Protopalatial

Refers to a phase of Minoan art and culture, according to the classification system devised by the archaeologist, Nikolas Platon. It began around 2,000 BCE and ended when earthquakes apparently ravaged the area around 1,700 BCE. It is characterized by economic centralization, establishment of extensive foreign contacts, the development of a more sophisticated script known as "Linear A," the construction of distinctive, large palaces, the emergence of royal towns, a remarkable absence of fortifications, and a general flourishing of the arts, particularly in fresco painting, pottery decoration, carved stone vases, and jewelry. It overlaps with the Middle Minoan period.