ANCIENT AEGEAN ART

EUGENIA LANGANMATER ACADEMY CHARTER HIGH SCHOOLHIALEAH GARDENS, FLORIDA WITH APOLOGIES TO FRED KLEINERT AND WILLIAM GADDIS

“PREHISTORIC” AEGEAN THEME

COLORED M&Ms

C = CYCLADICM = MINOANM = MYCAENEAN

TIMELINE

CYCLADIC © 3000-2000 B.C.E. (PREHISTORIC)

MINOAN © 1700 – 1200 B.C.E. HAD WRITING (LINEAR A), BUT NOT DECIPHERED SO

FAR

© 1628 B.C.E.: VOLCANIC ERUPTION ON THERA END OF THERAN CIVILIZATION -- DECLINE OF MINOAN CIVILIZATION?

MYCENAEAN (HELLADIC) © 1700 – 1200 B.C.E. THEIR WRITING (LINEAR B) HAS BEEN DECIPHERED

(PREDECESSOR OF CLASSICAL GREEK)

MINOAN AND MYCENAEAN CIVILIZATIONS GREEK MYTHOLOGY

© 12TH C.: TROJAN WAR, DECLINE (INVASIONS) 8TH C. B.C.E.: HOMER’S ILIAD AND ODYSSEY

CYCLADIC ART

STATUETTES OF WOMEN

CYCLADIC © 2500-2300 B.C.E.MARBLE, APPROX. 18 ” HIGHNATIONAL ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM, ATHENS

STATUETTE OF A WOMAN

CYCLADIC © 2500-2300 B.C.E.MARBLE, APPROX. 18” HIGHNATIONAL ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM, ATHENS

STATUETTE OF SEATED LYRE PLAYER

CYCLADIC © 2800-2700 B.C.E.MARBLE, 11 ½” HIGHNATIONAL ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM, ATHENSGREEK CONNECTION: PREDECESSOR OF APOLLO?

COMPARE: “THE THINKER AND HIS WIFE,” FROM CERNAVODA, ROMANIA © 3500 B.C.E. CERAMIC, 4 ½” HIGH.MUSEUM OF ANTIQUITIES, BUCHAREST, ROMANIA

WHY ARE THESE PREHISTORIC PIECES SO COLLECTIBLE?

MINOAN ART

FRAGMENTS OF MINOAN TABLETS WITH LINEAR A INSCRIPTIONS – STILL UNDECIPHERED

ARCHITECTURE

PALACE AT KNOSSOS

CRETE, GREECE

© 1700-1400 B.C.E.

GREEK CONNECTION: HOME OF MYTHOLOGICAL KING MINOS

PALACE AT KNOSSOS (RECONSTRUCTION DRAWING)

CRETE, GREECE

© 1,700-1,400 B.C.E.

PLAN OF PALACE AT KNOSSOS -- LABYRINTH

GREEK CONNECTION: THE MYTH OF THESEUS (FOUNDER OF ATHENS)

5TH C. BCE BLACK-FIGURE VASE PAINTING – THESEUS AND THE MINOTAUR

IN LABYRINTH OF KING MINOS, THESEUS BATTLED AND KILLED MINOTAUR (BULL-HEADED MAN)

NOTE: BULLS AGAIN!!

ARIADNE, DAUGHTER OF KING, GAVE THESEUS SPINDLE OF THREAD HE UNWOUND ON WAY INTO LABYRINTH SO HE COULD FIND WAY OUT.

GRAND STAIRWAY, PALACE OF KNOSSOS

PALACE AT KNOSSOS

PALACE AT KNOSSOS

PLUMBING - PALACE AT KNOSSOS

PAINTING

MINOAN WOMAN (“LA PARISIENNE”)

FROM THE PALACE AT KNOSSOS © 1,450-1,400 B.C.E.BUON FRESCO FRAGMENT, APPROX. 10” HIGHARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM, HERAKLEION, CRETE

BULL-LEAPING (“TOREADOR FRESCO”)

FROM THE PALACE AT KNOSSOS,© 1,450-1,400 B.C.E.BUON FRESCO, 32 IN. HIGHARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM, HERAKLEION

THE QUEEN’S MEGATON, FROM KNOSSOS, CRETE © 1700-1300 BCE. WITH DOLPIN FRESCO. ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM, HERAKLEION

DOLPHIN FRESCO

DETAIL: DOLPHIN FRESCO

THERA

FLOTILLA, DETAIL OF SHIPS

FROM AKROTIRI, THERA, © 1,650 B.C.E.FRESCOAPPROX. 17” HIGH. NATIONAL ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM, ATHENS

CIVILIZATION ON THERA (CYCLADES) WIPED OUT BY VOLCANIC ERUPTION © 1625 B.C.E. GLOBAL COOLING DECLINE OF MINOAN CIVILIZATION?

LANDSCAPE WITH SWALLOWS (SPRING FRESCO), FROM ROOM DELTA 2, AKROTIRI, THERA (CYCLADES), GREECE, CA. 1650 BCE. FRESCO, 7’ 6” HIGH. NATIONAL ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM, ATHENS.

