Economy

In addition to crop and livestock farming, the Minoan economy was based on light industry, pottery, metalwork and seal-cutting practised in palace and villa workshops. The production and trading of goods was monitored at the palaces, the chief exports being olive oil, wine and items produced in the workshops.

It has been established that Crete maintained trade, economic and cultural ties with other areas in the Aegean and mainland Greece, including Thera (Santorini), Rhodes, Kythira, Milos, Miletos, Laconia, Thebes and Messinia, as well as with Cyprus, Syria, Palestine and Egypt. Raw materials such as copper, tin, silver, ivory and faience made up the bulk of imports into Crete.