Philistines and Minoans

An Historical Study (12 December, 2018, 4 Tevet, 5778)

Contents:
1. Introduction. Exile of the Ten Tribes by Land and by Sea
2. The Spread of Minoan Influence
3. Minoan Achievements
4. Carians, Myceneans, Philistines
5. Phoenicians
6. The British Isles
7. Did Britomartis represent Britain?
8. End of the Bronze Age?
9. More Brit-Am Sources on the Subject
10. Some Biblical Sources

Addenda: Minoan DNA
Were the ancient Egyptians the source of two civilizations that preceded the Classical periods of the ancient Greeks and Romans, in the Minoans and Estruscans?
Nick Deakin, CEO (Aerospace)
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1. Introduction. Exile of the Ten Tribes by Land and by Sea

The Israelites were exiled by the Assyrians. Many, possibly the majority, were taken overland to Assyria and the outskirts of the Assyrian Empire in Cities of the Medes (Media), etc. They linked up with other peoples creating federations known as the Cimmerians and Scythians, and Guti (Goths). These moved to the west taking the Israelites with them. They merged among Celtic and Germanic-speaking cultures.

In addition, there was another movement to the west, by Way of the Sea!
Philistine and Phoenician seafarers had been conquered by the Assyrians, or otherwise linked up with them. They were used as proxies to establish colonies. The Assyrians wanted minerals i.e. copper, tin, silver, gold. The copper was available from Spain and Wales, the tin from Cornwall. Tin and copper alloyed together make bronze. Some copper was also available from Cornwall itself along with the tin. The Assyrians were also interested in agricultural and other products for their Empire. The Minoans together with Edomites and Phoenicians organized, on behalf of the Assyrians, a massive transplanting of Hebrew captives to Western areas. The Philistines were one of the involved parties. They helped move the Israelites by sea. In archaeological terms the Philistines are identified as Minoans from Crete and as Myceneans from Greece. The Philistine city of Gaza was also called Minoa due to its close association with the Minoans. A Minoan colony was found in Northern Germany. Bronze Age Sweden is considered to have been a Minoan colony. We date this activity to after 600 BCE BUT conventional academy places it up to a 1000 years (sic.) earlier. They are wrong. More details regarding our understanding of these matters are to be found in our other works, especially "Origin."
To understand all a little more it is worth considering what is known concerning the parties involved.

Here is a summary and compilation based on different articles by Nick Deakin concerning the Minoans. Many direct quotations are employed. Unless otherwise stated ALL noted quotations derive from Nick Deakin.
https://www.quora.com/profile/Nick-Deakin-4

Crete was the center of Minoan Civilization. It was destroyed by a volcanic explosion of the Island of There (Santorina), assumed to have occurred in ca. 1600 BCE.
Before that they had reached a very high standard in both art and science.

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2. The Spread of Minoan Influence

Based on art forms Minoan influence is to be found on Greek islands and in Portugal, Spain, the Netherlands, and Scandinavia. Phoenician influence is also found in these areas. It is usually assumed that the Phoenicians came after the Minoans but we understand they were contemporary and both worked together in Assyrian employ.

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Deakin
What ancient civilization is your favorite to study?

# the islands were used as 'safe' redistribution centres for goods including metals (money for all practical purposes at the time) for onward transportation and trade with mainland ports. The iconography is common on the islands and the Thalassocracies they gave rise to much later in history: Portugal, Spain, Britain, Dutch, Nordic (Vikings). What they have in common is Tin and Silver extraction, this is well supported by Minoan DNA (descendants) and particularly in Celtic and Viking art. Long distance trade may have been brisk before Bronze Age collapse. We can also see that there are currents and routes which would be beneficial to utilise under oar. These ideas seem to be adopted by those on the Atlantic rim and by the Mediterranean islands. #

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3. Minoan Achievements

The Minoans had impressive technical, technological, scientific, and artistic achievements.

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Deakin

# Their art is jaw-dropping considering its date, here are some more examples. I like the movement it conveys and it often includes scientific and astronomical observations embedded within it.

