thera Flashcards
discovery of akrotiri, dependent on..
3rd millenium BC, Theran settlement of akrotiri was small community dependent on fishing & farming for survival
akrotiri culture
Cycladic (Early Bronze Age culture of C islands in Aegean sea) ISLANDS
mINOAN CULTURE OF NEARBY ISLAND cRETE
-proven by rock-cut burial chambers, pottery & stone vases
akrotiri trade
trade with cycladic islands of paros & naxos provided
-raw material
-marble
exhcnaged for
-wood
-food
akrotiri increase in significance
after 2000 BC greater role in Aegean trade
-located on copper trade route between Cyprus & Crete
-metal-working centre proven by crucibles & moulds
-mroe urbanised (paved streets, drainage, pottery large scale production)
why did progress & prosperity of island of thera halt
volcanic explosion (Date contested for aegean bronze age specialists)
effects of eruption on island geography
centre of island disappeared into sea - CALDERA (crater formed by collapse onto itself) of volcano
-remains of island covered in volcanic ash 70m deep some areas
how was akrotiri rediscovered & excavated and what was found
greek archaeologist spyridon marinatos began working on site 1967
-2 storey houses
-unique artefacts where inhabitants left them
modern name for ancient island of thera (tiny aegean island)
santorini
what are the modern representations of santorini linked to
main sources of welath which was agriculture & tourism
link ancient volcanic eruption destroyed thera as legendary story of lsot city of atlantis
plato & atlantis
athenian philosopher wrote story of atlantis in 2 dialogues: TIMAEUS and CRITIAS c. 360 BC
-claimed orignal story told by Solon Athenian statesman of 6th century BC
critias
introduction to war allegedly between athens & atlantis 9000 yrs before Plato’s time
timaeus
detailed account of fate of atlantis
link betw atlantis & thera
since plato, modern atlantis mythology developed
-theorise location of atlantis (atlantic ocean)
-no evidence in ocean of magnitude of volcanic activity to destroy continent
-no continental remains found on atlantic seabed
-atlantis mediterranean island of thera basedo n volcanic activity consistent with P’s descriptions
location of thera
island of thera part of the Cyclades
-strategically placed for trading contacts with Crete to Greece
-maintained close links with other aegean islands
cyclades
group of aegean islands between greece & turkey
thera trading contacts
with crete proved by archaeological record of akrotiri, the bronze age site excavated from late 1960s
-maintained close links with other aegean islands (discovered natural resources from there)
-syria, palestine, egypt
why is evidence of early excavation at thera diff to identify
few records kept at time
-modern ploughing removed all traces of digging
excavations of spyridon marinatos
greek archaeologist develoepd theroy that sudden destruction of minoan civilisation on crete linked to eruption of theran volcano
-published 1939
began excavating akrotiri on southern tip of thera 1967
-locals who remembered/associated 19th century excavations & discovery of surface finds eg. potsherds hepled
excavations of christos doumas
1968 greek archaeologist joined small excavation team
-became director 1975 after marinatos died
site of akrotiri
-major source for interpreting ancient thera
-excavations revealed remains of long & narrow section of og town
-buildings freestanding/housing blocks
-BB named after greek alphabet
-buildings ‘xeste’ bc style of construction of carefully cut & dressed stone blocks (ashlar) type of masonry
buildings of akrotiri
most yield wall paintings revealing life on thera
-info eg. construction methods, pottery stles & types, foods eaten & storage methods
features of akrotiri town
-narrow paved streets with occasional small town squares (markets, social gatherings)
-drainage system beneath streets
-several storey houses reinforced with wooden beams and built of stone blocks
-plumbing in clay pipes draining waste from toilets into town system
3 types of buildings in akrotiri (mansions)
mansions
-xestes have facades of ashlar masonry, lustral basins, polythyra esp x3
-x3 public purpose bc polythyron in building used by many ppl
-frescoes depict religious ceremony
-rooms containing storage jars nad pottery for preparation & storage of food
-at least 2 storeys
-LUSTRAL BASINS
-ASHLAR block exteriors prob higher class ppl
freestanding buildings
-west house, house of the ladies, mill house
-service areas on ground floor
-ceremonial & residential rooms on upper floors
-shrines and frescoes common
-diff from mansions cause privacy, hosuehold shrines private use
-mill house suggest growing, reaping, distributing grain under protection of deity lustral basin?
