Ancient History, Archaeology, and Classical Mythology Vocabulary

Vocabulary flashcards covering Mesopotamian, Egyptian, Minoan, Mycenaean archaeological terms, key historical figures, and Greek and Roman deities and their symbolic attributes based on the transcript.

stratification

principle that artifacts are deposited in layers

manuscript transmission

process by which ancient writings were preserved and passed down

epigraphy

study of inscriptions

animism

idea that things in nature have spirit powers associated with them

totemism

association of a specific nature spirit power with a particular group

polytheism

worship of multiple gods

monotheism

worship of a single god

Neolithic

characterized by the development of agriculture

Fertile Crescent

location of agriculture's initial development

cuneiform

wedge-shaped characters used in the writing systems of Mesopotamia

cylinder seals

provide some of the earliest evidence of development of writing

pictographic text

characters are pictures

syllabary text

characters represent a consonant sound combined with a vowel sound

ziggurat

artificial hill or pyramid with a flat top for a Mesopotamian temple structure

cultural diffusion

merging of aspects of different cultures

Hammurabi/Hammurapi

Babylonian leader who published oldest known law code

Ashurbanipal

Assyrian leader responsible for preservation of much of the Mesopotamian writings

Epic of Gilgamesh

oldest surviving piece of Western literature

Utnapishtim

survivor in Mesopotamian flood story

Enuma elish

Mesopotamian creation story

Pharaoh

god-king ruler of Egypt

dynasty

group of rulers connected by blood or marriage

hieroglyphs

Egyptian pictographic text

Pyramid Texts (Book of the Dead)

Egyptian guide to the after life

ma'at

Egyptian concept of truth, justice and cosmic order

Hyksos

Semitic people who invaded Egypt ca. 1700 BCE

Cyclades

group of islands between Greece and Turkey

Fresco

a painting done rapidly in watercolor on wet plaster on a wall or ceiling, so that the colors penetrate the plaster and become fixed as it dries.

Faience

finely glazed ceramic beads, figures and other small objects

Thera

island northeast of Crete that was largely destroyed by a volcanic eruption around 1600 BCE

Knossos

site of a large Minoan palace on the northern coast of Crete

Sir Arthur Evans (1851-1941)

British archaeologist who first excavated at Knossos and named the civilization that built the structures Minoan

Spring Fresco

Minoan fresco from Thera that shows a springtime nature scene

Megaron

central audience chamber of a Mycenaean citadel

Mycenae

site of a Late Bronze Age citadel, provides the name Mycenaean for Late Bronze Age Greek artifacts

Peloponnesus

large peninsula of southwestern Greek

Heinrich Schliemann (1822-1890)

German archaeologist who excavated at Mycenae and Troy

Troy (Ilium)

site in northwestern Turkey, identified as the site of the Trojan War

Cyclopean masonry

Mycenaean architecture using massive limestone boulders fitted without mortar.

Lion Gate

entry into the citadel at Mycenae

Post-and-lintel

a space-spanning technique in which two or more vertical beams (posts) support a horizontal beam (lintel)

Corbeled arch

arch constructed from stones stepped outward and upward

Relieving triangle

hollowed out triangle over a lintel

Treasury of Atreus

tholos tomb found at Mycenae

Tholos

tomb made from a corbelled dome built into a hill

Dromos

open passage leading to a tholos tomb

Linear A

undeciphered writing system used by the Minoans

Linear B

early form of written Greek used by the Mycenaeans

Hera v. Aphrodite

Symbolic opposition between marital love v. sexual love

Aphrodite v. Artemis

Symbolic opposition between sexuality v. chastity

Ares v. Athena

Symbolic opposition between violence v. warfare (strategy and tactics)

Athena v. Poseidon

Symbolic opposition between technology v. nature

Apollo v. Hermes

Symbolic opposition between composed music v. spontaneous music

Dionysus v. Apollo

Symbolic opposition between emotion v. reason, and abstract art v. realistic art

Zeus / Jupiter, Jove

King of gods, sky, weather, justice, hospitality; associated with Olympia and Dodonna; Olympic Games and Nemean Games; Bull, eagle, swan; Oak; Lightning bolt

Hera / Juno

Queen of gods, marriage, family; associated with Argos and Carthage; Matronalia; Goose, peacock, cow

Hades / Pluto

Death, underworld, wealth; associated with Pomegranate and Crown

Poseidon / Neptune

Sea, earthquakes, horses; associated with Corinth; Isthmian Games; Horse, dolphin; Trident, oar

Demeter / Ceres

Wheat, agriculture, fertility, theatre; associated with Eleusis; Thesmophoria; Wheat, poppy; Ear of wheat, plow, torch

Hestia / Vesta

Hearth, household; associated symbol: Flame

Aphrodite / Venus

Love, sex, beauty, lust; associated with Cyprus, Cythera; Sparrow, dove; Myrtle

Athena / Minerva

Wisdom, war, crafts; associated with Athens; Panathenaea; Owl, snake; Olive; Aegis, Helmet, Spear

Ares / Mars

War, agriculture; associated with Thrace; Dog, vulture; Laurel; Shield

Hermes / Mercury

Messenger of gods, travelers, shepherds, thieves; associated with Snake, sheep; Caduceus, herms, lyre, winged hat or sandals

Apollo / Phoebus Apollo

Sun, music, archery, prophecy, plagues; associated with Delphi, Delos; Pythian Games; Mouse; Laurel; Bow, Lyre, Wreath

Artemis / Diana

Wild places, hunt, childbirth, moon; associated with Delos, Arcadia, Brauron; Bear, deer; Forests; Torch, crescent moon, bow

Hephaestus / Vulcan, Mulciber

Metallurgy, smiths; associated with Lemnos, Mt. Aetna; Fire, volcanoes

Dionysus / Bacchus

Wine, vegetation, theater, fertility; associated with Thebes; City Dionysia, Rural Dionysia, Anthisteria, Lenaea; Bull, deer, lion; Grape; Thyrsus, tymp