POTTERY AND SCULPTURE

SNAKE GODDESS

FROM PALACE AT KNOSSOS

© 1,600 B.C.E.FAIENCE, 13 ½” HIGH

ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM, HERAKLEION

DETAIL, SNAKE GODDESS

KAMARES-WARE JAR, FROM PHAISTOS, GREECE, © 1800–1700 B.C. E. CERAMIC, 1’ 8” HIGH. ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM, HERAKLEION

THROWN POTTERY

WHAT STYLE IS THIS?KAMARES WARE

LIGHT FIGURES ON DARK BACKGROUND

(BLACK SLIP)

MARINE STYLE OCTOPUS JAR

FROM PALAIKASTRO, GREECE © 1,500 B.C.E.CERAMIC, 11” HIGH

“STIRRUP JAR”

WHAT STYLE IS THIS?

MARINE STYLE

DARK FIGURES ON LIGHTBACKGROUND (PAINTED GLAZE)

HARVESTER VASE, FROM HAGIA TRIADA , CRETE © 1500 BCE. STEATITE, ORIGINALLY WITH GOLD LEAF, GREATEST DIAMETER 5”. ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM, HERAKLEION

RHYTON: HOLE IN BOTTOM – FOR LIBATIONS

WHAT’S EXTRAORDINARY ABOUT THE HARVESTER VASE?

REPRESENTATION OF GENUINE HUMAN EMOTION (MAYBE THE FIRST) AND SCULPTOR’S ATTENTION TO ANATOMY!

BULL-HEAD RHYTON, FROM KNOSSOS, CRETE ©1500-1450 B.C.E.

CERAMIC WITH SERPENTINE, STEATITE, CRYSTAL AND SHELL INLAY, GOLD LEAF

YOUNG GOD(?), FROM PALAIKASTRO, CRETE © 1500–1475 BCE.

HIPPOPOTAMUS IVORY, GOLD, SERPENTINE, AND ROCK CRYSTAL, RESTORED HEIGHT 1’ 7 1/2”. ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM, SITEIA.

WHAT IS THIS KIND OF IVORY/GOLD FABRICATION CALLED?CHRYSELEPHANTINE

WHAT CIVILIZATION’S INFLUENCE DO WE SEE?EGYPT. HOW?THE POSE

MYCENAEAN ART

LINEAR B – TABLET & RUBBINGS

ARCHITECTURE

AERIAL VIEW OF THE CITADEL AT TIRYNS, GREECE © 1400–1200 B.C.E.

GALLERY IN WALLS OF CITADEL AT TIRYNS

WHAT KIND OF MASONRY:CYCLOPEAN

WHAT KIND OF VAULT?CORBELLED

WHAT ARE THOSE ROWS OF BLOCKS CALLED?COURSES

PLAN OF CITADEL AT TIRYNS

N.B. THAT PROPYLON W/ COLUMNAR FAÇADE

PLANS OF EARLY GREEK TEMPLES

LION GATE, MYCENAE, GREECE, © 1,300-1,250 B.C.E.LIMESTONE, 9’ 6” HIGH

WHAT PRIOR ARTWORK MOST LIKELY INFLUENCED THIS ONE?

LION GATE, HATUSSA, TURKEY (HITTITE) © 1400 B.C.E.

LION GATE, HATTUSA (MODERN BOGHAZKÖY), TURKEY, © 1400 BCE. (HATTUSA = UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE)

LION GATE, MYCENAE

WHAT KIND OF ARCH IS THIS?CORBELLED

THIS SPACE IS CALLED:

RELIEVING TRIANGLE

WHAT KIND OF COMPOSITION IS THIS?HERALDIC

TREASURY OF ATREUS (ENTRANCE), MYCENAE, GREECE

© 1,300-1,250 B.C.E.WHAT IS THE FUNCTION OF THIS STRUCTURE? TOMB

WHAT KIND OF TOMB?THOLOS - BEEHIVE

TREASURY OF ATREUS

CIRCULAR CORBELLED VAULT = DOME

METALWORK, SCULPTURE, PAINTING AND POTTERY

FUNERARY MASK

FROM GRAVE CIRCLE A, MYCENAE, GREECE © 1600-1500 B.C.E.BEATEN GOLD, 12” HIGH

TECHNIQUE?REPOUSSÉ

WHAT CIVILIZATION’S INFLUENCE?EGYPT, ESP. NEW KINGDOM

INLAID DAGGER BLADE WITH LION HUNT, FROM GRAVE CIRCLE A, MYCENAE, GREECE © 1,600-1,500 B.C.E., BRONZE, INLAID WITH GOLD, SILVER AND NIELLO, 9” IN. LONG

FEMALE HEAD, FROM MYCENAE © 1300–1250 BCE. PAINTED PLASTER, 6 1/2” HIGH. NATIONAL ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM, ATHENS.

MYCENAEAN WOMAN, FROM MYCENAE © 1300 B.C.E. FRESCO, APPROX 12” HIGH

THREE DEITIES FROM MYCENAE © 1400-1300. IVORY, 3” HIGH. NATIONAL ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM, ATHENS

WARRIORS VASE (KRATER) FROM MYCENAE © 1200 B.C.E. 1’ 4” HIGH. NATIONAL ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM, ATHENS.

HOW DOES IT COMPARE TO MINOAN HARVESTERS VASE?

NO SETTING/ LANDSCAPEREPETITIOUS PATTERN FOR SOLDIERSSIMPLE NARRATIVE\

WHY?CIVILIZATION DECLINING

STIRRUP MARINE-STYLE VASE FROM MYCENAE © 1200 – 1100 B.C.E. CERAMIC, 10 ½” HIGH. METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART, NY ("MET") – NOTE STYLIZATION -- MAY INDICATE DECLINE IN SKILLS AS CIVILIZATION DECLINED