Bronze Age Flashcards
What was the Minoan Civilization?
Named after King Minos, this Bronze Age civilization on Crete was known for its huge palace complexes which lacked fortification walls. Also known for its art, which depicted no war. The lack of walls & art suggests a peaceful civilization, and the Minoans spread far and wide as sea-faring merchants exporting their culture across the Mediterranean and heavily influencing mainland Greece.
What are the Four Minoan Palaces?
- Knossos, Malia, (Kata) Zakro, and Phaestos. Knossos was home to the mythical labyrinth (means double axe-head) and Phaestos was home to the Phaestos disc, on which there is a spiral of undeciphered symbols/writing
What is Thera?
an island, modern Santorini, north of Crete, home to a volcano which erupted and is thought to have led or helped lead to the downfall of the Minoans.
What was the Mycenaean Civilization and what parts of Greece did they inhabit?
Bronze Age mainland Greece, in which Mycenae seems to have been most powerful. Heavily fortified centers like Mycenae brought in products from neighboring villages, then redistributed to them. Very militaristic, and eventually moved into Crete. Met an interesting end by a cause unknown to this day; perhaps a combination of earthquakes, Dorian invasions, plague, etc.
What were Tholos tombs?
“Beehive” tombs, where a hill is made over a large domed tomb. Mycenae has two examples, one called the Tomb of Agamemnon or the Treasury of Atreus. Tholos temples also exist, which are simply circular shrines.
Who are the Dorians?
the inhabitants of southern Greece, such as Sparta; believed to have invaded through the north from the Black Sea, perhaps bringing an end to Mycenaean civilization. Settled in Southern Greece, replacing local dialects with their own.
How does Linear A differ from Linear B?
- Linear A, still undeciphered, was a script used on Minoan Crete; Linear B, which has been deciphered and identified as early Greek, was used on mainland Greece and, by extension via Mycenaeans, on later Minoan Crete. These were primarily used for records and taxes - no literature.
When did Troy fall?
. Fall of Troy - 1184 BC stands as the traditional date of the fall of Troy VIIa, Schliemann’s Troy and supposedly Homer’s.
What were the “Dark Ages” in Greece?
period after the invasions of the Dorians and carnage of the Sea Peoples when population, art, economics, and writing either fell dramatically or disappeared altogether.
