Mycenaean Culture Flashcards

1
Q

Describe the lion dagger

A
  • ornamental dagger
  • intricate image of lion hunt
  • three lions, four people (one dead on floor)
  • using spears, shields, bow and arrow
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2
Q

Where and when was the lion dagger made and found? What is it made out of?

A
  • 16th century BC
  • Grave 4, Grave circle A, Mycenae
  • gold, silver, niello
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3
Q

What would the lion dagger would have been used for?

A
  • ornamental object
  • almost certainly belonged to king as status symbol
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4
Q

Why were lions hunted?

A
  • hardest challenge hunter could face = thrill of doing something dangerous
  • military training (practice strategy)
  • show of status
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5
Q

Describe the fresco found in Tiryns depicting hunting

A
  • vivid blue background
  • three dogs with brown spots chasing golden brown boar through a field
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6
Q

What were boars hunted for?

A
  • tusks to make jewellery/ helmets
  • meat for food
  • threat

hunted by less wealthy Mycenaeans

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7
Q

Describe the signet ring

A
  • two people on a chariot
  • one archer, one driver
  • hunting deer
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8
Q

What does the signet ring show about hunting in Mycenae?

A
  • deer hunted for food
  • large portions of meat
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9
Q

Describe the drinking cup

A
  • one side cows being driven into nets
  • other side cows are domesticated, calm around farmer
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10
Q

What does the drinking cup show us about hunting in Mycenae?

A
  • cows are hunted
  • domesticated for farming tasks (ploughing)
  • milk production, consistent food source (made into cheese)
  • cows used for cow jumping
  • leather for armour, shields, shoes
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11
Q

Which two pieces of armour changed significantly over the Mycenaean period?

A
  • helmets
  • shields
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12
Q

What was the difference between older and newer shields?

A
  • older shields = figure of eight + tower shields
  • larger

changed- too heavy, would bang knees on shield

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13
Q

What were shields made of and why?

A
  • leather to stop arrows, slides off (cheap)
  • bronze (expensive)
  • some had bronze boss to hit people with
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14
Q

Describe the boar tusk helmet

where was it found?

A
  • layers of boar tusks with leather base for comfort
  • boar tusks = strong

chamber tomb in Mycenae

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15
Q

What are the disadvantages of using a boar tusk helmet?

A
  • each helmet used the tusks of at least ten wild boars
  • hard/ dangerous to hunt (Odysseus got hurt hunting a boar in book 19)
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16
Q

What is fullbody armour found in Dendra called?

A
  • Dendra Panoply
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17
Q

What are cons of using the Denra Panoply armour?

A
  • expensive (need to be quarried and hunted for) - made of bronze + boar tusks
  • big bronze plates down to knees = rigid, hard to run in
  • made of bronze = heavy
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18
Q

What are the pros of using the Dendra Panoply amrour?

A
  • fullbody protection = shoulder guards + down to knees
  • likely owned by rich person to show off - unlikely to fight
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19
Q

Describe the Dendra panoply armour

A
  • hinged together using strips of leather
  • made of 15 plates of bronze
  • found with boar’s tusk helmet, greaves, wrist guard
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20
Q

How did the Illiad describe helmets?

A
  • having animal skin liners for comfort + some added protection
  • often had throat straps
  • animal hair plumes on top (identifiable/ look impressive/ intimidation)

Mycenaean wall paintings regularly show plumed helmets

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21
Q

Describe the Warrior Vase

A
  • line of almost identical soldiers marching
  • carry long spears (thrusting, not throwing)
  • small round shields
  • carrying knapsacks on spears = supplies/ rations, long journey
  • in chitons
  • wearing breast plates and greaves for protection
  • woman shown to be bidding farewell (mother)
  • other side = spiky helmets and shorter spears
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22
Q

When was the Warrior vase made, where was it originally and what was it used for?

what is it made of?

A
  • 14th century
  • house of the warrior, Mycenae
  • clay
  • used as krater (mixing wine with water)
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23
Q

What were spears like?

A
  • wooden handle
  • bronze spearhead fitted onto it
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24
Q

When and how did the spears change in appearance and function?

