Cultures are substantially shaped by geography and technology. The Iriquois were quite an impressive group, but they were land-locked (although made good use of streams, rivers,and lakes with their canoes), in a cool temperate climate, weren't metal users, didn't have any form of herd animal, practiced slash and burn horticulture backed by large amounts of hunting, lived in long-houses, and didn't have cities. You can't really say that that this bears much resemblance to the coastal, intensively agricultural, warm-temperate, bronze using, city building, intensive agriculture based Esrolians.
On the other hand, "Arthur Evans' Minoan fantasies," as Peter put it, have been written about fairly extensively. More recent research suggests that he was wrong about an awful lot of Minoan life, but there is a reasonably internally consistent body of writing describing a colourful society of sea-faring, city dominated, bronze age, etc, etc, peoples, who do bear at least a passing resemblance to the Esrolians. Sure, they may be as much fantasy as reality, but I don't see that as being a real impediment to their being a useful touch-stone.
Just my $0.02.
--Bryan
Powered by hypermail