#... their technology is more impressive: first European paved road, concrete, arches, hypocaust, aqueducts, hot and cold running to dwelling, steam rooms, multistore buildings, alabaster glazing, fountains, plumbing, sewers, seal authentication and economic planning, the first examples of printing... sophisticated tools (optical lens) and instrumentation for their time (Labyrs [double-axes] an early Jacob's staff [sextant]) and the most extraordinary ships (composite white hulled ships would not be seen again until 1950). A lot of this was lost in bronze age collapse and in some cases would take centuries or millennia to be rediscovered. Minoa seems to be well ahead of the curve. ###

# ... having the worlds first Navy to import the raw materials of the world : Amber and agricultural bulks from the North, Lapis Lazuli from Afghanistan to the East, Papyrus and Gold from the Egypt/Africa, and Tin from the West to power the regional bronze age economy. #

# The ships are not slightly better than later ships they are superior in many regards. It is not just the ships which are seaworthy it is the likely instrumentation and astronomical knowledge that the Minoan possessed that enabled long-distance trade across the high seas, without the navigational tools this would be fraught with difficulties and danger. The ship technology doesn't seem to pass to other citystates, the manufacturer techniques may have been closely guarded by Palace controlled yards (the ships offer a distinct commercial and military advantage).

# Minoan buildings are aligned off true North to magnetic north, a single possible land-based compass has been found and magnetite was available from Skyros, it seems likely they had and used compasses well before the Chinese, to maintain bearing. Labyr [double-headed axes] could be used as Jacob's staff, for establishing latitude, caged birds for longitude that face longingly towards their migratory destination.

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4. Carians, Myceneans, Philistines

A commonly repeated theme on Seal depicts a Cretan warrior in combat with Carian. Caria is on the coast of southwest Turkey near Troy. Archaeological findings associate the Philistines with Caria. The Carians supplied soldiers and sailors to the Minoans. Herodotus said the Carians were descendants of the Minoans. The Horites were a Canaanite people identified with Seir who later merged with the Edomites. An equation of the Horites with the Carians has been suggested by others.

The Minoans were centered on the island of Crete which was later taken from them by the Myceaneans. Mycenea is in southeast Greece (Peloponesse). Mycenean civilization came to dominate southern Greece, Crete, the Cyclades and parts of southwest Anatolia. The period of Greek history from about 1600 BC to about 1100 BC is called Mycenaean. In the Land of Israel numerous finds are identified as Mycenean. So too, in Britain. Mycenean artifacts have been found at Stonehenge.

Regarding the Philistines, Wikipedia ("Philistines") tells us:

# Some biblical passages connect the Philistines to other biblical groups such as Caphtorim and the Cherethites and Pelethites, which have both been identified with Crete which has led to the tradition of an Aegean origin.... In 2016, a large Philistine cemetery was discovered, containing more than 150 dead buried in oval-shaped graves, indicating an Aegean origin. #

The Philistines are also ascribed both an origin from Cyprus and Anatolia. In addition there was what seems to have been a Philistine enclave in northern Syria in the region of Alleppo i.e. the Biblical Hamath area.

# In 2003, a statue of a king named Taita bearing inscriptions in Luwian was discovered during excavations conducted by German archeologist Kay Kohlmeyer in the Citadel of Aleppo.The new readings of Anatolian hieroglyphic signs ... were conducive to the conclusion that the country ruled by Taita was called Palistin.....Hittitologist John David Hawkins (who translated the Aleppo inscriptions) hypothesizes a connection between the Syro-Hittite Palistin and the Philistines... Gershon Galil suggests that King David halted the Arameans' expansion into the Land of Israel on account of his alliance with the southern Philistine kings, as well as with Toi, king of amath, who is identified with Tai(ta) II, king of Palistin (the northern Sea Peoples).
# ... Singer proposes (based on archeological finds) that a branch of the Philistines settled in Tell Tayinat and were replaced or assimilated by a new Luwian [from Anatolia] population who took the Palistin name.

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Deakin

# The Carians from Delos and likely adjacent islands supplied soldiers and crew to Minos but were later driven out from the islands and resettled on Caria, this may have tipped the balance of power. The Mycenaeans later gained control of Crete around 1400 BCE, the Minoans scattered to three corners by the surviving DNA, the world inherited fragments of what they knew. #

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5. Phoenicians

According to DNA, says Deakin, the Minoans came from the Sardinia.

Deakin

There is evidence of technology exchange from Minoa to Phoenicia around the Bronze age collapse, the Phoenicians picked up where the Minoans left off. There is a misconception that ancient sailors kept close to the coastline (approximately 4kms to the horizon), this would be risky, currents could easily drive you onto rocks.

Phoenician ships and astronomical knowledge don't appear to be as sophisticated, but at least some of this was preserved and the Phoenicians did eventually re-establish these trade networks.

