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Aegean Art 2000-1000 BC. The Artist as Record Keeper. New Vocabulary: Idol Megaron Fresco. Aegean Civilizations flourished before Greek Civilization Includes Cycladic, Minoan, Mycenaean cultures Written about in Homer’s Iliad and from Greek myths
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Aegean Art 2000-1000 BC The Artist as Record Keeper
New Vocabulary: • Idol • Megaron • Fresco
Aegean Civilizations flourished before Greek Civilization • Includes Cycladic, Minoan, Mycenaean cultures • Written about in Homer’s Iliad and from Greek myths • Knowledge of these cultures is a lot less than of Egypt and Near East • No aid from written records • Linear B- 2000 BC developed in Minoan culture-usually palace inventories and records- has not helped decipher religion and art
Cycladic Art- 2600-1100 BC • Have left hardly any trace apart from modest stone tombs • Large marble idols buried with the dead-earliest life-sized sculpture of the female form • Idols are nude female figure with arms folded across the chest-hints of sexuality • Were painted (traces of color found) • Have not seen anything like it before- not like earlier fertility figures Cycladic Idol, 2500-1100 BC
Minoan Art - • Culture named by an archeologist after legendary King Minos • Very fractured style- as if sudden change came to the civilization more than once- external forces? • But artwork reflects a culture that is peaceful and playful with no hint of threat • Until 2000 BC. Still living at Neolithic level- then created an urban civilization with palaces and trade (with Egyptians) • Most information comes from Knossos, the Palace of Minos- vast enough to survive in Greek legends as the home of the Minotaur • Did not speak Greek or worship Greek Gods- WERE NOT GREEK!
Palace of Minos, Knossos, Crete c.1500 BC • Carefully planned, sprawling palace- includes storerooms, ceremonial rooms, living quarters, theaters, grand courtyard • Includes intricate plumbing system • Minoan columns are similar to Greek Doric, but have wide top, narrow base
The Queen’s Megaron, Palace of Minos, Knossos • Rulers were probably not ruler-gods like Near East and Egypt • Military subjects are absent from the art • First real fresco-painted on wet plaster
Little known about religious life • Centered on sacred places • Chief deity was female snake goddess • No temples, lacked cult statues • Few religious subjects in art • Snakes associated with male fertility • Secular looking- fashion • Crete has few snakes, so the snake idea was probably imported- but no snake goddesses have been discovered outside of Crete Snake Goddess c.1600 BC
The Toreador Fresco, C. 1500 BC • Marine life is seen in all artwork- fluid movement is more important than drama • Shows a game, not a bull fight- two of the figures are female-figures are Minoan style-pinched waists • playful like dolphins- • Bull is a sacred animal • Ambiguous meaning- not sure if one scene, or three different actions
Pottery- • Newly designed potters wheel! • Relationship between shape and decoration • designs drawn from plant and animal life- fish, shells, octopuses- very similar to the wall paintings- flowing and rhythmic • Swirling lines are reminiscent of the sea Octopus Vase, c.1500 BC
Slim, muscular men carrying farming tools-first real depiction of muscles in action • Narrative not as important as the rhythm • Energetic and physical • Humorous in nature-figures are singing and shouting- most animated so far! Harvester Vase, 1550-1500 BC
Mycenaen Art- (invaded and occupied Minoan culture) • Southeast shores of Greek mainland (1600-1100 BC) • first thought to have come from Crete because of similar art characteristics, but probably were early Greek tribes • Tombs were central to the culture Treasury of Atreus, 1300-1250 BC
1600 BC, began to build elaborate tombs- buried dead on deep shafts covered with beehive structures • More elaborate tombs were only found in Egypt from around the same time period • Largest known vaulted space in antiquity until the Roman Pantheon (1500 years later) Interior, Treasury of Atreus
Alongside royal dead, were masks of gold and silver • Similar in purpose to Egyptian death masks • Lots of personal equipment found such as vessels, jewelry, weapons Rhyton in the shape of a lion 1550 BC
How do we tell the difference between Minoan and Mycenaen? Vaphio Cup c. 1500 BC
Hilltop fortresses, defensive walls of huge stone- • quite unlike Minoan • Lions Gate of Mycenae- massive stone relief over doorway- • guardians of the gate- tense muscular, symmetrical design suggests influence from Near East • Center of the palace at Mycenae was the audience hall called the Megaron- not much remains but looks back to simple house plans of earlier times The Lion Gate, 1250 BC • Hilltop fortresses, defensive walls of huge stone- quite unlike minoan • Lions Gate of Mycenae- massive stone relief over doorway- guardians of the gate- tense muscular, symmetrical design suggests influence from near east • Center of the palace at Mycenae was the audience hall called the megaron- not much remains but looks back to simple house plans of earlier ti
There is no Mycenaen temple architecture that remains (or was even suggested) • Palaces did contain small shrines • Religion was probably influenced by Minoan, Greek- but its hard to figure this out • Not sure who this group of deities is • The divine child is a popular ancient myth • A familiar view of deities is seen here for the first time Three Deities, 1500-1400 BC