ii6 Outlines of European History The ^gean world ; its geographical connection? with the Orient Stone, and this failure to make further progress in architecture illustrates their backwardness in all the arts of civilization. The advance to a high civilization in Europe after the introduc- tion of metal — such an ad- vance as we may call real historical progress — was made in the eastern Medi- terranean, in the yEgean lands, under the influence of oriental culture". It was this oriental stimulus which carried Europe forward to the development of the civi- lization which we have in- herited. The ^gean world con- sists of the islands of the yEgean Sea and the lands which surround this sea in neighboring Asia and Eu- rope, which here face each other across its waters. For the ^gean world is the region where Asia thrusts forward its westernmost heights (Asia Minor) and Europe throws out its south- ernmost and easternmost peninsula (Greece) into the waters so early crossed and recrossed by. Egyptian ships (p. 31). At the same time the east and west valleys of Asia Minor furnished roads for the early trade which linked the ^gean world with the Euphrates and Babylonia. Thus the Stone Age settlements of the ^ge^n Fig. 61. One of the Large Dec- orated Cretan Jars, nearly Four Feet high, found at Ancient Cnossus A fine example of the originality, power, and beauty of Cretan decora- tive art ; although the leading design, the lotus flower, is draw^n from Egypt, it is treated in the masterly Cretan manner (see p. 120)
