AEGEAN ART

o   The Cyclades

o   Crete

o   Mycenae

See metaphor of Teacher as Ariadne (end)

 

 

The palace at Knossos – one of the most famous archaeological sites in the world.

It was here that King Minos supposedly had his labyrinth.

 

                                THE AEGEAN WORLD

These three civilizations are unified under one name – Aegean civilizations.

                 The Cyclades                              2500 – 2000 B.C.

     Crete / Minoan culture               2000 – 1200 B.C.

     Mycenae                                       1400 – 1200 B.C.

 

All we know about these civilizations – we know from archaeological excavations.

None of the Aegean civilizations left any literary sources but only myths.

 

Geography and development of civilizations

Compare three great ancient cultures. (In one line)

Egypt -*

Mesopotamia -*

Aegean -*

 

When & how was the Aegean world discovered? – *

What were the contributions of these outstanding men into the history of archaeology?

Heinrich Schliemann -*

Arthur Evans –*

 

In your book you have this expression: “The Bronze Age civilizations of pre-Hellenic Greece…”

What could it mean?

 

Pre-Hellenic -*     [explain the term]

Bronze Age – *

 

Please note that all three Aegean civilizations laid the foundation for Greece [Hellenic Greece].

All together they made the beginning of the Greek civilization. Unfortunately, in the book

Aegean and Greek sections are placed in two different chapters, and I also had to “cut” Greece – between two units.

Just for you to know – we are already in ancient Greece!

 

===================== The Cyclades=====================

                  *       [dates, peak of flourishing]

[Pronunciation: SEE’-kla-DEEZ’]

Where are the Cycladic islands located?

[Find on the map, do not just rewrite from the text]

In which sea –   *

Close to which coast? – *

Name the major ones – *

Where has most of survived art culled from *

 

*                    [What is the general name for this type of marble figurines?]       What do they represent? – *     (based on your book suggestions) Head -*               [Describe their appearance] Torso(body) – *                 The Cycladic Idol from the VMFA in Richmond. You may be able to see it when you go on your museum trip.

 

 

As a matter of fact, some scholars disagree with the theory of “fertility goddess”.

Can you see that in the Cycladic idol all sexual features are downplayed as opposed to the Palaeolithic Venuses (remember Venus of Willendorf?). The Cycladic figures look very ‘girlish’. Besides, all of them were found in the graves. All we can guess is that they, being linked with burial rituals, most likely had a religious function.

Male figures of musicians are also mentioned in your textbook. Here is one of them…           Seated harp player ca. 2800–2700 B.C. Marble; H. with harp 11 1/2 in. Image credit: Metropolitan museum

 

 

==============Crete / Minoan Civilization==============         Dates: *           [Take dates from above]

            

On what island did the Minoan civilization emerge? – *

Why the Cretan culture is called Minoan? – *

This is where the word labyrinth came from as well (supposedly).      

Labyrinth –*   [the modern-day meaning]

 

I am going to tell you the myth of the Minotaur in more detail that it is told in your book. Not only because it is a fascinating story but also to show you how popular the myths were as a source of inspiration for many – from the ancient vase-painters to Picasso.

 

 

 

 

Image credit: altreligion.about.com    

This is how it happened and why the Aegean sea received its name “Aegean”… The Minotaur was a monster, half bull, half human, the offspring of Minos’ wife and a wonderfully beautiful bull. Poseidon (God of Sea) had given this bull to Minos in order that he should sacrifice it to him, but Minos could not bear to slay it and had kept it for himself. To punish him, Poseidon had made Pasiphae fall madly in love with it.   When the Minotaur was born Minos did not kill him. He ordered to build the Labyrinth, famous throughout the world. Once inside, one would go endlessly along its twisting paths without ever finding the exit. To this place the young Athenians were each year taken and left to the Minotaur. There was no possible way to escape. In whatever direction they ran they might be running straight to the monster; if they stood still he might at any moment emerge from the maze. Such was a doom that awaited fourteen Athenian youths and maidens.

Pablo Picasso. Minotaur Caressing the Hand of a Sleeping Girl (1933). © 2007 Estate of Pablo Picasso

 

At once Theseus came forward and offered to be one of the victims. He told his father that if he succeeded, he would change the black sail (that this ship carried because of its cargo of misery) to a white one, so that Aegeus could know long before the ship came to land that his son was safe.

Park Sculpture; Image credit: altreligion.about.com  

When the young victims arrived in Crete …Minos daughter Ariadne was among the spectators and she fell in love with Theseus at first sight as he marched past her. She told Theseus that she would bring about his escape if he would promise to take her back to Athens and marry her. As may be imagined, he made no difficulty about that, and she gave him a ball of thread, which he was to fasten at the door. This he did and, certain that he could retrace his steps whenever he choose; he walked boldly into a maze looking for the Minotaur. He came upon him asleep and fell upon him, pinning him to the ground; and with his fists – he had no other weapon – he battered the monster to death…  

 

All stories agree that when they drew near to Athens he forgot to hoist the white sail (Ah children-children!…). The black sail was seen by his father, King Aegeus, from the Acropolis, where for days he had watched the sea with straining eyes.

It was for him the sign of his son’s death and he threw himself down from a rocky height into the sea, and was killed. The sea into which he fell was called the Aegean ever after. (Short version from Edith Hamilton’s book “Timeless Tales on Gods and Heroes”)

Gabriel Rossetti, 19^th century. Image credit:altreligion.about.com

 

So, you have just learned from this myth a few names and facts. I hope this will help you to remember them. Please sum up here “Who is who”

King Minos -*

Minotaur – *

Labyrinth -*

Aegeus -*

 

Now let us get back to the book.

There were3 periodsin the history ofMinoancivilization:

1. *
2. *
3. *

We will be studying the last two – Middle Minoan & Late Minoan periods.

The Middle Minoan Period or the period of the “… “

or

*      [second name for this period]

What was the major art form in architecture? (… tomb, pyramid or shrine, palace)

*

What did you learn about development of a new form of writing? – *

Which one was an early form of Greek? – *