Is Chania really the oldest continually inhabited city in Europe?
That's what was suggested to me recently. Well, I've been doing some
research and it's probably not the oldest - but certainly up there among them.
In case you're yawning already, I do agree that such statistics and labels are pretty boring on their own. They only become exciting when knowing this information gives us some insight into our own existence, some meaning that is relevant to us living in the here and now.
So, bear with me because I think I've found something pretty exciting and very relevant about Chania and its story.
I've mentioned before my fascination with the Minoans as an inspiring culture of peace, equality, creativity and general joy in living - the last such culture in Europe until its final disappearance in around 1200 BC - and Chania was definitely an important centre for Minoan life on Crete.
Now my recent reading is putting the Minoans into a much bigger context - no less than the whole of human existence on earth. The Ancient Problem with Men by Bruce Garrard is an exploration into how our state of warfare and oppressive social structures came about. It's taught me a lot - and, like me, it is certainly not anti-male as the title might suggest.
Humans - in our various forms - have inhabited this planet for about 2 million years and 'modern' humans (homo sapiens sapiens) for between 100,000 and 200,000 years. Big numbers. So how come the milestones of what we learn and know of as 'history' usually take us from primitive cave people to Ancient Egyptians, then Classical Greeks and Romans and finally to Christianity, spanning a time period of only around 5,000 years?
Look at the numbers of years like this:
Whole human history 2,000,000
Homo sapiens 200,000
'History' we learn about 5,000
Do you think we might be missing a trick in understanding who we actually are? When you look further into what was going on during the big number centuries, you discover that humans were far from primitive or brutal in their relationship with each other. They (we) actually evolved as social, co-operative, peaceable beings with an awareness of spirit and an intrinsic role in the earth's eco-system - and their natural mode of relationship with each other was co-operation and affection.
Then, starting around 6,000 years ago, humans developed behaviour patterns that led to violence, cruelty, war, taboos around sex and other bodily functions and domination of men over women, masters over slaves, one race over another. In other words, seriously stressful, warped, unnatural behaviour which is clearly to the detriment of both the oppressors and the oppressed.
All of us lose from this way of living and I feel that we all know in our hearts that it's not meant to be this way. We also know from just looking at the world around us that it is unsustainable. It has been suggested that the true natural law for development of humanity is not a matter of 'survival of the fittest' based on competition but 'survival of the most loving' based on co-operation.
And where does Chania come into this? Well, again it's a matter of numbers. In most cities in Europe, there is little evidence or imprint of the 'loving culture'. Not only did it largely die out around 5-6,000 years ago - usually before the city was even founded - but also there are few meaningful physical material remains. In Chania, on the other hand, the numbers are like this:
Earliest known habitation by 'loving culture' (Neolithic remains) 5,650 years ago
Latest known habitation by 'loving culture' (end of Minoans and
start of dominance of warring Mycaeneans)
This means that the city has experienced at least 2,400 years of people living in natural co-operation and 3,200 years of people living in warped, unnatural behaviour patterns. It's not an equal balance - but much closer to one than most other places.
I wrote the other day that events, experiences and feelings leave an energy in the fabric of a place and the land on which it is built.
When I go into the museum around the corner, I see and even touch beautifully worked and decorated Minoan objects that were found a couple of streets away.
When I walk along the quiet, narrow roads and paths of Chania, there are some of the very stones that were put in place by Minoans to create their houses and sacred places.
As my feet tread this ground, not only do I spontaneously feel a sense of love for the city as it is now, but I also become deliberately aware of the spirit of its co-operative past, drawing on the energy of peace and love that we all so fervently desire in our hearts and the earth so desperately needs for its survival. It makes for enjoyable walking.
In case you're yawning already, I do agree that such statistics and labels are pretty boring on their own. They only become exciting when knowing this information gives us some insight into our own existence, some meaning that is relevant to us living in the here and now.
So, bear with me because I think I've found something pretty exciting and very relevant about Chania and its story.
I've mentioned before my fascination with the Minoans as an inspiring culture of peace, equality, creativity and general joy in living - the last such culture in Europe until its final disappearance in around 1200 BC - and Chania was definitely an important centre for Minoan life on Crete.
Now my recent reading is putting the Minoans into a much bigger context - no less than the whole of human existence on earth. The Ancient Problem with Men by Bruce Garrard is an exploration into how our state of warfare and oppressive social structures came about. It's taught me a lot - and, like me, it is certainly not anti-male as the title might suggest.
Humans - in our various forms - have inhabited this planet for about 2 million years and 'modern' humans (homo sapiens sapiens) for between 100,000 and 200,000 years. Big numbers. So how come the milestones of what we learn and know of as 'history' usually take us from primitive cave people to Ancient Egyptians, then Classical Greeks and Romans and finally to Christianity, spanning a time period of only around 5,000 years?
Look at the numbers of years like this:
Whole human history 2,000,000
Homo sapiens 200,000
'History' we learn about 5,000
Do you think we might be missing a trick in understanding who we actually are? When you look further into what was going on during the big number centuries, you discover that humans were far from primitive or brutal in their relationship with each other. They (we) actually evolved as social, co-operative, peaceable beings with an awareness of spirit and an intrinsic role in the earth's eco-system - and their natural mode of relationship with each other was co-operation and affection.
Then, starting around 6,000 years ago, humans developed behaviour patterns that led to violence, cruelty, war, taboos around sex and other bodily functions and domination of men over women, masters over slaves, one race over another. In other words, seriously stressful, warped, unnatural behaviour which is clearly to the detriment of both the oppressors and the oppressed.
All of us lose from this way of living and I feel that we all know in our hearts that it's not meant to be this way. We also know from just looking at the world around us that it is unsustainable. It has been suggested that the true natural law for development of humanity is not a matter of 'survival of the fittest' based on competition but 'survival of the most loving' based on co-operation.
And where does Chania come into this? Well, again it's a matter of numbers. In most cities in Europe, there is little evidence or imprint of the 'loving culture'. Not only did it largely die out around 5-6,000 years ago - usually before the city was even founded - but also there are few meaningful physical material remains. In Chania, on the other hand, the numbers are like this:
Earliest known habitation by 'loving culture' (Neolithic remains) 5,650 years ago
Latest known habitation by 'loving culture' (end of Minoans and
start of dominance of warring Mycaeneans)
This means that the city has experienced at least 2,400 years of people living in natural co-operation and 3,200 years of people living in warped, unnatural behaviour patterns. It's not an equal balance - but much closer to one than most other places.
I wrote the other day that events, experiences and feelings leave an energy in the fabric of a place and the land on which it is built.
When I go into the museum around the corner, I see and even touch beautifully worked and decorated Minoan objects that were found a couple of streets away.
When I walk along the quiet, narrow roads and paths of Chania, there are some of the very stones that were put in place by Minoans to create their houses and sacred places.
As my feet tread this ground, not only do I spontaneously feel a sense of love for the city as it is now, but I also become deliberately aware of the spirit of its co-operative past, drawing on the energy of peace and love that we all so fervently desire in our hearts and the earth so desperately needs for its survival. It makes for enjoyable walking.
Thank you for such an informative entry. 2400 years of natural cooperation - heaven on earth! I just ordered the book The Ancient Problem With Men. It is always slightly embarrassing being a man and seeing the devastating effect that men have had on society, but I also see men as victims of the patriarchal transformation as well as it can narrow the definition of masculinity to inhuman levels. Hopefully we will shortly be returning to a more cooperative society shortly. Great pic... your happiness betrays your belonging :-)
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