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Wall text panel written for the Aegean Civilizations exhibit case of the Greek and Roman Galleries of the Rhode Island School of Design Museum of Art. 

The civilizations of the Greek Bronze Age witnessed major social, economic, and artistic advances that transformed the major geographical regions of Greece into important centers of cultural and commercial activity. These civilizations initially developed as distinct cultures in isolated regions: the Mycenaeans on the mainland, the Cycladic people on the islands of the Aegean, the Minoans on the island of Crete, and the Cypriotes in Cyprus. Warfare, expanded trading routes, and migration, however, led to a cultural exchange that influenced the artistic works and commercial goods produced within each civilization. Ceramic and stone products, with their highly decorative and often functional values, were both primary art forms and economic exports of the Aegean world. This collection of vessels and figures highlights the unique artistic style of each civilization.