Fluid metaphors : exploring the management, meaning and perception of fresh water in Minoan Crete
This thesis explores the role of fresh water in Bronze Age Crete. It presents a catalogue of Minoan water management systems, and investigates the ways in which these systems were incorporated into broader social, political, economic, religious and cultural processes and practices. While the primary focus of this thesis revolves around the data collected on water management systems, it also explores the place of fresh water in Minoan art, iconography, and ritual action. While water is a fundamental resource, and the provision of fresh water on Crete is affected by special geological, geographic, and climatological issues, this has been a largely neglected area in the literature on Minoan archaeology. The thesis seeks to redress this neglect, and argues that the evidence reveals a culture that was deeply concerned with fresh water, developing technologically sophisticated solutions, and devoting considerable economic resources, and political and religious attention to it. One of the key claims of this thesis is that fresh water was a meaningful and valued commodity in Bronze Age Crete, and certain sources of water were particularly revered. This status was exploited by elite groups, who invested in often monumental
Houseman, Laura Alexandra
Minoan Crete ; Water management systems ; Religion ; Ritual ; Elite ; Politics
Fluid metaphors : exploring the management, meaning and perception of fresh water in Minoan Crete. This thesis explores the role of fresh water in Bronze Age Crete. It presents a catalogue of Minoan water management systems, and investigates the ways in which these systems were incorporated into broader social, political, economic, religious and cultural processes and practices. While the primary focus of this thesis revolves around the data collected on water management systems, it also explores the place of fresh water in Minoan art, iconography, and ritual action. While water is a fundamental resource, and the provision of fresh water on Crete is affected by special geological, geographic, and climatological issues, this has been a largely neglected area in the literature on Minoan archaeology. The thesis seeks to redress this neglect, and argues that the evidence reveals a culture that was deeply concerned with fresh water, developing technologically sophisticated solutions, and devoting considerable economic resources, and political and religious attention to it. One of the key claims of this thesis is that fresh water was a meaningful and valued commodity in Bronze Age Crete, and certain sources of water were particularly revered. This status was exploited by elite groups, who invested in often monumental
fluid metaphor explore management mean perception fresh water minoan_crete explore_role fresh water bronze_age_crete present catalogue minoan water_management system investigate_way system incorporate broad_social political_economic religious_cultural process practice primary_focus revolve_around data_collect water_management system also_explore place fresh water minoan art iconography ritual_action water fundamental resource provision fresh water crete affect special geological geographic issue largely_neglected area literature minoan archaeology seek_redress neglect argue evidence_reveals culture deeply concerned fresh water develop technologically sophisticated solution devote considerable economic_resource political_religious attention one_key claim fresh water meaningful value commodity bronze_age_crete certain source water particularly status exploit elite_group invest often monumental