Episode 2 – Circles and Labyrinths

Contemporary with early Sumer and Egypt, the Norte Chico thrived along the Peruvian coast, while the Neolithic Britons built their mysterious stone circles. The first European civilization, the Minoans of ancient Crete, exerted a strong cultural influence over the eastern Mediterranean.

Episode Images:

https://audio.ancientworldpodcast.com/02_Images.pdf

Series References and Further Reading:

https://audio.ancientworldpodcast.com/TOS_References.pdf

19 thoughts on “Episode 2 – Circles and Labyrinths

  1. Great podcast. A bit info overload for me, but if I pause every once in awhile to check wikipedia or a map I'm ok. Were you going to include links in here somewhere? That would be really cool. Also the link in the podcast info doesoesn't come here. That might be a good idea. Looking forward to my morning commute 🙂

  2. Sorry about the overload, but glad you're enjoying the podcast! On the right-hand side of this blog page, I include links (maps & images) associated with each episode. Sometimes they really help with following the material. Could you clarify about the "link in the podcast info doesn't come here"? Are you referrring to the website link in iTunes? Thanks again for listening.

  3. SorrySorry!
    I was using my smartphone and the links on the right do not show up on the mobile version of this site. But when I switched to "View web version" it is viewable on my smartphone.
    When I open the podcast using Doubletwist on android and click on information, there is a link that I thought would take me to this page, but it is a link for the podcast?
    http://s407341505.onlinehome.us/Episode_2_Circles_and_Labyrinths.mp3
    Maybe it is something technical that I should ignore.
    Got the web version bookmarked so I can follow along with the maps while listening. Really good stuff and like you said, hard to find information compared with the classical period.

  4. No problem, I'm just glad the site wasn't broken! And the link you post above is a link you would right-click in order to download the audio-file (mp3) for Episode 2. Not familiar with the Doubletwist interface, but hopefully it will work OK for you. Thanks again! PS Now that you have the right-hand side info, you're welcome to check out the Facebook link as well. I sometimes post more informal updates there.

  5. Just started listening and loving it so far.

    I might be too late to this party but I wonder if anyone knows a good popular-ish history book on the Norte Chico?

  6. Hi Scott. I'm just getting started with your podcast, and am really enjoying it! I chose it because I found myself wondering, "What the heck was going on before all that history I usually read about?" In one of these early episodes, you commented something along the lines of "writing was only invented X times and government (?) was only invented Y times. Can you remind me of which episode talks about that?

  7. Hi,
    I just started listening to this podcast from the beginning, and I came here to find the maps you mention. On the right of my page though, I only see “Recent Posts” and “Recent Comments.” Are the old supplemental materials not up anymore, or are they in a different place?

    1. Hi Julie, I’m sorry to report that I switched podcasting platforms since I started the series, and I (unfortunately) lost some functionality in the move. Your question is a common (and very reasonable) one, and I will plan to look into the best way to provide access to this old media for new listeners. Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you enjoy the podcast. Thanks! – Scott C.

      1. Hi,
        I’ve the same problem, I looked long and hard for 5hos3 but there none to be found like a pacifist Assyrian who does not like to build palaces.

        1. Hi! Again, I am very sorry. I will do my best to fix this issue this month before I launch my new series. Take care! – Scott C.

        2. FYI, I just added References and Images (where appropriate) for the original series. Will do the same for the other series over the course of the next month. Thanks for the interest, take care! – Scott C.

    2. FYI, I just added References and Images (where appropriate) for the original series. Will do the same for the other series over the course of the next month. Thanks for the interest, take care! – Scott C.

  8. I appreciate how you frame the egalitarian nature of Minoan society as well as the role of women and the lack of warfare — is there any evidence or insight that perhaps much shifted with the growth of palaces and, thus, seemingly increased hierarchy?
    I’ve also visited both Crete and Akrotiri and was struck by the similarity of the ancient village structures with the contemporary island villages in the Cyclades — winding and connecting streets between closely built houses, such as the village of Marpissa on Paros Island (which has remained one of the more traditional inland villages). I am looking for research that shows potential continuities between the egalitarian agricultural/ fishing villages of modern Greece and the Minoans. I wonder if such work exists. I’d be curious to see if you noticed or theorized any parallels. Thank you, Mika

    1. Hi Mika, Nice to meet you, thanks for stopping by. I did some updated research on the Minoans for a Bronze Age series I did a few years ago. One interesting theory I came across was that it the horribly destructive earthquake that struck the island (a few decades before the eruption of Thira) may’ve led to a Minoan “crisis of faith” in both their (female-dominated) religious pantheon and even the basic (egalitarian) nature of their society. After this catastrophe, they appeared to be more open to adopting alternate models – most of which (in the Middle Bronze Age) were hierarchical and patriarchal. The process culminated (post Thira eruption) with the Mycenaean domination of the island. Good luck with your research, take care! – Scott C.

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