CHRONOLOGY

BC

c.21,000	Paleolithic man-made stone wall within a cave in Theopetra near Kalambaka on the northern edge of the Thessalian Plain.
c.7000–4400	Proto-ceramic/Early Neolithic settlement of Sesklo in Thessaly.
c.7000	Proto-ceramic/Early Neolithic settlement in the Knossos region of Crete.
c.4800–4500	Middle/Late Neolithic settlement of Dimini in Thessaly.
c.3100	Start of Bronze Age culture on mainland Greece, the Cyclades and Crete.
c.3100–1900	Minoan Prepalatial Period on Crete (EM I–III & MM IA).
c.3000–2600	Initial settlement in Troy I.
c.2700–2000	Organized settlements in the Cyclades.
c.2600–2300	Period of EM II pottery.
c.2500–2200	Early Bronze Age strong fortified settlement of Lerna in Argolis.
c.2400	Destruction of Troy II.
c.2000–1800	Migration from Central Europe/Asia Minor to mainland Greece.
c.1930	Building of the first huge labyrinth in Knossos.
c.1930–1700	Social and political development of the Minoan Protopalatial Period on Crete (MM IB–IIB). Destruction of most of the earlier Cretan palaces at the end of this period.
c.1700–1450	Minoan Neopalatial Period on Crete (MM III–LM IB). Minoan colonies formed across the Southern Aegean, from Kithera to Jasos. Building of the Minoan trading empire and thalassocracy. Trading posts established with force.
c.1700–1200	Troy VI established by Neo-Trojans.
c.1650–1550	Grave Circle B at Mycenae (LH I).
c.1650	Foundation of Hattusas-Bogazkoy by Hattusili I.
c.1628	Cataclysmic eruption of Thera (Santorini).
c.1600	Cyclades under Minoan influence.
c.1550–1425	Grave Circle A at Mycenae (LH I–IIB).
c.1500–1450	Zenith of the Neopalatial Cretan civilization in art and architecture; destruction of Mochlos, Achaeans at Knossos, Phaistos, Haghia Triada, Kydonia and Malia on Crete (Linear B), and the Cyclades (LM 1B–II).
Beginning of LM II (1440–1425)	Achaean rulers well established in Knossos; second destruction of Mochlos and desecration by external intruders of its important ceremonial building in the last quarter of 15th century BC.