Sir Arthur Evans and Minoan Crete

Nanno Marinatos reexamines Sir Arthur Evans's contributions to Aegean archaeology, challenging the perception of him as merely a flamboyant figure. She posits that Evans was a skilled archaeologist who employed scientific observation and classification in his work. By integrating anthropology, comparative religion, and the analysis of cultic artifacts, he developed an innovative approach termed 'mental anthropology' by Sir James Frazer. This shift in focus from Homeric narratives to a broader Mediterranean context marked a significant evolution in the study of Greek prehistoric archaeology.