildings such as mosques and fountains.
Cretans today balance a deep respect for tradition with a fiercely independent spirit, shaped by centuries of foreign rule and resistance.
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