2. The Bronze Age: Minoans and Mycenaeans

Question 1

What is bronze made of?

Answer 1

90% copper + 10% tin

Question 2

Why did the people of Greece decide to add tin to copper?

Answer 2

copper was too soft

Question 3

What impact did bronze have on Greek society?

Answer 3

Massive impact on society. made work and war more efficient, increased growing gap between high rank families from the rest of the people.

Source of copper in Greece
Trade relations required to access tin
Supplies of tin had to be imported,this meant that only the wealthier people could afford. Other people made due with less quality materials

Question 4

When did the excavations occur to reveal these early Greek site and what was the culture that was discovered?

Answer 4

1800s

Minoan culture
Focused on the island of Crete

Question 5

When was Crete settled, who became the majority population?

Answer 5

Island settled c. 7000 BCE

Minoans c. 3000 BCE

Question 6

Who discovered the palace complex of Knossos in Crete and when was it discovered? When did full excavations begin?

Answer 6

1894 CE – Sir Arthur Evans uncovers
the palace complex of Knossos, Crete
Full excavations begin in 1900

Question 7

What are the periods of the Minoan timeline based on architectural discoveries?

Answer 7

Pre-palatial (early Minoan) - c. 3000-2100 BCE
Sophisticated culture, gaining wealth *No palaces

Proto-palatial (middle Minoan) – c. 2100-1650 BCE
Elaborate buildings constructed, population boom, large urban centres *Palaces exist

Neo-palatial (late Minoan) – c. 1650-1400 BCE
c. 1650 BCE = eruption on Thera
Rebuilding bigger and better
*significant damages to the palaces on Crete, had to be rebuilt bigger and better. wood framing being added to stone walls in case of earth quakes.knosos a throne was cut from stone and a new palace structure built around it.

Post-palatial – c. 1400 BCE + *After the palace

Question 8

What type of society does palace culture create? What was the palace responsible for?

Answer 8

Earliest Aegean state level society

Re-distributive society-
Control over resources

Administrative and political centers

Centralization and stratification- social heirachy=elite becoming the ruling class that controlled the state. grain and olive oil stored in the palace created a reserve in times of famine

Question 9

What does Thalassocracy come from? (break down of word)

Answer 9

Thalassa (sea) + kratos (power)

Question 10

When was linear a writing created? Why was it used? What could of inspired it?

Answer 10

c. 1900 BCE – Minoans develop pictographic
writing (E.g., I ❤ New York)
Specific use/purpose
*Example- fired clay disk with spiral of stamped symbols -scholars think it is a pray to a goddess of fertility
May have been inspired by Egyptian hieroglyphics

Question 11

Who discovered linear b writing? What was it use?

Answer 11

Sir Arthur Evans = 3000 tablets found in palace
excavations
Each sign stands for a syllable in a word
Evans determined it was kept for record keeping

Question 12

What was the Minoan architectural and art styles?

Answer 12

Commercial and diplomatic ties to older civilizations = Minoans adopt techniques, design elements, etc.

Adapt to their own visual style
Uniquely Minoan

Eastern palaces = glorify royal house. No evidence of similar emphasis on Crete *no real images of kings as heroic warriors

Motifs in art: flora and fauna, sports, fishing,
processions, etc

Minoans were seen as slender in paintings, wore a variety of jewellery. Painting shown a clear love of the natural wold and sea
Fresco’s were popular

Question 13

What style was the palace at Knossos? What did this show?

Answer 13

Late Minoan/Neo-palatial
Less effort on defensive walls, focus on architecture and design

*it once covered 5 acres with 500 rooms. it was constructed with stone and mud brick and reinforce with timber to withstand earthquakes. it was 2 -3 stories high with basement. drains-running water and waste disposable. had balconies and painted corridors

Question 14

What did the palace emerge as?

Answer 14

the palace at Knossos had emerged as the one central government in which all Minoan were organized.

Question 15

What are some of the theories of what caused the decline of the Minoans?

Answer 15

Volcanic eruption at Thera
Destruction on island – buried Akrotiri
Tsunami from eruption?

Not immediate collapse but gradual decline
 Damage to coast
  → strain on trade and communication
  → naval power falters
 → vulnerable to conquest

Evidence of destruction by fire (Knossos spared)

Mycenaeans

Question 16

Who was Heinrich Schliemann? What did he discover and when?

Answer 16

b. 1822
Classical education
     Used fortune to find legendary sites
NOT a trained archaeologists
    Caused lots of damage; kept poor records
1871 – excavated Troy
1873 – “Priam’s Treasure”
1876 – excavated Mycenae

Question 17

What types of graves did the Mycenaean use? When?

Answer 17

Shaft graves
1700-1500 BCE
Rich grave goods esp. 1600-1500 BCE

Question 18

When did the Mycenaean people start using tholos tombs and why?

Answer 18

c. 1500 BCE – tholos tombs (pl.tholoi)
Bigger and more elaborate than Minoans
Demonstration of wealth and power

Question 19

When was linear b deciphered? By who?

