The wheel became widespread with wagons, carts and chariots drawn by horses, making migration, especially warlike migration, that much easier. However trade also increased including weapons, precious metals, jewellery, ornaments and pottery. A surprising example of long-distance trade was amber beads from Wessex that were found in the shaft graves in Mycenae, Greece. European Bronze Age chiefs and their followers extended their power by slave ownership, metal mining, horse breeding and the control of farm surpluses and trade. Raiding and warfare increased, as possessions became symbols of power and prestige. Settlements became increasingly fortified. The need for metal ores across Europe led to significantly increased trade over sea, river and land routes, although Britain’s only real export around 2,200 BC, but probably earlier, was tin from Cornwall to be used to produce bronze. Bronze Age Irish axes have been found in Denmark and British tin in Switzerland and Germany.

10.3 Minoan Crete

From the start of the Neolithic Period there is evidence showing the development of seafaring and trading in the Aegean Sea, and it is at this time that pottery first appeared in Europe. Probably the most advanced early centres of European pottery production were in Crete and Thessaly, Greece. One of the first recorded urban developments in Europe was on Crete, an island in the Mediterranean Sea, populated by people known later as the Minoans. They were named after Minos, the legendary king of the island. The earliest evidence of a settlement on Crete is at Knossus, dated around 7,000 BC at which time they had domesticated plants and animals. The origins of the Minoans are unclear, as is their language, although it is speculated that it might have originated in Anatolia. It is likely that Cretan success and dominance in the Eastern Mediterranean was linked to their prowess in seamanship.

There were a number of distinctive different styles of pottery during the Minoan Era, which aids the dating of archaeological sites not only on Crete but also in the many countries where its exported pots have been found. The two most noted styles are the Kamares palace ware and the later all-over painted marine wares.

The earliest Cretan ceramic objects appear to be two fired clay figures dated between 6,000 and 5,700 BC. However, the earliest pottery vessels so far discovered date to around 5,700 BC, when buildings were made of fired bricks on stone foundations. This early Cretan hand-made Neolithic pottery is remarkable for it’s finely hand burnished, dark coloured surface - any decoration being incised or dot-impressed, often filled with white and occasionally red paste. Handles and rims were quite sophisticated, indicating a reasonably mature technology.

By 3,700 BC the inhabitants had become a mix of indigenous and immigrant settlers, the latter bringing in new ceramic traditions, which included some new body shapes. Decoration now included a rippled relief effect. An interesting “chalice” shape became popular that had a wide cup on an inverted funnel-shaped base making it stable, which might have been primarily for ritual use. Much pottery of this date had a black ground with incised lines.