Minoan Art Mid 1 Study Guide

Study these hoe.

Dolphin fresco from Queen’s Megaron in east wing of the palace at Knossos. Neopalatial or second palace period. This was originally belonged to the floor of the first floor directly above. 

Flying fish fresco from site of Phylakopi on island of Melos, Middle Cyladic, c. 18-17th century BC

Photo/plan of Palace at Mallia, second palace period (note central court, storage areas)

Plan/ariel view of palace at Kato Zakro in east Crete, excavated by Nikolas Platon. Second palace period. Houses are arranged in blocks. Site of Gournia

Mallia, quarter Mu, showing the large administrative structure (building A) dating to the First Palace Period (c. 2000-1800 BC)

Ariel view of Villa Complex at Ayia Triada, Second palace period. What appears to be a megaron was built over the villa in 3rd Palace Period; this is contemporary with sota complex at the northern sector of the site

Reconstruction drawing of the ship-sheds at the port of Kommos near Ayia Triada. This stoa-like building has been interpreted as a compound of ship-sheds whose long rooms open on to the sandy beach. Third Palace period (c. 1450-1375 BC)

Photo and drawing of the “master impression” sealing, Chaina, Late Minoan I-II (c. 1550-1450 BC) depicting multi-story buildings set in a rocky landscape and with a male holding a staff standing at the highest point. fun fact: star constellation in the sky

Late minoan 1A floral-style jug from Phaistos (1550-1500 BC)

late minoan 1B marine-style stirrup jar from Gournia (c. 1500-1450 BC).

“Palace-style” storage jar from Knossos, Third Palace Period  (1450-1375 BC) This style is characterized by somewhat formalized floral and other motifs paint on a light ground. 

“Peak Sanctuary” rhyton, made of chlorite, from the Palace at Kato Zakro, Second Palace Period. Depicting a tripartite peak sanctuary surmounting a broad stair, with double horns along the roof lines, and what appears to be altars in the foreshortened front court, set in a mountain landscape with wild goats and birds. The stone vessel was probably a gift.

The “Harvester” Vase found at Ayia Triada Villa A, made of black steatite. The scene in low relief shows 27 males led by a figure (priest?). The scene has been interpreted as a processual dance, a triumphal march of soldiers, and a harvest festival. 

Cup bearer freco, modern recnstruction in South Propylon by Sir Arthur Evans

GRANDSTAND FRESCO AFTER 1600 BC

Shows central courtyard with many people in the center

Red with white parts are men, wearing belts/collars

Miniature fresco known as the Grandstand Fresco, Knossos, Second Palace period (note the tripartite shrine with “horns of consecration” on the roof, surrounded by females & males). After 1600 BC

Fresco,  “La Parisienne,” Camp-Stool Fresco, c. 1400 BC. The “sacral knot” worn at the back of the neck is often taken indicates that she was priestess /goddess,

• Mycenean female camp fire, “satyricon” 

Shows short hair and horns/nubian cap, “Captain of the Blacks” from Knossos (MYCENEAN 3RD PALACE PERIOD)

Bull-leaping or Toreador Fresco from the east wing of the Palace at Knossos, 15th century BC

• grey area of gender has to do with the painted colors of individuals

The Thera volcano is still sporadically active, particularly the eruptions of Nea Kameni, seen here from the town of Phira

Akrotiri: the Antelopes Fresco from the west wall of Room Beta 1

Akrotiri: the Boxing Boys Fresco from the south wall of Room Beta 1

Akrotiri: the “Blue Monkey” Fresco from Room 6, House Beta

The Bronze Age (Late Cycladic) site of Akrotiri. View of the excavations showing the triangular square, with the West House on the left and Building Complex Delta on the right

Fresco fragment of a bull leaper from Tell el’Dab’a in the Nile Delta in Egypt, c. 17th century BC.

• Minoan-style fresco attests to the interconnections between the Aegean and Egypt

Akrotiri: bare-breasted female figure from Room 1 of the House of the Ladies

Akrotiri: reconstruction of Room 3 and upper floor of Xeste 3

Akrotiri: young girl gathering crocus flowers; fresco from Xeste 3. Based on the shaved head and locks of hair, the girl is believed to be an adolescent

Plans of the West House (top) and Xeste 3 (bottom) at Akrotiri

Bull’s head rhyton from the Little Palace at Knossos (Ca. 1550-1500 BC)

• carved from a block of black steatite, with horns of gilded wood, eyes of inlaid rock crystal and jasper, and nostrils of mother-of pearl (the horns and much of the head are modern restorations).