A
  • 12 century BC
  • shorter = thrown
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25
What was the evidence for spears?
- Linear B tablets from Crete - refers to 42 bronze tipped spears
26
Describe the swords found in Mycenaean tombs
- some had elaborate golden hilts
27
What did early swords have?
- wooden pommel (rounded end to handle) covered in gold
28
How have swords changed throughout the Mycenaean era?
- gotten shorter like spears - more useful for close combat
29
What are swords held in and what does the wall painting in Akrotiri depict?
- sacbbards - tassles on end on scabbards
30
Why were bows seen as a coward's weapon?
- can inflict harm on others without putting themselves at risk
31
What were chariots used for?
- chasing prey (signet ring) - used in war, drops off warrior in the middle of battlefield, they fight and then they get on to go to another place - funeral races (Illiad) - mode of transport (fresco in Tiryns, couple travelling)
32
Describe the general design of a chariot
- drawn by 2 horses attached to to central pole - rarely 2 extra horses added on either side main team by single bar that fasted to front of chariot (expensive, hard to control) - wheels + basket usually made of wood - strengthened by bronze - basket sometimes covered with wicker wood - wheels = 4-8 spokes
33
Describe a box chariot
- basket covered in ox hide/ wicker work (as light as possible) - 4-8 spokes on wheels - offers protection for legs, weapons glide off side of box easier
34
Describe the quadrant chariot
- similar to box chariot - curved D shape at front like quadrant of circle | variation of box chariot
35
Describe the rail chariot
- basket with rail each side - footboard for driver to stand - light vehicle- open cab, minimal protection for legs (likely for transport, not in war) - 4 wheeled chariot = heavier (parades and travel)
36
What evidence is there for chariots?
- metallic parts and horse bits found in graves and settlements - chariot bodies, wheels, horses inventoried in Linear B tablets - frescoes, metal work (ring), grave stele
37
What was Mycenaean clothing made out of?
- wool coming from sheep/ goats - linen coming from flax - silk imported from the middle east (silkworms) | silk was rare and expensive
38
What ingredients were used to "lock in" the dye?
- vinegar - urine
39
Where did yellow dye come from?
- onion skin - saffron (spice)
40
Where did red dye come from?
- insect eggs - madder (a plant)
41
Where did blue dye come from?
- indigo (a plant) | expensive, hard to obtain
42
Where did purple dye come from?
- shellfish ink (middle east) | expensive, hard to obtain
43
What was the most typical bodice shape for women?
- tight - short sleeved (hot climate) - showing cleavage
44
What were the typical colours of clothing for women?
- bright colours, yellow and orange
45
What were some recurring patterns in women's clothing?
- layering in bodices and skirts - geometric, striped patterns - contrasting colours
46
What were some common hairstyles among Mycenaean women?
- long hair, braided - sometimes with hairdresses or wispy sideburns
47
What is the usual skirt design for Mycenaean women?
- ankle-length (length varies) - bright and colourful - tiered effect - worn with underskirt
48
What is the date, location and significance of the Mycenaean lady fresco?
- 13th century BC - House of the Chief priest, Mycenae - fresco colours, style of female clothing, shows bracelets and jewellery
49
Describe the Mycenaean Lady fresco
- thoughful woman in typical Mycenaean garment holding necklace - might have been gift (goddess?) - shows cleavage, tiered effect from layers of red and white - short sleeved top (hot climate) - necklaces, intricate hairstyle with headbadn | pale
50
What did men wear?
- short sleeved tunic (easier to move around in) - robe over it - kilt-like garment (especially soldiers) - loincloth for underwear - leather boots (warrior vase) but generally barefoot | dark skin from working outside in fresco
51
Describe another source of a woman in Mycenaean clothing
- fresco in front of megaron - woman holding saffron - could be goddess or priestess worshipping demeter (saffron = fertility) - eye makeup - sideburns - headdress - layering on top
52
Why was trading important for the Mycenaeans?
- Greece does not have rich supply of mineral and metal resources
53
How was most of trade done? Why?
- by sea - travel on land was low - mountain ranges and bandits - roads would have been basic - little could be carried on animals + chariots compared to boats
54
What werre three pieces of evidence that tell us about trade?
- shipwrecks - objects themselves in cities (Mycenaean style dagger in Romania) - Linear B tablets
55
How did the location of Mycenaean cities make trade easier?
- just a few miles from sea - many sheltered harbours
56
Why were journeys at sea dangerous?
- safe to sail for half a year - early spring to early autumn - weather in Mediterranean was unpredictable
57
Why were journeys not completed in one go? What did they do instead?
- manned by rowers - "island hop" to get to mainland Greece - drop off and pick up cargo on the way
58
List all of the areas that were believed to be involved in trade with the Mycenaeans
- islands in the Aegean sea - Egypt - Middle East - Italy and surrounding island - Britain
59
What is batering?
- merchant wants item or service - offer something he already had in exchange | no evidence that they used money
60
Why can we never be sure of where materials and products came from?
- Mycenaeans never kept record
61
How do archaeologists work out where items came from?
- look at where else was producing materials/products at the same time - reasoned guess
62
Where did Mycenaeans import gold from?
- Macedonia - Egypt - Thasos (Greek island)
63
Where did Myceneans import amber from? | for beads
- Denmark - Northern Europe
64
Where did the Mycenaeans import ivory from?
- Africa - Syria
65
Where did the Mycenaeans import lapis lazuli gemstones from?
Africa
66
Where did the Mycenaeans import silver and lead from?
- Attica (area around Athens)
