1. Chapter 6
The Aegean

2. The Aegean Cycladic Civilization (c. 3000–11th Century B.C.)
Impressive examples of early Bronze Age human figures in marble
Female figures more numerous than male
Purpose is unknown, but most were found in graves
Composed mainly of geometric sections
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3. The Aegean Minoan Civilization (c. 3000–1100 B.C.)
The modern Greek island of Crete was the home of the most important Bronze Age culture
Mythological home of King Minos and the story of the Minotaur
The Palace at Knossos
Knossos had been inhabited since early Neolithic times
Palace was asymmetrical and meandering
Construction was post-and-lintel
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4. The Aegean Minoan Civilization (c. 3000–1100 B.C.) (continued)
Minoan Fresco—pigments mixed in with plaster
Additional details painted over the buon fresco
Religion
Little is known about Minoan religious beliefs
Recurring religious motifs: Bulls, double axes, trees, columns, outdoor shrines, and goddesses holding snakes
Minoan Scripts
Linear A—developed about 2000 B.C.
Linear B—used mainly for inventory lists and records
Pottery
Energetic designs and organic forms
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5. The Aegean Discoveries at Thera
Affluent ancient trading city with interior baths and toilets
Buried by a volcanic eruption 1700–1500 B.C.
The Frescoes
Adorned both public spaces and private residences
Provide clues about life and culture in ancient Thera
Ship Fresco
Boxing Children
Crocus Gatherer
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6. The Aegean Mycenaean Civilization (c. 1600–1100 B.C.)
Archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann sought to prove certain Greek myths were based on historical events
Discovered and excavated both Troy in modern-day Turkey and Mycenae in the Peloponnese, based on tales from The Iliad and several plays about Agamemnon’s family
Evidence of Minoan and Mycenaean contact
Mycenaean frescos similar to Minoan frescos
Minoan-style columns used on the Lion Gate
The gold cup is Mycenaean in execution but with iconography that is Minoan
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