• Shell used in muzzle

One of the two gold cups (1450 BC or slightly earlier) found by Tsountas at Vapheio, near Sparta, known as the Vapheio Cups, ca.

Two Cretan bronze figurines (c. 1500 BC) cast by the cire perdue (lost wax) technique in the typical “worshipping” pose, both wearing normal costume for their sex. 

Chryselephantine (gold & ivory) (Late Minoan IB 1500-1450 BC) 

• statuette from Palaikastro referred to as a “kouros” (left as preserved; right as reconstructed).

Faience plaques ((15th century B.C.)

• found in the excavations at the Palace at Knossos showing what Minoan houses may have looked like

Faience statuettes of the snake goddesses (c. 1600BC)

• (or the snake goddess & her attendant) from the Temple Repositories at Knossos,

Gold earrings from the necropolis of Mavro Spelio (after 1400 BC),

• near Knossos, showing granulation work. (note the schematic bull’s head form)

The so-called “Priest-king” Fresco as originally reconstructed Knossos, Second Palace period

A three-dimensional reconstruction of the shrine on the “Peak Sanctuary” rhyton from Kato Zakro

Plan of Houses A & F at Ayia Irini on the island of Kea, Second Palace Period. The town is composed of buildings that in some cases resemble Minoan houses (such as House A)

. Gold signet ring from the Minoan tomb at Isopata, near Knossos, showing a religious scene that may represent an ecstatic ritual dance & the epiphany of a goddess, c. 1500 BC. Some of the floating symbols in the sky may represent stellar constellations

Aerial view of the excavated tripartite shrine at Archanes – Anemospilia dating to the Middle Minoan period. All objects were found in position, as were the skeletons of people who had been performing the rituals

The Ayia Triada sarcophagus made of limestone and decorated with various religious scenes in fresco technique, c. 14th century BC. It was found near the “Villa” at Ayia Triada

View of the Citadel at Mycenae with Grave Circle A, excavated by Heinrich Schliemann shown in the foreground

Plan and view of the Early Minoan II tholos tomb at Kamilari in south-central Crete (c. 2500-2200 BC)

The largest of the Tholos Tombs at Mycenae, known as the Treasury of Atreus, constructed sometime after 1250 BC. Left: the dromos & façade; right: the interior

Reconstruction of the Bronze Age acropolis of Tiryns showing the Upper, Middle and Lower Citadels, as well as the great Megaron

Reconstruction of the west side of the central courtyard of the Palace at Knossos by Piet de Jong (the “Throne Room” is at the lower right)

The “Lyre-Player” Fresco from the Central Hall of Throne Room at Pylos, 13th century BC (reconstruction by Piet de Jong)

Plaster female head from Mycenae, possibly of a sphinx or goddess, c. 13th century

Limestone stele (tomb stone) from Grave V of Grave Circle A decorated with running spirals & a chariot scene, 16th century BC

Four bronze daggers with inlaid decoration of gold, silver, and niello from Shaft Graves IV & V of Grave Circle A, c. 1550 BC

Typical Mycenaean terracotta figurines, two of the psi type and one (in the center) of the phi type, 13th century BC (females are with their hands up)

Mycenaean Pictorial Style krater from the citadel of Mycenae, found by Heinrich Schliemann and known as the Warrior Vase, c. 1200-1190 BC

Mycenaean (Late Helladic III) Pictorial Style krater from the site of Enkomi on the island of Cyprus, 14th century BC

Burnt clay tablets preserving the three different types of script of Minoan Crete: a) (upper left) Minoan hieroglyphic; b) (upper right) Linear A; c) (bottom) Linear B. The latter was deciphered by Michael Ventris

Both sides of the undeciphered Phaistos disk, dated to the Middle Minoan IIIb period (c. 1700-1600 BC), impressed with pictographic signs arranged in a spiral and divided into groups by traverse lines

Michael Ventris (1922-1956) deciphered Linear B in 1952 and showed it to be an early form of Greek

The so-called “Ring of Minos,” a large gold signet ring depicting the epiphany cycle, dated to the end of the New Palace Period (c. 1450-1400 BC), though considered by some scholars a forgery

The “Boston Goddess.” A chryselephantine (gold ivory) figurine often published as Minoan, but clearly a forgery of the early 20th century AD

Restoring the Grand Staircase of the Palace of Minos at Knossos, 1905. Arthur Evans in white suite and pith helmet; next to him, to the right, Duncan Mackenzie (the head excavator) and Christian Doll (one of the architects)