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BA ChronologyCrete Minoan (Minos - mythical king)Cyclades Cycladic (Aegean island chain)

Mainland Helladic (Hellas = Greece)

• Early EBA EM EC EH (3100-2000)

• Middle MBA MM MC MH (2000-1650)• Late LBA LM LC LH (1650-1050)

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Cist Grave

• Most CommonMH Burial

Practice• Single Burials• Fetal Position

• Return to motherearth?• No, smaller hole!

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Mycenae• Grave Circle A

• “Mycenae Rich in Gold”

• Schliemann

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Shaft Grave: Grave Circle A

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Shaft Grave Ware:

Mainland Polychrome

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Inside the

Shaft Grave• Extended body• Multiple burials

over time possible• Older Remains

pushed to side

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Marking the

Grave• Slabs, waterproof clay

cover

• Shaft filled• Rectangular border of

stones may mark spot• Stele (1st large-scale

relief sculptures on GreekMainland)

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ShaftGraveSites

Mycenae(Intact)

Lerna(robbed out)

Ayios

Stephanos,Lakonia(bare bones)

Argos

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Lavish

Grave Goods• Rhyton, Rhyta

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The

Dead• Bigger, sturdier

than earlier MH

corpses orcontemporaryburials in othersorts of graves

• Why bigger?

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Big Eaters or Big Invaders?

• Better nutritionfor elite group?

• Different racialgroup?

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Who are they?

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Mycenae:Grave Circles A & B

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Grave Circle B

• Earlier than GraveCircle A

• John Papademetriou &Greek ArchaeologicalSociety

• 14 Shaft Graves out of24 tombs

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Grave Circle Origins

• MH

Tumulus atVrana• Plural

Tumuli

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The Shaft Graves and Myth

• 2 Heroic Periodsa) Late MH to LHI-II

Shaft Grave period &laterb) LHIII

• Danaos & the ShaftGrave Period• Trojan War & LHIII

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FAMILY TREE OF DANAOS

POSEIDON_____________LIBYAI

________I________

I I AGENOR BELUS ________I______I I

AEGYPTUS DANAOSI II I

50 SONS 50 DAUGHTERS

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The Danaids• Danaos & daughters flee

Egypt, but sons of Aegyptos follow

• Danaids marry, then killsons of Aegyptos

• Mercy of Hypermestra• Purified by gods• “Widows” have difficulty

attracting new husbands• No dowry, daughters as

sports prizes!• Danaans (Greeks),

children of Danaids

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DanaidsHistorical?

Danaids = Hyksos?• heka khasewet

"rulers of foreignlands")

• Semitic, Hurrian,

Indo-Aryan people?• Migrants/Invaders?

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Theories from Archaeological

Evidence?

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Nomadic Tribe of Central or

Northern Europe?• Chariots• Grave steles• New Art Style• “Aegeanized” by more

advanced local culture

• BUT no chariots in N orC Europe. Only in NearEast, a MOREsophisticated culture

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Locals lootedCrete?

• Lots of Minoanstyle treasures

• BUT wealthgraduallyaccumulated

• No evidence of

destruction onCrete• Minoan naval

strength

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Mercenaries Rewarded by

Egypt against Hyksos?• But Hyksos

BETWEEN

MycenaeandEgyptianThebes

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MycenaeanControl of

Trade Route forValuable

Commodity?• Tin (for bronze)?• Disruption of Near

Eastern trade for tin by

Hyksos, Hittites,Hurrians, et al.

• Evidence for Mycenaeantrade with NorthernEurope (pottery, amber)

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Gold (& Amber)from

Transylvania(Romania)

• Mycenaeans:lavish use of gold

• Minoans:economical use

• Gold traded for EarlyMycenaean daggers

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Identity, Origins & Source of Wealth

Still Matters of Debate

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Readings for Next Class:

Iliad 9, Rutter 20 (MycenaeanResidential Architecture)