Classics 10 Ellis Midterm

Cycladic Harp Player

2700-2300BCE

Aegean Bronze Age

Cyclades

Marble

The Franchthi Cave

18000BCE - 3200BCE

Paleolithic/Neolithic Habitation of Greece 

Pottery from Neolithic Dimini

5300 3300BCE

Spiral/Geometric Patterns

Variety in style showed interaction b/w comms

Early Helladic Cemetery at Tsepi

3000 – 2000BCE

Shows organization in community, ppl buried with grave goods

Rekhmire Tomb in Egypt

ca.1400BCE

Depict Greek tribe bringing gift to Egyptian Pharaoh, signifying trade relations & exploration

Cycladic Figurines

Early Bronze Age

Cyclades

Geometric Patterns/Shapes

Majority Female-Form

Marble

Harvester Vase

Hagia Triada, 1500BCE, Late Bronze Age

Depicts Men Marching in Harvest Celebration

Minoan Civilization

King’s Throne at Knossos

Minoan Palace on Crete

restored by Emile Gilliéron and Piet de Jong

Painted Griffins symbolize guardianship/kingship/power

Likely ceremonial/religious space

Fresco of the Dolphins, Knossos

restored by Emile Gilliéron and Piet de Jong

Minoan Fresco in Palace of Knossos, Crete

Decorative/Religious Purposes

Snake Goddesses, Crete // Signet Ring, Crete

Symbolize priestesses, maybe. Fertility, protection

“Ring of King Minos”, depicts bull-leaping scene (bulls important in Minoan culture)

Bull-Leaping Fresco, Knossos

Depicts people leaping over bull

Found in Palace of Knossos, part of collection?

Minoan Bull-Leapers

Minoan Culture Valued Bulls

Potentially religious, to honor Minoan Goddess

Grandstand Fresco at Knossos

ca. 1500BCE Middle-Late Bronze Age

Depicts mass gathering, potentially cultural/religious event in Central Court of Palace of Knossos

Hagia Triada Sarcophagus

ca. 1400BCE Late Bronze Age 

Stone Chest depicting Minoan funeral rituals, libations, processions

The ‘Mask of Agamemnon’

Mycenae

1500BCE Middle-Late Bronze Age

Gold

Discovered by Heinrich Schliemann, likely predates Agamemnon, symbol of Mycenean funeral traditions

Spring Fresco Akrotiri

ca. 1650BCE — Bronze Age

Depicts springtime Theran landscape

Maybe symbolizes rebirth, springtime

Flotilla Fresco detail from Akrotiri, Minoan

ca.1650BC — Bronze Age

Depicts procession of ships, sign of trading

North Wall Frieze from West House, Akrotiri, Minoan

ca. 1650BCE — Bronze Age

Depicts women carrying water, village scene. 

Signifies well as common town center, and community in Minoa

Boar Hunt Fresco Tiryns, Mycenae 

ca. 13th century BCE — Late Bronze Age

Depicts boar hunt

Symbolizes elite status, power, rite of passage through boar hunting 

Mycenean Soldiers on the Warrior Vase

ca.1200BCE — Late Bronze Age

Depicts Mycenean soldiers marching to war, symbolizes period’s decline and warfare

Mycenaean armor in Hittite Art


Mycenaean armor distinctive, POV of Hittites (Anatolia, Trkey)

Lion Gate Mycenae

Late Bronze Age

Symbolizes protection, strength, royal authority

‘Treasury of Atreus’ Tholos Tomb at Mycenae

1300-1250BCE — Late Bronze Age

Likely burial place of Mycenean ruling elite, symbolizing wealth and elite status with grandeur

Largest Tholos tomb in Mycenae (domed)

Mycenaean Wealth Cups from Mycenae

ca. 1500BCE — Middle Bronze Age

Gold

Symbolized Mycenean prosperity and wealth

Lion Hunt Dagger from Shaft Grave IV, Mycenae

1550-1500BCE

Indicates high-status of person it was buried with

Depicts dramatic hunt scene

Linear B

Deciphered by Michael Ventris in 1952

Used for writing Mycenean Greek

Warrior Fresco, Pylos, Mycenae 

Found in Palace of Pylos, reconstructed by Piet de Jong

Depicts warriors fighting across water, probably showing conquest

Pendants from Palace of Nestor at Pylos

made of gold, lapis lazuli and glass

depict Egyptian goddess Hathor

ca. 1400BCE

Signifies active trade between Mycenae and Egypt

Various Rings from the Tomb of the Griffin Warrior

middle Bronze Age

Depict bull-leaping, women at shrine, man over lion 

Symbolize connection in Minoan and Mycenean cultures (especially via bull-leaping imagery)

