The Minoans, The The Minoans, The Mycenaeans, and the Greeks Mycenaeans, and the Greeks

of the Arcahic Ageof the Arcahic AgeTuesday Tuesday

Presentation 1Presentation 1

Lecture 5 Minoan & Mycenaean Cultures, Lecture 5 Minoan & Mycenaean Cultures, Intro to Greek ArchitectureIntro to Greek Architecture

Transition Transition

• We examined the religion and civilization of Mesopotamia and Egypt

• Key themes:• 1) Polytheism , monotheism• 2) From a ‘natural’, anthropomorphic,

theriomorphic religion to a Transcendent Being• 3) The question of authority: remember the seed

of doubt and the complexity of morality!

CreteCrete

• About the time of the Middle Kingdom in Egypt, the seafaring peoples of the Aegean Sea (Eastern Mediterranean) had learned how to exploit natural resources such as timber, stone, metallic ores, and clay for pottery to produce distinctive artifacts.

• With these and other agricultural products they waged brisk trade with Egypt and other settlements in the Eastern Mediterranean, where they constructed small fortified settlements and villages on islands and the coastline. There was probably some contact with Mesopotamia also.

• Early Cretans worshipped nature deities associated with mountains, trees and animals, especially snakes. They also practiced bull-jumping, probably an off-shoot to the Sumerian practice of bull biting, similar to bull fighting in Spain.

• Lions associated with royalty in Egypt and Mesopotamia were appropriated by the Cretans, though they had no lions on the island.

• Egyptian artifacts from 18th Dynasty have been retrieved from the harbor at Kairatos, Crete and 1300 pieces of Aegean pottery dating from 1370 – 1350 BCE were found in the rubbish heaps of Akhnaten and wall paintings during Hatshepsut’s reign depict envoys from Crete bearing characteristic pottery from the island.

• These early peoples are called Minoans, from Minos, an early king or the title, similar to Pharaoh. It was the later Greeks who created legends associated with King Minos of Crete.

The tradition of Greece is often the first in which Westerners feel they can recognize themselves.

Greeks were the “first” to place human beings at the center of the universe.

However, preceding the Greeks in the Aegean Basin were the Minoan and Mycenaean civilizations.

Early People of the Aegean Sea: MinoansEarly People of the Aegean Sea: Minoans

• The Minoans established a brilliant early civilization on the island of Crete, sustained and protected by the sea.

• The Minoans traded with Egypt and Mesopotamia. They acquired ideas and technology that they adapted to their own culture.

• The Minoans helped to shape the first Greek civilization.

• Palace built with wooden roof, gypsum plaster walls gracefully and colorfully painted. Large throne room with light wells, family apartments in palace.

• Culture disappears with some natural disaster, earthquake?

• Artist’s Rendition of King Minos’ Palace of Knossos on Crete (1700-1400BCE) excavated by Sir Arthur Evans in early 20th c.

Prelude: Minoan CivilizationPrelude: Minoan Civilization3000 – 1100 BC3000 – 1100 BC

• This civilization was developing on the island of Crete while Egypt and Mesopotamia were flourishing

• This civilization was named after legendary King Minos, whose father was said to be Zeus

• http://www.ancient-origins.net/myths-legends-europe/king-minos-crete-00194

Knossos, Crete, ca. 1500 B.C. Excavated by Sir Arthur Evans in the early part of the century, the elaborate palace reminded the excavator of the legend of Theseus and The Minotaur.

Palace of King Minos

In Greek mythology, the labyrinth of Crete was derived from the elaborate floor plan of the Palace at Knossos. Daedalus the Athenian craftsman, was the architect and inventor who designed for King Minos of Crete the labyrinth in which was imprisoned the Minotaur, a man-eating monster that was half man and half bull.The labyrinth was so skillfully designed that no one could escape from the maze or the Minotaur. Daedalus revealed the secret of the labyrinth only to Ariadne, daughter of Minos, and she aided her lover, the Athenian hero Theseus, to slay the monster and escape.

In anger at the escape, Minos imprisoned Daedalus and his son Icarus in the labyrinth. Although the prisoners could not find the exit, Daedalus made waxwings so that they could both fly out of the maze. Icarus, however, flew too near the sun; his wings melted, and he fell into the sea. Daedalus flew to Sicily, where he was welcomed by King Cocalus. Minos later pursued Daedalus but was killed by the daughters of Cocalus.

Aegean BasinAegean Basin

Eastern MediterraneanEastern Mediterranean

• As with Egyptians, the Minoans were organized into a complex caste system: Nobles, Merchants, Artisans, Bureaucrats, and Laborers

• Life for Minoans was unusually peaceful…very few weapons found at archeological sites

Sophisticated Palace ArchitectureSophisticated Palace Architecture

• A complete plumbing and drainage system

• Multi-level structure with complex layout of rooms and passageways

• Below ground storage of grains, oils, and wines

• Beautiful friezes and frescoes

• No walls protecting Minos palace

Built several stories high around a central courtyard, the palace had light wells to admit light into the lower reaches of the palace. The palace is also noted for columns that taper downward instead of upward, and the beautiful frescoes on the walls.

Lustral basin and light well in Throne Room

LangaugeLangauge

• Pictorial forms gave way to:• 1. Linear A script from 1800 BC to about

1400 BC. Undecipherable even to this day.

• 2. Linear B from 1400 to decline in 1100. Was an early form of Greek and not used for political, social, and philosophical aspects of life; only commercial transactions

ReligionReligion

• Most Minoan life revealed through its religious practices and art.