67
Where did the Mycenaeans import copper from?
- Attica - Syria - Cyprus - Sardinia
68
Where did the Mycenaeans import ostrich eggshells from?
Africa
69
Where did the Mycenaeans import tin from?
- Britain - Turkey - Afghanistan - Spain
70
Where did the Mycenaeans import glass from?
Egypt
71
Why was copper important?
- main metal used to make bronze
72
Why was gold important?
- used to make most famous objects in Mycenae
73
What evidence of slavery was found?
- Illiad = people defeated in war turned into slaves, especially women - Linear B = mentions of workers, not known if they had slave status (homeland mention, many came from long way away)
74
What did the Mycenaeans export?
- pottery - olive oil - wine - kraters (found in Cyprus) - beads (found in egypt)
75
Where did Mycenaean pottery get found in?
- Israel - Egypt - Sicily - Albania - Macedonia
76
What gave us evidence for trade in 1375BC?
- Mycenaean ship sunk off coast of southwest Turkey
77
What was found on the shipwreck?
- 10 tonnes of copper - 1 tonne of tin (correct ratio for making bronze) - 150 jars of Middle East jars - filled with resin or olives (1 with glass beads) - wooden logs - elephant tusks - hippopotamus teeth - tortoise shells - oil lamps and pottery - amber - drinking cups - weapons - food (nuts, olives, spices) - trumpet - wooden tablets (filled with wax for writing)
78
What is Linear A?
- older form of writing than Linear B - yet to be deciphered
79
Who cracked the code for Linear B?
Michael Ventris
80
What is the syllable system?
- syllable = single sound said with 1 beat
81
What is the ideogram system?
- picture representing a whole word - only existed for most commonly used words
82
Where were the Linear B tablets found and how much are there?
- over 1000 in Pylos - even more Knossos
83
How many sets of handwriting are there in Linear B?
- up to 100 different individuals
84
Where were Linear B tablets stored?
- special document room - assumed to be archive room
85
How were the tablets usually made?
- pieces of damp clay - written records inscribed with sharpened tool - left to harden in the sun
86
How long would the tablets have normally lasted and why?
- not fired in kiln - clay absorbs moisture from air - crack and crumbles - lasts for several months
87
How did tablets get preserved?
- sites where they were found had large fires - tablets baked as if in kiln - hardened
88
What does giving us "snapshot of life" mean with Linear B?
- not designed to be historic - represents moment in time
89
How did scribes actually record information on the tablets?
- inscribe detail on small piece of clay - designed to be held in palm of hand (3cm length) - transferred to larger thin horizontal tablet (leaf tablet) - several leaf tablets transferred to larger doc. (30cm length)
90
How did scribes decide when to use an ideogram and when to use syllables?
- common words = ideogram - uncommon words = syllables
91
What is documented on Linear B tablets?
- lists of people, items - trade records/ palace records
92
How was gender depicted in Linear B for animals? | what are they used for?
- extra strokes on ideogram - 2 extra horizontal lines = male - extra vertical/ near vertical = female | breeding purposes
93
What was the date and location of the Linear B tablet showing the word tripod?
- 13th century BC - Archive room, palace of Pylos
94
What does Linear B reveal about religion?
- reveals names of several Olympian gods - Zeus, Poseidon, Hermes, Hera, Artemis - female versions of Poseidon and Zeus (Diwia, Posidia) - female identities didn't exist much after Mycenaean age | some but not all aspects survived into later times
95
What the Linear B tablets reveal about the Greek language?
- some words survived over the centuries (found in ancient Greek with little to no change in spelling) - gold in Greek = chrusos - gold in Linear B = kuruso - until decipherment of Linear B = generally thought that arrival of later Greeks wiped out Mycenaean language
96
What does Linear B tell us about food production and agriculture?
- tablet from Knossos = wine production - 420 vines + 14 000 L wine storage - delivery of 518 L of oil from Kolakas -> Eumedes - figs, wheat, barley - official in charge of honey production used for religious offerings - spices = saffron, coriander
97
What did Linear B tell us about animals?
- some plough oxen named - Dusky, Dapple, Whitefoot - Horses listed under military equipment - goats and pigs
98
What did Linear B tell us about the Wanax? | how cities were run
- chief Wanax at top of society - corresponds to "annax"/lord in Homer (not mentioned later = position only existed in Mycenaean times) - had royal lands, special garments (often purple), freedom from some taxes
99
What did Linear B tell us about the official under the Wanax?
- lawagetas - estate at Pylos = 1/3 size of Wanax - title might be connected with later Greek words for people and leader - suggests military figure
100
What did Linear B tell us about the people beneath the Wanax and the Lawagetas?
- beneath both = noble class - **hequetai** - followers of rule in war - warrior class - landowners who may have had slaves | beneath them were people who did most of the work
101
What did Linear B tell us about workers?
- variety of roles - female religious workers - women = gorund corn, spun, produced flax (made into linen) - waitresses, bath attendants - often mentioned coming from other parts of world = slaves - headband makers for horses - musicians - sweepers - bakers - fire-kindlers - perfume make - stonemasons
102
What did Linear B tell us about the military organisation?
- tablets at Knossos = 42 bronze tipped spears - tablets at Pylos = officials had to provide bronze for spears, arrows, ships - focus on producing what would be needed for an attack - chariot parts, wheels frames - Pylos tablets = 600 rowers, 800 coastal watchmen - major invasion was feared
103
What did Linear B tell us about offerings to gods?
- gold items (offered at shrine of Zeus) - 2 men, 8 women mentioned as offerings for Zeus, Hermes, Hera (controversial)