A closer look
We still cannot completely decipher their ancient spoken language, but thanks to their paranoid bookkeeping, we know exactly how much coriander the Minoans kept in their pantries. The sprawling palatial complexes of ancient Crete functioned less as royal residences and more as gigantic, heavily guarded Amazon fulfillment centers. Their economy was strictly redistributive, meaning local farmers handed over all their crops to the palace, where scribes meticulously logged every drop of wine before handing it back out.
