The first advanced civilization on the Greek mainland is considered to be the Mycenaean civilization. It emerged around 1700 BC to 1100 BC in the northeastern Peloponnese and other parts of mainland Greece. The Mycenaeans developed sophisticated palatial centers, urban organization, works of art, and a form of writing known as Linear B, which represented an early form of Greek. They were a warrior society known for imposing fortresses, elaborate palaces such as Mycenae, Tiryns, and Pylos, and their influence extended to many parts of mainland Greece and nearby islands. The Mycenaean civilization is regarded as the first advanced and distinctively Greek civilization on the mainland, preceding the classical Greek period.