Social Organisation

The traditional Cretan society whose arts and crafts are presented in this exhibition first began to develop about 1000 years ago, abandoning ancient models. During the first 250 years after Crete was brought back under the wing of the Byzantine Empire, Cretan society was moulded into new cultural forms. These were adopted with various unique features due to the character of the Cretan people.

In 1205 this society, organised in a liberal feudal system, was enslaved once more for 700 years, during which all privileges, justice, education, church hierarchy, commerce and sea trade were abolished.

In spite of ceaseless rebellions and guerrilla warfare, Cretans organised a liberal classless society, with equal rights for all. Its main feature is respect for the person, whether man or woman. Despite its apparent patriarchal structure, this social model is imbued with a relaxed matriarchal influence, as observed in the populations of many Aegean islands.

TOKEN EXHIBITION IN HONOUR OF LEROI-GOURHAN

A society based on oral tradition leaves little material evidence of intellectual expression. Therefore, as a tribute to the French André Leroi-Gourhan, the greatest European anthropologist and ethnologist, we preface the “social organisation” display with three sections, bearing the titles of his chief works: “ Man and Matter ”, “ Gesture and Speech ”, “ Environment and Technics ”. These sum up his research and observations on man’s successive basic steps towards civilisation, and are illustrated by selections of photographs of Crete from our archives.