Homeric World Life in the Mycenaean Age Flashcards
Palaces
Mykenaean cities were ruled by kings
Their palaces occupied a large portion of the city
Contained pleasant areas, like colonnades, but also included rooms for official documents, shrines, potteries, oil press rooms, armouries, and storerooms for food.
The most important part was the Megaron
Megaron
Often in the highest part of the city, dominating the area
Similar to later Greeek temples as it was rectangular with a porch with two colums, with another room behind (vestibule)
The megaron usually contained one or more courtyards
The most important feature was the hearth, a stone area, usually circular, on which a fire would be lit for religous purposes or cooking
Around the hearth were four columns, used to support the roof. A hole in the roof allowed smoke to escape
Also where the throne would have been, and would have been used for feasts, and poetry would have been recited there
Hunting
Important activity
Most land unsuitable for farming, so was only way to get meat
Many animals lived in the mountains
Evidence comes from frescoes, daggers, and carvings on rings
Included hunting boars and lions
Identify this object
Lion Hunt Dagger
From Grave Circle A in Mycenae
Lions lived in Greece in ancient times
Decoarative item
belonged to a king as a status symbol
Shows how dangerous hunting lions was
One hunter has a bow and arrow and the others have long spears
Two types of shield are shown; the figure of eight originates from the Minoans
Other objects on hunting
Two cups from Vapheio near Sparta show the capture of bulls A signet ring from Grave IV in Greave Circle A in Mykenae shows a minatiure scene of a hunter and driver on a chariot armed with a bow and chasing a deer
A fresco from Tiryns shows the use of dogs in hunting
Battles
Huge part in lives of Mykenaeans judging from Homer and numerous objects found in cities
Different styles of armour nad weapons have been found, leading to uncertainty as to the exact nature
of warfare, with helmets and shields changing significantly
Shields
- Changing
- At the start there were tower shields and figure of eight shield were being replaced by smaller ones
- Older style appear on the Lion Hunt Dagger and in the Iliad
- Painted shields, covering from the neck to the knees are seen on frescoes of Akrotiri, and the ones on the Lion Hunt Dagger covers to the ankle, likewise, Agamemon was said to have a shield that covered a man
Helmets
Boar’s tusk
- The Iliad has Odysseus wearing a helmet made up of a leather cap, covered with felt, onto which boar’s tusks were put.
- This seems to have been used in the early Mycenaean Age
- One survives from Mycenae, and several others have been found, suggesting they were common. One even sports bronze cheek pieces
- The tusks provided good protection
- Each helmet required at least ten wild boars
However,
- Most in the Iliad are shining and have animal skin liners.
- Often had throat straps and hair plumes.
- Mycenaean wall paintings show plumed helmets
The Warrior Vase
- 13th Century BC
- Location: House of the Warrior, Mykenae
- Material: clay
- Original purpose: Krater, a large bowl for mixing wine and water
- Series of soldiers in a battle-line
- A group of almost identical warriors are shown marching, carrying long spears and small round shields.
- They are dressed in chitons and wear breast plats and greave, they also carry knapsacks on their spears
- The helmets have horns and seem to be relatiely light. On the far left a woman is shown saying farewell/
- On the other sides the soldiers are wearing spiky helmets and carrying shorter spears
- Noting the handles and the appearance of the soldiers, some scholars suggest it is not Mykenaean but later.
Weaponry
- Spears, by the 12th century, were shorter and thrown. evidence comes from Linar B tablets in Crete
- Many swords have been found in tombs , some with gold hilts.
- Early swords had wooden pommels covered in gold.
- The more elaborate a sword, the less likely it would have been used for combat.
- Carried in a scabbard, and could have tassles.
- Became shorter through the period
Armour
Earliest suit of armour in Europe comes from this period:
A breastplate was found in Dendra near Argos from the fifteenth century BC
Made up of sheets of bronze for chest and back, hinged together using strips of leather. Further plates of broze protected the shoulders, neck and back.
It was found with a boars’ tusk helmet, greaves, and a wrist guard
Would have been heavy, but the protection was greater than other types of body armour
Fifteen sparate plastes made up the suit, which differed significantly from the ones used on the Warrior Vase, which were probably leather
Bow and arrow
Used
Considered cowardly in the Iliad
Odysseus kept his bow at home, and none of the great warriors used one in the Iliad
The Lion Hunt Dagger and the Signet ring from Tityns show the use of a bow.
