Minoans, Myceneans, and Geometric Greece

Cycladic figurines (violin, FAF)

(3200-2300 BCE)

Used within Cycladic island region for about 500 years

Marble, small, could not stand on their own

FAFs and violins

traded between islands

Bronze Age

(c. 3000-1100 BCE)

Prehistoric

Many sites connected with Greek myth (discovered by using ancient texts)

Sophisticated, complex societies -- comparably poorer than those to the east

Minoan Crete

(c. 3000-1450)

Linear A- Phaistos Disk (untranslated)

Mycenaean Greece

(c. 1750-1100)

Palace complex at Knossos

(c. 1750-1350 BCE)

had storage rooms for excess food

architecture borrowed from east

had big open area for assembly

Minoans-Mycenaeans

● Widespread destruction at palaces on Crete in 1700, 1600 (Thera eruption),

and in mid 15th c. BCE (no more palace system, leaping bulls but still bulls, burial practices now look like mainland)

● Material culture/practices after 15th c. are different, indicate connections with

mainland Greek culture of Mycenaeans - could have took over

Mycenaean palace culture

● Conceptual differences from Minoan compounds

● Maintained control of products and distribution of necessities and later, luxury

goods

● Similarities and adaptation in decoration, definitely used same techniques and

production

smaller than Minoans

adapted Minoan elements

more predator animal themes

more architecturally advanced

cyclopean architecture - stones so big only a cyclopes could move it

Shaft Graves

(1600-1450 BCE) at Mycenae

elite burial practice

Complex burial process

Multiple bodies (19 and 24)

Significant memorial

Rich burial goods

closer to palace

circle shaft grave - behind palace wall, important people buried here

Later (250 years later) incorporated into

defensive walls

The Griffin Warrior

(c. 1450 BCE)

Pylos: Homeric home of Nestor, oldest (and most verbose) of the Homeric heroes

Palace, destroyed around 1200

at Mycenean palace of Pylos

cyst tomb (lined with rocks, not a shaft grave)

lots of stuff made by Minoan craftsmanship

included seal stone - extremely complex

Late Bronze Age Collapse

1200-1000 bc

Widespread, but local differences

Extensive disruption of political and trade network

Complex, multi-factor explanations

kings collapse

drought, earthquakes, disease possibly

sea people possible

by end Egypt not doing well and Mycenean palace gone, now iron more favored than bronze bc its local

Iron Age/Geometric Period

1100-700

Contacts with east

practices shared, idea of reclining while you dine (elites)

Geometric Greece is a specific artistic and cultural phase (roughly 900–700 BC) that occurred during the later part of the broader Greek Iron Age

Geometric Athenian Burials

‘Warrior burials’ : bent swords, spear tips

○ Symbolic or ascribed identity, not necessarily achieved identity

Tomb of the Rich Athenian Lady, c.

850 BCE

Tomb of the Rich Athenian Lady

c. 850 BCE

● Cremation

● Remains placed in

amphora

● Additional grave

goods

● Gold jewelry very

rare at this time

● Faience pendants

imported from Egypt

was pregnant - neonate bones buried with her

Egyptian beads on necklace

Agios Dimitrios

Geometric Cemetery (850-740)

Osteological analysis of human and faunal remains

No obvious inequality in diet, physical activity

Sanctuaries

800

sacred place

● Necessities:

○ Altar for sacrifices

○ Space for offerings

(sometimes including a

cult image)

○ Defined precinct wall

Local and interstate

normally a cult statue

Votives

● Tangible expression of ritual

● Regular expectation of the Greek gods: I give, so you give -- relational

● Does not need to be expensive (but it’s nicer when it is)

● No take-backsies!!!

● Sanctuaries have to manage the offerings (sacred burial/bothros, melt down and repurpose, recycle)

● Some types are archaeologically visible

bonze age liked mini horses, bronze, and bronze tripods

you HAVE TO BRING SOMETHING, EVERYDAY

bull imagery

Crete

found on frescos, clay vessels, and gold - on a variety of expensive and inexpensive things

leaping bull (also found in Egypt)

cremation

iron age

elites took heroic ideals from the past (bronze age) and tried to emulate them - one example is cremation

Iliad - pyre of Patroclus massive and expensive

symbolic transformation

need a pyre very costly and time consuming, need oil and fat took 8-10 hours

bones collected after normally by women and placed in urn that would be buried

for elites - exceptions for war heroes

for one person except for sometimes mother and infant

harris lines

pauses in bone growth on ankle

Lefkandi burials

iron age

long building that covered two graves that dated to 50 years after construction around 1000 bc

female inhumated (buried) and male cremated was an elite burial and 2 horses also buried

urn was bronze and there was bronze from Cyprus and armor

woman had gold from east and textiles

building destroyed so individuals could be buried, then burial mound made, then other elites buried in front of it

temples

geometric Greece started to show up (8th c)

modular designs common - made offsite then shipped to location

common for marble

Greek alphabet

reintroduction of literacy

adapted from eastern language