Key sites test Flashcards
(55 cards)
1
Q
When did the Mycenean age occur?
A
- 1600 BC to 1150 BC
2
Q
Why was it called the Mycenean age?
A
- time where there were many similar successful cities
- similar culture, buildings, administration, had palaces at the heart of them
- not linked or united
3
Q
Which other period did the Mycenean age overlap with?
A
- bronze age
4
Q
Why was it difficult to date Mycenean period?
A
- greek alphabet did not exist, cannot be precisely dated
- similar to minoan culture, hard to distinguish which culture it came from
5
Q
What are the two methods that are used to date items from this period?
A
- comparing pottery styles with ancient Egypt (historical records kept more accurately)
- based on radioactivity in carbon based objects eg. wooden objects and timbers
6
Q
Where was Minoan culture based and how does it differ from Mycenaean culture in terms of dating?
A
- based in Crete 3500 - 1400 BC
- overlaps in time + area with Mycenaean culture
- did not build many walls
7
Q
What is a citadel?
A
- ancient city built on higher ground
- defended by walls
8
Q
Where was Mycenae?
A
- Northeast Peloponnese, Greece
- built on hill
- 40-50 m above plains
- perimeter of 900m
- small by modern standards
9
Q
Who did the Greeks believe to have founded the Mycenae?
A
- Perseus, man who killed Medusa
- given help building city by cyclopes
10
Q
How did the cyclopean walls get their name?
A
- Greeks thought no human could have built such huge walls
11
Q
Who was Agamemnon?
A
- king of Mycenae several centuries after Perseus
- leader of Greek forces at Troy
- richest of all Mycenaens
12
Q
Where was Tiryns?
A
- East Peloponnease, Greece
- 10 miles from Mycenae
13
Q
Mycenae
What was the sally port for?
A
- defensive feature
- defenders could rush out and surprise attackers
- could be seen from a distance = not very effective?
14
Q
Mycenae
What were sally ports and how big are they?
A
- 2 narrow exits on north and south of walls
- 2.5m wide
15
Q
What is corbelling?
A
- technique used to span a gap between 2 walls
- place increasingly larger blocks of stone onto each other
- creates vaulted roof
16
Q
Where is corbelling used in Mycenae?
A
- underground cistern
- roof of Treasury of Arteus
17
Q
What is the underground cistern used for and where does the water come from?
A
- keeps water cool and it from evaportating
- collected water by clay pipes on roof, water is from spring
- freshwater supply within citadel for under siege
- 18m below ground level
18
Q
Describe the development of the cyclopean walls
A
- originally only surrounded on top of city
- enlarged a century later
- final perimeter = 900m
19
Q
What were the dimensions of the cyclopean walls and what were they made of?
how were they kept together?
A
- orginal height = 12m
- length = 900m
- width = 5.5-7.5m
- made of limestone, quarried near Mycenae
- no mortar used
- used smaller stones in between large blocks to hold it together
20
Q
When was the Lion Gate built?
A
13th century BC
21
Q
What was the Lion Gate and how large was it?
A
- main entrance to citadel
- 3m wide square
- 20 ton lintel
- wooden doors
- relief sculpture of a pair of lions/ griffins with front paws on altar
22
Q
What was the function of the Lion Gate?
A
- main entrance = small amount of gates limit number of weak points
- majestic/ powerful lion relief = reflects people of city, impress visitors
- small size to limit flow of enemies
23
Q
Where was Grave Circle B, when was it built, how big is it and what was in it?
A
- just outside of citadel, surrounded by stone wall
- 28m in diameter
- 16-17 century BC
- shaft graves with objects in it
- just over half were graves of royal family
- uncarved stelai = female
- carved stelai = male
- 35 bodies, 24 graves
24
Q
How big was Grave Circle A, how did it expand and what was in it?
A
- 28m in diameter
- originally surrounded by low walls
- lion gate built = raised walls + ground
- could have been outside originally but walls were widened
- shaft graves with precious goods (gold, silver etc)
25
What were the tombs of Clytemnestra and Aegisthus like?
| when were they built?
- both 13m in diameter
- T.C. is 13m high
- T.A. roof collapsed
- both built in 14th century
- empty - goods were raided/ stolen
- arch achieved with corbelling
- beehive shape
| not actual graves of the both of them- Schliemann was just delusional
26
Who were Clyclemnestra and Aegisthus?
- wife of Agamemnon
- second husband of Clyclemnestra
27
What is the Treasury of Atreus?
