2. Mycenaean Civilization

Question 1

What did greeks call the people before them?

Answer 1

the Pelasgoi (“Pelasgians”)

Question 2

How do we know they existed?

Answer 2

1. Desctruction of House of Tiles
2. Great writers (like Plato) seemed to reflect that they knew Greeks came here and had a word for the people before hand
3. Horse Skeletons
4. New Pottery Style
5. New Burial Style - (“shaft graves”) emerges at the site of Mycenae, circa 1600 B.C.

Question 3

Where are shaft graves found?

Answer 3

Mycenae, circa 1600 B.C.

Question 4

What is the House of Tiles?

Answer 4

They think a prince or leader lived there and after their defeat his palace was burned down

built circa 2200 B.C. by non-Greek aboriginal people

destroyed circa 2100 B.C., presumably by the invading Greeks

Question 5

About how many modern languages are in the Indo-European Family?

Answer 5

59

Question 6

Where did the Indo-European Language Family originate?

Answer 6

originating in southern Russia or perhaps the Caucasus Mountains? But proliferating gradually after 4200 B.C

Question 7

Who made the Indo-European Language connection? (and when?)

Answer 7

Sir William Jones 1700s

Question 8

How do we know about the early Indo-Europeans?

Answer 8

Main source of information – Language analysis of Indo-European Languages - Both modern and now-obsolete

Supplemented by archaeology at various locations

Question 9

What key technology did the Indo-Europeans possess?

Answer 9

Chariots

Question 10

What do we know about the Indo-European tribes? (+ years active)

Answer 10

4200-2200
- were a warlike society
- were patriarchal, ascending to a king or a male tribal chief
- had domesticated the horse and other farm animals
- had acquired the wheel. (They didn’t invent it, however.)
- perhaps did invent the chariot-design: two wheels, two horses, and a lightweight box of wood or wickerwork, to carry up to two people
- originally had no knowledge of the sea
- were polytheistic—they worshipped multiple gods

Question 11

Who were the first Greeks?

Answer 11

The Mycenaeans

Question 12

How did the Indo-Europeans enter Greece?

Answer 12

Most likely from the land north where they worked their way south and eventually crossed to Crete

Question 13

Were the minoans greek?

Answer 13

NO

Question 14

Where did the Minoans live?

Answer 14

on the aisle of Crete

Question 15

Who inhabited Crete?

Answer 15

the Minoans

Question 16

Who did the greeks copycat?

Answer 16

Everyone. (Egyptians, Minoans, )

Question 17

Which Mycenaean City was the largest?

Answer 17

Mycenae

Question 18

Who discovered Mycenae ?

Answer 18

A rich, retired, German businessman-turned-amateur-archaeologist, Heinrich Schliemann

Question 19

where is the lions gate?

Answer 19

Mycenae

Question 20

When were the shaft graves dug?

Answer 20

1600 BC

Question 21

When were the tholos tombs dug?

Answer 21

1500 BC

Question 22

What were the differences between the shaft graves and tholos tombs?

Answer 22

Tholos tombs were more elaborate

Question 23

When did the Greeks invade and conquer the Minoan Crete?

Answer 23

1490 BC

Question 24

How many Mycenaean Kingdoms were there at their prime?

Answer 24

15 or so

Question 25

Why do we think the Mycenaeans were under stress?

Answer 25

There stopped being as much gold in their tombs.

Question 26

When did the Mycenaeans get destroyed?

Answer 26

1200 BC

Question 27

Why did ancient civilizations seek copper?

Answer 27

To mix it with tin and make bronze.

Question 28

Why did ancient civilizations seek tin?

Answer 28

to mix it with copper to make bronze.

Question 29

How do you make bronze?

Answer 29

Mix copper and tin.

Question 30

Where is Hellespont?

Answer 30

The Hellespont connects the Sea of Aegean to the Sea of Marmara and then to the Black Sea.

Question 31

Could there have been a real Trojan war?

Answer 31

Yes! but not over a princess, instead it’s very possible Troy, located at the end of Hellespont, tried to disrupt the Mycenaeans’ trade route.