1. Early Aegean archaeology
Heinrich Schliemann ( )
Pioneer of Aegean archaeology
“Mask of Agamemnon”

2. Inspired by Homer, Schliemann excavates Troy and Mycenae
Troy VII A

3. Strata of Troy/Hisarlik

4. Schliemann His archaeological techniques were controversial.
He excavated down to the bedrock in some places disregarding the existing strata.
He moved items from various locations to create the “treasure of King Priam”
But did provide evidence for a historical Troy—which most scholars had assumed was a myth.
His findings electrified the scientific world.

5. Mycenae Schliemann then excavated in Greece using Homer as his guide.
Excavated Mycenae—the kingdom of Agamemnon—the chief Greek king according to Homer.
Here he found evidence for a pre-existing Bronze Age civilization about whom we knew nothing.
Revolutionized our knowledge of Aegean Bronze Age

6. Mycenae II
Shaft graves—inhumation with grave good—bronze goods, pottery, little gold or jewelry.
Some sites with multiple burials much wealthier—goods such as alabaster and amber indicate trading networks from Mesopotamia to n. Europe.
Wealth? Around 1600 most Mycenaean sites small—why are graves so rich?
Explosion of palace complexes on mainland Greece 1450

7. Mycenaean Sites

8. Reconstruction of Mycenae

9. Lion’s Gate—massive entrance gate to Mycenae

10. Mycenaeans Bronze Age culture c. 1600-1200 B.C.
Warriors and traders—had many cities with palaces throughout the Aegean ruled by a wanax (king).
Economy was palace-centered.
By 1450 B.C., civilization becomes richer, palaces rebuilt and new burial practices
Tholos, tholoi
Beehive shaped tomb structures built into a hillside. Very larger and impressive.
bronze doors, stone passageways.
Wealth? Most looted in Antiquity.
Few Mycenaean sites contain much wealth.

11. Mycenaean tholos

12. Followers Schliemann’s findings encourage others to excavate.
Signs pointed to Crete—excavations begin c by Englishman Arthur Evans
Evans excavates the palace complex at Knossos in Crete and finds evidence for an older civilization he calls Minoan after the legendary King Minos.

13. Earlier than the Mycenaeans: the Minoans
Arthur Evans ( ) Inspired by Schliemann Evans excavates Crete
Minoan Palace complex at Knossos

14. Minoan Civilization
Minoan Crete
Minoan Frescoes

15. Minoan artifacts
Minoan Snake Goddess
Bull Leaping

16. Minoans Minoans Minoan Boxers Older than Mycenaeans Non Indo-European
Palace complexes on Crete probably under loose rule of Knossos
Palaces unwalled, peaceful
Civilization built by maritime trade
Weakened by the destruction of volcano at Thera c B.C.

17. Minoan—Mycenaean relationship
Minoans dominant
Colonies, trading routes, influence in Cyclades, Egypt.
Minoans go into 1628
@ 1450 most Minoan palaces torched, Mycenaeans become the dominant people in formerly Minoan sites.
Knossos recovered, was rebuilt and became the center of Mycenaean rule of Crete.

18. Mycenaeans Minoan—Mycenaeans?
By 1450, Mycenaeans living in Minoan palaces. By 800 at least, Crete entirely Greek.
Debt: Mycenaeans adapted art, architecture, writing, trading routes from Minoans.
Sources? Site of Mycenaea: very wealthy—no comparison in Aegean area. But Late Bronze Age—especially by 1450—apex of Mycenaean civilization.

