Ancient Crete provides an integrated, up-to-date chronological examination of Prehistoric Crete during the extent of the Minoan civilization, incorporating a century of archaeological discoveries made on the island within a single intellectual and theoretical framework. Driessen argues for a fresh interpretation of Minoan society based on the archaeological material, challenging the traditional top-down approach which situates the palaces as rulers of every aspect of life. With a large number of illustrations, it explores the important sites and themes of this crucial Bronze Age period in the Prehistoric Aegean.