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6. The British Isles

A Minoan presence may be traced to Ancient England and Ireland. Minoan DNA has been found at its highest oncentration in Britain and its adjoining islands, see Addenda Below and accompanying Maps and diagrams.
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Deakin
https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-most-unexplained-discovery-from-ancient-times/answer/Nick-Deakin-4
... bronze tools in the Mediterranean are made with tin from Cornwall, Linear A is found in Norway Academia.edu - Share research, Egyptian glass beads in England, Apes in Ireland. All these cultures have similar iconography (triskelion) and have a similar belief system at this time

. triskelion shape

Deakin

Minoans that could, seem to scatter to all four corners after the Thera eruption to at least try to setup a new colonies or reestablish themselves at allied trading ports (North to Delphi, and Troy - taking a high-temperature furnace technology to process Iron Ore - it was known to them - e.g. NO Tin was available, a new age had begun!), East to the Levant (becoming the wandering Philistines, the seafaring ones Phoenicians), possibly South to Egypt to buy new lands, almost certainly West to Iberia and the islands to try to re-establish the Tin supply and possible further beyond the pillars of Hercules - the highest concentration of surviving Minoan DNA in Europe is in Oxford, I have no explanation for this, their composite hull ships were seaworthy and they had, more importantly, the navigational skills and ships to undertake long distance voyages than they are given credit for, they did trade with Iberia, they may have gone further to Brittany and Britannia to setup a colony in the British Isles (Orkney/Isle of Wight - they seem to favour defencable islands), there is a tomb in Northumbria (the main road between Cornwall and the Scottish Islands) that would allow double axe to be gravity cast in quantity, it could explain British interest in maritime pursuits. The entrance stone at New Grange in Ireland is full of Triskelion (that show how the currents in the Mediterranean flow) and the mythology of the invasions of Ireland has all the hallmarks of Minoan culture and organisation (a crew of a single ship negotiated a peace treaty for half of Ireland).

The Carian were known to supply crew and soldiers to Minos, they paid no tribute to Minos, they were likely paid by Crete and other islands in the Cyclades trading cluster for proving oarsman and soldiers (marine detachments t
I concur with this view, who had optical lenses? Minoan rock crystal lens are found in quantity in Crete and shows generally the state of Minoan sophistication, in the arts. It is not one it's many: metallurgy, jewellery, furniture, architecture, engineering, they excelled in the technical disciplines.

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7. Did Britomartis represent Britain?

Britomartis was a Greek goddess of mountains and hunting, who was primarily worshipped on the Island of Crete.

Wikipedia says:

Britomart figures in Edmund Spenser's knightly epic The Faerie Queene, where she is an allegorical figure of the virgin Knight of Chastity, representing English virtue, in particular, English military power, through a folk etymology that associated Brit-, as in Briton, with Martis, here thought of as "of Mars", the Roman war god. In Spenser's allegory, Britomart connotes the Virgin Queen, Elizabeth I of England.

A Minoan Inscription departs a Mythological Scene that Deakin interprets as a kind of map such as was often used by the Minoans. This map in effect traces the source of tin to Spain and Britain. This would later be made known tot he Phoenicians who went to great pains to keep it secret from others.
Deakin suggests that Britomartis gave her name to Britain.
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Deakin

Artemis has a hunting companion, Britomatis, the mistress of Nets and Navigation, she is often shown above Artemis in Minoan iconography. Another Minoan state secret, the source of the Tin, they had quite a few. Using their directional system, Artemis takes you west to the pillars of Hercules (Iberia) and then Britomatis North following the coast to another source of tin. The Phoenicians that came later would scupper their ships rather than be followed to its source. The Minoans seem to have embedded this knowledge in their iconography, it's hidden in plain view.

North - Magna Matis (mother Earth), confirmed by Dragon boat referencing Draco with its Pole the snake star 'Thuban' and South (Apollo) confusingly flipped in the impression below, both small. The sisters-in-law (large) draw attention to the longitudinal axis, the directionality of the deities (hands and boat) to the West. Note: The hand level at the Sun markers on the horns of consecration tends to suggest a reference to the Autumn Equinox or Directions (on the above seal Venus does the same to show Spring Equinox). This is the first recorded example (Ca. 2000BCE) I'm aware of that MAY suggest Britain was the name used in deepest antiquity (and is also well referenced by the Phoenicians that wrote this down, so the etymology can be confirmed). Minoans must have been very spacially aware, their art shows that the population were all familiar with looking at scenes from a different perspective, in fact they would do so in the same scene.

Global trade was very good in the bronze age, Lapis Lazuli crosses the silk road from Afghanistan (east), Tin from Iberia (west), amber from North Europe, Ivory and Gold from Africa in the south, connecting three continents which were converted by the Minoans into high value (desirable) trade goods for export and allowing them to import amongst other things, food.

Two superpowers of the time (pre-Thera) were the Minoan trading empire of the islands (with the Navy) and Egypt, both well naturally protected from casual raiding.

