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Aegean Art. Cyclades, Minoan, and Mycenaean. Unit Concepts. 1. Aegean civilization was roughly contemporary with Mesopotamian and Egyptian civilizations. It was thought to be mythological until 1870. It was a forerunner to the Greeks.
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Aegean Art • Cyclades, Minoan, and Mycenaean
Unit Concepts • 1. Aegean civilization was roughly contemporary with Mesopotamian and Egyptian civilizations. • It was thought to be mythological until 1870. • It was a forerunner to the Greeks. • It was composed of the Cycladic, Minoan, and Mycenaean styles.
Homer’s Myths • Homer wrote of mythical ancient Greeks who were heroes. • He wrote the Iliad about Agamemnon, Achilles, Helen, and Paris. He also wrote The Odyssey about Odysseus’s journey home. • It was all thought to be mythological until archaeologists found the ruins for Ancient Troy.
Famous Archaeologists • Heinrich Schliemann • He was a businessman until the age of 36, when he decided to become an archaeologist. • He discovered the ruins of Troy and helped uncover ruins in ancient Mycenae, perhaps the city of Agmemnon. • Sir Arthur Evans • Became interested in Med. seals while at Oxford and went to Crete to learn more. • Bought the property and uncovered the ruins of ancient Knossos. Named it the Minoan culture after King Minos.
Cyclades • Cyclades refers to a group of islands just to the east of Crete. They look like they’re in a circle, thus the Cyclades. • Inhabitants were sailors, fishermen, and traders. No evidence of writing, but we have pottery, metalwork, and sculptures. • Most famous artwork are the marble idol sculptures. Very simplified, geometric shapes. Assumed that they are objects of worship.
Minoan vs. Mycenaean • Myceanaean Culture • Very military and warlike. Myths are about war: the Iliad. • Built citadels and tombs. Architecture was built to protect from invasion, not for beauty. • Forerunners to the ancient Greeks. • Minoan Culture • Open culture. Traders and fishermen. Colorful, happy, lively works of art. • Beautiful palace, but built for beauty and freshness, not for protection. • Conquered by Mycenaeans
Thera/Santorini • Volcanic island that erupted around 1500 B.C. • In the ashes, a flourishing culture was exposed. They had winding streets and nice houses, even indoor plumbing. Most comfortable living conditions. • No bodies. Must have evacuate • Left behind some beautiful frescoes. Very artistic culture. Landscapes, animals, humans, boats, warriors.
Boxing children • Have similar look to Minoan frescoes. Very lively and active figures. darker skin for the males. Curvilinear and dynamic. But without the wasp waists of Crete.
Mycenaean Architecture • Mycenaeans were fighters. So much of their architecture were citadels. They would choose a high, rocky hill, and built a fortress on top. • There would be living quarters, etc. The focus of the citadel was the megaron, Greek for large room. • Most of the citizens would live in small mud brick houses. Then, when under attack, they would retreat to the citadel.
Megaron • The megaron was the throne room. • The basic plan for a megaron was pretty simple. A large open room with four columns in the center with a circular hearth.
Lion Gate • The citadels were cut out of massive, irregular blocks of hewn stone. The Greeks called the walls Cyclopeans, because it seemed that it had been placed there by giants. • They would use post and lintel construction for doorways, usually with a triangular space on top. This one has two lions protecting the entrance.
Tholos • A tholos was a beehive tomb. It’s made by corbeling stones on top of each other, with each one slightly on top, overlapping the one below it. • A dromos is the long walkway leading to the tomb.
tomb of clytemnestra • Clytemnestra was the wife of Agamemnon, who murdered him when he returned from Troy. • Once body was inside the tholos, the triangle and door were blocked in with bricks.
funeral Mask • In many of the tholos uncovered, wonderful objects were uncovered such as this funeral mask. • It is thought that these masks would secure a person’s identity in the afterlife. • Although stylized, this definitely was modeled after a specific person. • This particular mask has been mistakenly called the Mask of Agamemnon.