The Aegean Sea Bronze Age Vocabulary Megaron Labyrinth Ashlar masonry Buon fresco Faience Relieving triangle Corbelled arch Krater Atrium Arthur Evans Heinrich Schliemann Homer/Iliad and Odyssey King Minos Aegean Sea Cycladic Islands Mycenae Knosos, Crete

The Aegean Bronze Age Cycladic Islands-southeast of Greece Mycenaeans-Mycenae on Greek mainland Flourished between 1600-1100 BCE Minoans-Island of Crete Flourished between 2000-1500 BCE Heinrich Schliemann-1870s excavations of Mycenae Sir Arthur Evans-excavations of Crete 1899-1932 Map on pg. 76 Land of Early Greek Mythology-epic poems of homer Trojan war-Helen abducted by Paris-wife of Menelaus of Sparta to Troy in Anatolia Heinrich Schliemann excavated around 1870 based on the myth Layers of the city of Troy: Troy, Mycenae, Tiryns Cycladic and Minoan civ. were not greeks, but were a liaison to classical antiquity and they influenced the Greeks Mycenae Writing Linear A and B tells us of Greek history Contact with near east and Egypt, flourishes culturally in 2mbc when the Mycenaeans came to Greece from unidentified area-possibly the east Spoke Greek, Greek inscriptions with towns listed. We will see the influence of the east and of Egypt on this area

Cycladic, Folded Arm Figures, 2500 BCE

Cycladic, Lyre Player, 2700-2500 BCE Cycladic art-earliest Aegean art known Marble figures-folded arm figures Modern quality, abstract, geometric series of triangles, cyllinders Painted faces and jewelry Men are musician-perhaps the god Apollo Most are schematic images of women Part of burial process, belief n afterlife, lie on backs, to hold the Ka or as accompaniment in the afterlife Cycladic, Lyre Player, 2700-2500 BCE

Minoan Art Present on the island of Crete, south of Mainland Greece since around 3000 BCE Dominated the Aegean during the first half of the 2nd millennium-approximately 2000-1500 BCE Minos Arthur Evans At the end of the MMII period (1700 BC) there was a large disturbance in Crete, probably an earthquake, or possibly an invasion from Anatolia. The Palaces at Knossos, Phaistos, Malia, and Kato Zakros were destroyed. But with the start of the Neopalatial period, population increased again, the palaces were rebuilt on a larger scale and new settlements were built all over the island. This period (the seventeenth and sixteenth centuries BC, MM III / Neopalatial) represents the apex of the Minoan civilization. The Thera eruption occurred during LMIA (and LHI). 1600-1480 About 1420 BCE they were inhabited by the Mycenaeans. Last defensive Minoan sites last until 1200

Minoan, The Palace at Knossos, Crete, 1800-1300 BCE King Minos’ wife gave birth to a bull’s child-the minotaur. He was stuck under the palace in a maze and sent youths as sacrifice. The daughter of the king was the reward for any man who could slay the minotaur, but none had survived. Finally Theseus with the help of Ariadne kills the minotaur and escapes the maze. Place of the Double Headed Axe-found in the archaeology 3m, small communities w. houses, 2m, construction of palace-grew up in many u nits, thus the maze effect unorganized Earthquake in 1700-rebuilt to make the New Palace period-golden age of Crete Luxurious building, served as administrative bldg, religious, and commercial. Over 6 large palaces at different cities-knossos is largest and home to the King Interior-spacing and layout-all rooms organized around a central court-separates royal from civil areas Sturdy construction with stone-ashlar masonry with mortar around doorframes and in corners, wood structures to provide resistance during earthquakes Columns of wood, colored, bulbous, no capital-influence form egypt in columns adapted to their architecture-freestanding, not engaged-true architectural purpose Minoan, The Palace at Knossos, Crete, 1800-1300 BCE

Plan of the Palace at Knossos, 1800-1300 BCE Megaron Labyrinth 26,000 square yards "This palace, the largest known in Crete, with an area of 22,000 sq. metres (26,000 sq. yards), was excavated by A. Evans between 1899 and 1932, and spectacularly restored, sometimes excessively. It occupies the summit of a small hill, and to the east it dominates a ravine on to which the royal apartments look out, with their large megaron on the Minoan plan—open on two sides, reached by a large staircase. The three main entrances are to the north, the west and the south. The western wing was occupied by extensive storerooms and by official apartments—audience and reception halls, sanctuary; a large staircase leads to state rooms." Plan of the Palace at Knossos, 1800-1300 BCE