• 1. Matriarchal society

• 2. Center of worship was a mother goddess

• 3. Earth goddesses portrayed in various forms.

Mother GoddessesMother Goddesses

ArtArt

• Bull a significant element of Minoan life; bull leaping, maybe a sport or ritual.

• Males painted in red, sometimes in female clothing

• Females in white

Art ExamplesArt Examples

Photos byPhotos byEdith FuchslocherEdith Fuchslocher

Agamemnon MaskAgamemnon Mask

Minoan Bull and god?Minoan Bull and god?

Dancing Antelope & Gold Dancing Antelope & Gold Ceremonial CupCeremonial Cup

PoseidonPoseidon

Bull LeapingBull Leaping

Decline of CivilizationDecline of Civilization

• Minoan trade dominated eastern Mediterranean until about 1380 BC

• Something happened, maybe a volcanic eruption or other natural disaster

• Culture was further weakened by Mycenaean attacks and influences between 1400 and 1100 BC

Cultural Beliefs & InfluencesCultural Beliefs & Influences

• Crete is traditionally the place where Zeus was born

• Minoans worshipped Zeus, and in their culture, he eventually died

• Later, Greeks were incensed that Minoans believed that Zeus died.

• Though Greece eventually dominated the area, Minoan beliefs largely influenced Greek thinking, language, social organization and economic pursuits

Beginnings: Mycenaean CivilizationBeginnings: Mycenaean Civilization1900—1100 BC1900—1100 BC

Early People of the Aegean Sea: The Early People of the Aegean Sea: The MycenaeansMycenaeans

• The Mycenaeans evolved on the Greek mainland and eventually conquered the Greek mainland and Crete.

• Mycenaean civilization (more warriors than traders) dominated the Aegean fromabout 1400 B.C. to 1200 B.C.though they traded with Sicily, Italy, Egypt, and Mesopotamia.

• Mycenaeans absorbed Egyptian and Mesopotamianinfluences and passed them on to later Greeks.

• Fall of Mycenae ushered in the Greek Dark Ages 1100 – 800 B.C. Mycenae

Crete

MycenaeMycenae

Progenitor of the Greek temple front, the Lion Gate is also important for its powerful sense of structure and sensitivity to the beauty of the subject.

Lion Gate at Mycenae c. 1250 BCE

MycenaeMycenae

MycenaeansMycenaeans

• The civilization named by archeologists after the fortress city, Mycenae, in the lower rugged region of the Greek peninsula, Peloponnesus

• Mycenaeans were war-like and may have come from Russia or parts of Mesopotamia. Arrived about 1900 BC and by 1500 ruled entire peninsula

Mycenae DataMycenae Data

• Ruins of Mycenaean palaces reveals them to be mole like structures with massive double walls and narrow escape passages

• Most well know Mycenaean monument is the massive Lion Gate constructed from four massive hewn stones (ashlars)

• Bronze lion’s heads now gone, maybe stolen. Design likely to remind citizens who ruled and to intimidate visitors.

For more information go to: http://www.tronchin.com/Art1A/lecture%205.htmFor more information go to: http://www.tronchin.com/Art1A/lecture%205.htm

Treasury of Atreus and Mask of King Agamemnon

Lion’s GateLion’s Gate

Treasury of Atreus, a tholos tombTreasury of Atreus, a tholos tomb

C. 1325 BCE Mycenaean

Treasury of Atreus at Mycenae c.1250BCE (400 years before the Trojan War, tallest and widest dome for 1000 years until the Pantheon)

    

Evidence suggests that a fire destroyed the palace at Mycenae. There is also evidence of a siege. By 1200BCE the power of Mycenae was declining; during the 12th century, Mycenaean dominance collapsed.Within a short time around 1250 BC, all the palaces of southern Greece were burned, including the one at Mycenae. This is traditionally attributed to a Dorian invasion of Greeks from the north, although some historians now doubt that such an invasion took place. Wikipedia cites Rowbotham, William. "Mycenae and the Bronze Age." Odyssey Adventures, Odyssey. as their source for this information.

Mycenaean religionMycenaean religion

• Seems to have been a mixture of Minoan influences and local deities. There were two types of deities…

• 1. Some were predecessors of Olympian gods and goddesses worshipped by later Greeks and bore the same names

• 2. Others were nature divinities and spirits.

Religious ImagesReligious Images

TirynsTiryns

• Up to 36 feet thick, the walls were lined with galleries with massive corbelled ceilings, serving as a refuge for the citizens in times of war. Tyrens is heavily fortified, in contrast to the cities of the Minoans, which had no apparent fortifications.

Mycenaean DataMycenaean Data

• It was Mycenaeans who tried to topple Troy. The long siege weakened the civilization and inspired Homer’s later Iliad and Odyssey

• It was the Mycenaeans who gave the Greeks many of their ideals and inspired the age of heroes established by Homer

Dark Ages:Dark Ages:1100—800 BC1100—800 BC

• After collapse of Mycenaean civilization, a 300 year period called Dark Ages– Life becomes more agrarian– Transitional time—changes happening behind

the scenes– Power shifting from kings to families– Bronze gives way to iron– Mycenaeans flee to Asia Minor. Early Greeks

establish life around Aegean and Mediterranean Seas