building blocks
-individual houses impossible to identify bc each block onyl has 1 kitchen (cooking done communal basis)
-communal dwelling blocks bc of kitchens close to shrines
-ground floors had pithoi (jars) to contain legumes, dried fruit, barley, flour, dried fish, olive oil
-ground floors commercial premises & workshops some privatea use
-upper floors domestic accommodation (bedrooms, ritual)
building techniques and materials in akrotiri
-basements had small windows, windows on upper storeys larger
-commonly used unworked stone & clay
-walls supported by timber frames (earthquake)
-ashlar masonry in xestes made building stronger
-flat roofs
-facades
wall paintings/frescoes of akrotiri
valued greatly for artistic merit & important sources abt thera & aegean bronze age
-unlike ones of minoan crete, theran stayed intact due to burial of volcanic ash
-daily life: dress,architecture, shipbuilding, flora & fauna
where do ppl think origins of frescoes in aegean from
cyclades maybe thera itself
-role of cycladic sailors in easter aegean likely contacted ppl further east eg. mesopotamia and adopted art + mythical creatures
-griffin originated in east
4 elements of theran frescoes
TECHNIQUES & MATERIALS
ICONOGRAPHIC PROGRAM (symbols)
SUBJECTS
STYLE
techniques and materials for frescoes
-limited colours (white/untreated plaster, red, brown, yellow, blue, black)
-paint applied to wet(true, better preservation) /drying plaster
iconographic program (frescoes)
private houses, public buildings , walls
-arragened into episodes of narrative painting on every wall of room/continue to adjacent rooms
subjects (frescoes)
-geometric motifs
-buildings
-abstract patterns
-plants
-domestic animals (cattle)
-wild animals
-humans (esp women w/ white skin), males brown skin often naked
style (frescoes)
naturalism (realistic representation)
-nature, materials, humans
narrative composition
-sequence of activities sometimes
2D depiction
spring fresco
-3 walls display mountainous landscape with rocks (black, red, blue, yellow)
-clusters of red lilies various stages of blossom
-swallows flying
marinatos thought religious nature ‘spring season when swallows restless from mating and preparing nests’
-theran artists appreciation of nature
-influence of cycladic art
young boxers fresco
boys heads blue to indicate shaved
-wearing jewellery
-each boxing glove on right hand
-marinatos thought ‘princely brothers’
artefacts in akrotiri
valuable evidence of everyday life
-likely inhabitants warned of impending eruption, escaped before (no human remains)
-limited artefacts cause ppl fled
-reveal range of bronze age tech at akrotiri
pottery in akrotiri
shapes, size, decoration reflect purpose
-storage (food, liquids)
-bathing
-transport goods
-floral decoration
-food prep, cooking
potters primarily influenced by cycladic tradition
-painted surface of vases w/ floral motifs
-influenced by minoan potters (divide surfaces separated and painted geometric motifs)
-doumas: ‘industrial scale production, manufactured for city requirements’
stone artefacts akrotiri
tools, vases, hammers, anvils,
-locally produced items/imported from nearby islands
-lcoally produced, made from theran volcanic materials & imported stones
metal artefacts akrotiri
most made of bronze
-fish hooks, knives, incense burners
furniture akrotiri
volcanic ash from eruption surrounded wooden furniture and set hard, preserving after wood decomposed
-poured liquid plaster into spaces to produce furniture
frescoes problems of interpretation
many in damaged state, debate scenes depicted & significance/ purpose of rooms
fisherman fresco
naked male figure holding fish each hand
-nanno marinatos argues religious nature ‘worshippers making offering of their catch to god/ess, nudity/ shaved heads belong to relgiious group’
naval campaign fresco
formed freiqze above doors & windows around each wall of room
-problematic interpretations
-sections damaged, fragmentary, accurate reconstruction extremely diff
-narrates events of overseas voyage
features of everyday life at thera
not enough evidence to construct clear picture, no written texts to help
-rely on interpretation of material remains
-make inferences of social structure of theran society from nature of housing
-freestanding vs blocks of housing: differ social status but applying modern understanding of social status to ancient society
summary of everyday life on thera based on sources
Frescoes
Shipbuilding
Artefacts
Architecture
Plumbing
Religion
FRESCOES
-contribution to aegean & later art
SHIPBUILDING
-contribution to bronze age aegean trade & eco
ARTEFACTS
-pottery, metalwork, stone tools, furniture
ARCHITECTURE
-knowledge of constructing multi-storey buildings
PLUMBING
-drainage and toilets
RELIGION
-involvement of women, youth, rituals & equip
thera & minoan civilisation
same time cycladic culture developing on thera, nearby island crete emerged as important cultural & trade centre
-‘minoan’ culture developed on crete during bronze age
