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ancient history > thera > Flashcards

thera Flashcards

1
Q

discovery of akrotiri, dependent on..

A

3rd millenium BC, Theran settlement of akrotiri was small community dependent on fishing & farming for survival

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2
Q

akrotiri culture

A

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

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3
Q

akrotiri trade

A

trade with cycladic islands of paros & naxos provided
-raw material
-marble

exhcnaged for
-wood
-food

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4
Q

akrotiri increase in significance

A

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)

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5
Q

why did progress & prosperity of island of thera halt

A

volcanic explosion (Date contested for aegean bronze age specialists)

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6
Q

effects of eruption on island geography

A

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

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7
Q

how was akrotiri rediscovered & excavated and what was found

A

greek archaeologist spyridon marinatos began working on site 1967
-2 storey houses
-unique artefacts where inhabitants left them

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8
Q

modern name for ancient island of thera (tiny aegean island)

A

santorini

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9
Q

what are the modern representations of santorini linked to

A

main sources of welath which was agriculture & tourism

link ancient volcanic eruption destroyed thera as legendary story of lsot city of atlantis

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10
Q

plato & atlantis

A

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

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11
Q

critias

A

introduction to war allegedly between athens & atlantis 9000 yrs before Plato’s time

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12
Q

timaeus

A

detailed account of fate of atlantis

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13
Q

link betw atlantis & thera

A

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

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14
Q

location of thera

A

island of thera part of the Cyclades
-strategically placed for trading contacts with Crete to Greece
-maintained close links with other aegean islands

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15
Q

cyclades

A

group of aegean islands between greece & turkey

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16
Q

thera trading contacts

A

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

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17
Q

why is evidence of early excavation at thera diff to identify

A

few records kept at time
-modern ploughing removed all traces of digging

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18
Q

excavations of spyridon marinatos

A

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

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19
Q

excavations of christos doumas

A

1968 greek archaeologist joined small excavation team
-became director 1975 after marinatos died

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20
Q

site of akrotiri

A

-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

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21
Q

buildings of akrotiri

A

most yield wall paintings revealing life on thera
-info eg. construction methods, pottery stles & types, foods eaten & storage methods

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22
Q

features of akrotiri town

A

-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

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23
Q

3 types of buildings in akrotiri (mansions)

A

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

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24
Q

freestanding buildings

A

-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?

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25
Q

building blocks

A

-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)

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26
Q

building techniques and materials in akrotiri

A

-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

27
Q

wall paintings/frescoes of akrotiri

A

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

28
Q

where do ppl think origins of frescoes in aegean from

A

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

29
Q

4 elements of theran frescoes

A

TECHNIQUES & MATERIALS

ICONOGRAPHIC PROGRAM (symbols)

SUBJECTS

STYLE

30
Q

techniques and materials for frescoes

A

-limited colours (white/untreated plaster, red, brown, yellow, blue, black)
-paint applied to wet(true, better preservation) /drying plaster

31
Q

iconographic program (frescoes)

A

private houses, public buildings , walls
-arragened into episodes of narrative painting on every wall of room/continue to adjacent rooms

32
Q

subjects (frescoes)

A

-geometric motifs
-buildings
-abstract patterns
-plants
-domestic animals (cattle)
-wild animals
-humans (esp women w/ white skin), males brown skin often naked

33
Q

style (frescoes)

A

naturalism (realistic representation)
-nature, materials, humans

narrative composition
-sequence of activities sometimes

2D depiction

34
Q

spring fresco

A

-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

35
Q

young boxers fresco

A

boys heads blue to indicate shaved
-wearing jewellery
-each boxing glove on right hand
-marinatos thought ‘princely brothers’

36
Q

artefacts in akrotiri

A

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

37
Q

pottery in akrotiri

A

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’

38
Q

stone artefacts akrotiri

A

tools, vases, hammers, anvils,
-locally produced items/imported from nearby islands
-lcoally produced, made from theran volcanic materials & imported stones

39
Q

metal artefacts akrotiri

A

most made of bronze
-fish hooks, knives, incense burners

40
Q

furniture akrotiri

A

volcanic ash from eruption surrounded wooden furniture and set hard, preserving after wood decomposed
-poured liquid plaster into spaces to produce furniture

41
Q

frescoes problems of interpretation

A

many in damaged state, debate scenes depicted & significance/ purpose of rooms

42
Q

fisherman fresco

A

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’

43
Q

naval campaign fresco

A

formed freiqze above doors & windows around each wall of room
-problematic interpretations
-sections damaged, fragmentary, accurate reconstruction extremely diff
-narrates events of overseas voyage

44
Q

features of everyday life at thera

A

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

45
Q

summary of everyday life on thera based on sources
Frescoes
Shipbuilding
Artefacts
Architecture
Plumbing
Religion

A

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

46
Q

thera & minoan civilisation

A

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

47
Q

thera and crete (minoan civilisation) archaeological evidence

A

considerable contact betw thera & crete, nature diff to determine
-minoan script LINEAR A not deciphered

48
Q

relationship betw thera & minoans
(frescoes, pottery, trade, architecture, writing, ship, religion)

A

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

49
Q

theran eruption

A

vulcano/geolo/oceanography established ancient island rocked by volcanic eruption and part collapsed into sea
-geological studies indicate eruption 4 phases over several days

50
Q

4 phases of eruption

A
  1. eruption carried columbn of ash 35km into atmosphere
    -subsequent rain of pumice from cloud covered island
  2. 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

51
Q

impact of eruption

A

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

52
Q

marinatos’ theory of eruption

A

theorised eruption destroyed thera directly linked to destruction of minoan civilisation c 1450 bc,
-dated eruption at 1500bc due to pottery sequences

53
Q

marinatos 2 central arguments for eruption theory

A
  1. 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
  2. TEPHRA (volcanic ash) from eruption settled over wide area of crete
    -destroying crops, contaminating soil
    -minoan agriculture disrupted
54
Q

current archaeological research contradicting marinatos arguments

A

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

55
Q

contested issue of dating of theran eruption

A

2 theories
1. c1540-1500bc ‘low chronology’ (archaeological)
-pottery finds from akrotiri, crete, aegean sites

  1. 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)
56
Q

significance of precise date of eruption

A

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

57
Q

significance of thera

A

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

58
Q

how do archaeologists know people were evacuated and warned of the natural disaster?

A

no human remains found and pottery/metalwork scattered outside houses (precious and handmade so no one would want to leave behind)

59
Q

why is it hard for archaeologists to reconstruct aegean bronze age societies

A

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

60
Q

xeste

A

buildign made of ashlar masonry (stone smoothed on facade for aesthetic purposes)

61
Q

polythra

A

many doors

62
Q

why was marinatos eager to investiage thera

A

strongly believed link existed between decline of minoan centres and volcanic eruption destroying most of thera

63
Q

2 main sources for studying thera

A

houses, streets, good in daily lives

frescoes in buildings

64
Q
A

ancient history (4 decks)

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