1. 1. THE BRONZE AGE The Aegean Civilizations
2. 2. Aegean civilization is a general term for the Bronze Age civilizations of Greece around the Aegean Sea.
3. 3. PERIODIZATION: There are three distinct but communicating and interacting geographic regions The Cyclades CRETE (Minoan civilization) MAINLAND (Mycenaean civilization)
4. 4. The Cyclades The Cyclades is a group of Greek islands in the Aegean Sea encircling the island of Delos . The islands were known for their white marble mined during the Greek Bronze Age and throughout Classical history. Their geographical location placed them, like the island of Crete, in the center of trade between Greece, Egypt, Asia Minor, and the Near East. Indigenous civilization on the Cyclades reached its high point during the Bronze Age. The islands were later occupied by the Minoans, Mycenaean's, and later the Greeks.
5. 5. Cycladic art is best known for its small scale marble figurines. The purpose of these figurines is unknown, although all that have been discovered have been located in graves. While it is clear that they were regularly used in funerary practices, their precise function remains a mystery. Some are found in graves completely intact, others are found broken into pieces, others show signs of being used during the lifetime of the deceased, but some graves do not contain the figurines. Furthermore, the figurines were buried equally between men and women. The male and female forms do not seem to be identified with a specific gender during burial. Cycladic marble figurines of abstract male and female forms have been found at burial sites. These figurines are small,
6. 6. The female figurines depict a woman with her legs together and arms folded over her abdomen. Breasts and the pubic region are emphasized. A Cycladic female figure, Greece. Ca. 2500 BCE
7. 7. The male figures are often depicted sitting in a chair and playing either a harp or a lyre. A Cycladic male figure with the harp, Greece. 2500 BCE. Male Lyre Player Cycladic culture, dating back to about 2700 BC.
8. 8. Crete forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece, while retaining its own local cultural traits (such as its own poetry and music). It was once the center of the Minoan civilization (c. 27001420 BC), which is currently regarded as the earliest recorded civilization in Europe. Crete is the largest island in Greece and the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is located in the southern part of the Aegean Sea separating the Aegean from the Libyan Sea. Crete (Minoan civilization):
9. 9. Minoan Architecture Minoan architecture consists of several structures which acted as centers for commercial, religious, and administrative life. Archaeologist have unearthed in Crete a Minoan landscape filled with tombs, palaces, villas, towns and the roads that connected them. All evidence of a thriving prehistoric culture able to survive and expand in the Aegean sea.The Minoan palaces provided a forum for gathering and celebrations, while at the same time they offered storage for the crops, and workshops for the artists. They were built over time to occupy low hills at strategic places around the island in a manner so complex that they resembled labyrinths to outside visitors. The Minoan palaces were technologically advanced with expanded drainage systems, irrigation, aqueducts, and deep wells that provided fresh water to the inhabitants. The multi-storied palace buildings were laced with impressive interior and exterior staircases, light wells, massive columns, storage magazines, and gathering outdoor places -- the precursor to ancient theaters. The construction method consisted of rough stones and ceramic bricks connected by mortar in the interior walls, while the corners of the buildings were fashioned by sharply defined large rectangular blocks. None of the Minoan palaces unearthed to date was surrounded by defensive walls, a testament to the Minoan supremacy at sea. The Minoan palaces are Knossos, Malia, Phaistos, and Zakros.
10. 10. Labyrinth pattern
11. 11. KNOSSOS PALACE Palace at Knossos, Crete, Greece. ca. 1700-1400 BCE.
12. 12. WALL PAINTING The Minoans decorated their palace complexes and homes with fresco wall painting. The Minoans had a distinct painting style with shapes formed by curvilinear lines that add a feeling of liveliness to the paintings. The Minoan color palette is based in earth tones of white, brown, red, and yellow. Black and vivid blue are also used. These color combinations created vivid and rich decoration. Knossos Fresco painting: Fragments of frescoes found at Knossos provide us with glimpses into Minoan culture and ritual. A fresco found on a upper story of the palace has come to be known as the Bull-leaping fresco . The image depicts a bull in flying gallop with one person at his horns, another at his feet, and a third, whose skin color is brown instead of white, inverted in a handstand leaping over the bull. While the different skin color of the figures may differentiate male (dark) and female (light) figures, the similarity of their dress and body shapes suggest that the figures may all be male. The figures participate in activity known as bull-leaping; we still do not know exactly this was performed. The human figures are stylized, with narrow waists; broad shoulders; long, slender, muscular legs; and cylindrical arms. Unlike the twisted perspective seen in Egyptian or Ancient Near Eastern works of Bull leaping Fresco. Knossos, Crete, Greece. Ca. 1450-1400 BCE.
