THE BRONZE AGE (1)

BRONZE AGE (3.200 – 1.100 BC)

Stable settlement - Development of systematic farming, stock-rearing, exchange of raw materials and products & navigation

Use of copper – Development of metallurgic techniques

Development of significant civilizations

BRONZE AGE (3.200 – 1.100 BC)

Southern Aegean Civilization (3.200 – 1.600 BC)

Cycladic Civilization (3.200 – 1.500 BC)

Minoan Civilization (3.200 – 1.450 BC)

Helladic Civilization (3.200 – 1.600 BC)

Mycenaean Civilization (1.600 – 1.100 BC)

SOUTHERN AEGEAN & CYCLADIC CIVILIZATION

(3.200 – 1.600/1.500 BC)

Inhabitation of the islands in the Neolithic Age

Factors of development: geographical position – geological terrain – local raw materials

Most important archaeological points: Limnos, Lesvos, Thira, Kea, Melos, etc.

SOUTHERN AEGEAN & CYCLADIC CIVILIZATION(3.200 – 1.600/1.500 BC)

Development of metalworking and use of bronze alloys (from the beginning of the 3rd millennium BC)

Durable tools and weapons

Improvement and expansion of many productive activities

Economy based on agriculture, animal-breeding, trade and artisanship

SOUTHERN AEGEAN & CYCLADIC CIVILIZATION(3.200 – 1.600/1.500 BC)

Large settlements with an early urban character and population of 300-1500 persons, mostly located near the sea

Stone fortification walls of a retaining, flood-preventing and fortifying character ,mainly from the side of the land

Mainly stone-built buildings with usually rectangular shape, consisted mainly only of a ground floor and more infrequently of two or three stores. They are built either attached to one another or free-standing

Houses with stone or clay storage constructions & sewage system

SOUTHERN AEGEAN & CYCLADIC CIVILIZATION(3.200 – 1.600/1.500 BC)

Beginning of cultivation of the vine & olive tree

Development of marine trade in order to discover raw materials (obsidian, metals), to acquire technical knowledge & to promote exchangeable agricultural and manufactured goods (especially by the Cyclades)

Extraction & elaboration of metals (copper, lead, silver) by using special tools & techniques – Manufacture of golden & silver jewels

SOUTHERN AEGEAN & CYCLADIC CIVILIZATION(3.200 – 1.600/1.500 BC)

Decorated ceramic vases & frescoes, with various colors and themes from the animal- , plant- & everyday's life or sometimes even landscape paintings or historical scenes (e. g. Acrotiri on Thira)

SOUTHERN AEGEAN & CYCLADIC CIVILIZATION(3.200 – 1.600/1.500 BC)

Marble-sculpture (vases & figurines) from the Cyclades anthropocentric character of the art

Isolated burials of infants and children within the limits of the settlement, in vases or simple pits into the floors of houses – Burials of adults in simple pits or in “pithoi” in cemeteries out of the settlements

SOUTHERN AEGEAN & CYCLADIC CIVILIZATION(3.200 – 1.600/1.500 BC)

Foundation of the earliest sanctuary of the prehistoric Aegean in Agia Irini on Kea

Female figures dominating in religious scenes (e.g. Santorin), as in those of Minoan Crete

Ritual acts (Thira – young men with blue hair and long locks) through which the youths officially became adults, responsible to society & gods

SOUTHERN AEGEAN & CYCLADIC CIVILIZATION(3.200 – 1.600/1.500 BC)

Indications of a dressing code very close to the Minoan ( figurines from Thermi on Lesvos & frescoes from Thira)

Clothes expressing presumably social differences

Minoan style loincloth worn mostly by men that were occupied with an activity of movement (e.g. “pygmachoi”)

Impressive women with wide bell-shaped skirts made of successive woven bands and a tight-fitting bodice leaving the breasts exposed – Sometimes very fine transparent clothes, probably made of silk - Many jewels, made of precious metals and colorful stones - Painting of the eyes & face & tattoo marks

SOUTHERN AEGEAN & CYCLADIC CIVILIZATION(3.200 – 1.600/1.500 BC)

Existence of a political-administrative power which coordinated the communal works and observed the harmonic function of the community ( existence of “Bouleutirion”)

Existence of a wealthy class of merchants & craftsmen seals, bronze tools and weapons & the jewels of exceptional art as "prestigegoods" or objects of "social prestige“, found in houses or graves (Thermi, Poliochni)

MINOAN CIVILIZATION (3.200 – 1.450 BC)

Factors of development:

o Geographical position in the centre of the East Mediterranean Sea, at the connecting point of 3 continents

o Geomorphologic terrain, with big & small plains among high mountains

o Warm climate

o 1st settlements already in the Neolithic Age

MINOAN CIVILIZATION (3.200 – 1.450 BC)

1899 – 1935: excavations of Sir Arthur Evans in Knossos 1st extensive revelation of the Minoan Civilization

Most important archaeological points:Phaistos, Knossos, Malia, Zacros, etc

Economy based on agriculture, animal-breeding, exchanging trade & artisanship

MINOAN CIVILIZATION (3.200 – 1.450 BC)

Development of navigation "Minoan thalassocracy“

“Pax minoica” ( not any kind of fortification)

“International” trade with the Aegean Islands, Egypt (“Kefti”) & the coasts of the Near East – Exchange of Cretan produced goods with raw materials

Collection, storage & trade of the produced goods exclusively organized by the palace centers, where there are also located specialized workshops