Labrys, from the island of Crete

Interior view of the atrium at the Palace at Knossos Ashlar masonry Atrium

Minoan, Toreador Fresco, Palace of Knossos, 1750-1450 BCE Buon Fresco

Minoan, Throne room from Palace at Knossos, late 15th century BCE The centerpiece of the "Mycenaean" palace was the so-called Throne Room or Little Throne Room[4], dated to LM II. This chamber has an alabaster seat identified by Evans as a "throne" built into the north wall. On three sides of the room are gypsum benches. A sort of tub area is opposite the throne, behind the benches, termed a lustral basin, meaning that Evans and his team saw it as a place for ceremonial purification. The room was accessed from an anteroom through two double doors. The anteroom in turn connected to the central court, which was four broad steps up through four doors. The anteroom had gypsum benches also, with carbonized remains between two of them thought to be a possible wooden throne. Both rooms are located in the ceremonial complex on the west of the central court.

Hagia Triada Sarcophagus, 1450-1400 BCE

La Parisienne, Ca. 1400 BCE

Minoan, Snake Goddess, 1800-1550 BCE Can on head, snakes in hands, skirt of many flounces, double apron and girdle (accentuates the pinched waist), open bodiced shirt Conspicuous in their absence are the usual signs of a male-dominated society common to the Eastern Mediterranean in the second millennium BCE: no walled citadels, no fortifications, no temples to the gods, no large public sculpture, no clear evidence of a hierarchically structured society ruled by kings and priests, no boastful inscriptions. It is clear that the Minoans borrowed much their culture and various cult practices from Egypt. Numerous Egyptian objects of one kind or another were found by Evans at Knossos. Snake Goddess of the Nile: Wazet Faience Flounce

Mycenaean Art Mycenaeans arrived in Greece at an unknown time from an unknown location Flourished and dominated the Aegean during the second half of the 2nd millennium-approximately 1500-1200 BCE Discovered by Heinrich Schliemann Mycenaeans highly influenced Minoan Culture including inhabiting the island Period and region involved with the legendary Trojan War

Mycenaean, Lions’ Gate, 1300-1200 BCE Relieving triangle Corbelled arch Cyclopean Masonry Lion’s Gate, Mycenae, Greece, 1300-1250 bc Guards the city-compare to the lions gate at Bogazkoy Hittite masonry differs from Minoans-cyclopian masonry Lions in relief over lintel in the relieving triangle over corbeled arch Masked gap with sculpture Marks entry into the city, confrontational nature of Animals in frontal pose Meant to neutralize and invading force, change their state of mind upon approach of corridor Alludes to their occupation of Crete-Minoan column

Mycenae, Grave Circle A

Mycenaean, Treasury of Atreus, ca. 1250 BCE Tholos

Interior detail, Treasury of Atreus

Repoussé Mycenae, Funerary Mask (Mask of Agamemnon) from Grave Circle A, 1550-1500 BCE Repoussé

Mycenaean, Vaphio Cups, ca. 1500 BCE

Octopus jug, kamaresware, Minoan, 1800 bc Importance of pottery-to show dates based on inscription, location, styles Style is related to frescoes and other Minoan arts-vegetation, animals, sea life, daily life-trivial things Curviliniar shapes have a certain vitality shapes fill entire vessel-use the shape of the jug to accomodate the image NOt structured Minoan, Octopus Jug, 1500 BCE 25

Octopus jug, kamaresware, Minoan, 1800 bc Importance of pottery-to show dates based on inscription, location, styles Style is related to frescoes and other Minoan arts-vegetation, animals, sea life, daily life-trivial things Curviliniar shapes have a certain vitality shapes fill entire vessel-use the shape of the jug to accomodate the image NOt structured

Mycenaean, Octopus Stirrup Jar, ca. 1200 BCE

Warrior Vase, 1200 BCE Krater Warrior Vase, Mycenae, Greece, 1200 bc Vase painting on a krater, bowl for mixing water and wine WOman waves off the warriors-all the same, all identical representation and posture No sense of place, no background, or vegetation, or setting Krater

Harvester Vase, 1500 BCE

Dagger Blade, 1580 BCE