-shcolars minoans established colony on thera & controlled in late bronze age/therans & minoans trading partners only, thera independent flourishing settlement
thera and crete (minoan civilisation) archaeological evidence
considerable contact betw thera & crete, nature diff to determine
-minoan script LINEAR A not deciphered
relationship betw thera & minoans
(frescoes, pottery, trade, architecture, writing, ship, religion)
FRESOCES
-use minoan techniques
-naturalistic style more cycladic>minoan
POTTERY
-minoan influence in use of gemoetric/linear patterns
-cycladic pictorial motifs popular
TRADE
-mioan pottery form later times found at akrotiri as containers for other goods/traded
-used minoan metric system
RELIGION
-‘priestesses’ wore minoan-style dress
-horns of consecration minoan religious symbol found
-lustral basin minoan sacred structure
SHIPBUILDING
-uncertain, ships couldve been minoan in naval campaign fresco/therans influenced minoan shipbuilding
WRITING
-pottery fragments found with linear a signs
ARCHITECTURE
-no evidence of ruler
theran eruption
vulcano/geolo/oceanography established ancient island rocked by volcanic eruption and part collapsed into sea
-geological studies indicate eruption 4 phases over several days
4 phases of eruption
- eruption carried columbn of ash 35km into atmosphere
-subsequent rain of pumice from cloud covered island - violent when magma from eruption contacted sea water
-hot dry avalanches of ash & pumice (PYROCLASTIC FLOWS) raced from sides of volcano
eventually centre of island collapsed, forming cliffs around a caldera (central lagoon)
-left group of islands
-remains of island buried beneath thick layer of ash & pumice up to 70m deep some places
impact of eruption
agean late bronze age, widespread destruction of palaces on crete c1450bc ended minoan civilisation
-all palaces except knossos abandoned, rebuilt with mycenean occupation
-knossos became centre for aegean trade
marinatos’ theory of eruption
theorised eruption destroyed thera directly linked to destruction of minoan civilisation c 1450 bc,
-dated eruption at 1500bc due to pottery sequences
marinatos 2 central arguments for eruption theory
- eruption on thera caused huge tsunamis hit north & eastern coasts of crete, destroying palaces, harbours and MINOAN FLEET
-basis of minoan power
-affected minoan trade & eco - TEPHRA (volcanic ash) from eruption settled over wide area of crete
-destroying crops, contaminating soil
-minoan agriculture disrupted
current archaeological research contradicting marinatos arguments
archaeological evidence doesnt support tsunami destruction theory
-except for 1 site, coastal destruction on crete caused by raging fires
better understanding of tsunamis
-minoan fleet wouldve destroyed if all ships in harbours at time
-tsunamis barely detectable at sea but cause immense damage in shallow harbours
-likely minoan fleet mainly commercial so ships wouldve been various locations
ash-fall theory
-west unaffected
-estimates of tephra 10–> 1.5cm
contested issue of dating of theran eruption
2 theories
1. c1540-1500bc ‘low chronology’ (archaeological)
-pottery finds from akrotiri, crete, aegean sites
- c1660-1600bc ‘high chronology’ (scientific)
-radiocarbon dating of organic matter from akrotiri excavations
-data derived from greenland ice cores
-growth rings in trees in california & ireland (dendrochronology)
significance of precise date of eruption
betw scholarly opinions betw ‘high’ and ‘low’ dating schemes
-if precide date agreed on, enable histories of all cultures in aegean region SYNCHRONISED
-provide method of revising historical chronology of ancient egypt & other chronologies of other aegean & east mediterranean cultured based on theran eruption
significance of thera
LINKS TO WIDER CONTEXT
-link to minoan culture
-short and long term impact of eruption on minoan civilisation
WORTH REMEMBERING
-link to legend of atlantis
CONTRIBUTION TO ARCHAEOLOGY
-debates abt impact & date of eruption
IMPORTANT INFO REVEALED
-daily life & bronze age culture
how do archaeologists know people were evacuated and warned of the natural disaster?
no human remains found and pottery/metalwork scattered outside houses (precious and handmade so no one would want to leave behind)
why is it hard for archaeologists to reconstruct aegean bronze age societies
absence of full written records need to make largely hypothetical assumptions on life and society
-using evidence from scattered sources, undeciphered linear a
-compare thera cultural remains with contemporary societies eg crete, mycenae
-Diff to find evidence lack of evidence,
- evidence is fragile, sometimes bits missing and not intact
xeste
buildign made of ashlar masonry (stone smoothed on facade for aesthetic purposes)
polythra
many doors
why was marinatos eager to investiage thera
strongly believed link existed between decline of minoan centres and volcanic eruption destroying most of thera
2 main sources for studying thera
houses, streets, good in daily lives
frescoes in buildings