- place to store treasure
- Atreus was Agamemnon's father
28
How big was Tiryns?
- 18m above land that surrounds it
- 300m long
- 45-100m wide
29
How high were the walls of Tiryns?
- 10 m high
30
Who was the founder of Tiryns?
Protios
- brother to Acriscus who was grandfather of Perseus
31
Was Mycenae or Tiryns older?
Tiryns
32
Describe the bull leaping fresco
- boy leaping over bull
- blue background, maroon spots on cow, yellow hooves
- may have been festival to show men's courage/ sport
- copied Minoans? (happened more in crete)
33
Which famous hero was said to be born in Myceneae?
Heracles
34
What was the date of the earliest buildings in Tiryns compared to Mycenae?
- 2500 BC
- first Mycenaean style building = 1400 BC
35
How did Tiryns justify the description in the Iliad as "surrounded by walls"?
- wall on western side added with curving defense
36
What was the tactical advantage of the main entrance of Tiryns?
- attackers trapped in long narrow passage between 2 gates beyond entrance
- defenders hurl objects at them
| killing box
37
What was the main entrance of Tiryns like?
- 3m high
- 3m wide, similar to Lion Gate
- pivot holes for doors still seen
- slots in gate posts for bar to lock gates
38
What was the Cyclopean Ramp like and where was it?
- given name because of size
- small part remains now
- little clue of how impressive it was
- short walk to main gate
39
What was the tactical advantage of the Cyclopean Ramp?
- narrow = reduces number of people charging at once
40
What were the Galleries?
- area containing workshops and houses added in 13th century BC
- created extra loop of walls to north
- built into outerwalls of city
- corbelling to create vaulted roofs
- some up to 30m long
- leading off galleries = large number of rooms
41
What were the defences of Tiryns?
- walls are relatively straight
- wall of west city = deliberate, significant curve
- stairway leading to narrow corridor
- double gate + bend = killing box
- killing box traps enemies inside, can't charge
- harder to attack uphill
- high lookout point
42
# Tiryns
What would have the palace been like?
- on highest part of Tiryns
- protected by own defensive walls
- floor is plastered, had images of octopi + dolphins
- walls covered in plaster (frescoes painted on damp plaster, rich ladies, hunting scene, patterns)
- around megaron- series of apartments & colonades for rulers
- bathroom floor made with polished limestone slabs, holes drilled into floor for drainage
43
What would the Tholos tomb have been like?
- 6m tall + wide
- entrance = 1.5m high
- inside tomb -> large round stone (altar?)
- superb corbelled roof
- massive blocks of stone to hold up entrance
- away from town
44
What was the evidence for Troy VI for being the site of Homer's Troy?
- destroyed around 1250BC, Trojan War = 1200BC
- rich city with numerous houses
- 7m high walls, Iliad mentioned high walls
- walls had towers = matches Iliad
- large area with population of 10000 = thriving city in Iliad
45
What was the evidence against Troy VI being the site of Homer's Troy?
- destroyed by earthquake, not fire from ancient literature
46
What was the evidence for Troy VIIa being the site of Homer's Troy?
- large towers
- crowded single storey houses = emergency housing during War
- storage jars underground = food for under siege
- destroyed by fire
- partial human remains have been found possibly killed in warfare
- 3 bronze arrowheads have been found
47
What were the arguments against Troy VIIa being the site of Homer's Troy?
- houses crammed together = city not rich
- sunken jars may not have been from siege (lack of space storing food)
- fire could have been accidental (eg cooking fire)
48
How big were palaces?
occupied large percentage of city
49
What is a collannade and how was it used by the royal family?
- sheltered area with columns to block the sun/ elements
50
What other types of rooms would have been included in the palace?
- rooms for official documents
- shrines
- potteries
- oil press rooms
- armouries
- storerooms for food
50
What was the most important room in the palace and where was it positioned?
- megaron
- highest point of city, dominating the area
51
What was the shape and layout of the megaron?
- rectangular
- entrance porch with 2 columns
- vestibule behind it
- usually contained more than 1 courtyards
52
What were the most important features of the megaron and what is it used for?
- the hearth, stone circle surrounding fire
- surrounded by 4 columns
- kings throne
- smoke escapes through the roof + lets light in
- religious purposes or cooking
53
What was the flooring in the megaron made out of?
- marble
54
What two important events would the megaron would have been used for?
- feasts like the ones described in the Odyssey
- poetry recited
