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The Minoan economy has been described as a palace economy, although this is only a theiory based on archeological evidence. We do not have the extensive written sources that we have from Mesoipotamia, Egypt, and China. The archeological evidence, however, strongly suggests that the palaces were also or even primarily commercial centers. Archgeologists have found extensive paved courts which wee probably used for public markets. And the palaces had just the features one would expect fir aublic market. This included large store rooms often called magazines. In the first palatial period many koullouras have been encounered. Archeologists havec also found large numbers of pithoi jars scatered everywhere in the various palaces. The monarchy from therir palaces presumably controlled both overseas and domestic trade. All of this of course is conjecture, but seems to be the most likely economic set up. Knossos is widely believed to have been the Minoan commercial center. Here one finds areat deal of Linear A and often is little tidbits of administrative and commercial records. The Minoans like most other ancient people were primarily agriculturists, raising wheat, olives, grapes, and eventually barley. They also raised livestock. And as an island people with seafaring skills, fishing was also important. Industries included textile, pottery (which they were especially know for), and metal-working. Two profitable indusdtries were dyes (a much admired purple dye was produced at Zakros) and perfumes. Trading was also important to the Minonan economy and thge maritime skills they developed gave Minian traders an impotant advantage. There is evidence tht they traded throughout the Mediteranian and into Asian Minor. Trading parteners included Keos, Kythera, Melos, Miletos, Rhodes, and Thera. Trade was also conducted with Anatolia and probably Egypt as well. There is evidence of trade links with Egypt which for milenia was the richest civilization in the Mediterranean.
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