Minoa didn't need fortification for their Palaces, they had a strong Navy and wealth to pay for military campaigns if required, and were superbly organised. They punch well above their weight and did enjoy peace at home in 'blissful isolation,' until Thera erupted.

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8. End of the Bronze Age?
Deakin links the destruction of Minoa through the explosion of Santorina resulted in a lack of tin and perhaps a renewed processing of iron ore.
This could have meant the end of the Bronze Age and the beginning of the Iron Age. The whole Minoan scenario may yet be placed in Neo-Assyrian times i.e. after 700 BCE.
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9. More Brit-Am Sources on the Subject

http://hebrewnations.com/features/bamad/bamad114.html#a2
The ancient Minoan DNA was most similar to populations from western and northern Europe. The population showed particular genetic affinities with Bronze Age populations from Sardinia and Iberia and Neolithic samples from Scandinavia and France.
"The Minoans are Europeans and are also related to present-day Cretans - on the maternal side."
"There is evidence of cultural influence from Egypt to the Minoans and going the other way."

http://hebrewnations.com/articles/secular/extracts18.html#a5
You have mentioned that the tribe of Dan at one point had moved from Crete to Argos, Greece and in many places the name of the tribe of Dan is found on this island.

http://hebrewnations.com/features/bars/bars58.html#a3
Several decades after the eruption the Mycenaeans from mainland Greece conquered the surviving Minoans in Crete and assumed control of the western maritime trade networks of metals from the west. The Iberian El Argar were incorporated and continued to function as an Aegean colony under the Mycenaeans. The Motillas (forts) of the Bronze of Levante culture like the Motilla del Azuer in La Mancha were probably Mycenaean era defenses for a 'Tin Road' connecting the inland tin mines of Cardenas and Madrid with their ports in the southeast. The Mycenaean El Argar era lasted for about two hundred and fifty years until its catastrophic collapse in about 1350 B.C.

Philistines and Israelites in the West.
http://www.britam.org/Peleshet.html
Phoenician Colonies in co-ordination with the Assyrians were established in Spain, Scandinavia, and elsewhere in Northern Europe. Likewise strong indications exist of Phoenicians in Ireland, Britain, and Gaul. Irish and Greek traditions confirm these movements. Archaeological and other evidence (at least concerning Spain) proves that these settlements involved the re-settlement of Israelites. The settlements in Spain lasted until ca. 500 BCE after which they moved to the northwest and then to West France, and Ireland.

Interesting Notes on the Phoenicians; European Links
http://hebrewnations.com/features/bars/bars58.html#a1
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10. Some Biblical Sources
Scripture prophesied that a portion of the Israelites would be exiled by Sea [Isaiah 9:1, 11:11], in large ships and fish-boats (Amos 4:2).
The Ten Tribes were (in part) to be taken away by the Philistines (Amos 1:6,8) and by the Phoenicians of Tyre (Amos 1:9) who would deliver them to Edom in Europe.
The Philistines were culturally Minoans and a leading element amongst them had arrived from Crete the center of Minoan civilization.
Minoans, Myceaneans (from Greece), and Phoenicians were all intertwined with each other to some degree.

Amos 1:
6 Thus says the LORD:
'For three transgressions of Gaza, and for four,
I will not turn away its punishment,
Because they took captive the whole captivity
To deliver them up to Edom.

7 But I will send a fire upon the wall of Gaza,
Which shall devour its palaces.

8 I will cut off the inhabitant from Ashdod,
And the one who holds the scepter from Ashkelon;
I will turn My hand against Ekron,
And the remnant of the Philistines shall perish,'
Says the LORD God.


cf. Amos 4:2-3 in light of the Aramaic Translation of Yehonatan

Amos (MEV) 4:
1 Hear this word, you cows of Bashan, who are on the mountain of Samaria,
who oppress the poor and crush the needy,
who say to their husbands, 'Bring us something to drink!'
2 The LORD God has sworn by His holiness:
Indeed the days are coming upon you
when they will take you away with hooks,
the last one of you with fishhooks.
3 You will go out through breached walls,
every one straight ahead of her;
you will be exiled to Harmon,
says the LORD.

Brit-Am Paraphrase in Light of the Hebrew Text and Aramaic Translation of Yehonatan (ca. 100 CE)

Amos 4:
1 Hear this word, you cows of Bashan, who are on the Mountain of Samaria,
who oppress the poor and crush the needy,
who say to their husbands, 'Bring us something to drink!'
2 The LORD God has sworn by His Holiness:
Indeed the days are coming upon you
when they will take you away with Large Ships
your children with with Fish-Boats.
3 You will go out through breached walls,
every one straight ahead of her;
you will be exiled to the Mountain of Mannae
says the LORD.

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Addenda: Minoan DNA