Arrowheads have been found on several sites and bowmakers are recorded on the linear B tablets from Pylos
Chariots
- Key aspect
- Often in paintings, pottery, and stelai
- Used most often for hunting, or war.
- The Iliad often shows warriors driving to the centre of the fighting and dismounting to fight.
- Did not fight chariot to chariot
- After fighting, the charioteer would pick up the warrior and take him elsewhere
- Raced each other in funeral contests, Iliad
- Earliest representation is from a stelai of Grave Circle A in Mycenae, showing a man on a two-wheeled box chariot, chasing another man
- Often had four spokes on the wheels
- A fresco at Tiryns has a chariot being used as transport, it is more spacious and has a red fabric or animal hide, similar to one from Pylos
- Presumably travelled roads, but cannot be said what roads were like
Clothing
None remains
Descriptions in Homer give us little information
Art and frescoes show us information
The vast majority were from wool, or linen, made from flax
They were dyed, with the colour being locked in through vinegar or urine, which would preserve the dye when it was washed.
Some were made from silk, but they were rare
Some colours were expensive due to rarity
Mycenaean dyes
Yellow: onion skins, saffron
Red: insect eggs, madder plant
Blue: indigo plant
Purple: shellfish ink
Making clothes
Linerar B tablets from Pylos tell us of different workers who prepared, spun, dyed and wove the wool. Some of the workers were given rations from the palace, but whether it meant they were slaves or not is unclear
Clothing, women
wrap-around skirts, with several layers creating a tiered effect (like the armour)
Often colourful and required skill to make
Worn with an underskirt.
Frescoes from Akrotiri show both longer and shorter versions, while later later versions from Mycenae only have longer ones.
Blouses were short-sleeved, but may not have covered the breasts: some frescoes show bare-breasted women, and others are designed to highlight their breasts
There is also evidence from frescoes that women wore robes, cloaks, shawls, ornate headbands and ankle bracelets.
Archaeology gives us examples of different jewelry
Clothing, men
Wore braided short-sleaved tunic, with a robe over it
There is evidence of a kilt-like garment, especially for soldiers, and a loincloth for underwear
Leather boots were worn, as shown on the Warrior Vase but people may have generally gone barefoot
Fresco of a Mycenaean lady holding a necklace
Fresco of a Mycenaean lady holding a necklace
Date: 13th century BC
Location: House of the Chief Priest, Mycenae
Significance: fresco colours and styles of female clothing, hairstyle, jewellery
Most famous original fesco
Shows a thoughtful woman in a typically; head bowed creating a realistic double-chin.
Mycenaean garment holding a necklace, which may be a gift to her
Might be goddess depicted
Wears a short-sleeved top over a thin bodice which has enabled the artist to show off her breasts
She has an intricate hairstyle and is wearing a fine necklace and bracelet
She holds another bracelet
Trade outline
- Strong trade links
- Essential for growth and survival for their societies
- Greece does not have a rich supply of minerals and metals
- Much of the trade was done by sea
- Land travel was impaired by mountains and bandits
- Roads would have been basic and little could be carried compared to boats
Trade
- Evidence comes from the objects themselves, Linerar B, and shipwrecks
- Many of the Mycenaean sites are a few miles from the sea, and there may have been sheltered harbours
- Sea trips would hvae taken a long time and been hazardous.
- Only safe to sail from spring to early autumn, and even then the weather could be unpredictable
- Merchants would island hop and would probably drop off and pick up on the way
- Most trade was with the east, but some came from Italy and the surrounding islands
- Perhaps imported amber and tin from Britain
- Items exchanged goods via bartering as there was no money
Mycenaean imports probable origins
Gold: Macedonia, Egypt, Thasos
Amber: Denmark, northern Europe
Ivory: Africa, Syria
Lapis Lazuli gemstones: Africa
Silver, lead: Attica
Copper: Attica: Syria, Cyprus, Sardinia
Ostrich eggshells: Africa
Tin: Britain, Turkey, Afghanistan, Spain
Glass: Egypt
Imports rarity
Some were found in small quantities
Copper was crucial for bronze
Gold is most famous as some of the most famous objects from Mycenae are of gold
Slaves
Debatable whether slaves were imported
The Iliad has many people enslaved, especially women
Numerous mentions of workers in the Linear B tablets, unknown if they were slaves
Their native land is often mentioned as far away
