MINOANS AND MYCENAEANS:

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Who were the Minoans?

A Bronze Age civilization in Greece, named after mythical King Minos, centered on the island of Crete.

Where was the Minoan civilization centered?

On the island of Crete, in the Mediterranean Sea.

What characteristic did the Minoans exhibit due to their coastal location?

They were natural sea people who engaged in long-distance trade.

What natural disaster significantly altered the geography of Thera (Santorini) and when?

A volcano erupted in 1629 \text{ BC}.

What did paintings on a Theran wall suggest about Minoan trade?

A painting of antelopes from Africa suggested the Minoans engaged in long-distance trade.

What was the Palace of Knossos?

The palace was built and lived in by King Minos, famous for its imposing and complicated floor plan which gave us the term “labyrinth” (maze). Also was the center of the civilization.

What mythical creature was associated with the Palace of Knossos by later Greeks?

The Minotaur (a creature with the head of a bull and the body of a man).

What did the absence of protective outer walls at the Palace of Knossos suggest?

It suggested the Minoans did not fear outside invaders, likely due to their isolation in the sea and their naval power.

What ritual involving bulls was common in Minoan art?

Bull leaping, a sport practiced by men and women involving acrobatic jumping over bulls.

How did Minoan art differ from early Near Eastern art?

Minoan art paid little attention to military matters, differing from early Near Eastern art (Mesopotamia, Egypt, etc.).

What distinctive architectural feature was characteristic of Minoan architecture?

Columns, which were designed to be earthquake-proof.

What was Linear A?

The writing system developed by the Minoans, which modern historians cannot translate.

Who were the Mycenaeans?

A Bronze Age civilization that developed later than the Minoans and eventually overtook them. They were named after their most famous city, Mycenae.

When did the Mycenaeans overtake the Minoans?

In the late Bronze Age.

How do we know the Mycenaeans were more integrated into the larger world than the Minoans?

They appear in the tomb scenes of ancient Egyptian pharaohs and in the records of the Hittites.

What distinguished the Citadel of Mycenae from Minoan palaces?

It had protective walls, showing an emphasis on military matters, unlike the Minoans.

What architectural feature found in Minoan architecture also appears in the Citadel of Mycenae?

The column, suggesting some continuity between the two civilizations, as seen between the two lions above the door.

What was Linear B?

An adapted version of Linear A. It resembles modern Greek (though not identical) and is decipherable by historians and linguists.

What kind of records is Linear B usually found in?

Inventories or lists.

What were Tholos tombs?

Monumental tombs where royal family members of the Mycenaeans were buried; built into hillsides and shaped like a beehive.

How are Tholos tombs constructed?

As a round chamber with a domed ceiling and a passage that leads to the chamber.

What is the 'Treasury of Atreus'?

The largest and best-preserved tholos tomb found in Mycenae, also known as the 'Tomb of Agamemnon', dated about 1350-1330 \text{ BC}.

What is the 'Mask of Agamemnon'?

A gold mask from a Mycenaean tomb. The dating makes it too old to be the historical Agamemnon, but it shows that Mycenaean kings were buried with their gold and wealth.

What was the highest position in the Mycenaean hierarchy?

Wanax, generally referring to a king, the head of the society.

Who was the 'Lawagetas' in Mycenaean society?

The “Leader of the people” (and sometimes troops), who served under the king.

What was the role of 'Gwasileis' in Mycenaean society?

Similar to a town or village mayor. This title survived into later Greek eras, eventually referring to those at the top of the hierarchy.

What material in Mycenaean art indicated trade with other regions?

Ivory, as it is not native to Greece. Possessing ivory was a status symbol, suggesting wealth.

What Minoan influence is seen in Mycenaean art?

The bullhead, showing bulls were important Minoan symbols that influenced Mycenaean culture and art.

What was a common theme in Mycenaean art that differed from Minoan art?

Mycenaean art showed more interest in violence and aspects involved with a warrior society (chariots, battle scenes, warriors, etc.).

What type of armor style was primarily worn by Mycenaean chariot warriors?

Armor that was too clunky/heavy for infantry, indicating its use by chariot warriors.

What kind of helmets indicated higher status among Mycenaean warriors?

Helmets made of boar tusks showed the higher status of the owner.

How did Mycenaean artwork depict conflicts with “barbarians”?

It shows Mycenaeans in helmets engaged in war with “barbarians” (denoted by wearing animal skins). These conflicts increased, resulting in a weakened Mycenaean state.

What is the Bronze Age Mycenaean period the basis for in later Greek tradition?

Later Greek myths considered the “Age of Heroes”.

Name some heroic figures linked to Bronze Age myths.

Jason and the Argonauts, Hercules, King Oedipus of Thebes, and Agamemnon, in addition to the stories relating to the Trojan Wars.

What led to the collapse of Bronze Age Greece?

The movement of various populations (such as the Sea Peoples) led to the collapse of the Bronze Age political system. Greeks from the north also invaded the south, Mycenae, Crete, and Asia Minor.

What was a significant consequence of the collapse of Bronze Age Greece regarding literacy?

Scribes who wrote in Linear B for the old city-states disappeared, leading to much of the literacy vanishing and marking the beginning of a “dark age”.

What 7 things did the Minoans do?

1. Pottery: It was a competitive thing to do

2. Palace of Knossos: Center point of the civilization

3. Labyrinth

4. Artwork( frescos): They have knowledge of the sea, the have boxing, they have long distance trading.

5. We did not find many weapons on the minoans: they were a more peaceful civilization. All of their paintings were peaceful with kids playing, no warfare paintings. Everything is natural and is peaceful. 

6. Linear A is the writing system developed by the Minoans. However, modern historians cannot translate Linear A. 

7. Women wore makeup to make them more pretty. Jewelry doing their hair.

What do we know about the fall of the Minoans?

We have no clue what happened to the Minoans:

We think they got caught up in the sea people attacked and the late bronze age problems. A theory we do not know that is true.