19. More Bronze Age Greece pioneers
Carl Blegen ( ) Excavated Mycenaean Pylos
Michael Ventris ( ) Deciphered Linear B

20. Linear A/Linear B
Linear A—Minoan writing; Linear B—Mycenaean writing based on Linear A.
1939 Excavation of Pylos—Nestor’s palace according to Homer.
WW II Carl Blegen excavated site—over 600 Linear B tablets.
Enough to decipher the script? Early 1950s Michael Ventris, amateur linguist and cryptographer attempted to break code.
Assumptions:
1. syllabic
2. early Greek

21. Minoan scripts
Linear A
Phaistos disc

22. Myceanean script: Linear B

23. Decipherment of Linear B
Michael Ventris published his findings.
1. Greek was the Mycenaean language thus they were Indo-Europeans.
2. Mycenaeans adapted the Minoan Linear A in order to keep palace records
3. Mycenaeans ruled in Crete by 15th c. B.C. Became dominant and Minoans declined. Thus both Linear A and Linear B found at Knossos.
But Linear A still undeciphered.

24. Reconstructions of “Nestor’s Palace” at Pylos
Reconstruction of Pylos megaron
Pylos palace

25. Remains of “Nestor’s palace” at Pylos

26. Mycenaean Crete
Fifteenth c. B.C.—fusion of Mycenaean-Minoan cultures; Mycenaean rulers in Knossos; population Minoan. Other independent palace centers absorbed.
Short lived though.
@ 1375 Knossos sacked (probably by other Mycenaeans)
Although palace continued to be occupied, Crete declines economically and culturally
After 1375 cultural shift to mainland Greece and Crete declines.

27. 1400-1200 Mycenaean golden age—called themselves Achaeans.
Many palace complexes
Trade with New Kingdom Egypt, Hittites
Expansion—sites in Asia Minor (Miletus)
Mycenaean artifacts in Sicily
Expanded Minoan trading networks
Safety? On periphery of civilized world.

28. Palace complexes Huge walls—Cyclopean; smaller than Minoan complexes
Usually fortified site—hill, Acropolis.
Instead of large open courtyard—megaron—large hall with chimney, anteroom—where king would receive guests, feasts, councils—ceremonial center of palace.
Megaron would survive later as chieftains house.

29. Reconstruction of a megaron

30. Mycenaean art Adapted from Minoan themes (slaves?)
But paintings depict very unMinoan themes—personal combat, sieges, hunting scenes—much more warlike.
People dressed in Minoan attire.
Alternately men in linen tunic; women in larger version of the same tunic.

31. Mycenaean art
Mycenaean vase
Mycenaean woman

32. Political relations Many palaces—each ruled by a wanax?
Rival states that sought domination e.g., around Argos ten Mycenaean sites, two fortified palaces at Mycenaea and Tiryns. Wanax of Mycenaea ruler of area, other areas dependent states.
Pylos—ruled about 1,250 sq. miles in s. Greece.
Competition amongst palace centers; no “Mycenaean empire”

33. Mycenaeans in context
Trading all throughout Mediterranean—Sardinia, Sicily, southern Italy, Hittites
Trading posts throughout Asia Minor, Cyprus
--in arena of int’l. politics—second rate compared to Egypt and Hittites but respected.
Hittite documents= Ahhiyawa = Achaean
Refer to “king” of Ahhiyawa, disputes over Milawata (Miletus) and Ilios (Troy);
Document to Syrian state—Hittite mentions king of Ahhiyawa as an equal.

34. Mycenaean Society/Economy
Very class based
Aristocracy—furniture, palaces, villas, tholoi
People—lived in villages or outside palace walls.
Slaves—lots of examples—Pylos 600 slave women and children—ground grain, bath attendants, flax workers, wove.
Gods and aristocracy owned slaves

35. Religion Indo-European + incorporation of some Minoan elements.
Snakes, bulls, double axe.
Know of 30 Mycenaean gods, goddesses.
Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Hermes, Athena, Artemis, Apollo.
Like in Crete, palace controlled religion; donations, offerings, slaves.
Was wanax divine? No evidence.

36. Warfare Tactics from artwork: frescoes and pottery.
Naval battles—mass production of bronze armaments.
Swords, bronze greaves, daggers, spears
Helmets of bronze, boars’ tusks, shield—ox hide over wood.
Battle chariot—ancient nuclear weapon.
Ramses II perhaps defeated 3,500 Hittite chariots at Kadesh.