A Day in the Life of a Greek Woman

My name is Kalypso a 22-year-old Greek woman. I during the time of 1800 BC which would be known as the middle ages. I live in the village of Knossos. Which is one of the largest cities in Crete. I am married to a local trader and we have 2 beautiful children with another one on the way. In our daily life my husband would wear either is loin cloth or a kilt. As for myself I tend to wear the same outfit no matter the weather. I wear a robe and a bodice that allows my breast to be exposed. Summer is coming soon which means the weather is going to be dry and warm. I have been waiting for the rainfall of the season, but however it hasn’t come yet.

I come from a family where I have four siblings, and just recently I was stuck with great sadness. As I received new that my father has just passed away. In my family we have decided to bury him in the circular Tholos tombs. I had I had his remains placed in a pottery jar according to the funeral standards of our culture. I placed an offering with his remains. The items I decided to place with him was food and the daily tool from his life. Unfortunately, as the tombs become fuller the other bodies are just moved around to make more space for the newer bodies.

I live in part of the wealthy part of the civilization; our home has a sewage system which many other homes in the area don’t have. However, Our home is not the only one in the town that has such amazing architecture and technology that most houses might not have. The house that our near our house more of people who are part of the higher class of the society. The house I live in has these stunning columns that are larger at the top than at the bottom. My husband has come back from a trip and told me about how in other cities he visits. That the columns are built differently than ours. But I tend to find our structures way more beautifully fitting to our society. I tend to take the streets thru the city to make my way to the daily market that are city has.

The streets within our cities we have a drainage system, that lead out to the farming areas on the outskirts of the city. Since the draining system for the water tends to help out quite a bit for the farmers. They are growing many crops in the fields that has changed for the better good for the city. On the farm where I grew up with my father, we raised cattle, sheep, pigs and goats. My father also would grow lettuce, celery, wheat, barley and chickpeas on our farms. We were are able to domesticate bees. Before this practice my father was only able to grow one crop at a time which did not help daily diets. My father would grow different crops which led to increased fertility in the soil and allowed it to be able to be used longer. As farming grew the better the equipment was able to be upgraded. The went from using the wood tools, to making tools out of the bronze that was brought back from other regions. But now the farm has benefited more from the new technology for the farming communities.

The new crops have brought a new variety of food to the diet of my own family. This has also been helpful to me as I usually prepare the food and enjoy it when my family likes their meals. My family frequently eats fish and mollusks that my husband brings home from his daily travels. Meat is also included in my family's diet as we eat the deer or boar that populate the island. We eat the meat from the cattle raised on my mother’s land along with sheep, pigs and goats from other areas. Our diet is rich and abundant compared to other lands which only grow single crops at a time, and I am thankful my family always has something to eat that they appreciate.

In my daily life I speak the language of Ethocreatan. It’s the form of communication is one of the solid factors which bonds our society. Although I do not write very often in my life as its very unnecessary. But my husband who is a local trader it’s their are individuals who use Ethocreatan to write. My husband uses it to write orders to keep track of the transactions they have completed in his trades with other countries. My husband trades such items as Copper, Tin, Ivory, and Gold and other raw materials These materials are introduced from Egypt, Asia Minor.

My husband trades such products that are abundant in the region like: Timber, Saffron, Wine, and, Dyes. I enjoy going to the markets to see which new items the traders have brought in from various other parts of the world. And spend the early morning as the traders are setting up their areas. I love the smells of all the goods and spices the traders have brought with them. It feels my soul with such joy.

My husband frequently goes out with the navy to trade and see the world which he is where he is now. These huge navies that we have are used for trade only, because in the society we live in there are no treats of war. We are known to be very peaceful, and a friendly society. In our towns, if you come to visit you will notice there’s not palaces and or walls to keep out invaders. In our city we do have weapons, but there’s a purpose for those weapons and it has to do with our rituals or religious reasons.

The other day while my husband was an away for work. There was a slight earthquake, nothing for me to worry about. Instead my children and I are looking forward to the upcoming festival that will be held very soon. During the festival my own brother will conducting the coveted bull dance. He was chosen, because it’s part of our blood line. Generations of the family have being doing this dance. There will be sports that will require people to leap over the bull. Even though it’s seen as a dangerous. The bull and the horns of the bull are very sacred to the people, these are part of the traditions. Which is to please nature and the earthshaker if they don’t like our offerings.

As my role as a woman in the Greek society I live in there’s a lack of government on the island. They have decided to build a palace for government reason. I do not think it is useful my husband both came to an agreement and he respects my beliefs. My husband commonly respects my opinions as he views me as his equal. In our society we worship goddesses, which is why men see women as equals. In my life I’m seen as the bearer if children and the one to continue life. There are women within the society that hold the highest position in our society as they are our priestesses and contacts us to Nature. As my two daughters grow up they will inherit my property instead of from their fathers. I have faith in this is a better system since women take care of their households. I am pleased to be raising my daughters wherein they are valued and respected.

I have a gratifying life. I am respected by others within the city, as are my daughter and sisters. I have a family that are close to me and supportive of me and my family. The festivals in which we have a good time our life. In the society where we are peaceful, equal and loving. We are open to other realms as we have welcomed free trade and the new technology. We have delightful structures in our city and are always building up the city. I would not choose to live or raise my family in any other society except for this one.

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