Aegean civilization is a general term for the Bronze Age civilizations of Greece around the Aegean Sea. There are three distinct but communicating and interacting geographic regions covered by this term: Crete, the Cyclades and the Greek mainland. Crete is associated with the Minoan civilization from the Early Bronze Age. The Cycladic civilization converges with the mainland during the Early Helladic ("Minyan") period and with Crete in the Middle Minoan period. From c. 1450 BC (Late Helladic, Late Minoan), the Greek Mycenaean civilization spreads to Crete, probably by military conquest. The earlier Aegean farming populations of Neolithic Greece brought agriculture to Western Europe already before 5,000 years BC. Aegean Neolithic farmers A DNA study from 2019 indicates that agriculture was brought to Western Europe by the Aegean populations that are known as "Aegean Neolithic farmers". These Neolithic groups arrived to northern France and Germany already around 5000 BC. About 1000 years later, they arrived in Britain. When they left the Aegean, these populations quickly split into two groups with somewhat different cultures. One group went north along the Danube, while the other took a southerly route along the Mediterranean and reached Iberia. This latter group then arrived in Britain. Prior to that, these territories were populated by the hunter-gathererer cultures known as the 'western hunter-gatherers', similar to the Cheddar Man. Most of the ancestry of the British population after 4000 BC (74% on average) is attributable to the Aegean Neolithic farmers. This indicates a substantial shift in ancestry with the transition to farming. The Chalcolithic (Copper Age) started in Europe about 5500 BC. Numerous megalithic structures and monuments were also erected in this period. Periodization Mainland Early Helladic (EH): 3200/3100–2050/2001 BC Middle Helladic (MH): 2000/1900–1550 BC Late Helladic (LH): 1550–1050 BC Crete Early Minoan (EM): 3200–2160 BC Middle Minoan (MM): 2160–1600 BC Late Minoan (LM): 1600–1100 BC Cyclades Early Cycladic (EC): 3300–2000 BC Kastri (EH II–EH III): ca. 2500–2100 BC Convergence with MM from ca. 2000 BC Commerce Commerce was practiced to some extent in very early times, as is proved by the distribution of Melian obsidian over all the Aegean area. Cretan vessels appeared to be exported to Melos, Egypt, and the Greek mainland. In particular, Melian vases, eventually, found their way to Crete. After 1600 BC, there was very close commerce with Egypt, and Aegean goods found their way to all coasts of the Mediterranean. No traces of