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WORLD HISTORY 2017MR. GIGLIO

MINOANS

u Civilization located on island of Creteu Height: 2000 B.C. to 1500 B.C.u Name given by British archaeologistuKing Minos

u Civilization based on trade notconquestu THINK: Besides good, what else does

trade provide?u Polytheistic

The Island of CreteThe Island of Crete

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MINOANS

u Palace at KnossosuHoused royal family and used

for governmentuHome of King Minos?

uMuch of what we know about the Minoans is because of the ruins discovered at Knossos.uPaintings, pottery, other art Sir Arthur Evans (1851-1941)

studying Minoan pottery unearthed at Knossos

Ruins of the Palace at Knossos Artist’s Rendering of Palace at Knossos

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The sea was extremely importantWomen may have had many rights

Boxing and bull-jumping were the two most popular sports in Crete.

A DEMISE CLOUDED IN MYSTERY

u Minoan civilization seems to have disappeared around 1400 BCu Causes of the decline are a

mysteryuConquered by MycenaeansuPalaces destroyed

u Natural Disasters also played a partuTidal Wave, Cooling Temps,

Volcano

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MYCENAEN CIVILIZATION

u 1600 BC -1100 BCu name "Mycenaean" refers to the city of

Mycenae (excavated in 1876)u Heavily influenced by other societies

(cultural diffusion)u i.e. Minoans à Conquered?

u Monarchial society with warlord kingu Lived in semi-independent city-states.

(Poleis)u Tiryns, Pylos, Thebes, Midea, Sparta,

probably Athens, and more

Sir Heinrich Schliemann(1822- 1890)

Artist’s RenditionActual Ruins

The City of Mycenaea The City of Mycenaea

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The Mycenaean World

The Tombs of the Mycenaeans The Demise of the Mycenaeans

• After Trojan War, Mycenaean civilization went into decline

• Mycenaean poleis appeared to be attacked by Indo- European invaders (Doric Greeks & Thracians)

• Mycenaeans were displaced (forced to migrate) to Ionia

• except for Attica Greeks

• Dark Ages begin in 1100 BCE & end in 750 BCE

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HOMER

u Dorians invadeu Greek “Dark Ages?”u Trade declinedu Literacy declinedu Loss of many skills (art, writing, etc)uSmall isolated villages

u Homer: blind wandering poetu Iliad and Odyssey

The Trojan War

• Focus of Homer’s The Iliad (& The Odyssey)• Troy (the city) mentioned in Hittite written

records• Likely was a subject state of Hittite Empire that

gained independence• Came to dominate trade in Aegean Sea• Entered into economic rivalry with

Mycenaeans– Likely main cause of war– NOT abduction of Helen, as suggested by

Homer• Defeated by combined Mycenaean forces• VIDEO

The City of Troy Discovered by Schleimann at Hissarlik, Turkey (1871)

The City of Troy Discovered by Schleimann at Hissarlik, Turkey (1871)

Trojan Grave Circles

Artist’s Representation of TroyArtist’s Representation of Troy

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The ‘Layers’ of Troy Original Walls of Troy

Was There a Trojan Horse?Was There a Trojan Horse?