Greek Flashcards
What did the people of Greece become
The seafaring nation
Why did Greece become a seafaring nation
Because of its central position and because it had lots of natural harbours, dry mountain terrain and mild Mediterranean weather
What did being the seafaring nation help them to do
They had contact with a wide variety of cultures from the other countries with whom they traded and learnt about agriculture and metalwork techniques
What was the Bronze Age
The establishment of the first cities in this area
What was the Minoan period
A culture specific to the region around Crete developed and dominated the region around 2500 BC
When did the Cretan culture collapse
After a volcanic eruption around 1400-1500BC
Who took advantage of the collapse of the Cretans
The Myecenaeans from the mainland of Greece
What was the Mycenaean culture
A culture cased on warfare
What happened to the money that the Mycenaean warlords were gathering
It was not being shared
Who were the Myecenaeans overthrown by
The Dorian tribes or groups within its own tribe
When did the first monumental freestanding sculpture appear
In the army stages of the archaic period
What were the kouros
The male statues
What were the kore
The female statues
What did the kouros wear
They were nude
What did the kore wear
The were clothed
Why did the Greeks create these sculptures
The reason was not always clear. Sometimes there were funerary monument while others were found in sanctuaries where they were placed as offerings to the gods.
What did these statues represent
They did not represent specific people or god, but rather the idea of youthfulness and vigour (a stage of life that humans experience for a short period of time, while gods experience it eternally). The young men may also have represented self-confidence and pride in physical appearance associated with a male dominated society where the superiority of male strength and beauty was constantly admired and celebrated.
What did the use of youth as subject matter and the increasing attempts at portraying people in a naturalistic style lead to
It led to the archaic artists portraying idealistic versions of young men and women and avoiding the portrayal of specific people
Who was one of the famous kouroi
Kouros from Tenea. He was a funerary monument.
What are the characteristics of the Greek sculptures
Rigid attitude, clenched fists, arms next to body, one foot slightly forward, raised heat looking strait ahead
What aspects of the kouros are emphasised and what do they contribute to
Broad shoulders, developed pectoral and calf muscles, narrowness of waist and the roundness of the things and buttocks all contribute to the athletic look of the statue
What is the defined facial features
The archaic smile and the impassive stare and stylised long flowing hair
what are the different stages of Greece
Archaic period
Classical period
Hellenistic period
Late Hellenistic or Greco-roman period
What was the piece of classical architecture
The Parthenon
What were most significant buildings
Shrines or temples to the gods
What did statues on the buildings communicate
Important aspects about the gods the buildings honoured
Where did the Greeks derive the use if the post and lintel technique from
The Egyptians
What did the Greek do differently to the Egyptians
They turned the Egyptian buildings inside out by using the columns as support for the outer framework of the rope.
What was the main purpose of the Parthenon
To house the Greek go, Athena
How does the parthenon differ from other Greek temples
It is wider, 8 columns instead of 6. It has 2 windowless chanmbers
What was the discobolos
It was originally created in bronze by the Greek sculptor Myron
What was Myron known for
Creating realistic sculptures
Why did the discobolos become very popular amongst the Greek
Because if the representation fo the athletic ideal
What do the early classical sculptures show
That sculptors were free from the rigid poses of the archaic period
How was the placement of the arms and legs of the discobolos strategic
It distributes the body weight
Is emotions shown
No, although there is a dramatic action, his face is emotion;es
What is no emotion a sign of
Strength and power with the excellence of an athlete
What is an example of a Hellenistic sculpture
The Laocoon.
What do Hellenistic works look like
The seen exaggerated and emotional when seen next to classical sculptures
What is the Laocoon
It is a group sculpture from the late Hellenistic period
Who was the maecoon carved by
Rhodeians hagesadrus, polydorus and athenodorus
What does the lad ion represent
A Trojan priest, Laecoon, and his sons antiphants and thymbaeus. The priest who defined one of the gods, was punished by the god by sending 2 sea serpents to attack him as he was about to make an offering to the temple