Answer 19

in 1930 Evan did a presentation,Michael Ventris was present and became interested and took over 20 years deciphered it. he noticed that some symbols pairings were only appeared in the linear b tablets found in Crete and not from mainland Greece. thought could be places which were proven correct. he was able to unlock more of the txt linear b was a early form of Greek. proves that Mycenaean language was an early form of Greek and they adapted the script and used it the same ways as Minoan. this shows that Mycenaean took over Crete form the Minoans. used for record keeping and they are found in palace centres. linear b demonstrates cultural continuity between Mycenaean and Greeks.

Michael Ventris
Some symbols on tablets on Crete, not mainland Greece
= Place names
Linear B = early Greek!
 Mycenaean's adapted Minoan script
 Used for record keeping, administration

Question 20

When was the Mycenaean’s dominance?

Answer 20

1400-1200 BCE

Question 21

How many confirmed Mycenaean palace centres? What are the characteristics of these palace centres?

Answer 21

15+ confirmed palace centres
E.g., Mycenae, Pylos, Tiryns, Athens, Thebes
Centralized control of regions
Located on dominating hills (acropolis)
Cyclopean walls
Fortification purposes
Physical division and domination

Question 22

What would be included in the palace (architecture/areas/art)?

Answer 22

Megaron
Great hall
Hearth
Ceremonial centre
Home of the king
Artistic motifs: warfare, hunting, combat

Question 23

Who were the dominant groups when it came to trade?

Answer 23

Egypt

Hittite Empire

Question 24

What were the terms in Hittite texts that refereed to the Mycenaean?

Answer 24

Ahhiyawa – Achaeans “king of Ahhiyawa”

Wilusa → (W(ilios) → Ilion?

Question 25

What did Carl Blegen discover in 1939?

Answer 25

Palace of Nestor”, Pylos
Linear B Tablets
Records baked in destructive fire
Information on Mycenaean administration
Titles:
Wanax → “King,” (religious, military, judicial functions)
Lawagetas → “Leader of the People” or “War Leader”?
Korete/prokorete → “District Governors”
Quasireu → “Town Official”
(→ Pasireu → later Greek basileus)

Question 26

What was the social structure and status like for Mycenaean people?

Answer 26

Regional kingdoms
       Subdivided for administration
       Complex bureaucracy
All production centralized to palace
Require extensive number of specialized personnel
Sharply defined social hierarchy
        Management vs production
Markers of division in society
        Homes, possessions, burials

Question 27

What was warfare like for Mycenaean people?

Answer 27

Wanax and lawagetas- they were present fighting among other commanders

Details of tactics and organization unclear

Heavily armored troops
Bronze armor and weaponry
Boars tusk helmets
Swords, spears, ‘figure-eight’ shields

Battle chariot
Use by Mycenaeans?

Question 28

What caused the end of the Mycenaean power?

Answer 28

Manufacture and export trails off

Technical and artistic quality of pottery declines
Faltering economy?

c. 13th century BCE – every Mycenaean citadel is fortified
Those that already had fortifications expanded them
Evidence of trouble?
Destruction by fire (Linear B tablets baked)
c. 1150-1100 BCE – further destruction and decline
c. 1100 BCE – palace system disappeared
Migration

Question 29

What conflicts are happening in the late bronze age?

Answer 29

c. 1200 BCE – eastern Mediterranean in turmoil
Hittite Empire falls apart
Famine, drought, war
Capital (Hattusas) destroyed

Egyptian records of “Sea Peoples”
Invaders?
Attacked Egypt
Repelled c. 1190 BCE by Ramses III
But Egypt never regains former glory

Question 30

What are some theories about what caused the end of the Mycenaean people?

Answer 30

Invasion or migration
     Sea Peoples
     Invaders?
     Dorian Greeks?
     Return of the Heraklids
Internal revolution
Mutual destruction
Climate change/natural catastrophe
Systems Collapse Theory-- complex economic system are susceptible to collapse if there is a shift in the economy. could have to do with the bronze supply

Question 31

What myth could of been inspired by the palace at Knossos?

Answer 31

Minoans (King Minos)
    Minos – a person or a title?
     Historical reference in Herodotus?
labrys ‘double axe’
         labyrinthos
Bulls
   Bull Leaping
   ‘Horns of Consecration

gives possible basis of the connection to the real palace at Knossos and the famous myth labyrinth or the sanctuary of the double axe. symbol of double axe was found in many places in Knossos and was associated to a minion goddess. the dark winding hallways of the palace at Knossos has been suggested to be apart of what originated the myth of Minos. the bull motif. figures, stones, depicted a practice of bull leaping. the images suggested youth would leap over bulls. faced them and leapt over their heads possibly using their horns as grips to flip over their bodies scholars say that [practice was more about riding a bull some suggest the Minos might have originated with the bull leapers “they became one with it at least for a moment’. material culture-drinking cups,