ANCIENT CRETE.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIV, Issue 9412, 5 April 1909, Page 7

ANCIENT CRETE.

Most of ns, if questioned, 'would probably give Egypt as the oldest civilised country on record; but the pride of place, according to a London Times correspondent, must in fact, be given to the little island of Crete. From recent excavations made in the island, the astonishing opinion has been advanced by a scientist that the Cretan or Minoan civilisation can be traced back to the year 10,000 B.O.—that is, to about 5000 years before the eailiest ' record of Egyptian history. Few, indeed would have imagined that this now insignificant isle, was onCe the mistress of the Mediterranean, the terror of other nations, strong enough to attack even Egypt in the height of her glory. Yet so it was; and the recent “finds” which have rewarded the excavators tell a striking story: the many-storied palaces, some of the pottery, even the dresses of the ladies“seem to belong to the modern rather than the ancient world. What, therefore,’ led to the degradation of so mighty a people—a degradation which Saul of Tarsus notices in the passage : ‘ The Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, slow bellies”? The answer would seem tq be that this maritime race, confident in their long supremacy at sea, left their cities unfortified, and the neglect of their land defences proved their ruin. 'This • must, however, have occurred in the twilight of history; and its interest is accentuated on account of the literary references that cluster round this ancient civilisation. Plato, for instance, tells us that in bye-gone ages there had been-a great island State in the west which in an attempt at universal conquest, made war against, and was defeated by, Egypt and Qreoee ; and we also have that enchanting page of mythology which tells of bow the ancient hero Theseus slew, with the aid of Ariadne, the Cretan Minotaur, that wicked monster with the bull’s head and human body, which bad done so much havoc fro damsels 'And warriors. History records many strange reverses in persons and States; but none stranger than the case of Crete.