The Prehistoric Aegean

Terminology & Chronology

archaeological vs. political

• Near East

• Anatolia

• Mesopotamia

• Levant

• Middle East

• Turkey

• Iraq & Eastern Syria

• Israel, Jordan, (Palestine) Syria & Lebanon

Middle/Near East

Stone Age

• Old Palaeolithic 25,000-8,300bc• Middle Mesolithic 8,300-

6,500bc• NewNeolithic 6,500-3,100bc

Bronze Age

Arthur Evans, Knossos, 1921-1935Tripartite division of Bronze AgeEarly Bronze Age EBAMiddle Bronze Age MBALate Bronze Age LBA

• Cp. Old, Middle, New Kingdom in Egypt

Greece

Regional Bronze Age Nomenclature

Crete Minoan (Minos - mythical king) Cyclades Cycladic (Aegean island chain) Mainland Helladic (Hellas = Greece)

• Early EBA EM EC EH (3100-2000)• Middle MBA MM MC MH (2000-1650)• LateLBA LM LC LH (1600-1050)

Alternative Minoan Chronology (Palaces of

Knossos, Phaistos, Mallia & Zakro)

• Pre-palatial EM I - MM IA (ca. 3100/3000-1925/1900 B.C.)

• Protopalatial (Old Palace) MM IB - MM IIB (ca. 1925/1900-1750/1720 B.C.)

• Neopalatial (New Palace) MM IIIA - LM IB (ca. 1750/1720-1490/1470 B.C.)

• Post-palatial LM IIIA-C (ca. 1490/1470-1075/1050 B.C.)

Greece

Prehistory vs. history

• Palaeolithic• Mesolithic• Neolithic• Bronze Age• Dark/Iron Age

• Archaic• Classical• Hellenistic• Roman• Byzantine

The Peoples

• Greeks, Mycenaeans, Danaans, Argives, Achaeans

• Trojans, Dardans• Trojan Allies: Zeleians, Paeonians,

Ciconians, Thracians, Phrygians, Mysians, Maeonians, Carians, Lycians, Pelasgians, Paphlagonians

Hittite Empire

• Cuneiform script & Luwian Hieroglyphics adapted for Hittite language

• Wilusa, Ilios, Ilium• Taruisa,Tarwiza, Troy• Ahhiya(wa), Achaea

Hittite Evidence…

• Troy, Ilium, & Achaea real places!• Homeric World gains credibility

• So what do we know about Greek Prehistory from Archaeological Evidence?

Beginning of Bronze Age in Greece

• Agricultural population• Metal-working from Anatolia?• Fast-spinning potter’s wheel

Early Helladic Sites: Lerna & Tsoungiza

Tsoungiza: House A

• Wall 1.1m thick• Why so thick?• Room 0.9m wide• Why so wide?

House A Reconstruction

• 1 Room 0.9m wide

Corridor Houses of EHII

• House of Tiles Distribution

• Same dimensions, different sizes

• Shared Culture?

• Organized Relationships?

• EHII Architecture• Common Design• Megaron style

EH Agriculture

• EHII figurine• Domestic animals

Complex Culture: fine pottery & quality

metalwork

EHII Sealings from Lerna’s House of Tiles

• Personal Property• Social Hierarchy• Trade

• Massive fortification walls at EHII Lerna,

• Jutting Towers

• Approaches force exposure of weapon side - conscious of serious threat?

Lerna Fortifications

Invasion?

• EHII destructions widespread, coupled with major cultural changes

• Switch from orthogonal corridor houses to mostly apsidal houses in EHIII

• Disappearance of popular EHII pottery shapes

• Collapse of complex society• Depopulation of surrounding areas

EHIII Apsidal House

EHII Sauceboats disappear

New Pottery Types:Pattern-painted,

heavy dark-burnished

????????

• Who are these people?• Where do they come from?