13. 13. Vase Painting Minoan ceramics and vase painting are uniquely stylized and are similar in artistic style to Minoan wall painting. As with Minoan frescoes, themes of nature and marine life are often depicted on their pottery. Similar earth-tone colors are used, including black, white, brown, red, and blue. Types of vases: Kamares-ware Marine-style
14. 14. Kamares ware, a distinctive type of pottery painted in white, red, and blue over a black backdrop, is created from a fine clay. The paintings depict marine scenes, as well as abstract floral shapes, and they are often include abstract lines and shapes, including spirals and waves. These stylized floral shapes include lilies, palms, papyrus, and leaves and fill the entire surface of the pot with bold designs. The pottery is named for the location where it was first found in the late nineteenth century, at a cave sanctuary at Kamares, on Mt. Ida. This style of pottery is found throughout the island of Crete as well in a variety of locations on the
15. 15. The Marine style emerged during the late Minoan period. As the name suggests, the decoration on these vessels take their cue from the sea. The vessels are almost entirely covered with sea creatures such as dolphins, fish, and octopi, along with seaweed, rock, and sponges. Unlike their Kamares-ware predecessors, the light and dark color scheme is inverted: the figures are dark on a light background. Like the landscape frescoes at Thera, these paintings demonstrate
16. 16. Minoan Sculpture As with their painting, Minoan sculpture demonstrates stylistic conventions including curvilinear forms; active, energized scenes; and long-limbed humans with broad shoulders and narrow waists. Women are often depicted in large, long, layered skirts that accentuate their hips . So far, only small-scale sculptures and figurines have been found during Minoan excavations.Materials The small-scale sculptures of the Minoans were produced in many different materials including ivory, gold, faience, and bronze. The variety of materials acknowledges the extensive trade network established by the Minoans. For instance, faience, an quartz ceramic, is an Egyptian material. Its presence in sculpture found on Crete demonstrates that the material was shipped raw from Egypt to Crete, where it was then formed to create Minoan sculpture. Bronze was an important material in Minoan culture and many figurines were produced in this medium, mostly
17. 17. Bull Leaper The Bull Leaping bronze, depicting a bull and an acrobat, was created as single group . The figures are similar in style and position, as seen in several bull-leaping frescoes, including the one discussed above from Knossos. The bull is in a flying gallop, while a bull leaper appears to be flipping over his back. The acrobat's feet are planted firmly on the bull's rump, and the figure bends backwards with its arms planted on the bull's head, perhaps preparing to launch off of the bull. The two figures, bull and man, mirror each other, as the bull's back sways in the gallop and the man's back is arched in a deep back bend. The figures are made with curvilinear lines and the positioning of both figures adds a high degree of movement and action that was commonly found in Minoan art.
18. 18. MAINLAND (Mycenaean civilization) Mycenaean culture can be summarized by its architecture, whose remains demonstrate the Mycenaean's war-like culture and the dominance of citadel sites ruled by a single ruler. The Mycenaean populated Greece and built citadel sites on high, rocky outcroppings that provided natural fortification and overlooked plains used for farming and raising livestock. The citadel sites vary from city to city but each share common attributes including building techniques and architectural features.Mycenaean architecture reflects their warring society. A wide, strong wall built from large roughly cut stones known as cyclopean masonry (A type of stonework found in Mycenaean architecture, built with massive limestone boulders, roughly fitted together with minimal clearance between adjacent stones and no use of mortar.) was one method of protection, as was limited access to citadel sites and well protected gates. The central feature of a Mycenaean citadel site was the megaron(The rectangular great hall in a Mycenaean building, usually supported with pillars.) a room that functioned as the king's audience chamber. The megaron is entered through a porch with two columns and the
19. 19. The city of Mycenae was the center of Mycenaean culture. It is especially known for its protective gateway, the Lion Gate, and the Treasury of Atreus, an example of a tholos tomb.
20. 20. Mycenae is also home to a subterranean beehive shaped tomb (also known as a tholos tomb) that was located outside the citadel walls. The tomb today is known as the Treasury of Atreus, due to the wealth of grave goods found there . Lion Gate. Limestone. Ca. 1300-1250 BCE. Mycenae, Greece. Treasury of Atreus, Mycenae, Greece, ca. 1300-1250 BCE.
21. 21. Grave Circle A and B, at Mycenae, are a series of shaft graves enclosed by wall from the 16th century BCE. These grave sites were originally excavated by Heinrich Schliemann in 1876, and the grave goods found there demonstrate the incredible skill Grave Circle A Grave Circle B
22. 22. Gold Death Masks Repouss death masks were found in many of the tombs. The death masks were created from thin sheets of gold, through a careful method of metalworking to create a low relief. These objects are fragile, were carefully crafted, and were laid over the face of the dead. The most famous of the death masks is known as the Death Mask of Agamemnon and was declared to be the face of the Homeric king . The mask depicts a man with a triangular face, bushy eyebrows, a narrow nose, pursed lips, a mustache, and stylized ears. This mask is an impressive and beautiful specimen, but when compared to other death masks found at Mycenaean Death Mask. Gold. Ca. 1600-1500 BCE. Grave Circle A, Grave Shaft IV, Mycenae Mask of Agamemnon. Gold. Ca. 1600-1500 BCE. Grave Circle A, Grave shaft V, Mycenae, Greece.
23. 23. Bronze Daggers Decorative bronze daggers were also found in the grave shafts. These ceremonial daggers were made of bronze and inlaid in silver, gold, and niello with scenes clearly influenced from foreign cultures. Two daggers excavated depict scenes of hunts, which suggest an Ancient Near East influence. One of these scenes depicts lions hunting pray while the other scene depicts a lion hunt . Mycenaean hunting dagger with scene of a lion hunt. Bronze with gold, silver, and niello inlay. Ca. 16th century BCE. Grave Circle A, Mycenae, Greece.
24. 24. The Warriors Vase The Warriors Vase depicts a woman bidding farewell to a group of warriors . The scene is simple and lacks a background. A single woman stands to the left with her arm raised and a group of identically dressed and heavily armed men marching off to the right. The men all carry round shields and spears and wear helmets. There is no way to tell which woman is waving goodbye, as all the figures are generic and none
25. 25. Rhytons A rhyton was an elaborate and decorative drinking cup that often took the shape of animals. These drinking cups could be made of precious materials, such as gold or silver, but were also made of terracotta.