Protogeometric Amphora from the Ceramicus cemetery in Athens

ca. 975-950BCE — Iron Age

Example of Athenian pottery, cultural revival after fall of Mycenae

Peleset Prisoners – Stone relief at Ramses III’s temple at Medinet Habu (Egypt)

Depict defeat of Peleset, likely part of Sea Peoples. Signify war and presence of an outside threat that Egypt overcame 

Lefkandi Heroon & Centaur

Early Iron Age


Centaur found in grave depicts likely Chiron, Protogeometric. Connections to Eastern Mediterranean.


Heroon is shrine, signifying elite’s wealth and power, transition from Mycenean to Iron Age/Dark Ages

The Blinding of the Cyclops

Depicts Odysseus tricking Polyphemus and blinding him to leave

Odysseus Summoning the Shades

Lucanian Red-Figure Calyx-Crater.

390BCE. Golden Age

Tablet with instructions for the deceased in the Underworld

350-300BCE — Greek Golden Age

Symbolizes importance of proper burial for deceased, so their souls make it to Hades’ realm

Elpenor not given proper burial…

Siren Vase: Detail of Red Figure Stamnos.

480BCE. Golden Age

Depicts Sirens taunting Odysseus as he travels, tied to the ship’s pole

Athena Born from the Head of Zeus, with Eileithyia (goddess of childbirth)

Black-figured amphora.

550BCE — Beginning of Golden Age

Black Figure Kylix showing Eris (=Strife)

500 BCE — Golden Age/Iron Age

Relates to Work and Days — Hesiod 

Early Olympia – Western Peloponnesian Rural Cult

Animal Figurines

Signify worship of deity before worship of Zeus

The Iconography of the Festival of Zeus

East Pediment — Zeus, Pelops, Oinomaos

West Pediment — Zeus fighting Lapiths & Centaurs

Metopes –- Heracles Cleaning the Stables of Augeas (King of Elis) ((UNPICTURED))

Hysplex and the Hoplitodromos


Depicts Olympic events, showing importance of them


Hysplex was the mechanical starting gate for footraces

Hoplitodromos was armored sprint event

Temple of Apollo at Delphi

Site of worship for Apollo, also where Pythia (Oracle of Delphi) resided to give prophecies

The Omphalos

Marble

Late 1st century CE

Zeus set it there — center of the world. In Delphi, symbolized connection to Gods. Used by Oracle.

Top: Late Myceanean Terracotta Female Figurines from the sanctuary of Athena Pronaia at Delphi.

Bottom: Red figure Kylix depicting Aigeus, the mythical king of Athens, seeking an oracle from Themis at Delphi. 

Both show pre-Apollo cult activity at Delphi, which was then repurposed to serve Apollo & Athena

Oracular dedications to Apollo, figurines

Cult of Apollo Pythios ca. 900BCE,

Increased heavily in 600BCE, dedications from across Greek world

Apollo Welcomes Dionysus at Delphi, Above the Omphalos.

Red figure krater

Early 4th century BCE

Shows contrast/coexistence between Apollo (wisdom) and Dionysus (chaos, madness)

Tholos in the Sanctuary of Athena Pronaia

Gateway to the main sanctuary // multiple uses?

Sphinx of Naxians

ca. 560BCE — Archaic Period

Dedicated by Naxians to Apollo to recieve promanteia (consult oracle first)

Athenian Treasury Delphi

Built to honor/thank Apollo for victory at battle of Marathon. Housed treasures for Apollo.

Mousikoi Agones – The Kithara and the Aulos

Depicts music contests at Pythian games. Shows kithara and aulos instruments, dedication to the Muses. 

Attic Red Figure Krater

5th century BCE — Athenian Golden Age

Depicts Hermes leading Persephone forth from the underworld to be greeted by Hekate and her mother Demeter

Marble Votive Relief found at Eleusis

440BCE

Depicts Demeter, Triptolemos and Persephone

Marble Pinax of Persephone and Hades found in Sanctuary of Persephone in Locri, Sicily

Early 5th century BCE

Depicts Hades & Persephone w/offerings. Pinax likely donated by maidens ready for marriage, praying for Persephone’s protection 

Ninnion Tablet found at Eleusis

Red Clay

370BCE

Only known representation of Eleusinian Procession and Initiation