Minoan Mycenaean The Bronze Age Cultures of Greece

Minoan & Mycenaean. The Bronze Age Cultures of Greece

What are the sources for these two cultures? ● ● Homer wrote the Illiad which details the war of Troy – supposedly fought by the Mycenaeans Heinrich Schliemann was inspired by Homer's epics to find and excavate Troy and Mycenae Sir Arthur Evans excavated and rebuilt portions of the Minoan palace at Knossos. The ancient historian Thucydides mentions the power of King Minos' Navy

Minoans – When / Where? ● ● Early Minoan civilization distinguished itself during the early Bronze Age (2800 BC), but habitation had been evident thousands of years before that Came to prominence in the Aegean during the Proto-palatial period (2000 BC) Located on the Island of Crete – The largest island in the Aegean! Key Word: Adapt – they were a culture that adapted to their environment

Who were the Minoans? ? ● ● Named after the Mythic king Minos from the legend of the minotaur (to be discussed) They were a culture that could do it all! − Trade, art, manufacturing (their goods were found throughout the ancient world), agriculture, architecture, and sports − Lived on an isolated island but through trade had contact with many cultures (Egypt and the Syrian cultures for example) − Builders of huge palaces

Why Palaces? ● ● ● Due to huge innovations in agriculture and trade there was a massive surplus in wealth and goods. To adapt to this surplus the Minoans connected their towns to a centralized palace that dealt with housing the goods and redistribution of wealth (A store house, royal residence, but not a fortress) The most famous and largest of these palaces was Knossos built 1900 BC

The Palace of Knossos ● ● Over 800 connected rooms Artwork on the wall represented everything from civic life to sea life Artwork represents a very peaceful society http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=jk. O 68 Az. Bpcs

Writing and Language • The Minoans wrote in a language known as Linear A • Sadly, Linear A has yet to be decoded

How did they prosper? ● The Minoans adapted to their island environment and utilized sea power as their main force of commerce. (They had PRIME location to do so. ) − Along with traded goods they interchanged ideas and goods from other cultures. This can accelerate a culture.

What did they trade? ● Their export staples consisted of olives, grape vines, timber, oil, wool, manufactured goods, and opium.

What was the culture like? ● Religion – “Matriarchal Religion” − ● Their religion was based around the feminine. Without a warrior caste, women enjoyed many freedoms including being the focus of the religion. The statue pictured could either be the deity itself or a worshiper. Rituals – Bull Leaping - Bull leaping festival

Recurring Imagery: “The Bull” ● Heavy debate about what the bull means in Minoan society ● Why would a society leap bulls? Can you think of other societies that indulge in dangerous activities as ritual.

The People of Minoan Civilization ● Evidence shows that men and women enjoyed near equal status ● Rulers were priest-kings ● ● There was a division in social wealth. However, evidence shows that even the poor had multi-room dwellings. Upper class Minoans had free-standing homes near the palaces.

The Downfall ● Big problems in the Aegean - Around 1500 BC colonies on other Aegean islands were being systematically destroyed ● ● Popular theories include a revolt against the rulers, an eruption on Thera, and an invasion from the Sea People! (? ? ) With the destruction of Knossos around 1400 BC the time of the Minoan Civilization had passed.

The Mycenaeans – A culture on the Rise ● Likely arrived in Greece from the Balkans around 2000 BC - Did not distinguish themselves as a civilization until around 1600 BC ● Located on the mainland of Greece. The Mycenaeans developed in a unique way when compared to the Minoans

Who Were the Mycenaeans? ? • They were a culture on mainland Greece that existed between 16001100 BC • They were named after their capital city of Mycenae • They built fortifications on high plateaus – a precursor to the Greek acropolis • They wrote in a language called Linear B – an early form of Ancient Greek • They relished in war. Their oral tradition revolved around their victories.

The Social Structure ● ● Warrior based society Mycenae was ruled by a warrior-king. Surrounding cities and territories were ruled by minor kings in a loose truce. ● Strong warrior cast ● Extremely rich aristocracy ● Women had very few rights

Our Clearest View Comes From the City of Mycenae ● ● In the 19 th century an Archaeologist named Heinrich Schliemann studied the old myths of the Greeks to find ancient city sites Schliemann was most interested in the epics by Homer, The Illiad and the Odyssey Through these epics he discovered the possible site of Troy and the fortress of Mycenae – Or the Palace of Agamemnon Unlike Minoan Palaces, the Mycenae fortresses were self sufficient with running water! ● Artwork at Mycenae depicted religious symbols associated with eastern culture: The Sphinx is a recurring image, along with the names of traditional Greek gods.

Mycenae – Burials ● ● Mycenaean burials were located in large beehive shaped tombs called “Tholos” These tombs showed signs of multiple use and had extensive grave goods placed within them. Grave goods included precious metal jewelry, gold death masks, armor, and weapons.

Mycenae – The Art Mycenaean art vs. Minoan art. . . can you spot the difference?

The Collapse ● ● Around 1200 BC the power of Mycenae was in decline Extreme pressure from a northern invasion of the Dorians – They had Iron weapons Extreme de-population between 1100 -1000 This would represent the start of the Greek dark age